“Muriel Aymond. Was it really so difficult for you to simply stay quiet and do nothing like I told you?!”

My father’s furious roar came crashing down over my head like a blade.

There was only one reason the Marquis, who had never cared about me, had come looking for me.

Because I had dropped out of the Noble Academy.

“You’re useless. You take entirely after your mother’s family. That’s why you turned out to be such a halfwit.”

The word halfwit stabbed especially deep, but I had no words to refute him.

Because among those families, I truly was a halfwit who could barely even transform into my beast form.

“I also…”

I wanted to say that I had tried so hard it nearly killed me.

The words barely left my lips before they died there.

I knew that provoking the Marquis would only earn me an even harsher punishment.

“You’re an eyesore. Throw these useless things somewhere I never have to see them again.”

With one final look of contempt, the Marquis had Mother and me driven out to the detached residence.

Calling it a “detached residence” was generous.

It was a shabby little cabin that would make even a mountain hermit click his tongue.

Fist-sized holes riddled the roof, and icy winter winds blew through the warped wooden walls.

The path leading toward the Black Forest was so bleak and desolate…

I could swear that, aside from being separated from the main estate, there wasn’t a single good thing about the place.

Yet that miserable little “residence” ended up saving my life.

“Muriel Aymond!”

It was exactly three days after we’d moved into the cabin.

At dawn, Mother’s voice shook me awake as she gripped my shoulders.

“You must stay calm from this moment on.”

“M-Mom… what’s happening…?”

Behind her, flames surged toward the sky.

It was the Marquis’s castle.

The charred framework of the burning mansion collapsed to the ground while the groans of soldiers echoed beneath the wreckage.

Clang! Clang!

Steel collided with steel.

The roars of clearly well-trained beasts filled the air.

Attackers had struck under the cover of dawn while everyone slept.

Who…? And why?

The House of Aymond had already been steadily falling into ruin.

I had no idea who would target it now.

But one thing was certain.

“The Marquis of Aymond has been killed!”

“Don’t let a single member of the direct or branch family escape!”

They intended to leave no survivors.

“Neither the Marchioness nor the young lady has been found!”

“The heir must be found! Expand the search and comb every inch of the area!”

As the heavy footsteps of soldiers trampling through the estate drew closer, Mother’s voice became more urgent.

“Muriel, listen carefully. No matter what you hear, don’t look back. Just run.”

It was the first time in my life I’d seen such determination in her expression.

“W-What are you saying? Why are you talking as if you aren’t coming with me…?”

“If you transform into your beast form, you’ll be able to escape. Then you must go north. You’ll meet him there. Only then can you stop what is about to—”

For some reason, I couldn’t hear the end of her sentence.

A sharp ringing filled my ears, as though I’d heard something I wasn’t meant to.

“Meet who? Mom, please just come with me. I’m scared…”

I pleaded desperately.

But Mother gently removed the hand clutching hers.

“They’ll pursue us relentlessly. They’ll catch us before we even make it out of the forest.”

She spoke with absolute certainty.

As though she had already seen the future.

I couldn’t answer.

Because Mother was the Empire’s last remaining prophet.

Her body had grown frail, and most of her power had faded, but she could still glimpse the near future.

“What… what do I have to do to protect you? Please tell me…”

My voice broke with sobs.

I wanted to save her.

But there was nothing I could do.

Not only had my abilities never awakened, I couldn’t even use the tiniest trace of mana.

Once again…

Running away without being able to do anything.

I hated myself for being so pathetic.

If only I had inherited the Aymond family’s abilities like the Marquis said…

No… it would’ve been better if someone like me had never been born…

Mother could have abandoned that worthless Marquis who hid his mistress and returned to her own family.

Someone as beautiful as Mother would have met a man who truly loved her and lived happily.

But—

“Muriel, you’ve always been the one protecting me.”

Instead, Mother embraced me as though comforting me.

Her body, chilled by the morning dew, held no warmth.

Yet somehow, her embrace was warm.

“I’ve never regretted it. Not even once.”

She always said that whenever anyone asked why she’d ever married someone like the Marquis.

“Because I knew I’d get to meet someone as precious as you.”

“…You’re lying.”

“I’m not. I’ve spent my whole life looking forward to meeting you.”

Her gentle smile wasn’t mixed with even the smallest lie.

I couldn’t say another word.

I simply looked at her through eyes blurred with tears.

“The day will come when you’ll naturally learn everything. So, Mu… you have to survive until the end.”

“I love you, my daughter.”

Mother lightly kissed my forehead.

Then she left.

That was the last time I ever saw her.

“The day I’ll learn everything…?”

Repeating Mother’s final words in my mind, I kept running.

Every step sent sharp pain through the soles of my feet, probably from thorns.

But I couldn’t stop.

Because I remembered the look in Mother’s eyes.

She believed in me.

Woof! Woof!

“She’s over here!”

The pursuers refused to give up.

Whenever packs of trained hunting dogs barked in my direction, assassins’ arrows rained down immediately afterward.

The suffocating chase continued long after we had left the forest behind.

But—

There’s nowhere left to go…

I finally came to a stop before a sheer cliff.

“An albino squirrel.”

“So the Aymond heir really is the one.”

“Heh… There’s nowhere left for you to run. The river below is infamous for its violent current. A little rat like you would be swept away instantly. They’d never even recover your body.”

Mocking laughter sounded behind me.

I slowly turned around.

I’d been running nonstop for over an hour, yet none of them looked even slightly tired.

Who are they?

Their identities were impossible to make out beneath their black robes.

But one thing was obvious.

They’re predator beastfolk…

Not just any predators.

The strongest among them.

Especially the man who appeared to be their leader.

His face was completely hidden beneath his hood.

But his blazing eyes couldn’t be concealed.

The moment our eyes met—

Those chilling blue eyes made every hair on my body stand on end.

I’m scared…

Even though civilization had outlawed hunting between beastfolk, the fear engraved into my instincts remained unchanged.

The murderous aura unique to a predator crushed me.

I couldn’t move.

It felt as though invisible hands were tightening around my throat.

“If you surrender now, you won’t be hurt.”

Perhaps noticing my fear, they chuckled as they approached.

At a gesture from one of them, the hunting dogs surrounded me layer after layer, slowly tightening the encirclement.

Move… Please move…

I forced my legs, rooted to the ground like trees, to obey.

I barely managed a few steps.

Crunch.

I had reached the very edge of the cliff.

At the same time, the man who appeared to be the leader slowly raised his hand.

“Take her.”

The instant he gave the order, the hunting dogs bared their fangs and charged.

All I could do was foolishly pray for a miracle.

For the awakening everyone insisted would never happen.

Please… don’t come any closer…!

I squeezed my eyes shut.

Yelp… Whimper…

A brilliant flash exploded.

The hunting dogs, which had leaped high into the air, crashed violently to the ground.

It was as though something invisible had bound their legs.

It didn’t take long for everyone to realize something had happened.

“M-Mana?! I thought she couldn’t use mana!”

“What kind of ability was that?! Damn it! I didn’t see anything!”

There had been no warning.

No visible movement.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye.

Confusion spread through the enemy ranks.

I was just as stunned.

But more importantly—

Their flawless formation had opened a gap.

Now!

Without hesitation, I spun toward the cliff.

I’d already exhausted every last bit of strength.

I didn’t have enough left to keep running.

And I knew a miracle wouldn’t happen twice.

But I had no intention of letting myself be captured.

I didn’t know why they wanted me—

But I’ll never let you have me.

So…

I decided to entrust my life to fate.

The enemies realized what I intended and reached out in panic.

But I was one step faster.

Tap!

I kicked off the ground—

—and leaped from the cliff.

“You stupid little rat!”

Someone shouted after me.

As if I cared.

Go to hell.