Chapter 343 — But What?

[Earlier That Morning - Murdock Estate - Northern Central Region]

The northern territories of the Central Region belonged to the Murdock family in every way that mattered.

Not through conquest or intimidation, but through generations of genuine service.

The Murdocks cared for their people.

Built schools in remote villages, funded hospitals in border towns, sent awakeners to protect trade routes from beast attacks, maintained roads and infrastructure that would have taken the Federation Government a long time.

And the people loved them for it.

Elizabeth sat in the eastern garden of the main estate, her chair positioned to face the fish pond, morning light filtering through cherry blossom trees that had stood here for over two centuries.

Her eyes were closed, but her face showed strain.

The Danger Sense sub-skill of her Seer innate skill had been screaming warnings since yesterday evening, the pressure building in her mind like a storm gathering on the horizon.

Something important was coming.

Something that would change everything.

She’d tried using Probability Sight, activating the sub-skill despite knowing the Will cost would leave her drained.

The futures had branched before her inner sight like rivers splitting into infinite tributaries, each path showing fragments of possibility, each outcome shifting and unstable.

And in every single one, darkness waited.

Her hands clenched on the armrests, knuckles going white.

"...Why are you so worried?"

Adrian’s voice came from behind her, carrying the kind of concern that only siblings recognized in each other.

Elizabeth’s eyes opened slowly, violet irises reflecting morning sunlight.

"I’m getting warnings."

Her voice came out barely above a whisper.

"Something’s about to happen."

Adrian moved to stand beside her chair, his beautiful features showing tension that didn’t match his usual composed demeanor.

"Do you know when? Or what?"

Elizabeth closed her eyes again, trying to push her sub-skill harder, trying to force clarity from the vague impressions flooding her consciousness.

When she opened them again, her face had gone pale.

"I have no idea. I can feel that it’s big and important. But even after spending all my Will and focus... nothing becomes clearer."

Her jaw clenched with frustration at her own skill’s limitations.

Adrian’s face became serious, his hands clasping behind his back.

"We should be careful heading to the Academy. We never take bodyguards usually, but–"

"But maybe we should now."

Elizabeth finished his thought, already making the same calculations.

"Aunt Bella came back from the battlefields recently. She can accompany us. And Vermont... Vermont should be with us too, alongside other people we actually trust."

Her voice carried weight that made it clear this wasn’t a suggestion.

Adrian’s expression darkened, his beautiful features twisting with something ugly.

"...Is this another attempt? Are those bastards making a move again?"

The word ’bastards’ left no ambiguity about who he meant.

Other heirs to the Murdock family leadership, branch family members with their own ambitions, supporters of different candidates who saw Elizabeth as an obstacle to be removed.

Elizabeth had survived multiple assassination attempts in the past three years.

Poison in her food during a family banquet.

Hired mercenaries attacking her dormitory at school she’d attended before entering Stormhold.

A collapsing building that would have killed her if Vermont hadn’t sensed the structural damage seconds before it fell.

Multiple attempts.

Multiple failures.

Because their Grandfather had assigned Vermont as her personal bodyguard.

Vermont, an S rank awakener from a branch family, was the one person in the entire Murdock Imperial Family whose loyalty to Elizabeth was absolute and unquestionable.

With their grandfather not being present, Vermont was the only shield Elizabeth could truly trust.

Well, Vermont and Aunt Bella, who’d always been fiercely protective of her niece and nephew.

Elizabeth stared at the pond, watching fishes swim in lazy circles, oblivious to the tensions of human politics.

"Maybe."

Her voice came out tired.

"My understanding of the Seer skill is too limited right now. I can’t tell the difference between warnings about assassinations and warnings about... anything else important."

The admission tasted like failure.

"Vermont’s never let anyone get past him. And Aunt Bella..."

Adrian’s voice carried conviction as he smiled slightly.

"Well, anyone stupid enough to attack while she’s around deserves what they get."

Elizabeth’s lips twitched, almost forming a smile.

Almost.

****

[Northern Outskirts - Hours Later]

The vehicles moved at speeds that would have gotten normal drivers arrested.

But these weren’t normal vehicles.

Military-grade armored transports, reinforced with Aura-conductive plating, powered by advanced technology that let them cross hundreds of kilometers in hours.

Elizabeth sat in the lead vehicle, Adrian beside her, both of them silent as they watched the landscape blur past reinforced windows.

Vermont occupied the front passenger seat, his tall frame somehow making the spacious interior feel crowded, his spear resting against his shoulder despite the awkward angle.

Bella Murdock sat across from Elizabeth, her older features showing the kind of battle-hardened beauty that came from decades on the frontlines.

Purple hair like her niece and nephew, violet eyes that had seen too much death, hands scarred from wielding lightning that could split mountains.

Behind them, over a hundred Murdock family awakeners filled additional vehicles, all B rank or higher, all of them hand-picked for loyalty to Elizabeth specifically rather than to any other heir.

All of them willing to die for the girl who’d inherited her father’s genuine care for the common people.

Bella broke the silence, her voice carrying gentle skepticism.

"Lizzy... don’t you think this is a bit much?"

Elizabeth didn’t look away from the window.

Vermont answered before she could, his deep voice carrying absolute conviction.

"Miss Bella, the Mistress is receiving warnings from her Seer ability. We must assume the worst."

His tone left no room for argument.

Bella’s lips curved slightly, something between amusement and resignation.

"Could be a warning about some other event. Lizzy’s skill is too vague right now, too uncontrolled. But..."

She trailed off, her eyes finding Vermont’s reflection in the window.

"...I suppose caution makes sense. Ever since you became her bodyguard, nothing’s gotten past you."

Vermont bowed his head slightly, acknowledging the compliment without pride.

Elizabeth watched the exchange without really seeing it, her mind occupied with futures that refused to solidify.

’Something’s definitely coming... I know it is... But what? When? How?’