Emeline let out an awkward chuckle, her voice carrying a hint of nervousness. "That's quite a foreboding statement," she said, guiding Viktor along with a gentle push.
The pair briskly made their way through the castle's grand hall, already behind schedule for breakfast.
"So, Sis, can you recall Mom?" Viktor asked, his expression nonchalant.
Emeline scratched her head and let out a nervous laugh. "Oh boy. I was just a kid back then. I don't remember much, but I know she was strong. And incredibly kind to both of us. She's the main reason why I'm proud to be a Kirchner!" Her words tumbled out quickly, her excitement bubbling up before she composed herself.
"Wow... It makes sense why even the other wives come out to pay their respects. Maybe she was that amazing," Viktor pondered, a hint of sadness in his tone. They paused outside the large wooden oak doors leading into the dining room, and Viktor turned to Emeline.
"Sis, do you think I'll ever be as cool as Mom?"
Emeline ruffled Viktor's hair and crouched down to his level. "Of course, silly. I bet you'll be even cooler than your mom someday. Now come on, I'm starving," she replied with a laugh, just as the tall butler opened the double doors.
The butler, an elderly man in his late seventies, gestured towards the table where the royal family was seated.
Emeline and Viktor both made a respectful bow before joining the others at the table. The dining hall was expansive, measuring almost 700 meters in length. Today, all of the household staff, from the lowest servant to the highest butler, gathered to honor the deceased.
A severe-looking woman with a powdered wig looked up from her drink. "You're late."
"Madam... We apologize," Emeline answered, bowing and gently guiding Viktor down beside her.
"Mother, please. Viktor's room is on the far side of the castle. Even if they had run, they wouldn't have made it on time. It's not a big deal," defended a young boy with blonde hair and dark green eyes.
"Hmm. Charles, that's your fault. Ever since you were little, you've been protecting this brat," scoffed the woman.
The Kirchner family, listed in order of age, consisted of Charles (24), Alyssa (23), Grant (19), Karl (17), Hanna (16), Noah (14), Nickolas (14), and the youngest member, Viktor Kirchner (10).
In the Kirchner family, Viktor was an outcast among his siblings. The only one whose mother had passed away, he stood out in the hierarchy of the family. Out of all the children, only three possessed magical and combat abilities: Charles, Alyssa, and Viktor himself. Yet, Viktor was often targeted by his older siblings and faced constant harassment and bullying. Charles was the only one who consistently showed kindness towards Viktor.
As his mother had once said, Charles had always taken care of Viktor from a young age. He simply saw it as his duty as an older brother to help those younger than him. But Charles also knew that Viktor was special, so he made sure to always lend a helping hand.
Sitting there with his gaze fixed on his lap, Viktor suddenly felt a cold sensation wash over him. Startled out of his thoughts, he looked up and saw Hanna laughing hysterically, tears streaming down her face. Soon, the rest of the children joined in, including Charles, though with a few chuckles.
Desperately seeking help, Viktor scanned the room until he locked eyes with Emeline. She only waved and smiled before returning to her conversation with the other teenage servants.
Feeling tears welling up in his eyes, Viktor lowered his head in shame.
"Oh look, the little cursed baby can't even handle a bit of water!" Hanna taunted, still laughing.
"Maybe he's a demon! I mean, he did get his mom killed after all," Karl joined in, igniting another round of laughter from everyone at the table, including the adults.
But amidst all the laughter stood one man who remained stoic: Werner Kirchner, 94th ruler of the Grishan empire.
"Viktor... Come see me after breakfast," Werner commanded, his voice cutting through the laughter like a sharp blade.
Instantly, the table fell silent as everyone recognized the seriousness in Werner's tone.
Viktor remained silent, eyes trained on the floor. Suddenly, a loud thump sounded through the room. Karl, sitting next to Viktor, had hit him on the back of his head. "Dad said something to you. Show some respect!" he yelled.
With tears still streaming down his cheeks, Viktor stood up and nodded. "Yes, Father... I understand. I will follow wherever you go," he replied quietly.
The table returned to their previous conversation while the aroma of food filled the air. Despite the enticing smells, Viktor remained still and overwhelmed.
"Please enjoy your meal," said the chef who came out personally to serve them.
For the first time that morning, Werner turned his gaze towards Viktor, silently assessing him. Abruptly, he slammed down his fork and knife and stood up, his eyes piercing into Viktor's soul.
"Come," Werner commanded, striding towards the door. Viktor obediently followed, his footsteps echoing in the grand halls of the castle.
Werner led Viktor for about forty minutes until they reached their destination: a stone door adorned with runes. With a touch of his hand, Werner flung open the door to reveal a spiraling staircase.
"Come," Werner repeated, conjuring a small ball of fire to light their way down the dark stairs.
Viktor followed behind his father as they descended, feeling like an eternity passed before reaching a large room with a structure at its center shrouded in darkness.
With a snap of Werner's fingers, torches lining the walls burst into flames, revealing a cage in the center with a figure inside.
"Um...what's going on?" Viktor asked in panic as he took in the sight before him.
"Viktorious. Do you know why your mother died?" Werner asked gravely.
"Because she was attacked, right?" Viktor responded, his voice trembling with fear and confusion. His uncle Kris had always warned him about the dangers of the outside world.
Werner approached the cage, his presence like a looming storm. The figure inside recoiled in terror, pressing herself against the opposite side.
"She was assigned to protect you, Emeline, and Elden," Werner began, his tone filled with disappointment and anger. "But she failed. Instead of doing her job, she turned tail and ran back here. Do you understand, Viktor? She signed up to put her life on the line, but she let fear control her!" His words boomed through the room, echoing off the walls.
The woman inside, a demi-human with rabbit-like features, cowered in fear as Werner's accusations washed over her. Her ears flattened against her head as if trying to block out his words.
"Who... Who is she?" Viktor asked, bewildered and frightened by the scene unfolding before him.
Werner's anger seemed to grow with each passing moment. He approached the cage once again, his voice lowering to a dangerous tone. "You had one job... All you had to do was win," he accused, his eyes burning with anger and hatred. "But you were too weak. Your weakness killed my wife," he spat out, his voice dripping with venom.
"Do you understand now?" Werner shouted at Viktor, shaking him by the shoulders. "She signed up to put her life on the line, but she let fear control her!" A lone tear escaped from Viktor's eye as he trembled under Werner's grip. He was rightfully terrified.
"P-please... You're scaring me," he finally managed to choke out before collapsing to the ground in a heap.
A loud smack echoed through the room as Werner's hand connected with Viktor's cheek. A bright red handprint was left behind, marking the physical and emotional pain that Viktor was enduring.
"You don't know fear. Nor will you feel it," Werner said, his words filled with determination as he extended his hand to help Viktor up. "Now get up."
With reluctance, Viktor took Werner's hand and slowly got to his feet. He could feel the weight of his uncle's disappointment and anger hanging over him like a dark cloud.
"You were scared. You were weak. You were ashamed," Werner continued, his gaze fixed on the crouched demi-human in the cage. "But now I've seen what I needed to see, Viktor. I see what they saw in you." He pointed at the bunny lady with a sense of disgust and disdain. "Now take those years of anger, loneliness, and betrayal and push them onto the one who caused it."
Viktor nodded silently, feeling a mix of emotions swirl inside him - anger, sadness, and even a spark of vengeful satisfaction. He walked towards the cage with purpose in his steps and opened the door.
As he approached the cowering demi-human, he couldn't help but notice the smell of urine and filth emanating from her. Disgust twisted in his stomach as he realized just how low she had sunk. How could someone live like this?
She was trash. Trash who couldn't do her job. Trash who let his mother die. Trash who had made his life a living hell.
Trash... Trash who should be killed? The thought crossed Viktor's mind briefly before he pushed it away, knowing that acting on it would make him no better than her. But revenge still burned bright within him as he stood face to face with her, ready to unleash all his pent-up feelings onto her for causing so much pain and suffering in his life.
Viktor's small hands, trembling with rage and desperation, clenched tightly around the neck of the caged creature. Its gasping struggles against his grip only fueled his anger further, his eyes glazed over in a daze or trance-like state.
"Let go, she's going to pass out," Werner warned, pulling Viktor away from the woman.
But Viktor's mind was consumed by a single thought: this beast was responsible for his mother's death. With a frenzied determination, he launched a powerful punch into its nose, feeling the satisfying crunch of breaking bone.
Despite his lack of training and experience in combat magic, Viktor's hatred for the creature gave him strength beyond his years. He stomped on its back repeatedly, each stomp driven by the weight of his sorrow and anger.
"You!" he shouted, unleashing a barrage of kicks and punches onto the cowering beast. "You're the reason my life is hell! If you had done your job, my mom would still be here!"
His cries echoed through the chamber as he continued his assault. With each strike, he relived the pain and betrayal from years of living under this creature's rule.
As Werner watched on silently, Viktor grabbed a small metallic dagger from the floor and raised it above the woman's body lying motionless in the corner of the cage.
"This is all your fault," he whispered, before plunging the dagger into her side with a swift motion.
The woman cried out in agony, but Viktor didn't stop there. His blows rained down upon her broken form with a fury, unlike anything he had ever felt before.
"You had one job... And you failed," he uttered with bitterness and disappointment laced in his voice.
And even as his father watched on in silence, Viktor couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction and closure as he stood over the battered and broken form of the one who had caused so much suffering.
Next Chapter: 8-Understanding Pain