The Anomaly Beyond The System

"So... why did you barge into my Duchy like this?"

Nivelle’s cold voice echoed throughout the throne hall as she stood calmly beside the throne—the very throne upon which the man sat, his gaze still fixed upon the crimson-haired woman.

"I had some work," Valentina answered, not going into too much detail. From within the shadows, she brought forth another throne of her own before casually sitting upon it, her body radiating an aura of arrogance as it floated in the air.

She deliberately positioned herself higher than both the man and Nivelle.

Why?

Simple. She didn’t want to look up at either of them.

Seeing her actions and the obvious implication behind them, the Duke almost let out a small chuckle, but ultimately kept it to himself.

He had already grown used to Valentina’s unusual arrogance and overwhelming pride, and it was fortunate that she hadn’t simply torn down the entire staircase just because she disliked standing below someone else’s throne.

Nivelle, on the other hand... was far less amused.

Hearing such a dismissive answer, her eyes twitched slightly, and the temperature throughout the throne hall plummeted even further, causing a bitter chill to spread into every corner of the room.

"You... you came to my Duchy... barged in like a wild animal... and you killed every single guard inside the castle—"

Her voice trembled ever so slightly, but rather than looking angry, her face only grew colder and colder.

"Oi, bitch." Valentina’s voice abruptly interrupted her as she casually pointed her thumb toward the destroyed entrance behind her, toward the pile of corpses.

"They were the ones who stopped me from entering even though I asked politely."

Both Nivelle and the man felt the corners of their lips twitch.

Politely?

There was no way this barbarian had asked them—or anyone—politely.

"Did you seriously expect me to be sooo kind... and let those rats go after they pointed their swords at me?"

Valentina clicked her tongue, as though she were speaking to idiots rather than actual nobles.

"And you, blind woman... try looking at them more properly.

None of them is dead."

Nivelle blinked, then her gaze instinctively shifted toward the grotesque pile of mangled bodies once again, only to notice that almost every one of them was twitching ever so slightly, along with a few stifled groans—more like guttural sounds that barely escaped their grotesquely broken mouths.

’How did I not notice this?’ Nivelle thought.

But then, looking at Valentina’s expression, which seemed almost disappointed, she instantly understood.

’It’s because of this bitch,’ she thought, knowing that her mind never worked properly whenever she stood before this woman.

But still...

"...You spared them... unexpected."

The faintest trace of surprise lingered within her cold voice.

Valentina shrugged.

"Well, I figured you’d probably become poor if I killed every single one of your guards, so... no need to thank me."

Ignoring her words, Nivelle’s and the Duke’s gazes shifted past her.

Even though all of them were almost on the verge of death and barely recognisable, they knew that the guards would eventually recover with their vampire regeneration.

However...

Not a single wound had regenerated—not even the smallest cut.

Nivelle’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.

She knew that Valentina had deliberately suppressed their regeneration with her mana, which meant it would take them... over a few months before their bodies finally began healing.

And also...

"They won’t be in their right minds even after they fully recover," the Duke, seated upon the throne beside her, muttered quietly, his voice barely audible.

Nivelle remained silent, since she understood exactly what he meant.

That was also the reason she wanted to tear the woman apart.

Valentina, however... simply shrugged.

"Their own fault. Next time, tell them not to even try attacking me if they can’t handle at least this much pain."

Nivelle didn’t particularly care about the guards themselves, since they were merely soldiers fulfilling their duty, though she was a bit annoyed that she would have to train them all over again—or even recruit others to replace them.

’Honestly... it would’ve been better if she had just killed them.’

Her expression remained perfectly cold, matching the equally cold thought forming inside her mind.

"Lady Valentina..." The man seated upon the throne finally addressed Valentina, his voice calm and heavy.

His long, silver-white hair flowed behind his back, matching Nivelle’s, while his blue eyes carried a quiet calmness and coldness.

"Might I ask the reason for your visit?"

Valentina glanced at him, then a small frown appeared on her face before she casually shifted her gaze toward Nivelle.

"...Do I know him?"

Silence.

A faint creaking sound echoed as the man’s fingers subconsciously tightened around the throne’s armrest, and for a brief moment, something dark flickered within his eyes.

"Valentina Scarlett, I’m telling you for what feels like the hundredth time...

This is my husband... Alaric Everfrost, and the Duke of the Everfrost Duchy."

"Hm? You had a husband?" Valentina rested her cheek against her knuckles, her elbow propped upon the armrest of her own throne as it floated effortlessly in the air through her sheer control over mana.

Her expression looked genuinely surprised.

Nivelle’s fingers twitched, but she took a slow breath, not wanting to freeze her entire castle—along with her kingdom.

"Yes... I did.

It appears your old brain can no longer remember even the simplest things.

It seems age is finally catching up to you, woman."

Despite the indifference in her voice, there was an obvious venom hidden beneath her words, and anyone else within the Duchy would’ve been utterly flabbergasted by the way she was speaking to the Scarlett Duchess.

Valentina’s eyes twitched.

She was a woman as well, and no woman liked hearing someone call them old.

"You are the one with white hair, not me."

"As for him... he’s too insignificant for me to remember."

Taking a deep breath—one so cold that the air leaving her lips crystallised into visible frost—

Nivelle spoke again, her icy-blue eyes locked onto Valentina.

"If you have no business here... then leave."

Valentina slowly smiled.

"Oh~"

Her grin widened ever so slightly.

"...Go ahead. Make me."

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!