< 5 Years Later >

Soon, I got a letter.

This letter too was very vague. I’ve had my suspicions, but now they have been proven. Arbor has always sent letters like these, but the difference is simple, I’ve also had my own vassal send letters to me. But, this vassal has not sent letters in the past three months. I can only take this as his message. The message that means ‘he was dead’. 

By the time that I had reached the territory, all my trusted vassals were dead. The territories which I had allocated to my vassals, had now come under my name. The four-sector policies were broken. The tax rates were unbearable. Only territories on the border had been unaffected. But, the borders had also started to get ‘screwed over’.

Soon after reaching, I executed all the nobles who were ‘leeches’: Those who only lived to ruin the lives of the common. 

“Arbor. What do I do now?”

“You may kill me, my lord.”

“Why did you do it?”

“I wanted to ruin you, my lord.”

“My son?”

“I was the one who cursed him- No, I wanted to curse phil. The curse was redirected.”

“.....”

“He was only healed by a curse, meaning he could never live more than 2- Maybe 4 years.”

I couldn’t speak. What more can I say? Of course he would betray me, afterall our family has been keeping these elves enslaved for more than 500 years. He was grinning. Even at the moment of his death, he was grinning. I beheaded him. As blood spewed everywhere, the life in his eyes disappeared. 

I had soon received a report: ‘Lord Varkhaz has died.’

I fell onto my knees, I lost all will to live. What was the point? 

“My lord! Follow me! Our lord could be alive!” he said. He wasn’t anyone special, just a spare soldier. He had bought a spare horse for me. 

After I had reached there, I saw something familiar. The sight of bodies. Yet, only soldiers’ bodies were found here, no residents’ bodies were here. I want to know what happened. But, soon I realized. All the residents had been buried, their gravestones were present.

One certain body I recognized, but nobody else did. I recognized him by his decaying body, and his thin fingers. I, who recognized my son by only his fingers, am trash. Nobody had seen my son, not even me. 

Many soldiers were also dead. The houses here were burnt. Suddenly I felt a wave of energy. Almost as if it was meant to reach here.

“Clean up all the bodies and put them into the cart.” I ordered my soldiers.

Although it was only for a moment, I saw a figure run past me, fast, very fast. I had tracked it to the south of where I stood. I called upon my soldiers, my elite fifty. I told them to stand in a 100 meter radius.

Once I was there, I could detect a presence, with mana. In a shack near the farmlands. I ordered my elite to surround it. I had realized that this one was responsible. I wanted to kill this one.

As soon as he came out, I ordered my archer to shoot at him, yet he escaped. He was strong. But, I was stronger.

“Young man, who are you?”

“Maru. Maru Alck.”

“Are you a noble?”

“No. My father was a baronet.”

“Alck...” 

How ironic. My son had slaughtered this boy’s family, and for that he killed him. Alck’s son, my friend’s son, had killed him. It seems to be my punishment for my sins.

“Did you know my father?” How could I not? He was the one who saved me.

“Perhaps.”

“Now, answer me honestly boy. Did you kill varkhaz?”

He could’ve lied, telling me that he was just another victim, yet he answered me. I never wanted to kill this boy, however he was ready for death at any moment. He fought me with all he had, and for that: I shall respect his resolve.

“It was you, I see.”

As soon as he had gotten charged, he started to pay no attention. 

“Snap out of it! Are you truly the person who killed my son?! Own up to your actions!” I said. What rights did I even have? I simply said it on impulse.

“I summon thee, Blade of Morder!” he shouted. As soon as he did that, All the blood on his body suddenly started to move into the palm of his hand. His body started to spew out more blood. And all of the blood formed into a sword. No, a dagger. It wasn’t normal. He didn’t look like he could last anymore, his body was bruised and bleeding, his breathing was uneven. He was on his last legs.

To spare him, I hit him heavily on the back of his head, with the hilt of my sword. He fell unconscious. 

He mumbled, "Is that all I was worth?"

“My lord, who is this person..?” he asked. He was the captain of the elite squad.

“He’s my son. He was just… out-of-control...”

“I-Is that so..? I see… My lord...” He clearly had his doubts, but no one would dare to question me.

As the sun rose, I decided to take care of this boy. Perhaps that is the only way I can pay for my sins. 

He could only stay alive if he was an aristocrat. No one of common blood had mana, surely this boy would be killed because of that. He was now powerless, but I will change that.

Maru, no- hereby I declare you Varkhaz. Varkhaz Hon Harqi.