The air froze.
The mana within Eleanor began to surge violently.
The doting mother who had been coddling her son was gone.
In this moment.
She was like an infuriated lioness.
The surrounding maids trembled, not even daring to breathe.
“Who was it?”
Eleanor’s fingers brushed over the red mark on Bell’s face.
Her voice was so soft it was spine chilling.
“Give me a name.”
“I will go and exterminate their entire clan tonight.”
Bell opened his mouth.
Before he could speak.
From the railing on the second floor.
A casual whistle drifted down.
“Shh—”
“My dear, calm down.”
A man leaned against the railing.
He wore a loose bathrobe.
A half glass of red wine swirled in his hand.
Black hair.
Black eyes.
His features were seventy percent similar to Bell’s.
But there were a few more lines of age at the corners of his eyes.
He looked more mature.
More... dangerous.
Elisk Lucas.
The Blood Duke.
The nightmare of this kingdom.
“Calm down?!”
Eleanor snapped her head up.
The killing intent in her eyes was almost tangible.
“Our son was hit!”
“His face is swollen!”
“And you’re still standing there drinking?!”
Elisk shrugged.
He drained the wine in his glass in one gulp.
Then.
He jumped directly from the second floor.
He landed silently.
Not even the hem of his bathrobe was disturbed.
He walked up to Bell.
He reached out.
He gripped Bell’s chin.
Looking left.
Looking right.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk.”
Elisk clicked his tongue.
His face was full of schadenfreude.
“This slap mark.”
“Decent strength.”
“Quite symmetrical.”
Eleanor had already pulled out her staff.
Fiery red mana condensed at the tip.
“Elisk!”
“Do you have a death wish?!”
Elisk quickly raised both hands.
“Wait, wait, wait.”
“My lady, please lower your anger.”
He grinned and leaned in.
He planted a kiss on Eleanor’s cheek.
“Why would I let you handle such dirty work?”
“Careful, you’ll get wrinkles.”
Eleanor blinked, stunned.
Then her face turned red.
The mana in her hand dissipated.
She gave him a fierce glare.
“Smooth talker.”
Elisk chuckled.
He turned to look at Bell.
In those cynical eyes.
A glimmer of deeper meaning flashed.
“Alright.”
“Our son just got back. Let him rest for a bit.”
“Go get something good to eat.”
“The boy is as thin as a monkey.”
Eleanor touched Bell’s head with heartache.
“Alright.”
“I’ll go right now.”
“I’ll make your favorites.”
With that.
She lifted her skirt.
She rushed off toward the kitchen like a whirlwind.
Only the father and son remained in the hall.
Along with Lilian, who stood in the corner.
She had kept her head down the entire time, trying to be invisible.
Elisk glanced at Lilian.
He didn't say anything.
He simply hooked his finger.
“Come.”
“Follow your old man to the study.”
...
The study was massive.
All four walls were covered in bookshelves.
Elisk flopped onto the large leather chair.
He propped his feet up on the desk.
He had no sense of decorum.
“Sit.”
He pointed to the chair opposite him.
Bell sat down.
His back was straight.
Elisk pulled a box of cigars from a drawer.
He tossed one to Bell.
He lit one for himself.
He took a deep drag.
He blew out a smoke ring.
“Where’s Cecilia?”
Elisk asked casually.
But Bell noticed.
His father’s fingers were tapping lightly on the desk.
“She went traveling,” Bell said.
Elisk’s fingers stopped.
“I see. That girl has always been unpredictable since she was little.”
He sat up straight.
He looked at Bell’s swollen face.
The expression on his face became somewhat strange.
A half smile that wasn't quite a smile.
“I heard.”
“You did this for a woman?”
Bell nodded.
He didn't deny it.
Elisk raised an eyebrow.
He leaned forward.
His face was full of gossip.
“What does she look like?”
“Is she pretty?”
“Is her figure good?”
Bell was taken aback.
“She’s... she’s quite pretty.”
“She has a good personality too.”
Elisk nudged the desk with his elbow.
He lowered his voice.
“Have you slept with her?”
Bell’s face instantly turned bright red.
“Dad!”
“Why are you asking that?!”
Elisk scoffed.
His face was full of disappointment.
“What are you being shy for?”
“When I was your age.”
“I had already tricked your mother into my bed.”
He sized Bell up.
“Look at you, so pathetic.”
“Don't tell me you got hit and came back before you even made a move?”
Bell grit his teeth.
Images of that night flashed through his mind.
That tearful kiss.
That trembling body.
“I did.”
Bell’s voice was small.
But firm.
Elisk froze.
Then.
He roared with laughter.
“Hahahaha!”
“Attaboy!”
“As expected of my son!”
“Beautifully done!”
He slammed the desk hard.
The force sent the documents on top flying.
Once he had laughed his fill.
Elisk dropped his playful act.
He crushed the cigar into the ashtray.
His gaze became sharp.
Like an unsheathed blade.
“So.”
“They snatched my daughter in law.”
“And they hit my son.”
“This matter.”
“How do you want to handle it?”
The atmosphere in the study changed.
The previous lightness vanished completely.
In its place.
Was a suffocating pressure.
Bell looked up.
He looked at his father.
In those black eyes.
The previous confusion and weakness were gone.
There was only a fire.
A rage that wanted to burn everything to ashes.
“I want to stir things up,” Bell said.
The corner of his mouth curved up.
It was cold.
It was wild.
“Heh.”
Elisk narrowed his eyes.
He leaned back into his chair.
He crossed his hands behind his head.
“Stir things up?”
“How big of a mess?”
“Slay the man who hit you?”
“Or exterminate the entire family of the one who snatched the woman?”
Bell shook his head.
“Too small.”
Elisk’s interest was piqued.
“Oh?”
Bell stood up.
He walked to the massive floor to ceiling window.
He looked out at the sprawling military camps.
He looked at the fluttering blood colored banners.
“I want to mobilize the army.”
“I want to.”
“Surround.”
“Seaview City.”
Dead silence.
The study fell into a dead silence.
A few seconds later.
Bang!
Elisk slammed the desk.
The solid wood desk instantly shattered into pieces.
Wood chips flew everywhere.
He stood up.
His face held a nearly manic smile.
It was the excitement of seeing one of his own kind.
“Good!”
“Good!”
“Good!”
He said it three times.
Elisk walked behind Bell.
His large hand slapped heavily onto his son’s shoulder.
“Finally!”
“Finally, you look like the heir to the Blood Duke!”
“Always being so cautious and submissive.”
“Like a little lamb.”
“Not like me at all.”
Elisk laughed loudly.
He laughed so hard he almost cried.
“I’ve spent half my life fighting.”
“I’ve killed so many people.”
“I’ve built such a massive foundation.”
“What was it for?”
“Was it so you could go around being reasonable with people?”
“Was it so you could swallow your pride after being hit?”
He grabbed Bell’s collar.
He pulled him close.
Two similar faces.
The same madness.
“No!”
“It was so you could be arrogant!”
“So you could be domineering!”
“So you could do whatever you want!”
“Even if you poke a hole in the heavens.”
“I can patch it up for you!”
Elisk let go.
He helped Bell straighten his collar.
His movements were as gentle as a loving father’s.
But the words that came out of his mouth.
Were thick with the scent of blood.
“Besiege it.”
“We must besiege it.”
“Two third rate nobles.”
“Daring to humiliate my son.”
“Even if we slaughter the city.”
“It would not be excessive.”
He walked to the shattered desk.
He picked up a token from the debris.
It was blood red.
Carved upon it was a roaring lion.
It was the command token to mobilize the Blood Cross Army.
Elisk tossed the command token to Bell.
“Take it.”
“Take three thousand heavy armored troops.”
“Take all the siege magic cannons.”
“Have the Strategic Department prepare a large scale teleportation array.”
“Go tell those hicks.”
“And those self righteous idiots in the Royal Capital.”
Elisk’s mouth pulled back.
Revealing a set of stark white teeth.
“Exactly what.”
“The Blood Duke means.”
Bell caught the command token.
“Thanks, Dad.”
Elisk waved him off.
“Don't thank me.”
“Go.”
“The bigger the mess, the better.”
“If you don't scare that city into wetting itself.”
“I’ll whip you when you get back.”
Bell turned.
He gripped the command token.
He strode out of the study.
Outside the door.
Lilian was leaning against the wall.
Seeing Bell come out.
She stood up straight.
Her red eyes were sparkling.
“Master.”
Bell held up the command token.
He shook it under the light.
“Let’s go.”
“Muster the troops.”
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