The blood flowing from my pale arm was a pure, clear red.
The moment I saw it, my heart dropped.
And right then—
I heard Pierson’s voice, overflowing with joy.
“Father… the mouse is dead.”
When I turned to look, Pierson was grinning at me with a cruel, twisted smile.
Unlike my still-red blood, a thick black liquid dripped from his arm like obsidian.
‘What…?’
It felt like the sound of my entire world shattering.
‘Why…?!’
I pressed down on the wound, hard enough to turn my arm white, but my blood refused to turn black.
Even after several minutes, nothing changed.
The only sound in the silence was the squeaking of the blood-covered mouse.
‘No… This can’t be…!’
Even if my hair never turned purple, my eyes had been violet since birth.
I’d endured unimaginable pain every day, injecting poison into my own body.
I worked harder than anyone—harder than Pierson, who was smirking at me right now.
So why… why wouldn’t my blood turn black?
“…That’s enough.”
The Duke of Venomaine’s voice was cold and sharp—like a frozen blade.
To me, it sounded like a death sentence.
A verdict that I had no ability, no worth, and no place in this house.
I clutched my arm desperately and cried out in a trembling voice.
“No… I can still do more. Just give me a little more time—!”
“I said that’s enough.”
“Please! Just a little—”
But I couldn’t finish my sentence.
A stabbing pain shot through my wounded arm, sharp like a needle.
“AAAGH!”
“I told you to stop.”
The duke looked down at me with those icy violet eyes, then gripped my bleeding arm tightly.
I screamed from the pain, but still, I tried to catch my breath and plead.
“Please, Father… Just one more chance…”
But he looked at me like I was nothing more than a bug, then threw my arm aside.
I fell backwards.
“Ugh… Ahh…”
I had lost too much blood, and the world spun around me.
Even so, I couldn’t just lie there.
If I stayed silent now, I’d lose my place here for good.
‘No… I worked too hard…’
I clenched my teeth and pushed myself up with trembling hands.
My nails scraped the floor as I forced my body to rise.
Around me, I could hear people whispering with cruel amusement.
“Guess a half-blood can’t help it.”
“She’s just a commoner, after all. No way she could beat a noble.”
“Look at her, shamelessly trying to take the heir’s place. Serves her right.”
Pierson and the duchess were laughing openly.
When I lifted my head with effort, I saw the Duke of Venomaine standing in front of me, emotionless.
I already knew what he was going to say.
Maybe that’s why I instinctively brought my hands together and spoke like a prayer.
“…I’ve worked harder than anyone. All this time.”
“…”
“You know I’ve eaten digitalis raw and injected poison every day…”
It hurt. I was in pain. I wanted to run away.
But I believed you when you said you’d acknowledge me if I became strong.
I couldn’t fall here.
“I studied all night and graduated top of the class from the Academy. Even after becoming an adult, I never once slacked off.”
I just wanted to earn the name of Venomaine,
To prove everyone wrong.
To proudly tell my mother in heaven that I was doing well.
“And even then… I’m still not good enough…?”
“…”
“Father—”
At that moment, the duke raised his hand.
As if the very word “Father” disgusted him.
“Don’t call me that.”
“…What?”
My heart dropped like a stone.
This… was really the end.
Truly the end.
All that was left now was to fall.
“You are not my daughter.”
His voice was dry as sand and heavy as stone—final.
“I cannot allow the Venomaine name to someone without ability.”
My vision blurred. My ears rang.
His words pierced my chest like knives, and I couldn’t even stand straight.
“Then why…?”
My hands trembled.
Hot tears streamed down my cheeks.
“If you were going to throw me away like this… why did you take me in?!”
I shouted at him, full of rage.
It was the first time I ever looked him in the eyes and fought back.
But someone as cold as him… my cries would never reach him.
“Throw her out.”
At his nod, two maids came toward me.
Their faces were full of mocking contempt.
They were the ones who always looked down on me.
They grabbed me roughly by the arms and started dragging me out of the hall.
“If this was your plan, then why—! Let go of me!”
I couldn’t give up.
I kicked and struggled with all my strength.
“Let go! I said let go—!”
SMACK.
“Shut up. You’re just a filthy commoner.”
One of the maids, Janie—the one who hated me most—slapped me hard and raised her hand again.
The burning pain on my cheek made me curl up instinctively.
“You…”
The duke only said to throw me out—he didn’t order them to do this.
Even so, he didn’t stop her.
He just stood there, watching with cold eyes.
Then, Janie suddenly shoved me hard.
“Aaagh!”
Crack. Pain exploded from my right wrist.
My vision went blurry. I couldn’t think.
“Ah… aaah…”
My hand… my right hand… wouldn’t move.
“With a hand like that, you’ll never hold a sword again, Irene Venomaine.”
Her voice rang in my ears, filled with delight.
“Oh wait—what am I saying? You’re not even a Venomaine anymore. Just a pathetic commoner.”
Janie laughed, and the others joined in.
“A powerless girl who can’t even hold a sword would only stain the great Venomaine family. Isn’t that right, Master?”
“That’s enough, Janie.”
The duke raised his hand and looked down at me.
“You should understand now. If you don’t want to be dragged out, you’d better walk out yourself.”
“Please, just listen—”
I held my injured hand tightly and begged.
“Silence.”
He cut me off with a scowl.
He looked just like someone trying to swat a bug they couldn’t catch.
Disgust. Annoyance. Contempt—all in one expression.
“Do you still not understand?”
“Father—”
I tried to shake off the maids and servants again, but it was no use.
His cold eyes had already decided.
“You are no longer useful.”
A single tear, still warm, rolled down my cheek.
That was the last thing I ever heard…
From my biological father.
The man I had spent fifteen years of my life with.
It wasn’t like I had much to begin with,
But I wasn’t even given time to pack what little I did have.
I was thrown out wearing the same clothes from the Ceremony of Proof.
All I had left were a few silver coins, some now-useless poison,
And the ring that belonged to my mother.
‘…What was all my hard work for?’
I curled up, clutching the ring in my pocket.
With no one to lean on, I crumbled easily.
I just wanted them to acknowledge my effort.
Even one word of praise would’ve been enough.
But after giving them more than ten years of my life,
This was what I got in return.
‘I’m furious. I’m in pain.’
And more than anything… I was sad.
I wanted them to feel pain.
Even worse pain than I had felt.
Clenching my jaw, I looked up at the gray, clouded sky.
Then I reset the bone in my injured wrist.
“Urgh…!”
It was unbearable—but still, less painful than everything else.
“There’s no need to hide it anymore.”
I whispered quietly and placed my left hand over my injured right wrist.
As my fingers brushed over the bruised, swollen skin, a soft purple light glowed.
Warmth surrounded my wrist. When the light faded, it was healed.
‘They never even imagined I might have another ability.’
My ability—healing and purification.
It was the one power that could nullify the poison of the Venomaine line.
That’s why I had always kept it hidden.
I already had a weak position in the family.
If they found out I had a power that could cancel theirs…
They wouldn’t just cast me out—they would try to kill me.
But now, things were different.
If I’d known it would come to this, I would’ve left that house long ago.
‘A healing ability like this… Other noble families would definitely be interested.’
It wasn’t limitless, but it was strong enough to attract attention.
I looked down at my fully healed hand.
I had made up my mind.
I would destroy the Venomaine family that had abandoned me.
It wouldn’t be possible while I was on my own.
But if I could get the support of another house with enough power and wealth…
It would absolutely be possible.
To do that, I had to prepare.
“I’ll use this power… to find a new family who will accept me.”
