Three days had passed very slowly for someone trapped in endless torture, but the promised time to Duke Hubert Guartav regarding his second son ultimately had to be kept.
At the isolated and cold rocky mountain peak, Kazien was seen cleaning Haverd's body. Using warm water magic, the silvery-white-haired youth washed away the remnants of cold sweat and dirt stains from his captive's skin with slow and steady movements.
However, that seemingly gentle treatment could not mask the horror that had occurred at all. The green-haired youth's face looked extremely pale, like a living corpse. His gaze was empty, his breaths were short, and his body continued to tremble violently, radiating a fear that took root down to his bone marrow.
"Have you regretted your actions, Haverd?" Kazien asked, breaking the silence, his voice flowing calmly without any tone of threat anymore.
Hearing that voice, Haverd flinched. Without daring to argue in the slightest, he immediately nodded his head quickly. His face radiated pure fear and a very deep psychological trauma resulting from the torture he had just been through.
"It is good that you have realized it." Kazien said, suddenly showing a facial expression that looked sad and sympathetic, an emotional manipulation designed to control his victim's mentality. "But unfortunately, even though you have repented, you still must be handed over and punished by your father."
Kazien sighed softly while rubbing Haverd's shoulder. "If only you had never committed such a heinous act against your younger brother, your father would certainly never have had a reason to punish you. But in this world, every mistake and sin will certainly always receive a fitting punishment."
Hearing the words 'punished by your father', the remnants of Haverd's sanity were shaken once again. He knew very well how harsh and unforgiving his father was when it came to honor and crimes within the family.
"I-I don't want to die...!!" Haverd replied with a hoarse and nervous voice, tears of despair welling up in the corners of his eyes again. Suddenly, he leaned his body forward. "K-Kazien... c-can't you just make me your wife? I beg you..."
Kazien looked at the shattered face before him, then smiled very gently, a smile that concealed the unbridgeable distance between them.
"I am sorry, Haverd, but I cannot." Kazien answered, refusing with a very soft yet striking tone. "First, it is impossible for me to arbitrarily make you my wife without obtaining the blessing and absolute permission of your father. And second..."
Kazien's gaze turned slightly serious. "...you have been proven capable of raping Hudeon, who is your own flesh and blood. With a track record like that, it is possible that someday you will lose control and do the same to one of my three fiancés, especially to Alvin."
"No! I swear I will never do that!" Haverd cut in quickly, shaking his head in a panic, trying to convince the youth in front of him.
"If you have truly changed, then you must prove it. You must dare to apologize directly to Hudeon first, then beg for mercy from your father." Kazien suggested with a soothing, coaxing tone. "After we return to the mansion later, you must speak privately with your father and also Hudeon to resolve this issue. Do you understand?"
Haverd swallowed the saliva that felt stinging in his throat. "I-I understand!" Haverd answered without hesitation, his brain only able to obey whatever Kazien said. "But... after I undergo my father's punishment later, and if I am still alive... are you willing to make me your wife?"
"We shall see." Kazien answered vaguely, letting that small hope grow in Haverd's mind.
After finishing cleaning his captive's body until it was free from the remnants of torture, Kazien focused his mana. Using his creation magic, strands of magical thread knitted in the air, quickly forming a set of neat and clean new noble clothes for Haverd to wear.
When Kazien put the shirt on him, Haverd stared intently at the youth's face.
"Kazien?" Haverd called softly.
"Yes, Haverd. Why?" Kazien replied without stopping his movements of tidying the green-haired youth's collar.
Haverd opened his mouth, but hesitated. "Hmm... it's nothing. Just forget it."
In his mind that had been shattered and distorted by pain, Haverd's perspective towards Kazien had completely changed.
Somehow, when I see his face this close... he looks very charming and handsome. Haverd praised in his heart, his eyes unable to look away from the perfect sculpt of Kazien's face. He did torture me relentlessly for these three days. But... that torture is a sign that he cares so much about me. He did all of that so that I would quickly realize my mistake of doing something highly disgraceful and disgusting to my own younger brother.
The deep-rooted trauma instead gave rise to a dark dependency syndrome within the youth's mind.
It indeed felt extremely painful, even nearly driving me insane, when that thorny ice rod kept tearing me apart mercilessly and he healed me over and over again only to repeat it. But... Haverd's pale face suddenly brought up an unnatural blush. ...somehow, after going through all that, my wild fantasies only grew wilder. I actually hoped that what pierced into my hole was not that ice rod, but Kazien's shaft.
Driven by complex feelings, full of fear, and that nonsensical obsession, Haverd slowly raised his hand and held the back of Kazien's hand tightly.
I really want to be his, to be his wife. Haverd thought to himself, his grip trembling slightly. But... is someone who is already disgraced and despicable like me still allowed to stand by his side and be his?
"Close your eyes. Our time is up, we will return immediately now."
The absolute command that Kazien had just spoken to him instantly made Haverd's reverie scatter. He flinched, but at that very moment he immediately obeyed the command and shut his eyes tightly.
I am ready! Haverd thought, bracing himself, his shoulders tensing slightly. I will accept whatever punishment Father will give me after this, even if in the end I must be killed by his hands.
As soon as Haverd closed his eyes, a golden magic circle emitting a bright light appeared beneath both of their feet, illuminating the rocky surface at the mountain peak.
Zap!
In the blink of an eye, the gust of mountain wind disappeared. The two of them shifted across space and arrived right in the middle of the living room of Elisa's mansion located in the capital of the Garveon Kingdom. The air temperature around them suddenly changed to be much warmer.
"We have arrived. Open your eyes, Haverd." Kazien said gently, pulling his hand away from the green-haired youth's grasp.
When Haverd slowly opened his eyes, the first thing he realized was the atmosphere of the room, which felt very heavy and oppressive. In that living room, there were already many people waiting for their arrival. And at the front line, stood the figure of Duke Hubert radiating a freezing cold aura, as well as Hudeon who stood hiding behind his father's body.
Seeing his father's sword-sharp gaze, and the gaze filled with extraordinary fear from Hudeon's eyes, Haverd's courage instantly shattered, leaving nothing behind. The youth bowed his head deeply, his shoulders trembling. Guilt, regret, and immense shame seized his chest when coming face to face with the family whose trust he had betrayed.
"Have you finished it, Kazien?" asked Duke Hubert, his voice heavy, flat, and breaking the silence of the room without the slightest pleasantry.
Hearing that question, Kazien took out a small-sized ice rod covered in sharp thorns from within his spatial storage dimension.
The sight of that rod made Haverd's breath catch. The entire surface and crevices of the ice rod's thorns were still covered in dried crusts of fresh blood, a physical proof of the cruelty that had just occurred.
"I have finished dealing with it, Lord Duke." Kazien answered casually, yet with a very serious gaze while showing the thorny rod right in front of the Duke.
After making sure Duke Hubert saw the proof of the torture, Kazien vanished the ice rod and shifted his gaze.
"Now, my task is finished and it is your turn to take over, Lord Duke." Kazien said politely yet implying firmness. "Please resolve your family's affairs and problems privately. You can use the Altavis family's horse carriage that is currently parked in the mansion's courtyard. And please... take Hudeon along with you there, so that all these problems can be resolved completely without anything lingering anymore."
Duke Hubert stared at Kazien's face for a moment, understanding how deep the youth's thoughts were in facilitating his family's privacy at a critical time like what was happening now.
The Duke nodded in understanding. Without saying a single word to anyone in the room, Duke Hubert turned his body around, then gave a very firm hand gesture, telling Hudeon and Haverd to walk following him out toward the horse carriage in the mansion's courtyard.