Looking at the still kneeling, Scarlett couldn't help but feel anger well within her. After the brief yet impactful incident at the awakening ritual, she instructed the Vampire Lords to carefully investigate the minor world in which the Darkblood Academy was located. But now that she knew the demons had a means of masking their law essence, she couldn't help but feel like all their efforts were wasted. And who knew if they were more like the previous first-ranked second-year student?
In hindsight, she should have known something was amiss for a corrupted student to go unnoticed by several powerful figures for almost a year.
At least now, she wouldn't repeat such mistakes.
Stretching her hand out to the kneeling man, Scarlett's cold yet alluring voice resounded within the room:
"Release your law essence."
"What?" The middle-aged man's eyes widened in disbelief, but seeing that her firm look didn't leave way for refusal, he quickly did as instructed.
Holding her hand, the middle-aged man couldn't help but wallow in its softness, though briefly as he didn't dare to step out of his bounds.
A few breaths later, a green essence covered his hand before passing into Scarlett, and he actively tried to poison her to no avail.
A brief glint flashed within Scarlett's eyes before she let go of the middle-aged man's hand. Now that she had cleared her doubts, she went straight to the point.
"Where is Razor?"
The middle-aged man didn't think too deeply about it before he responded:
"He left to investigate the cause of the previous occurrences; the lightning sea that covered the sky and the sudden tremor of the earth."
Scarlett's brow furrowed when she didn't see any hint of a lie in his eyes not to mention that the man still seemed oblivious to everything that happened outside the secret realm. Realizing that Emperor Razor had indeed not returned, Scarlett couldn't help but feel anxious.
It had been a very long time since she felt a situation out of her control.
Turning to Rebecca who gazed at the middle-aged man in disgust because he was engaging in carnal pleasure while something dangerous that could affect the fate of not only his life but his entire race was happening, Scarlett quickly voiced out as she grabbed her shoulders.
"Let's go!"
However, this time Rebecca resisted her control. Looking at Scarlett who had a questioning look on her face, the short but busty werewolf queen shook her head gently.
"You go! I will remain here. We don't know if he will return."
A look of understanding appeared on Scarlett's face.
"Alright. I will first go to the two minor worlds outside the influence of my will. Maybe the reason I couldn't feel his aura before was because he wasn't here in the first place."
Scarlett had quickly tried to sense the entire Lunar World for Emperor Razor's aura outside the secret realm but had not succeeded in locating him. Of course, her search wasn't thorough so there was a possibility that she might have missed him...
Rebecca nodded, and a moment later, Scarlett disappeared from her sight. The two were aware of how dire the situation was, so they didn't need to share many words. Just the look in their eyes was enough to pass the message across.
Now left alone with the slender and curvy queen whose front robe seemed about to burst from her graceful chest, the middle-aged man couldn't help but gulp nervously.
Rebecca spared him a glance before she disappeared with a flash of purple light.
.....
Time quickly passed as Rebecca remained within the main hall of the palace. Slowly but surely, her anxiousness grew.
Unwilling to continue doing nothing, she called for Dave, who remained outside the hall like a servant despite his great status.
"Yes, my lady! How may I help you?"
"Call all those who are very close to your Emperor to this hall. I want to see them fast and quickly."
A look of confusion appeared on Dave's face. He had been wracking his brain on why the two most terrifying figures of the world came to look for him. While he still couldn't guess the reason why, he could tell it had something to do with his nephew who was yet to return. Slowly, an uneasy feeling set into his heart.
"Why are you still here?" Rebecca frowned when she saw him not move even after her command.
"This..." A look of hesitation appeared on Dave's face but gritting his teeth, he gathered his courage, bowed further, and asked:
"May I ask what is going on?"
Rebecca's eyes suddenly flashed with purple lightning causing Dave to flinch.
"You need not ask questions. Just do as I say, if not..." Rebecca's cold voice sent a chill down his back. Not willing to stare further into those two lightning pools, he lowered his head again.
"Of course, of course..." he repeated twice before scurrying clumsily in fear out of the hall. Now Rebecca knew why Dave had to relinquish his throne to his brother. Someone with no spine like him wasn't fit to rule.
Sure, she knew she was mighty and terrifying, and most had no choice but to kneel before her, however, those with great power would still maintain a semblance of their dignity.
As if scared of offending her further, Dave did as he was told sooner than even Rebecca expected.
Now the hall was full of several figures, each acting quiet and servile as they gazed at the purple-haired figure before them. They must have been warned before being brought to the hall, but it wasn't like Rebecca cared.
Unwilling to waste time, Rebecca spoke, her voice calm yet authoritative:
"Are these all the people closely related to Razor?"
A few figures frowned at the way their ruler was being addressed disrespectfully, but after being shot down by a quick glare from Dave, he quickly responded:
"Yes, my lady. These people are either related to him by blood or closely serve him."
Studying the almost forty figures within the hall, Rebecca nodded only to frown a second later as Dave's voice resounded within the quiet hall.
"It is just that..." Dave seemed to hesitate but seeing the frown on Rebecca's face, he quickly continued, "I couldn't find his three children!"
Rebecca's eyes narrowed, a cold light flashing within her eyes.
"Send people to search for them. I want to see them as soon as possible."
"Yes..."
Seeing Dave quickly call some guards to dispatch her orders, Rebecca turned her eyes to the people in the hall.
"All of you should come one at a time."
No one dared to disobey her and soon after, they all approached her one by one and followed her instructions.
Time slowly passed.
Even after checking the essence of almost 30 figures, Rebecca didn't find any corrupted demon, easing her worry greatly.
'Maybe it isn't as bad as we think...' Just when this thought appeared within her mind, a guard suddenly entered the hall with three little kids tagging behind him.
"My lady, I have brought the Emperor's children like you have instructed."
*****
AN: Thanks to all those who are following the novel.