The Harvest Mouse Exits the Fairytale Together with Cinderella-Chapter 159

“Grrk... Y-You...!”

Caught off guard, the family head collapsed helplessly under the sudden assault.

The Basilisk knights had seen the situation unfold clearly, yet they couldn’t immediately grasp what had just happened.

It was because, until now, no one—despite all their ideological indoctrination—had ever dared attack a direct blood relative.

The confusion only lasted a moment.

They quickly regained their senses and charged at Karon.

“The lord has sustained a fatal wound! Call the physician!”

“Restrain him immediately!”

“Stay still.”

Karon whispered low, yanking the head of the family up by the collar.

“I used venom, yes—but it won’t kill him instantly. As long as he isn’t exposed to more and gets treated right away, he’ll probably survive.”

Someone like him wouldn’t die so easily.

Karon knew. He’d already killed several of their direct bloodline.

Their bodies had a remarkable resistance to his venom, and killing them had always been a struggle.

It seemed to be the result of countless biological experiments, modifying them only by the safest possible methods.

As Karon took the family head hostage, the knights faltered, hesitating and backing off.

Despite the unexpected betrayal, the head of the Basilisk family didn’t appear all that surprised.

Perhaps he had never truly trusted Karon in the first place—typical of the Basilisks, where betrayal and schemes were just part of life.

“Ugh, this... what is this...?”

More than shock at the betrayal, he seemed disturbed by how agonizing Karon’s venom really was.

‘It must feel like every piece of flesh is being carved off, one by one.’

Compared to enduring this poison, being reduced to ash in one instant would probably feel merciful.

Karon knew this all too well—he had experienced it from the moment he was born.

Once he used his venom, no tools were needed. They would start spilling everything on their own.

With that in mind, Karon calmly began interrogating him.

“You were certain the Ratson ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) family would eventually lose their healing power, and that you’d be the one to take it. What method were you planning to use?”

“Kh... keh... kehhhk.”

The family head’s groans slowly turned into restrained laughter.

And then, bursting into a loud cackle—“Kahahaha!”

He was genuinely enjoying himself.

This wasn’t bluster. He wasn’t trying to put up a front.

What the hell’s so funny?

Karon tilted his head slightly.

“Were you really that curious?”

Fine. I’ll tell you.

Even while coughing up blood, the man’s eyes gleamed with malice.

“You just need to stay close to her.”

“...What does that mean?”

“It means exactly what it sounds like. You just have to stay by her side. Then, I’ll be able to absorb the Ratson family’s power and make it our own.”

“Bullshit.”

So now that he’s cornered, he’s spouting nonsense?

That’s what Karon thought—but he couldn’t quite keep his face from hardening.

Unlike before, this time Elodie hadn’t lost her healing powers, which had led him to wonder something similar.

Could his presence somehow be harming her?

Still, no matter how much he’d considered it, the idea that he was the root cause—that went too far.

What am I, for that to be possible?

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

“I was with her for five years. If that were true, why didn’t she lose her powers before now?”

“Well, obviously. It would only take effect once this world’s faith in the Ratson family began to crumble.”

Isn’t that obvious?

If trust in them was still strong, how could the power be absorbed?

The family head sneered at Karon’s growing unease, mocking him.

And indeed, if what he said was true—now would be the perfect moment.

Rumors were already spreading that the Ratsons had been abandoned by the gods.

“I planned to send you to the Ratson family after the relic was delivered. Kneel before the heir, deceive her, seduce her—whatever it takes. Just steal the divine power.”

No. That didn’t make sense.

Karon rejected the man’s claim, unwilling to accept something so absurd.

“If I were truly so important to your plan, why did you keep threatening to dispose of me? If your words are true, I should be the only one capable of taking that power from the Ratsons.”

The man scoffed as if he’d just heard the most ridiculous thing.

“Did you seriously think that just because you have a name, you count as a human? As a complete person? You’re a tool. Nothing more. Just like all the other test subjects.”

“...”

“You were created under my orders, and now you dare to defy the family’s will and bare your fangs at me? That’s the mistake here. No matter how good a disposable tool may be, it’s still better to throw it away.”

So he really never thought anything of me.

Just a family asset—something meant to obey.

Even if I had unique power, I was still better off dead.

That was the Basilisk way.

‘Is it true?’

That if Karon stayed by Elodie’s side, she’d lose her healing power and he’d gain it instead?

What an absurd claim.

‘He’d choose me over Elodie?’

How could that possibly be divine will?

A devil in a god’s skin, maybe. That would make more sense.

“How the hell do you even know this?”

“Because the god told me so.”

“The Ratsons have served the god for generations—and not once have they received divine revelation. But you? You think you’ve heard a message from heaven?”

“That’s exactly why only the Basilisks can claim to be chosen!”

Even as he coughed up dark, filthy blood, the family head shouted with fervor.

It didn’t feel like a lie.

He truly believed it.

Then the truth could only be one of two things:

Either he was telling the truth... or he was a complete madman.

“...”

How could a human ever understand the will of a god?

And yet, for the first time in his life, Karon felt a burning desire to challenge divine authority.

Was this just the Basilisk blood in him?

If the god truly had cast aside the Ratsons—who had served for centuries—and chosen the Basilisks instead...

Then even a god had gone insane, and deserved to be dragged down into oblivion.

‘...I’ll know the truth soon enough.’

There was no more reason to remain in this world.

Karon spread venom into the air.

Within seconds, the poisonous mist swept through the halls, and the knights dropped like straw men, lifeless.

The family head, veins bulging, roared in fury.

“Y-You damn traitor to your own kind!”

“You only remember kinship when it suits you.”

Karon sneered at the man’s flailing outrage.

He watched him foam at the mouth, then calmly began to count.

“Ten... nine... eight...”

Back when he invaded the main palace, Karon had failed to wipe them all out.

He’d analyzed the cause—and finally understood.

It was because he hadn’t been on the brink of going berserk.

Maybe when he was older, he’d find another way.

But as a newly minted adult, this was his limit: giving in to a full, fatal overload of venom.

“Five...”

That would be enough to erase House Basilisk from the map, from history—completely.

‘What if I don’t turn back time this time? What if I just let everything end right here?’

Then Elodie would never have to suffer at their hands.

“Four, three, two...”

No. It would still continue.

Unfortunately, he still didn’t know who was behind all of this.

But at least now, he had learned something new in this cycle.

The head of the Basilisks was not the one pulling the strings.

He was just another puppet—another deranged fanatic.

“One...”

So Karon had to rewind time once more.

A colossal burst of venom exploded from him, engulfing the entire Basilisk estate and reducing it to ash without a trace.

But just before it reached its peak—

“Karon!”

A voice—unbelievably familiar—echoed in his mind.

It was so shocking, Karon, who had long since forgotten how to show emotion, now looked completely stunned.

His eyes widened like a startled rabbit’s.

He spun around in panic.

The Basilisk's main palace.

And there, through the door to the hidden inner hall—

A figure entered.

“...Elodie.”

Blinding white light engulfed the world in an instant.