A Few Days Later
A few days passed since I had set Diablo and the Shadows on the task of verifying the truth.In that time, I prepared — both for confrontation and, in a way, for fatherhood.
I spent my mornings training and planning, my afternoons with Aurora.We bonded, slowly. Talking, laughing, learning each other's rhythms.I could tell she was starting to adjust to her new life here in the palace, though there was still a long road ahead before it truly became home.Well, baby steps, I thought.
Now, I sat upon my throne — my seat of power — watching Diablo kneel before me, his head bowed as he delivered his report.
"Your Excellency," he began, voice low but steady, "we've confirmed the information. The House of Vaelgrim were indeed the aggressors. It seems that after learning Lady Elenora had left, they spent nearly five years tracking her down. Given their resources, it's not surprising they succeeded."
My fingers tightened slowly around the carved armrest of my throne. The sound of my knuckles cracking echoed faintly.
"So," I said, my voice cold and even, "they hunted her down like a stray animal. And when she refused to crawl back to that cesspit of a family, they silenced her."
I muttered the last words under my breath — a tremor of hatred slipping through — before raising my head again.
"I'll deal with them personally," I said. "You're coming with me, Diablo. I know your bloodlust is itching to be sated."
Diablo's lips curved into that familiar, dangerous grin. "At once, Your Excellency."
"Double the guard around the palace," I added. "Especially around Aurora. I don't want even the faintest chance of her being touched."
His grin widened, eyes glinting crimson in the throne room's light. "Understood." Then he vanished, leaving the air heavy with anticipation and bloodlust.
I leaned back in my throne, whispering to the empty hall."Jacob… Marcus… you crossed a line when you killed the woman I loved—still love."
The Vaelgrim Kingdom
Within the vast Human Empire lay thousands of kingdoms — each a fragment of power orbiting the Imperial Capital.The closer a kingdom stood to the heart of the Empire, the stronger its ruling family, the deeper its roots, and the richer its veins of magic and resource.
The Vaelgrim Kingdom was one such jewel — gleaming with arrogance and old power.Its ruling family boasted generations of powerful mages: Marcus Vaelgrim, the former patriarch, was an Emperor Mage; his son, Jacob Vaelgrim, now sat as King Mage and current head. The family was littered with King and Lord Mages alike — a lineage of strength, status, and savagery.
In this world, strength was everything. It decided who ruled and who knelt.The strong took. The weak bled.And those who could not protect what was theirs — be it land, wealth, or love — were forgotten.
Inside the Vaelgrim estate, an ornate office screamed opulence — crimson carpets, gold filigree, and towering shelves of ancient tomes. Behind a grand mahogany desk sat a middle-aged man with white hair and eyes like polished rubies: Jacob Vaelgrim.
He flipped through parchment after parchment, expression bored, until a knock sounded at the door.
"Enter," he said flatly.
A butler in a crisp black uniform stepped in, bowing quickly. "My Lord, forgive the interruption. I bring news regarding the… incident with Lady Elenora."
Jacob's eyes lifted lazily. "Speak."
The butler swallowed. "After the… successful elimination of Lady Elenora, only one of our mages survived. Before dying, he mentioned a child. We sent more men to track her down, but lost the trail. However—" He hesitated. "Today, we received word from our informants. Lightborn himself has publicly announced the existence of a daughter within his domain. It appears… he found her."
Jacob didn't so much as flinch at the mention of his daughter's death. To him, family meant tools — and Elenora had simply broken. He could always create more pieces.
Still, when the butler's final words sank in, Jacob blinked — then laughed softly. "That man? A father? Absurd."
Shaking his head, he leaned back in his chair. "No matter. We can't touch her now. Lightborn's protection changes everything." His smirk deepened, cruel and smug. "Eventually, he'll push her away, just as he did Elenora. When that happens, the girl will either fall in line… or be erased. Like her mother."
The butler's face paled, his voice trembling. "My Lord, forgive me if I overstep, but… if Lightborn learns what truly happened to Lady Elenora… won't he—won't he retaliate?"
Jacob's expression froze. For a moment, even he seemed unsure. Then, with forced calm, he replied, "He won't act. That man's too proud, too strategic to risk angering the Imperial Family. He knows the old monsters behind the throne would never tolerate chaos near the capital."
He waved a dismissive hand — then paused mid-motion.
"Still…" His tone darkened. "Better safe than sorry. Call for Father. Tell him it's urgent."
The butler bowed quickly. "At once, my Lord." He disappeared out the door.
Left alone, Jacob leaned back in his chair and exhaled. "Tch. What a nuisance," he muttered, rubbing his temples. "All this over a dead woman."
Then, shaking his head, he returned to his paperwork — completely unaware that the storm he feared had already begun to gather, and that it was coming for his family like divine judgment.