In Count Bristle-Wolf's Mansion, a small building belonging to Kempins.
The lord's bedroom was not particularly large. Kempins Bristle-Wolf lay on his hard bed, his face drenched in cold sweat.
Beside the bed, Elinda Bristle-Wolf brought over a bucket of water, soaked a cloth in it, and wiped down her father's upper body.
"Those Blue Dragon Family people are absolute bastards! They actually wouldn't let the butler and the others come in to take care of you!" Elinda said angrily as she wiped him down.
Before they returned, the entire lord's manor had already been taken over by Blue Dragon Family knights. When the count was brought in, everyone except Elinda had been stopped outside by the knights. They were clearly intending to let Kempins's condition worsen unchecked.
"El..." The count moved his right hand, unable to form complete words anymore. "Lan..."
"You want me to call Landen?" Elinda guessed what her father meant.
"You... marry..." Even now, the count understood that if he wanted his bloodline to remain in Bristle-Wolf City, the best way was for Landen to marry his daughter. He was finished now; only this path could preserve what he had built over the years.
"Father, I don't want to..." Tears streamed down Elinda's face as she shook her head desperately. No matter what grievances had existed between her and her father before, at this moment, she only wanted Kempins to live. "I don't want to be a countess. I'll go beg Landen and ask Queen Tania to treat you. You can definitely make it through this."
The count's hand slowly reached toward the girl, wanting to touch his daughter one last time, but it suddenly froze.
"Father, your abdomen..." Elinda saw smoke rising from Kempins's stomach again. She hurriedly soaked a towel and tried to cool