The quality of the books in Julius' personal library was exceptional—so much so that he already decided to steal all of them before he left this world.
It would be foolish not to learn thousands of years' worth of spells.
Just as he was about to flip to another page, the door opened, and a group of people, all chained, began to march toward him.
It was the Redtorn family, once strong but now pitifully small, reduced to fewer than ninety mbers after most had fallen after resisting arrest.
Lucia also entered the room, but she ca through the door behind the throne and sat right beside Asher.
They continued their charade of being husband and wife for several reasons.
First, it allowed her to exact her revenge in a more domineering and satisfying matter.
Second, he could use her presence to stall for ti, ensuring that Lizana would be more hesitant about openly trying to get under his pants.
Lark's gaze fell on Lucia, and for a mont, he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
The last ti he had seen her, she was just a tool to him—nothing more than an experint to make their clan more famous.
But now, as she sat beside the most powerful being in the world, everything about her had changed.
She wasn't just Lucia anymore—she was the queen. No amount of achievents or rits could ever compete with her current status.
"Lucia. I know what you must be thinking... about all those tis I treated you badly, all the harsh things I said."
"But you have to understand—it wasn't because I hated you. I pushed you because I wanted you to grow stronger. Not just physically, but ntally too "
"I wanted you to beco soone who could stand on her own, soone who could survive this world."
He searched her face, but saw no sign of the girl he had once known.
Only a cold, distant woman remained—soone too obsessed with her vengeance.
Instead of calming down, she felt her stomach churn with disgust.
"You made kill my own mother. Was that also part of your so-called upbringing?"
He opened his mouth to speak, but her accusation left him speechless, unable to find the words to justify himself.
"Isn't this unfair?" one of her sisters spoke up.
"Even though we treated you badly, Father still gave you the proper education, made you stronger. If not for that, the new Sorcerer King wouldn't even spare you a second glance!"
Lucia's voice, when it ca, was cold. "Don't fool yourselves," she said, her tone hardening.
"You think you did a favor by teaching how to survive your cruelty? You think that makes it all okay? '
"Fine then," Lucia snapped, her voice rising. "Since you all believe hardship and suffering will make stronger... you won't mind if I put you through the sa, will you?"
Unable to hold back her emotions any longer, she lashed out, her words cutting deep.
Asher remained silent. He didn't intervene.
'The sooner this was over, the sooner I can get back my peace and quite,' he thought, turning his focus back to the pages in front of him.
Lucia stood up, her eyes cold as she swept her gaze over the sorcerers present.
"Destroy their cores, and put a slave collar on their necks,"
Her words were the king's words. They began carrying out her orders, starting with the weakest among the Redtorn family.
A man collapsed to his knees, clutching his chest as if his heart had been ripped out. His face contorted in agony, veins bulging as blood poured from his mouth.
"H…E..L… P " He gasped, trying to speak, but only a hoarse, gurgling sound escaped. The others stood frozen, their faces pale, unable to look away from the horrific sight.
One of the sorcerers cast a healing spell, preventing any of them from dying.
Next, a younger woman was dragged forward, shaking her head in desperation.
"Please! I will do anything—just don't!" she begged, her voice rising with despair.
The sorcerers didn't hesitate. The incantation was spoken, the glow returned, and the sa sickening crack followed.
She scread, louder and more piercing than the first, before collapsing to the floor. Blood dripped from her lips, staining her once-pristine robes.
One by one they were brought forward, the room filled with cries of anguish and despair, their voices echoing their pain.
The stronger mbers tried to brace themselves, gritting their teeth, but the pain was too overwhelming. Even the proudest among them crumbled.
Lucia stood watching, her expression cold and unreadable. She didn't flinch, didn't look away. This was the justice she had longed for.
Asher barely glanced up from his book. This was all background noise to him, the cries and chaos nothing more than an irritating distraction. He turned another page, silently hoping it would all end soon.
Finally, it was Lark's turn. He stood at the center of the room, his legs trembling beneath him as his eyes swept over the pitiful bodies of his family mbers scattered across the floor.
The sight was almost too much to bear. His once-proud sons lay hunched over, clutching their chests as if trying to hold onto the last shred of themselves.
His daughters, who had always carried themselves with grace and authority, now wept openly, their faces pale and streaked with tears.
A few days ago, they had been among the most respected people in all of Eryx—commanding power, influence, and fear.
Now, they were nothing more than broken figures, stripped of their pride, their power, and their dignity.
He clenched his fists, the chains around his wrists biting into his skin.
"Is this what you wanted? To watch everything I built crumble? To see our family torn apart?"
"Our family?" she repeated.
"Where was this family when you used like a pawn? When you made kill my mother? When you let them mock and belittle ?" she was becoming more emotional.
Asher reached out, his hand gently wrapping around her fingers.
The unexpected touch stopped her mid-sentence. She turned to look at him, her fiery expression softening slightly as their eyes t.
Lucia drew in a deep breath, letting the air soothe her emotions. For the first ti in so long, she allowed herself to released the rage that had consud her.
He had silently reminded her that—this cold justice—was all she needed.
She turned to look at her father again, but this ti, her gaze held no anger, no pain—only indifference.
"Finish it. Destroy his core, and then exile them to the mines." she casually ordered.
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Lark didn't resist, the weight of defeat pressing him to the ground. He didn't beg, didn't plead—what would be the point?
The spell took hold, and he felt a ripple through his body, spreading from his chest out to his limbs.
His vision blurred, and he coughed up a lot of blood. It was over—his life as a sorcerer was finished. This fate was worse than death.
He stared at his daughter one last ti, regretting ever making her in the first place.
The others also shared the sa resentnt.
Lucia ignored them; the best revenge was to leave them seething with anger and regret for the rest of their lives.
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