*CLASHHH!*
The sound of a glass cup being thrown against the floor in a fit of rage echoed in the training hall of Oberon’s mansion.
“This can’t be…This can’t be real…How did things end up like this…mother?” Oberon asked in a low yet hardened voice as he looked at his mother, his dark red eyes quivering.
He was busy training and had ordered his servants not to disturb him no matter what. But his mother suddenly came in with a pissed-off look while he had a drink to freshen up. And since she barged in like this, he knew something was really bad.
But what he heard from her was not just bad…It was devastating! The cripple whom he spat on this entire time had an Immortal bloodline? And not only that, he survived all 7 summonings of the first trial and even received an Immortal Grade Grimoire?
His mother was not one to tell any stupid jokes, but even then, he found it hard to digest what he heard. His mind just couldn’t accept that. How could he when it just doesn’t make sense for someone so weak to be hiding so much talent and power? The fact that this worm only got his soul a month ago would make this seem even more unbelievable.
But what shook him the most was that this thing’s bloodline was superior to his!
“Hmph! That is not even the worst. Didn’t you hear what I said about how he is after my position as Floor Warden too? He thinks he can kick me out of the tower just because he has an Immortal bloodline? I can’t believe the Head Warden would entertain him like this. Ughh!” Rebecca felt like pulling out her hair in frustration and anger, especially when she remembered losing face before the others. She can only imagine how they must be laughing about this back in their homes and how rumors might spread.𝑂𝚟xt.𝗇t
If people heard that the royal consort caused her capability as a Floor Warden to be questioned, then it would be like a slap to her face. Maybe she would still be safe since there would be no way his experience could outweigh hers.
Still, she bit down on her lips in sheer exasperation, not knowing what to do. The plan to put him under her command in the tower was out of the window since he was not a cripple anymore and was officially the disciple of the Head Warden.
He would also soon be gathering support from other nobles, just like how Darren swore allegiance to him.
The more she thought about this, the more she felt that he was a dangerous force that only seemed to be getting even more difficult to deal with.
“No…we won’t let him get away it,” Oberon suddenly mumbled with a set jaw. He looked at her and added, “Even if his bloodline is good enough, there is no guarantee that his bloodline is fit to mix with ours, or should I say fit to mix with Rowena’s. He is of some weird race, and surely he can’t make children with our women,” He finished as the corners of his mouth turned up.
Rebecca’s eyes lit up as she patted her son’s cheek with a proud look and said, “Great idea, son. I can’t believe I forgot about that. Let your father come back, and then we will make him persuade Rowena to conduct a blood union test before some witnesses. And the moment she realizes his blood won’t be fit to mix with hers, she would have no choice but to marry someone else fit to be her king. Since there will be witnesses, the people will also know and wish for a new worthy husband for their queen,” Rebecca finished with a lopsided grin as the mother and son felt proud of each other for coming up with such a sound plan quickly.
—
A few hours ago, right after Rowena left, Asher felt that he had to deal with a certain wimpy young lord before proceeding with other matters.
He could recognize Jarius’ lackey standing in front of one of the training rooms and walking towards him, making him wonder why the royal consort was walking towards him.
Could it be that he saw something in him? The young man made sure to make himself appear presentable and put on his best flattering smile when the royal consort came near.
“Your H–“
“Move,” Asher uttered a single word with a narrowed gaze.
The young man didn’t know why but he felt like this single word took control of his body, and before he knew it, he had stepped to the side as the royal consort went inside.
“Eh? Oh shit!” It was too late when he came back to his senses and realized that he would get fucked for letting somebody in when Jarius had told him not to let anybody in.
Jarius was lying on the floor with a gloomy expression, wondering if there was any meaning to his life. He loved the luxuries and the feeling of superiority over inferior people. But he hated the pressure and expectations from his own family. Why can’t they simply leave him alone rather than torture him mentally?
But right as he was ranting inwardly, he heard the door open, followed by the sound of light but steady footsteps.
“Didn’t I tell you to–” He was about to shout at his lackey for disturbing him, but as he sat up, he saw that the legs of this person and the attire he was wearing were different.
This was the attire of a royal member of House Drake! And as he slowly raised his head, he saw the towering figure of the royal consort looking down at him with a certain glint in his eyes.
Jarius immediately got up on his feet like a frightened monkey and unconsciously took a few steps back as he asked him, “E-Eh…W-What are you doing here??”
He didn’t know why but he was feeling an unsettling sense of pressure surrounding him from every side in the presence of this monster. He still couldn’t shake away the sight of him defeating a mythical spirit like the Hell Maiden, nor could he shake away the terrifying appearance of that charred black skeleton wreathed in eerie flames, which he saw twice.
Now he felt that getting fooled by someone like him despite being a level 1 at that time didn’t seem that surprising. Thinking about it, he could have even killed him at that time but didn’t. He felt like his luck was better than he thought.
“Looks like you recognize me…right?” Asher sarcastically asked as his eyes briefly flashed with a dark green light, making Jarius gulp as he stiffly nodded, “Y-You are…Hellbringer…right?” Jarius felt that it didn’t make sense Asher could be a lich since he needed to be able to use death magic to do so, just like him and the members of his House. At least, that was one of the prerequisites.
However, after seeing for himself, there was no way anyone else could be Hellbringer. It has to be the royal consort which would also mean that he was no longer a cripple since the day he woke up.
“I guess I shouldn’t be disappointed that you haven’t forgotten my name,” Asher said with a soft chuckle, making Jarius raise his brows, still finding it surprising him to be a lich. How can a lich look like this? Did this have anything to do with his Immortal bloodline?
Liches usually go so deep into death magic that they lose their original form, including most of their flesh, till their bones stick out. So how come he was looking normal while being a lich? He also had never seen a lich on flames which doesn’t make sense at all.
“How…How come you are a lich…” Jarius voiced out his shock as he stared at Asher.
But Asher ignored his question as he suddenly took a step forward and clutched Jarius’ shoulder, “You are asking the wrong questions. The question you should be asking me now is, what am I going to do with you?”
Jarius felt a chill going down his spine upon seeing his smile and feeling his palm clutching his shoulder quite firmly.
His chin quivered as he stammered, “Y-You can’t do anything to me! Don’t you know who–“
“Oh, of course, I do. Aren’t you the little young lord of House Thorne…the young lord who gets kicked around and looked down on by his own family and even your lackeys,” Asher said with a sarcastic smile.
Jarius’ face became red in shame as he knew what he said was right. Even though his lackeys won’t dare say anything in front of him, he knows they talk shit behind his back. But he can’t even punish them because he was afraid of losing the only ones who would do his bidding in their own way.
“If people heard you got your ass fooled by me when I was just a level 1, you might even lose whatever face you have,” Asher said with a sympathetic sigh.
“Wait, what…You can’t do that…” Jarius felt quite tense at just the thought of it. He would rather hide in a hole at that point.
“Don’t worry. I am not going to do anything to you, nor do I have a reason to,” Asher said with a reassuring smile as he patted Jarius’ arms.
Jarius felt a huge sense of relief hearing that, though his words also left him with some kind of uneasiness.
“But…in return, you are going to be my lackey. You will do everything I say without question. When I tell you to ‘jump’, you should ask, ‘how high?’ Got it?” Asher asked as he clutched both his shoulders firmly while staring down at his eyes.
Asher’s shadow fell on Jarius’ face as he felt jittery under his intense gaze. He can’t believe he was being blackmailed into becoming his lackey. How humiliating was that! He was a young lord of one of the three Great Houses.
“It seems you would prefer social suicide rather than do my bidding, hm?” Asher asked while maintaining his grip on Jarius.
“N-No…Why…What do you want me to do?” Jarius realized he was trapped. It was better to be his lackey than face public humiliation. At least nobody would know he was doing Asher’s bidding.
Asher smiled, seeing how easily this wimp gave in, and said, “It’s quite simple. To start with, find out why your brother or your mother considers me an eyesore. I will only give you some time to find out. So you better do it quickly.”
Jarius’s eyes shook as he wondered if he could really do this. But he knew there was no choice but to try lest he gets humiliated even more.