Selective Humanity

She fainted.

On the one hand, the mix of shock, disbelief, and suffocating atmosphere of the formless shadow entity was something her fragile heart and vulnerable mind couldn't handle.

On the other hand, the two Guardians, Emric and Racan, were equally puzzled as their sword was blocked with ease through the dark figure's hands.

According to its words that sounded like a woman, the Master it referred to was Zero Ariad. They almost instantly grasped that it was the concubine's son's summon, which meant that Zero Ariad had awakened as a Summoner. However, an unexplainable dilemma arose, rooted deep in their mind.

The overall power of a summoned creature was proportional to the Summoner's strength. But witnessing something ridiculous, the two Guardians had a collective thought:

'There's no way it'd be this strong since that bastard has just awakened!'

The ominous aura that this formless shadow creature was exuding prompted the two Guardians to retrieve their sword, only to swing it again with the aim of eradicating the bizarre summon, sentient being.

Woosh—

The aftermath of clashes between the two swords and two hands of shadow reverberated within the concealed place, only for the formless shadow creature to mock them.

"Oh, inferior beings! Weak, unworthy of the labyrinth!"

At that moment, the ambiguous existence, who only defended against the barrage of attacks as though the offense wasn't its job, vanished as a cold voice, truly devoid of sympathy, filled the chilling air:

"Thank you, Mai. Take my Mother away and reunite with my little sister. Also, don't scare her too much."

Apart from Masha Ariad's shyness, the true reason why the eight to nine-year-old little sister of Zero Ariad ran away was due to "Mai", who discreetly and selectively revealed a part of itself to the poor young girl so that the latter would leave the dining hall before every undesirable thing in this place transpired.

"Yes, Master."

Zero Ariad, sitting calmly at the end of the now broken long mottled table observed his unconscious mother, whose body was gradually veiled in shadow before vanishing in the eyes of the two bewildered Guardians.

"H–how?"

Guardian Emric muttered, his voice was of confusion. Such circumstance was unprecedented since the barrier conjured by an artifact, [Wailing Silence], was utterly bypassed by Zero Ariad's perceived summon.

In addition, the fact that neither he nor Guardian Racan sensed his presence until several words escaped the young man's mouth was frighteningly bone-chilling.

The two Guardians looked at each other, arriving at a tacit understanding. Even though they couldn't comprehend the series of what was happening at this very moment, a collective thought surfaced in their mind:

'We must kill the concubine's son! Or else he will become a thorn of the Matriarch!'

Nodding at each other, tightly gripping their sword with the intent to see this entrusted mission to the end, the two Guardians lunged toward the real Zero Ariad, whose countenance depicted the bottomless abyss.

The sword of the two Guardians emanated a different hue; one was white representing the Wind Element, while the other was red depicting the Fire Element.

Seeing the swift, commendable coordinated movement of the Guardians performed in less than three seconds, as the surroundings vibrated due to the accumulation of Mana, Zero Ariad managed to reach for his Explorer's Planar Pocket, only to dismiss the idea of retrieving something from it.

Instead, his voice which sounded like something from the depths of oblivion, echoed:

"You are not worthy of it."

Within that three seconds, as Zero Ariad mouth's closed, his figure vanished, appearing between the gap of the two Guardians in motion, who swung their sword at nothingness.

Boom—!

Zero Ariad's right palm reached for Guardian Emric's face, while his left hand buried itself in Guardian Racan's countenance. The two well-built Guardians, donning their several years of experience of traversing the confines of numerous labyrinths, experienced something akin to an enormous object pressing their body as they hit the rough floor with their back, forming an arc as their body bounced, completely shattering the already pieces of the ruined table into smithereens. Cracks outlined themselves on the floor, creating a small crater of agony.

"Keu–ak!"

"Keu–ak!"

Unfortunately, this deafening scream was concealed by the [Wailing Silence], imprisoning the cacophony of excruciating pain that echoed in their soul as thick crimson liquid expelled from their mouth.

Standing between the two Guardians donning an agonizing face, Zero Ariad looked down alternatively with a blank expression. His gaze was terrifyingly cold as though it was not from a human, causing the two Guardians to muster the strength to drag their shattered body to distance themselves from such a monster.

They could not understand. They would never understand. How could someone who just opened his eyes possessed an unimaginable strength? More so from a Summoner.

Being watched by the young man dragging their body from the bloody floor, Guardian Emric gritted his teeth, before regaining his composure as he asked with curiosity, "W–who are you?"

'I need to gather information as much as possible at this moment! We have a Riftstone so we can escape at any moment!'

Truly a comrade who had been together for more than ten years, Racan realized the intent behind Emric's question. The former subtly prepared as he tightened his grip on the sword he was holding, ready to strike the target at any given opening.

On the other hand, hearing Guardian Emric's question, Zero Ariad responded with unwavering natural coldness, "I am my Mother's son. Nothing more."

"Bullsh–!"

Before Emric could dismiss what he had just heard, Zero Ariad's figure vanished, creating an afterimage because of how swift yet serene his movement was. Seeing this, with his body barely standing, the Guardian screamed, "Racan, now!"

Hearing him, Racan released his weapon condensely powered by the Fire Element... But the aim wasn't the monster in human disguise, it was the [Wailing Silence]!

At the same time, Emric received a bone-breaking blow on his chest that his clothes couldn't mitigate, sending him flying on the sturdy wall of illusion.

"Keu–ak!"

They thought that this mission would be an easy pass to gain the Matriarch's recognition atop the material reward, prompting the two of them not to wear any defensive labyrinthian gear suitable for being a Guardian.

Without looking back at his comrade in arms and crimes, Racan hastily retrieved a Riftstone from his planar pocket, seeing that the restricting illusory barrier was dissipating, a sign of a successful strike to cause the [Wailing Silence] to malfunction!

Barely conscious, with his entire body in excruciating pain, painted with splattered blood, Emric did the same thing as he sensed the successful interruption in disrupting the labyrinthian artifact. Before activating the Riftstone that each of them was holding, with wrath gradually finding itself in their heart due to this humiliation, the two Guardians let out a chuckle, seeing the concubine's son standing near the other end of the wall of illusion.

Dismissing the two Guardians' mutual expression, Zero Ariad sauntered with serene steps toward the sword that Guardian Racan had thrown. Picking it up unconcerned, raising it with his right hand as his dull brown eyes scrutinized its inner workings, he addressed the two traitors who were attempting to escape:

"Guardian Emric and Guardian Racan..."

They weren't certain why the concubine's son wasn't subduing the two of them since he certainly had the capability to do so based on the two Guardians' firsthand experience. It may be due to arrogance, but both Emric and Racan had no time to ponder it or listen to whatever Zero Ariad was mumbling or would say.

To escape was their current sole desire!

Tightly holding a crystalline, pyramidal miniature ashen stone, the two of them simultaneously activated it by inserting their Mana. Meanwhile, Zero Ariad's voice continued to echo:

"Do you know what 'humanity' is?"

[Activating the miscellaneous labyrinthian object, Riftstone.]

[Transporting the Explorer to the designated labyrinth entrance...]

Emric's and Racan's bodies emanated a bluish light, a phenomenon of dissipation, the process of transportation.

A sense of relief was spreading over their being, seeing their body turning into particles of light. However, what had followed was the message of dread, along with their bodies regaining their physical shape.

[Transporting the Explorer... Failed!]

Before the two Guardians could comprehend what had just happened, they heard the following words that escaped Zero Ariad's mouth. This time, it was more pronounced, creeping into their ears and pulsating into their mind.

"It was a gift... only for those who deserve it."

At that moment, Emric's and Racan's visions turned upside down as the sound of rolling and something splashing filled the ruined dining hall of the villa of seclusion.

Looking at the severed bodies of the two lifeless Guardians, whose heads painted the wall and floor crimson, Zero Ariad was once again reminded of Her words.

— "If by any chance you find it hard to maintain your humanity, then remember to only bestow it to those who truly deserve it. In the same way, do not show it to those unworthy of it."

***

"Y–young Master!"

After the labyrinthian artifact malfunctioned, anything that had transpired from that moment onwards, albeit short, reached the ears of everyone in this house.

Olivia, the butler of the mistress, and some others rushed to the scene. Their vision scanned their Young Master, bathed with crimson blood, and the two headless Guardians on the ground, whom they had recognized since these two were with them in this house for several years.

Before any of them could mutter anything, looking at everyone's eyes as he sighed, Zero Ariad addressed everyone, "These two are traitors who attempted to kill me, my Mother, my little sister, and everyone in this house. I have only delivered the punishment worthy of their treachery."

His gaze met Olivia's before continuing, "Olivia, gather everyone to any spacious room suitable for convening. Don't worry about Mother and Masha, they will be okay."

Hearing the Young Master, the butler of the mistress lowered his head before interjecting, "Young Master, I'll tend to their needs. Please proceed with whatever you need to do."

What had transpired was incomprehensible to him. But observing the demeanor of the Young Master, the butler of the mistress was convinced that the young man had undergone a drastic change.

It may be because ten years had passed, but considering that the Young Master was in deep slumber and had barely experience living in this world, the butler of the mistress couldn't figure out the catalyst for this change aside from the doctrine of the Divine Abandonment.

'I don't know what the Young Master has truly experienced before his awakening, but seeing his subtle concern for everyone, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that, as a person who loves his family, he hasn't changed at all.

'But... I wonder how the Patriarch will react to this; an [Irregular] who seems to quickly regain his strength.'

Scrutinizing the two dead treacherous Guardians, the butler of the mistress wasn't fazed. After all, he was a retired Explorer and had seen and lived the ugly side of reality encompassing it.

"Everyone, you hear the Young Master's order. Go back to your work. We will clean this mess up."

The butler of the mistress said, his demeanor natural, gaining a nod from the Young Master.

Olivia and some of the maids, apart from those who tended to Elizabeth and Masha Ariad, heed the words. They weren't certain why the Young Master suddenly asked for a meeting, but considering what they had seen, several guesses flooded their mind.

'I... I should tell the Young Master about that!'

Based on what her eyes had just witnessed, even if it was just the end result, Olivia resolved, remembering the case concerning her mother, the head maid.

***

"Uhhh– W–what happened?"

On her bed, Elizabeth Ariad mumbled. Scanning her surroundings, her amber eyes caught her daughter, Masha, lying soundly beside her.

Seeing her daughter, Elizabeth Ariad recalled her son, everything that had just transpired as though it was a fleeting nightmare.

All of a sudden, sitting on a wooden chair crafted from a rare wood, positioned across the bed, the formless shadow figure's voice echoed, "I greet my Master's Mother."

Hearing the womanly voice, Elizabeth Ariad followed its source, screening with her eyes the real-time transformation of the shadow to a maid.

She fainted.