Seeing the conditions of the people present inside the dining hall, Westeria gave them enough time to stabilize themselves.
But she still scoffed.
"Humph. You people want to know about Young Master's past. And I am telling you all about it in such great detail, yet instead of listening to it all in one go… you give me these reactions. Am I telling you all this because I want to? Or am I telling you all this because you requested it?"
She continued, "Do one thing. If you do not have the courage to hear any more, then take your leave… and I will take mine."
Her words were harsh, but not wrong.
From the right side of the hall, sitting on his chair, Goccrek stroked his own chest gently. Then he rose from his seat and asked, "Lady Westeria, it is true that we asked about why your Young Master was behaving like a maniac before, and what it means by saving us from himself. But we never asked you about anything related to your current family or past family. Nor did we ask about Asher Duchy and all. Then why are you telling us about the confrontation between Lucifer and Asher Duchy? Just tell us about what we want to know and we will leave. Would that not be appropriate?"
Westeria replied, "If I do not tell you all about the confrontation between my husband and the Asher ducal family, then how will you understand what it means by saving you all from himself?
Actually, it would be better if I had those recordings with me, but currently I do not know where I placed that magical crystal ball.
Nevertheless, if you do not want to listen, then you are free to leave, as I will not stop you from walking away."
Goccrek shot back, "Listen to what, Lady Westeria?
Listen about how that lunatic husband of yours enjoys killing innocent people for his own satisfaction?
Listen about how he loves to drink human blood?
You tell me, Lady Westeria, is your husband—or to say, Young Master—even human?"
At his questions, Westeria glared back at him.
"Innocent people?
When did I mention innocent people in this story?
Or in your eyes, are the people from the Asher ducal family who raped my mother-in-law and my sister-in-law innocent?"
Westeria's voice hardened.
"What Young Master massacred are not humans, Sir Goccrek. They are worse than those filthy goblins that may be found in some parts of the Risen Kingdom."
Goccrek took a sip of water.
"Justify his deeds in whatever manner you want, Lady Westeria, but it will not change the fact that he is a bloodthirsty murderer.
And sorry to say, Lady Westeria… but if in your eyes the people from the Asher noble family are worse than lowly goblins, then Lady Mia and Lady Amelia also lie in that category.
Because at the time of the rape… they enjoyed every moment.
Lady Westeria, can you prove that Lady Mia and Lady Amelia did not moan in pleasure during the time when people from the Asher family fucked them?
And if they enjoyed it, then when does rape even occur?"
Westeria's anger surged even more.
"Enjoyed every moment?
What do you even know about enjoyment?
Does a woman only enjoy when someone makes her moan or whimper?
Or when she convulses while squirting?
Is the definition of enjoyment limited to this much, Sir Goccrek?"
Her anger flared further.
"Old bastard, do you really think that if a woman moans under you it means she enjoyed it?
Dickless bastard, remember one thing—for every sexual deed, consent is necessary.
You said that they enjoyed it? But that is irrelevant."
"Impotent geezer, sex is a kind of sacred activity for us which connects us to our Goddess. From the beginning, people have been free to seek pleasure with whoever they desire. No one questions that freedom.
But freedom has never meant that another person's will can simply be ignored. Your body may experience pleasure. That does not mean your mind chose it. It does not mean your heart wanted it. And it certainly does not mean someone else had the right to make that choice for you.
That is what makes rape a crime. Not the act itself. Not the pleasure. The theft of choice.
Two people can share pleasure in countless ways in this world. But the moment one person decides that the other's consent does not matter, it stops being something they shared. It becomes something one person took."
Westeria's words were harsh and full of criticism, but none of the people present supported old Count Goccrek.
Not even his own wife, Layuri, because she also knew that Goccrek was wrong here.
But she still voiced herself—not to support Goccrek, but for his dignity.
"Lady Westeria, is that how you are going to treat your guests?
What are these foul words—old bastard, dickless bastard, impotent geezer?
If you are really suspicious of my husband's masculinity, then give him a chance. Let him fuck you and see if he really is dickless and impotent or not."
Hearing her words, Westeria snapped back.
"I cannot address someone in a respectful manner whose thoughts are unworthy.
As for giving him a chance to prove his masculinity—never in eternity. Leave humans; not even the bitches and sows of Westirifer would prefer to get fucked by him.
Someone who does not know the basic difference between pleasure and pressure is just outright worse than the most filthy thing in the whole world."
Without giving Layuri a chance to say anything, Westeria called, "Mara."
In that instant, out of her shadow a girl emerged.
She had pink hair, blood-red eyes, an extraordinarily beautiful but cold face, and a perfectly beautiful body.
In one word, she looked like an ice beauty—so beautiful that no one would dare to touch her.
Mara manifested out of Westeria's shadow and stood beside her, asking, "Mother Westeria, why did you call me?"
Westeria pointed toward Goccrek, Layuri, and Ildrek.
"Dear Mara, are you seeing those three people as well as those ministers sitting with them?
Throw them out of Westirifer's borders."
Mara asked back, "Mother, if I throw them out of Westirifer, will they not die?"
Westeria shook her head in refusal.
"Does not matter, because they are going to die eventually."
Mara nodded.
Then she called two more shadowborns—Lovertia and Vritra.
Two more shadowborns manifested out of nowhere.
Lovertia asked, "Mara, why did you call me? I was sleeping with Dad."
Vritra added, "So was I. Now, elder sister… why did you call us?"
Mara answered while indicating the people from Ironford County.
"Eldest sister, Mother Westeria has instructed me to throw some dead bodies out of our territory."
Lovertia glanced in their direction.
"Dead bodies? Are they not alive?"
Mara nodded.
"Yes, they are for now, but they will eventually die. This is what Mother Westeria has told me."
While Lovertia, Mara, and Vritra were talking among themselves, old Countess Layuri stood up from her seat and roared back,
"Lady Westeria, what do you think you are doing?
Throw us away?
Are we pebbles that you can throw us away?
From the moment we arrived in Westirifer—or to say, your ducal grounds—no one paid even a shred of respect to us.
That Lucifer of yours disrespected my husband near the entrance gate, then disrespected him again in the throne room, then even the Grand Duchess threatened to kill him in the throne room, your head minister badmouthed my minister Tuul by saying that she is annoying him… and now you are disrespecting me and the whole of Ironford County by asking some mysterious girls to throw us away?
Well, whatever. I expected nothing much better in hospitality from a duchy ruled by barbarians."
Layuri continued, "Who the fuck are you to throw us out of this place?
What are your standings anyway?
Do not even dare to touch us—"
Just then…
"Shakkksshhh."
A sound came, and Layuri's decapitated head fell down, while Ildrek's face became smeared with blood as a fountain of blood flowed out from her neck.
The whole room became silent. Dead-drop silent.
Because no one had noticed—but now, Lucifer was standing at the grand door of the dining hall, holding his cleaver.
His eyes were so cold that they sent a chill down everyone's spine. A dread so absolute it felt as if the very air had frozen, as if death itself had stepped into the hall and was merely waiting for the next breath to end.
Lucifer took a few steps toward the raised dais where Mia, Westeria, Veronica, Lovertia, Mara, and Vritra were present.
When he reached near Westeria, he asked in a voice that was quiet, almost gentle—
"My dear Wess… is dinner not over yet?
What are you people even eating for the last three hours?"
Just before Westeria could say anything, a minister from Ironford County shouted in horror,
"Murderer… murderer… Holy Mother… Oh Holy Mother… he killed—"
"Shakkkssshhhhhh."
Another head fell down.
Lucifer looked toward that shouting minister and asked the dead body,
"Have you not seen that I am talking with my wife?
Why are you creating unnecessary noise?
Now keep quiet."
He looked back at Westeria.
"Wess, you should go and take some rest along with Mommy and Veronica.
And as for our guests… do not ask or force them to join Westirifer.
You see, honey… there are various people in this world who do not understand simple language.
To understand something clearly, they need several examples.
Just like that, the people present here do not seem to understand what I meant by saving them from myself.
That is why I am going to set an example… right here and now."
The dread around him thickened, as if the shadows themselves recoiled from his presence.
Lucifer glanced at his shadow-daughters.
"How many people from Ironford County are present inside this hall?"
Lovertia answered with unparalleled enthusiasm,
"Daddy, nineteen people in total.
Out of which two are dead."
"Hmm. Nineteen in total. Vritra, go call F,G, H, I, J and K from the spy unit. And Mara—did I not tell you about those four legion masters that I recruited today? So call Arlira and Arlissa from them."
Receiving their orders, both Vritra and Mara immediately departed, whereas Lovertia asked,
"Daddy, what should I do?"
Lucifer smiled teasingly....
"Who am I to order you around? You are my eldest daughter and the eldest princess of Westirifer.
You tell me… what should I do?"
Listening to Lucifer's tease, Lovertia's face flushed a little. She smiled and hid behind Mia like a shy girl.
Seeing this, Lucifer pushed his cleaver toward her.
"Tia, if you really want to do something, then clean this cleaver of mine.
You see, Princess… this weapon of mine has become stained with some foul blood."
Lovertia finally came out from behind Mia, took Lucifer's cleaver, sat beside Allen, took out a piece of rag from her spatial ring, and started rubbing the blood-red stains from Lucifer's cleaver.
Eventually time passed, and Vritra returned with F,G, H, I, J and K.
Mara returned with two other women.
When all eight people reached where Lucifer was standing, all of them knelt.
"Liege / Master."
Lucifer nodded, then pointed his finger toward the people of Ironford County.
"I called six of you here because all of you have to come with me on a small mission. Our destination is Ironford County.
So go and do the necessary preparations. You have ten minutes.
Change forms and gather every piece of information from them."
K moved toward where Layuri's dead body was lying.
When he reached it, he placed his hand on her decapitated head for a couple of minutes.
Then he started to change form… and in a few minutes he had completely formed into Layuri.
Same face. Same body. Same voice. Same memories.
But this Layuri was not the real one—because it was K who had transformed into her.
Just like K, I also transformed into a minister named Dolfo.
Seeing this, none present could believe their eyes—except the people from the Velmora family, and of course Elder Guntor and Jeffrey of the Kielname family.
Just then Lucifer spoke, his voice carrying that same quiet, absolute dread,
"Dispose of the core members of the Ironheart family. Leave those ministers and vassals who surrender, but put them behind bars until that upcoming war settles down."
As per Lucifer's orders, the guards from the spy unit immediately took action. One by one… three people died.
Of course, they were Tuul, Ildrek, and Goccrek… whereas just beside their dead bodies, new Tuul, Ildrek, and Goccrek were standing perfectly fine.
Except for these five people who had died, the other fourteen immediately surrendered and accepted imprisonment.
Seeing that everyone was ready, Lucifer looked at Gothras.
"Take a magic crystal ball for recording and come with me."
Then he looked at Allen.
"Connect that magical crystal ball with your own and broadcast whatever I do there… by this, many people can witness my soft approach and hard approach as well."
Saying this much, Lucifer called those six guards from the spy unit, Arlira, Arlissa, Gothras, Mara, Vritra, and finally Lovertia.
Then he snapped his fingers.
Immediately a teleportation portal formed in front of him… and into that portal, all of them vanished, as if they had never been present inside the dining hall.
What remained to prove their previous presence were just the five dead bodies of Goccrek, Layuri, Ildrek, Dolfo, and Tuul.