"Are you absolutely sure… that all of my NPC subordinates were executed?" Angelo asked again, a flicker of disbelief in his eyes.
"I'm afraid so," Lars replied calmly. "Everything I told you earlier… is, unfortunately, the truth. This information is already about five years old. And it has been verified one hundred percent."
For a brief moment, a trace of despair appeared on Angelo's face — and just as quickly vanished.
"Mika Prince. My prime minister. The strategist of my Empire… Is he dead?"
"Yes," Lars answered without hesitation. "Like the others… he could not escape that fate. My condolences."
Angelo froze.
"Ha-ha-ha… what a funny joke."
"This is nonsense. Those five idiots, or anyone else on the server, couldn't have defeated him. He was a genius. There was no one equal to him."
His fingers tightened around the glass.
"He could have easily replaced me as emperor. So why couldn't he?!"
His emotions took over.
"Tell me, Lars! You know who or what caused this!" Angelo demanded, his voice edged with anger.
"I do know something," Lars replied, narrowing his eyes slightly. "But first, answer me one question."
Lars leaned forward a little.
"Why do you care so much about some NPC? It's not just about his abilities… is it?"
Angelo exhaled and leaned back. His gaze drifted somewhere far away — into the past.
"When I had just begun building my empire and conquering Pelegon…"
His voice grew quieter.
"My first real war was Valhalla. The Demon Empire."
A faint, distant smile touched his lips.
"That's where I met him… in the capital, drenched entirely in blood."
A short pause.
"At that time, he was the deputy of the Demon King."
Angelo closed his eyes for a moment, as if returning to that scene.
"When I was about to face him one-on-one… he stopped me."
"And instead of fighting… he made me an offer."
Lars didn't interrupt.
"He said he had heard a lot about me. About my ambitions… my plans."
Angelo let out a quiet breath.
"And that he wanted to join my side. To become my tool… one that would help me achieve all my goals and desires."
A cold smirk appeared on his face.
"Of course… I thought it was a trap."
"That he simply wanted to lull me into a false sense of security… and stab me in the back at the worst possible moment."
A brief pause.
"But I agreed anyway."
His gaze grew heavier.
"And when I had to face the Demon King himself… Grey Moll…"
"Our battle was equal. Both of us gave everything, knowing that the victor would take everything… and the loser would lose it all."
"And when we were both on the brink…"
His voice dropped.
"That's when… he interfered."
For a second, Angelo fell silent.
"In that moment, I was certain… I was finished."
A shadow of a smile crossed his lips.
"I thought I was a fool for not killing him back then."
A short pause.
"But…"
He tilted his head slightly.
"All my fears turned out to be wrong."
"He chose my side… and together, we killed the Demon King."
Lars remained silent.
"That's when I realized… his words might have been sincere."
Angelo closed his eyes briefly.
"After that battle with Grey Moll… we fought side by side many times."
"Battle after battle."
"Victory after victory."
"Istrabatia kept growing stronger and larger."
"And with it… so did our bond."
His voice deepened.
"Over time, he became more than just my right hand, my prime minister…"
A small pause.
"He became the closest person to me in that game."
"We were like brothers."
Angelo gave a faint smile.
"When we completely conquered the server… I realized the game was over for me. I grew tired of all those endless battles. I burned out."
"So I just left."
A brief pause.
"Without even warning him."
He fulfilled all my wishes, just as he promised. But Angelo only realized that now.
When he no longer needed him… he threw him away like worthless trash.
The air seemed to grow heavier.
"And now…"
He slowly raised his gaze.
"Now I realize… I committed the unforgivable."
Quieter:
"They didn't execute him."
Even quieter:
"I killed him."
Pause.
"A creature… the one he once called his brother… his family."
His voice turned icy.
"And now… I don't even have the right to call myself that."
"People only begin to value something… when they lose it," Lars sighed to himself.