At this moment, within the grand duchy's stronghold, the air was thick with the weight of unspoken plots and the scent of ancient stone. The grand duke's manor, nestled near the heart of a medieval castle, was a labyrinth of shadowed corridors and sprawling halls, each wall whispering secrets of the past. The great hall, with its vaulted ceilings and immense hearths, bore witness to the constant power struggles that defined the realm.
Tapestries of battles won and lost adorned the stone walls, their vibrant threads contrasting starkly against the cold, unyielding surfaces. The flickering torchlight cast dancing shadows, creating an atmosphere of eerie anticipation, as if the very shadows held breath for the drama to unfold. The air was heavy with the scent of roasted meat and spiced wine from the feast laid out on the grand table, a feast that served as much a display of power as a means of sustenance.
The grand duke, seated at the head of the table, was a figure of imposing authority, his demeanor calm yet commanding, his eyes sharp and discerning. he was well versed in the art of survival in a world where power was the currency and loyalty a scarce commodity.
"I warned you about something, didn't I? Look at the mess you've made!" The grand duke thundered, slamming his hand on the table in the council chamber.
Elara stood opposite the elderly man, bowing her head with a mix of astonishment and anger in her eyes. She had just learned the news—Garrick had been killed by Aidan!
That sixteen-year-old boy, possessing such means and determination. Garrick was a servant of our grand duke's family, and Aidan's act of killing him was a blatant disregard for our family's status!
"Father, please calm down. Garrick was just a servant; his death is of little consequence, especially since he wasn't an ascender. But Aidan, he's overly audacious. Even when one punishes a dog, they must consider the owner. Not only did he punish our dog, but he also killed it in one go!" Elara exclaimed indignantly.
The grand duke bellowed, "And you dare to speak up! Your wings are getting too strong, aren't they? You've forgotten everything I've cautioned you about!"
"Father, forgive me," Elara gasped in shock, realizing her father's anger was genuine, quickly kneeling down.
Pointing out of the window, the grand duke chastised, "Humph! Let that servant's death slide, but now you're fixated on Aidan. You're shortsighted, ignorant of the consequences! Do you understand the significance of your actions? Petty squabbles among the younger generation are their affairs. We, as elders, should refrain from intervening. That's the rule! By targeting Aidan now, you're breaking that rule. Do you realize how many people
"Father, please calm down. Anger harms the body. It's Elara's fault, dragging down the family. Whatever Father asks of Elara, Elara will do! But I just can't bear this anymore. That Aidan is truly despicable, shameless. He first deceived me to gain entry into the academy. Then he hid in the dormitory, ignoring my every call and insult. The moment I left, he killed Garrick. He's truly sinister and shameless!" Elara reported.
"Oh, is that so?" The grand duke's brow furrowed slightly. It was the first time he had heard this information, a glint of interest flickering in his eyes.
He took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and pondered with a stroke of his beard, "I've heard a bit about this Aidan. He wrote poetry in his earlier years, showed early intelligence. But his talents were only average, not worthy of much attention, so I gave up on trying to recruit him. Now, it seems he's rather intriguing."
After a pause, the grand duke tapped the table with his finger, "Servant, bring that box here."
There were attendants waiting outside. Soon, they brought in a box. It wasn't too big but had some weight to it. The servant held it with both hands, standing beside the desk.
"Father, what is this?" Elara asked, puzzled, as she saw the wooden box.
"Why don't you open it and see?" The grand duke squinted his eyes, his tone somewhat complex.
Elara stood up, lifted the wooden lid, and peered inside.
Suddenly, her complexion changed drastically, her pupils shrinking to the size of pins. She couldn't help but take a step back, emitting a suppressed cry. The wooden lid slipped from her hand and fell to the ground.
With the lid off, the contents of the wooden box were revealed to everyone—a pile of flesh and blood!
These pieces of flesh and blood were obviously chopped into bits and pieces, packed into the box. Crimson blood pooled within, some with pallid skin, others with elongated intestines, and a few bones scattered amidst them, either leg bones or rib bones. In the corner of the box, there were even two floating fingers and half a toe.
Urgh...
Elara's complexion drained further as she took another step back, her stomach churning, nearly causing her to vomit on the spot.
Despite being an Awakened Tier Ascender, she was an experienced warrior, but it was her first time witnessing such a gruesome scene.
The flesh and blood in the box clearly came from a human body, chopped up and stuffed inside.
An overwhelming stench of blood permeated the council chamber, filling it entirely.
The servant holding the box trembled, hands shaking, face drained of color. Though she had seen the box before and vomited, holding it now still brought waves of fear and disgust.
Of the three people in the study, only the grand duke remained unfazed. He glanced casually at the flesh and blood in the box and slowly said to Elara, "This box was placed at the back door of our house by Aidan this morning."
"What? It's really him?!" Elara was greatly shocked, Aidan's image involuntarily surfacing in her mind.
She first saw Aidan at the restaurant.
At that time, Aidan sat by the window, quietly eating his meal. He had an ordinary face, a slender figure, and a complexion tinged with the paleness typical of youth.
How could such an ordinary and quiet youth commit such a deranged and crazy act!
After the shock came rage. Elara exclaimed, "This Aidan is too arrogant, too audacious! To dare to do such a thing, it's a provocation to our family! I'm going over there right now to bring him back and hold him accountable!"
"You damned fool, you stay put!" The grand duke was even angrier than her, grabbing a inkstone from the desk and hurling it away.
The heavy inkstone struck Elara's shoulder with a thud before clattering to the ground.
"Father!" Elara exclaimed, clutching her shoulder in pain.
The grand duke stood up, pointing at his daughter with a tone full of agitation, "You have truly disappointed me! Dealing with a mere child, not only did you make a big fuss, but you also let yourself be led by the nose. And now, blinded by anger, do you even understand the significance of Aidan's actions?"
"What significance?" Elara asked, perplexed.
The grand duke snorted, "If Aidan truly wanted to provoke, to escalate matters, why didn't he place this box at the main entrance where people come and go? Instead, he chose to place it at the rarely visited back door."
"Is he trying to reconcile? No, if it were reconciliation, wouldn't it be better to apologize in person? Why send this box of dismembered remains? It's clearly provocation!" Elara argued.
The grand duke shook his head, then nodded, "He wants reconciliation, yet indeed, he's provoking. Placing the wooden box at the back door signifies reconciliation. Packing dismembered remains inside the box is provocation."
"You see," the grand duke pointed at the box, "this wooden box isn't large enough to contain a complete corpse. So, it only holds a part of the dismembered remains. He's telling us that he doesn't want to escalate the matter, that he wants peace. But if our family continues to cling to this matter, he will scatter the remaining dismembered remains at the main entrance, escalating the issue completely. At that point, it's mutually assured destruction. The entire family will know that we were the ones who broke the rules, that the future leader of our family is so weak that they need such indulgence and protection from the elders."
Listening to these words, Elara was momentarily dumbfounded. She had never expected Aidan's actions to carry such deep meaning.
"This strategy is truly ingenious," the grand duke exclaimed. "With just one move, he combines strength with gentleness, offering a retreat while standing firm. This simple wooden box represents both Aidan's willingness to compromise and his threat to our family. Unfortunately, our family has truly been caught at a disadvantage by him. If our family's reputation is damaged as a result, what will follow is the challenge from the Archbishop faction and the King's lineage."
Elara skeptically retorted, "Father, are you perhaps overestimating him? He's only sixteen, after all."
"Overestimating?" The grand duke cast a displeased glance at his daughter. "It seems you've been too pampered over these years, developing a sense of arrogance, unable to see reality clearly. Aidan remained calm in the face of danger, deceiving you into the academy. Then he quickly adapted to adversity in the dormitory. He endured your insults without retaliating, displaying patience and composure. When you left, he promptly killed Garrick, showing determination and courage. Now, he sends this box, clearly demonstrating strategic calculation. Do you still think I'm overestimating him?"
Elara listened in shock, unable to believe that her father actually admired Aidan so much.
However, the grand duke sighed regretfully, "With such intellect, he will undoubtedly be the cornerstone of our castle's future. Unfortunately, he only has 33 Ascension Sigils, unable to become a higher-level Ascender."
Elara fell silent, Aidan's image once again surfacing in her mind. Under her psychological influence, Aidan's initially frail face now seemed shrouded in a layer of mysterious and sinister shadow.