His Breeding Obsession Chapter 163 -  The Mage of Life

After that, everything progressed swiftly.

 

As the earthworms began to move freely underground, the soil, which had been barren except for a few weeds, gradually became fertile.

 

Humans with farming knowledge made compost, beast folk plowed the fields, and humans sowed the seeds.

 

“Look here! The sprouts have finally come up!”

 

The sprouted wheat was lush and healthy.

 

When Mirania whispered her blessings with the authority of the Great Witch, the wheat, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and various vegetables began to grow at an accelerated pace.

 

In an era where the miracles of gods and mages had vanished, a new miracle had appeared.

 

The Mage of Life.

 

Around that time, people began to give her a new title.

 

💫

 

A Hundred Years Ago

 

On that day, a hundred years ago.

 

At the foot of a steep, jagged cliff, the land ravaged by a sudden typhoon looked as if a giant had swept it clean with a hand.

 

Trees that couldn’t withstand the strong winds were uprooted, and heavy boulders rolled away.

 

Amid the flattened grass and flowers stripped of their petals, Grecan stood with a blank expression.

 

His appearance under the scattered moonlight was a mess. His clothes were torn in places, and his exposed skin was bleeding, but he paid no attention to his condition.

 

Grecan dark eyes were fixed solely on the ground before a massive tree, where the grass had been flattened.

 

[Mirania.]

 

There was no answer. Refusing to give up, he expanded his senses widely. His perception, now sharper and more sensitive than ever before, was honed to a fine edge.

 

Despite the intricate, spiderweb-like spread of his senses, Mirania’s distinct, clear, and cool aura was nowhere to be found.

 

Mirania was gone.

 

The death of a Great Witch meant the naturalization of the body—turning to dust.

 

He couldn’t help but entertain the horrifying assumption.

 

‘Mirania was dead.’

 

That thought clung to his mind like a corrosive poison, eating away at the cracks in his heart.

 

[Ahh.]

 

His trembling hands flailed as if trying to grasp something, but they only clawed at the air, now still after the typhoon had passed.

 

The air vibrated.

 

[Aaaghhh!]

 

A monstrous scream that sent shivers down the spines of all living beings shook the cliffs and burst the eardrums of the human army, who were murmuring in confusion.

 

[Aarghhh!]

 

The humans collapsed helplessly, covering their ears. Blood oozed between their fingers.

 

Just facing Grecan’s grief was enough to shatter the army’s morale.

 

Even amidst the chaos, some humans refused to give up and tried to reorganize their ranks. 

 

The army’s commander-in-chief, the cavalry commander, and a few captains and lieutenants were among them.

 

With their sharp instincts and abilities, they realized one thing instinctively:

 

‘We need to get out of here!’

 

Retreat! Fall back! Fierce and urgent commands forced the trembling soldiers to their feet.

 

As the disorganized army tried to form ranks and retreat, someone descended before them.

 

A man with an expressionless face, shedding tears of blood.

 

A few who stood directly in front of him looked into his hollow eyes and were struck with a shock so profound it felt like their hearts had stopped.

 

[You…]

 

The commander-in-chief stiffened upon recognizing Grecan. He sensed something ominous but couldn’t connect it to the best man before him.

 

Just a single beast man.

 

They had already suffered unexpected losses, dealing with a few beast folk they thought they could easily suppress. He had even lost an arm.

 

As his head throbbed at the thought of being reprimanded by the Crown Prince, the appearance of this beast-man was like pouring oil on a fire.

 

[Get rid of him!]

 

A soldier stepped forward at the command. Before he could even take three steps—

 

Squelch!

 

A fountain of blood erupted.

 

No one truly saw how the soldier died. Not even the commander-in-chief, who was considered one of the empire’s top swordsmen.

 

[W-what is this!]

 

That was the beginning. Hundreds of soldiers who faced him were torn apart without even a chance to scream.

 

Grecan stood in place, not moving a single step.

 

The blood, flowing like a river, drenched him from head to toe, but his tears of blood did not stop.

 

Finally, no one remained on the plains.

 

[Ah…]

 

Grecan wept. Mirania was gone. His senses still couldn’t detect her presence.

 

His body was useless.

 

[Aaaaaah!]

 

A roar of despair. 

 

Wild beasts, sensing his anguish, rampaged, while herbivores hid in fear. Humans trembled with an inexplicable unease.

 

At this moment, with Mirania gone, Grecan became the undeniable absolute power of this land.

 

The wolf tribe, who had once cast him out, prostrated themselves before him. 

 

Even the Water Dragon, known as the most powerful being, bowed its head before him. But he felt no happiness.

 

He was lonely and in agony.

 

This was the beginning of the Razhul Plains Massacre, an event no one would forget for a hundred years.

 

When Grecan arrived at the imperial palace, drenched in blood and looking like a vengeful spirit, the palace, draped in white mourning cloth, was engulfed in sorrow.

 

As he entered the Emperor’s chambers, he found the Empress wailing with a horrifying expression.

 

She didn’t resist as Grecan approached her like a grim reaper.

 

Squelch!

 

It was easy.

 

Next was the Crown Prince.

 

[P-please, don’t do this! Don’t…!]

 

The Crown Prince, who tried to flee, couldn’t even leave behind final words.

 

Grecan lamented that he didn’t possess the power to resurrect the dead.

 

It pained him that he couldn’t kill the Crown Prince over and over again, resurrecting him each time to inflict more suffering.

 

So, he made all those who served the Crown Prince follow him in death.

 

Drenched in blood, Grecan remained in solitude for a long time.

 

Loneliness and emptiness were deeply etched into his heart.

 

Until he met the witch again.

 

💫

 

The school garden was mostly shaded, but there was one spot where the sunlight poured in generously.

 

That spot had, at some point, become Mirania’s designated seat.

 

That day, too, Mirania lay on the sofa, basking in the warm midday sun.

 

The sofa Grecan had brought her was much more spacious and comfortable than the old one at the school, satisfying her longing for the imperial palace’s luxurious beds.

 

As she lay there with an eye mask on, enjoying the sunlight, Mirania suddenly noticed the surroundings had gone quiet.

 

‘Just a moment ago, I could hear Grecan’s breathing.’

 

She removed the eye mask and saw a broad back near the stone wall.

 

Mirania sat up, fully removing the eye mask. Grecan, who had been staring at something below for a while, bent down and picked something up.

 

Curious, Mirania approached and peeked over his shoulder, her eyes widening in surprise.

 

Meow~

 

A delicate voice sounded. 

 

On Grecan’s large palm crouched a small cat. Its amber, almond-shaped eyes blinked wearily, and it kept trying to retreat, clearly uneasy, but Grecan firmly held it by the scruff of its neck.

 

Mirania glanced at Grecan, who was intently observing the kitten.

 

“It’s a young feline beast folk.”

 

“Feline beast folk?”

 

Below the stone wall was a hole, slightly larger than a fist.

 

It was small enough to be called a mouse hole.

 

“It must have crawled in looking for warmth. Seems like it got caught in yesterday’s rain. Probably lost its home.”

 

Grecan placed the kitten back on his palm and stared at it.

 

The tiny kitten, no bigger than his two hands combined, kept twitching its ears nervously.

 

Grecan gently stroked the kitten’s head with his fingertip. Even when the kitten shyly pulled its head back to avoid his touch, he didn’t seem to mind.

 

‘How unusual.’

 

She studied his indifferent eyes. He didn’t seem to find it cute.

 

“What, does it remind you of your younger self?”

 

“Huh?”

 

Grecan frowned and glanced at Mirania. Then he turned to face her, his lips curling into a mocking smile.

 

“I was never this weak.”

 

Mirania chuckled, and Grecan’s face scrunched up in annoyance.

 

“Why are you laughing?”

 

“It just reminds me of how you used to be.”

 

The first meeting with Grecan in this life was quite memorable.

 

Unlike the other cubs huddled together with their siblings, Grecan was alone, curled up in a cold cave, his body exhausted.

 

Seeing the trembling feline child reminded her of Grecan back then.

 

Noticing the distant look in her eyes, Grecan, who had been about to retort, quietly closed his mouth.

 

Suddenly, Mirania spoke, “Should we find its parents?”

 

Grecan raised an eyebrow, as if surprised by her unexpected words, then replied bluntly.

 

“It’s probably been abandoned by its parents.”

 

“You don’t know that. Young ones like this often get lost.”

 

“Are they that foolish?”

 

His skeptical expression was oddly amusing. Mirania shook her head and let out a soft laugh.

 

“You don’t remember being a baby, do you?”

 

“By this age, I was already out hunting.”

 

“And who was the naive child who broke tree branches just to get scolded?”

 

Grecan fell silent, having no retort. Mirania chuckled teasingly.

 

“You were cute back then.”

 

Grecan’s eyes widened, and his lips twitched.

 

“…Still am.”

 

“What did you say?”

 

When Mirania tilted her head, not quite catching his words, Grecan repeated clearly.

 

“I’m still cute now,” repeated Grecan.

 

Mirania’s mouth opened slightly, and she blinked repeatedly.

 

Grecan tilted his head slightly, watching her speechless reaction.