Bloodhound's Regression Instinct-Chapter 249

Chapter 249

When the identity of the Duchess became clear to Hans and Vila, they turned their gaze toward Helena, who lay sprawled on the ground as if dead.

Yan’s mind remained tangled in unanswered questions.

“If what you say is true, that the Duchess is a member of the Seven Sins, then there’s a contradiction.”

“....”

“The power of the Seven Sins is unparalleled. Who in the Empire could quietly assassinate her without being detected?”

If Yan hadn’t faced off against the Seven Sins disguised as the Eastern Duke recently, he might have dismissed this with mere astonishment.

But he had fought Werner, who revealed his true strength during that encounter. Werner’s power was truly overwhelming.

If Yan hadn’t had his epiphany at that moment, he might have been the one defeated.

As Yan tried to continue, he hesitated.

Although it was a contradiction, there was indeed a way to assassinate a member of the Seven Sins.

With a skeptical expression, Yan asked, “So, the culprit is Lust...?”

“Yes, that’s right,” Ella replied with a sad expression.

The culprit who harmed Helena, the Seven Sins member responsible for lust, was someone close to her.

“The most powerful of the Seven Sins, ‘Sloth,’ targeted Duchess Helena for assassination.”

“Why would one Seven Sins member harm another? Isn’t that like cannibalism?”

Ella shook her head. “After giving birth to Theo and Lorena, Duchess Helena neglected her duties as a Seven Sins member. To be precise, she turned away from them.”

Ella paused and then turned her gaze toward Theo, lying next to Helena with a bitter expression.

“In truth, Sloth didn’t target Helena. It was her treasure—Theo, the Duke.”

Yan’s previously tangled thoughts began to unravel.

“So, Sloth aimed for Theo to awaken Helena’s vigilance and loyalty, even though she intentionally defied the Emperor’s orders.”

“Yes, but fortunately, Helena’s impulsive actions allowed Theo to survive unharmed.”

“Wait.”

At that moment, Hans, who had been listening silently, raised his hand.

“Something doesn’t add up. We confirmed that Helena’s heart had stopped, and we even prepared her tomb. But...”

“It was a decoy,” Ella interrupted.

“What?!”

Hans widened his eyes. A decoy?

They had all witnessed Helena’s apparent death, and both he and the Duke had focused on Theo’s investigation.

If Ella had secretly swapped Helena’s body during that chaotic time...

“It’s not easy to determine,” Ella said, her expression bitter. “Especially since Sloth, the most powerful of the Seven Sins, was involved.”

Moreover, Duke Beowulf had mourned Helena’s scars and even performed the funeral rites.

Identifying her from mere bone dust was impossible.

“But how did they swap the body...? Helena was dead. The doctor confirmed it. Even the Duke closed her eyes,” Hans protested. “Are you saying the Duke and the doctor were wrong?”

“No, precisely speaking, Duchess Helena didn’t pass away. However, her condition wasn’t abnormal even if others assumed she had died. Not surprising, considering it’s the formidable Duke Beowulf we’re talking about.”

“Wait, are you suggesting Helena can come back to life?”

“Well... Helena’s heart didn’t stop due to the dagger wound.”

“What?!”

Hans was incredulous. The doctor had identified the wound as the cause of her death.

But Ella had a different explanation.

Looking at the seemingly lifeless Helena, Ella whispered, “She sealed part of Sloth—the one who had tried to kill Theo—within herself. It’s been fifteen years, from then until now.”

* * *

The tale of Ella unfolded.

“Who kidnapped Lady Lorena?” asked someone.

“To save Lady Helena, we need someone with a similar innate disposition,” replied another.

“Is that Lorena and Theo?”

“Yes, but Lorena was absent for a long time. Just as Lady Helena’s life force was fading, a stroke of luck brought Lorena back from the northern lands. As someone who must save Lady Helena, I had no choice but to inform Lorena of this fact.”

Hans, with a heavy expression, nodded. Yan, curious, asked about the magical injuries on Duke Beowulf.

“That was my doing,” Ella admitted.

Yan understood that some secrets would naturally reveal themselves in due time.

The crucial point was that they could potentially resurrect Lady Helena, believed to be deceased. If successful, it might even rekindle the stoic Duke Beowulf’s laughter.

As Ella prepared to awaken Lady Helena, her hands radiated a white energy. The ancient symbols on the ground glowed turquoise, and the water flowed upward, forming intricate patterns.

The energy enveloped Lady Helena and the two figures lying beside her—Theo and Lorena.

A brilliant turquoise light burst forth, and Lady Helena’s pallid face regained color. Hans wiped away tears.

“Is Lady Helena truly coming back to life?” he wondered aloud.

If she did, perhaps Duke Beowulf, whose emotions had dulled, would find reason to smile again.

As they watched, Ella’s words echoed in their minds. But Yan pondered the Emperor’s motives.

“Why did the Emperor send the Seven Sins to Duke Beowulf? And why risk such chaos?” Yan wondered.

The audacity of accusing the Duke’s wife of treason was madness. But if the truth came out, the consequences would be severe.

“Perhaps he wanted exposure,” Yan mused. “To prevent Duke Beowulf’s rebellion, or perhaps to fuel his own soul transfer.”

The puzzle pieces clicked into place. Lady Helena’s death disrupted the Duke’s rebellion, leading to the subsequent rise of the revolution.

And there was more. Another Sin, besides Werner, lurked in the east—the necromancer Eamon.

If things went awry, Eamon’s undead forces would wreak havoc in the east.

“Wait,” Yan thought, realizing the Emperor’s cunning. “Did he intentionally expose himself?”

If so, the Emperor had hoped Duke Beowulf would rise against him, providing the necessary power for his soul transfer.

All the events were interconnected. Unintentionally, Yan had thwarted the Emperor’s plan, but the consequences remained uncertain.

As Theo and Lorena stirred, Yan’s mind raced. The fate of empires hung in the balance.