An hour earlier, before the complete purge of the Ironheart family.
Ducal Palace, Westirifer.
Everyone in the dining hall had their eyes fixed on the magical crystal screen that Allen had set up.
Kinru Livingstone pointed a finger at the screen and asked in disbelief, "How… how the hell did he reach there so soon… and along with everyone else? Did he teleport there directly?"
Allen answered, "Yes. Young Master is extremely proficient in space-attribute magic… and every short-distance teleportation portal across the entire ducal grounds was deployed by him."
Kinru added, "But that wasn't a short-distance teleportation portal. He went straight to Ironford County… damn Ironford County, even beyond the southwestern borders of your Holycross State."
Allen smiled. "I know those details, Master Kinru. As I told you before, my Young Master is quite proficient in space-attribute magic.
Once he obtains the details and coordinates of a place, he can teleport there directly. Not only can he teleport, he can also open a portal to that exact location.
I don't know how space magic works, so I can't explain all of his methods.
But from what I've seen so far:
– He can teleport anywhere freely.
– He can create teleportation portals using only his own mana; he doesn't need rune stones.
– And for group travel, he can cast a magic circle over an area and teleport everyone at once."
Even though Allen's voice remained pleasant, it reverberated through the dining hall like thunder.
After Kinru, Duchess Velora's main husband—Nicole Kidman—spoke for the first time since his arrival at the ducal palace. "Sir Allen, how did Young Master Lucifer obtain the coordinates… or rather, the details regarding Ironford County? I never saw him ask anyone, nor did anyone deliberately tell him."
Allen clapped. "Good observation, Duke Nicole."
He glanced toward the left side of the room where the people from the Holygrill family were sitting. "Lady Aria, why don't you answer Duke Nicole's question?"
Startled, Aria asked, "M… me?"
Almost everyone stared at her—especially those from the Florence family, Redlife family, Livingstone Duchy, Wielhiem Duchy, and her own Holygrill family.
Allen added, "If not you, then who, Lady Aria?"
He smiled teasingly. "Lady Aria, do you really think my Young Master is doing all this merely to show the people of Livingstone Duchy and Wielhiem Duchy what it means to be saved from him?
Or do you think he is taking action against Ironford County only because Goccrek, Layuri, Ildrek and the others dared to insult Westirifer, and because Goccrek tried to justify that vile act?"
Confused, Aria asked, "If not those reasons… then what else, Allen?"
Allen gave her a knowing smile. Mia, Veronica, and Westeria wore the same kind of smile.
He continued, "Nothing, my lady. You will understand in the future."
Allen turned back to Nicole. "Duke Nicole… it seems I will have to answer your question myself instead of Lady Aria.
You saw those people who transformed into Layuri, Goccrek, Ildrek, Dolfo, and Tuul, correct?"
Nicole nodded.
Allen continued, "Duke, those people are not ordinary. They can not only transform into their targets… they can extract their memories as well.
Take K for example. He transformed into Layuri. That means K extracted every memory Layuri ever possessed… and pulling the details of Ironford County from those memories is hardly difficult.
And if you say you never saw K tell my master these things… the truth is, they don't need to speak aloud. It's a secret, but I'll tell all of you: my master is capable of something called a mind-link. I don't fully understand the ability myself—I've never used it or even read about it.
But according to Young Master's description, it connects the minds of two people.
If my master used a mind-link on you, he would know everything circulating in your mind without a single word of explanation. All the guards of the spy unit have their minds linked with my master."
Nicole gasped. "This kind of ability exists in this world? I've never heard of it."
Allen smiled. "Same feeling, Duke Nicole. If Young Master hadn't told me about it, I would have had no way of knowing such a thing existed."
Some time passed. Duke Gelvin pointed at the screen. "Why is the new Goccrek behaving like a savage?
Why is he acting so arrogantly… telling a woman she reeks of semen, only to sniff and lick her like an animal the next moment?
Does he think that female guard is his property? Why isn't he treating her like a human being?"
Allen answered once more. "Ah, don't misunderstand, Duke Gelvin.
Although the Goccrek you see on the screen isn't real, the fake one possesses every memory of the original. He is behaving this way so as not to appear suspicious.
If a member of the spy unit is acting like this, it means that in everyday life the real Goccrek treated those guards exactly the same way.
Didn't I just say the spy-unit guards can extract memories? And memories contain everything—including habits."
The scene changed.
On the screen: inside Ironford County, the count's mansion.
Goccrek was now resting in the family sitting room together with Layuri, Ildrek, Tuul, Dolfo, Gorthas, and H.
Meanwhile the "slaves"—Lucifer, Lovertia, Vritra, Mara, Arlira, and Arlissa—wore tattered clothes and sat on the floor.
In the dining hall of the Westirifer ducal palace, Velora exclaimed while watching the recording, "Slaves… he and those five women have disguised themselves as slaves. What is he even doing in there dressed as a slave?"
"Just keep watching," someone replied. "You'll understand… and so will the rest of us."
The scene moved forward.
On the screen everyone watched Vazon kiss Layuri intimately, and Layuri returned the kiss with even greater intensity.
Seeing this, Desmond exclaimed—and others joined him—"See… see… Lady Layuri is kissing that man!
How intimate they are… watching them kiss so erotically is getting me aroused."
"Same here…"
People inside the dining hall began talking among themselves about their rising arousal.
Von Miller, sitting right in front of Desmond, said, "Father-in-law, what are you getting aroused over?
It's not like you don't know that the Lady Layuri on the screen is actually H… and it's H who's kissing Vazon."
Desmond shot back, "So what? Haven't you seen me kissing Nyx, Stuart, Nad and the others?
We've shared plenty of kisses ourselves… and don't you remember fucking each other's assholes, or how you give me a blowjob every day?
Now listen, brat—kiss me right now, or I won't let you touch my daughter during the Fertility Ceremony Festival."
Von argued, "Old man, I don't want to kiss you right now. And for the first two days of the Fertility Ceremony Festival I won't be participating—I have to help Stuart with some of his tasks.
Actually, take Gloria for yourself. Old fuck, if you're that horny, go bang Mother-in-law or your own daughters. Damn fucker, what satisfaction do you father-in-laws even get from banging our asses?"
Desmond glared. "You unfilial brat… can't even satisfy your father-in-law's arousal."
He turned his face away—only to see Nyx already kissing his sister Gloria, while beside them the youngest in the family, Harry, was kissing his eldest sister Delya.
Seeing both of his daughters already occupied, Desmond felt frustrated, but ultimately controlled himself and glared at Von. "Manslut, get that ass ready. I'll fuck you today along with Paul."
Hearing Desmond's words, Paul—sitting beside Von—asked, "Why me, Dad?"
Desmond grinned. "Because both of you are my sons-in-law… and both of you have delicious assholes—better than your wives' and better than your mother-in-law's."
Von and Paul muttered in sync, "Eccentric / freakish old fucker."
The scene changed.
On the screen, inside the family sitting room, more than forty people had gathered.
They were Goccrek's other four sons (besides Vazon, who was already present), their numerous wives, and some of their sons and daughters. Also present were Goccrek's six daughters, their various husbands, and their children.
Once everyone had settled, Goccrek told them that—except for five people including himself, Layuri, Ildrek, Tuul, and Dolfo—everyone else had died in an attack launched by Soltross County.
This sparked a half-hour family discussion.
In the dining hall of the ducal palace, every eye remained locked on the screen as though watching a live performance.
Seeing the turn of events, Lady Cinthia of Florence State asked, "How did Soltross County get involved in all this?"
Her son Jackvert responded, "Mom, that's just a pre-planned excuse. If they don't shift the blame onto Soltross County, how will they explain who attacked them?"
Furia and Regisa nodded. "Quite clever."
Denford Redlife from Redbarn State added, "Decisive young man."
One of his wives, Soraya, added, "Cunning boy."
On the screen the scene progressed.
Inside the family sitting room, Goccrek ordered his daughter-in-law Xoyova to latch the door tightly and cast a sound-barrier magic inside.
Xoyova obeyed, latched the door, and activated a sound barrier with the help of rune stones. Then she stepped in front of Goccrek and requested permission to enjoy the slave boy sitting on the floor.
Goccrek agreed.
Seeing this, one of Duke Gelvin's wives—Lady Olyssia—began, "How can Goccrek allow—"
But before she could finish the sentence, on the screen Goccrek's hand moved. He slapped Xoyova so brutally that her skull exploded into a spray of bloodied bone fragments; she died on the spot.
Without wasting another heartbeat, Layuri seized the heavy wooden chair she had been sitting on and swung it like a hybrid of mace and spear. She smashed it into her other daughters with merciless force—skulls bursting open in red mist, ribs shattering with wet cracks, hearts and lungs impaled and shredded. Blood and brain matter painted the walls.
Ildrek followed Layuri's lead and turned on his remaining brothers and sisters, crushing throats, snapping spines, and tearing limbs free in sprays of arterial blood.
Tuul and Dolfo joined him, methodically finishing the screaming, thrashing bodies.
Arlira became a blur of steel. Her daggers flashed like thunderbolts, severing heads from necks in single, clean strokes; severed heads still wore expressions of shock as they rolled across the floor.
Arlissa swung her massive hammer. Each impact reduced a body to a ruined pulp—bones liquefying, organs erupting outward in wet explosions of gore.
Lovertia seized Tueta by the hair, yanked her head back, and stabbed her again and again and again until the woman's torso was a leaking colander of ragged holes. Blood fountained with every thrust.
Mara slammed Eloi to the ground, then began chopping him apart with her bare hands—first into large chunks, then smaller pieces, then a glistening minced paste, and finally a wet red pulp—all while staring at Lucifer's face and smiling like a child seeking praise.
Vritra sat calmly in front of Lucifer, carefully dismantling the bodies of Miquel and Blai. She held up organs one by one and asked, in a soft, curious voice, what each one was called.
In the blink of an eye, every member of the Ironheart family was dead—except Count Vazon, who trembled in a corner, soaked in the blood of his relatives.
In the dining hall of the ducal palace, silence fell. Most of those present had never witnessed such concentrated, methodical brutality. Only the people of the Velmora family remained unmoved; they knew that if Lucifer had truly wanted to be brutal, this still would not have been enough.
The carnage was so extreme that Jeffrey, Rkliona, and Fobila of the Kielname family nearly vomited. The youngest among them, Fifi, slept soundly with her head on her mother's lap, oblivious.
Not everyone was so fortunate. Across the hall, members of various families and duchies wore the same stunned, nauseated expressions.
Synthia looked from the screen to Aria. "Are you sure the smiling boy you met at the border of Serenity Town is the same person as the boy on that screen… the one playing with bloodied organs?"
Aria could not answer. She could barely believe what she was seeing.
On the magical crystal screen the scene shifted again.
Lucifer ordered H to perform his task. H immediately seized Vazon's head for a moment and transformed into him.
Lucifer rose from the floor, approached Vazon, and complimented him on having a good name.
He asked whether Vazon knew the meaning of his own name. When Vazon did not, Lucifer told him that "Vazon" meant flower pot.
Then Lucifer asked whether Vazon wished to die like the rest of the Ironheart family or to remain alive.
Vazon pleaded to live.
Lucifer introduced himself and asked once more: live or die?
Vazon begged again and again to be spared.
Lucifer smiled and said, "Your father shouldn't have touched my aunt."
Vazon nodded frantically. "I understand."
Lucifer nodded as well. "You understand."
Vazon repeated, "I understand."
Lucifer's expression hardened. He shouted, "Understand what? What exactly do you think you understand?"
Vazon began to stammer, "I unde—" but Lucifer pressed a finger to his lips and murmured, "I understand too."
Then Lucifer clamped one hand around Vazon's neck and the other around his waist. With a single savage wrench he tore the head free, dragging the entire spine out of the body in a long, glistening column of bone and nerves. Blood erupted in a thick, arterial fountain as the headless corpse collapsed.
In the dining hall, nearly every pair of eyes turned toward Aria.
Duchess Velora spoke. "Lucifer told Vazon that his father shouldn't have touched his aunt… and the aunt he was speaking of is clearly you, Lady Aria. Now explain what is going on."
Before Aria could reply, the scene on the screen changed once more. Lucifer was giving instructions to H.
Everyone heard Lucifer order that in the future Ironford County would be dissolved and absorbed into Holycross State.
Once again every gaze locked onto Aria.
Duke Gelvin said, "Lady Aria is truly favored by Lucifer.
Not only did he avenge her by slaughtering Goccrek and the entire Ironheart family—he even gifted the territory to Holycross State."
One of Duke Gelvin's wives added, "Dear, didn't you notice how focused Lucifer was on my aunt?
It feels as though he is possessive of her… as if Lady Aria were his own aunt or someone special."
Aria looked at the couple and answered, "Duke Gelvin, please don't speculate. He is protective of me because he sees me as family.
Didn't Head Minister Allen say a short while ago that Lucifer treats everyone in Westirifer as his own family? Holycross State is part of Westirifer as well."
Her words seemed to convince most of those present—until a voice came from the dais.
"Do you really think it's that simple, Aria?"
Every head turned. The speaker was Mia herself.
Aria looked toward her. "What do you mean by that, Grand Duchess?"
Mia gave her a teasing smile. "You know, Aria… I know my son very well. There are many things I understand without him ever having to tell me."
Confused, Aria asked, "Where is this going?"
Mia laughed. "Look at this slut pretending she doesn't already know where it's going."
Aria's face flushed. "Wh… what do you mean, Grand Duchess?"
Westeria chimed in, "Lady Aria, can't you just accept that you've hooked my husband's heart?
I don't mind gaining another sister. The more the merrier."
Aria's face turned crimson. Whispers erupted around the hall.
Even her own husbands, daughters, and sons began teasing her.
Finally her aunt Synthia pinched her. "When did all this happen? Why don't I know about it?"
Aria replied, "I don't know when it started… Leaving Lucifer's extreme nature aside, he is an obedient and playful boy who likes to tease others.
I treat him the same way I treat Harry and my other sons… and because of that, I think he began to like me and call me his aunt. It's not that I dislike him… I do like him… I just never expected him to fall for me like this."
Synthia huffed. "You crafty woman. I came here intending to take Lucifer as my husband, and now it seems my own niece will become my wife-sister one day."
While people continued talking among themselves, Mia clapped sharply several times, drawing every eye.
She looked toward the right side of the dining hall. "Decide for yourselves, Duke Gelvin, Duchess Velora. What Lucifer has done to Goccrek and Ironford County is nothing.
His hatred for the Purefield ducal family and the Lustbound Kingdom runs far deeper. Since my Luci does not want me to reveal his past, I will not. But I will tell you this: his eldest daughter, Seren, was brutally murdered through the combined efforts of Christopher Purefield, Sarah Purefield, and Rotveil.
Rotveil is already dead.
The Purefield Duchy is the first of the Thirteen Pillars of the kingdom, and the Lustbound Kingdom will not abandon it. They will certainly support the Purefield family.
We already have an adverse relationship with the kingdom, but it is not nearly as bad as our relationship with the Purefield Duchy. Lucifer is dead serious about delivering the most brutal deaths imaginable to the entire Purefield ducal family in order to avenge Seren. He will not spare anyone who tries to stand in his path… and neither will I allow anyone to become a thorn in my son's path.
So decide carefully. On a serious note, neither I nor my Luci wish to stand against the two of you.
If Lucifer wanted to, annihilating the Purefield Duchy and the Lustbound Kingdom would not be a difficult task. But what he wants is not simple annihilation—he wants them to suffer. Those vile Purefields did not even allow his daughter a dignified death. I will not go into detail, but those bastards consumed her corpse. They cannibalized her.
My Lucifer swore an oath: he will torture the Purefields until Seren's soul can finally rest in peace. But since he has no way of knowing whether her soul finds peace after their deaths, he has decided to torture them to the extreme… without ever allowing them to die. That process will continue indefinitely.
I believe my words are clear. You can imagine the kind of scenes that will unfold. That is why I once again suggest that you either stay out of the coming war or join Westirifer.
Believe me or not, we have no greed for your territory. If you doubt me, ask the people of the Kielname family, the Holygrill family, the Florence family, and the Redlife family.
What we want from you is neither grain nor gold. Even our tax rate is only five percent, and everyone lives under equality. What we want is complete control over your armies. Westirifer will feed them, train them, pay them, and use them. And lastly—there is no nobility in Westirifer. Everyone is equal. You may discuss the details with Allen.
Once again, Duke Gelvin and Duchess Velora—think carefully about what I have just said."
With that, Mia rose from her chair and waved to the assembly. "Dinner is over. Outside this room, maids and servants are waiting. They will lead you to your assigned chambers."
She began walking toward the exit with Veronica and Westeria.
Just as she was about to leave, a voice called from behind. "Grand Duchess, may I come to your room? There is something I wish to discuss."
The speaker was Duchess Velora.
Mia turned and looked at her. "Follow me… and bring your brother as well. He asked to have sex with me, and I promised to let him ride me. I will do it while we talk. As for the others—tell them to wait for both of you in your designated rooms."