London, England,

Clock Tower,

If they weren't certain before, they sure as hell were now. Seeing Roman so easily stop the Lord Trambelio proved that he was in a realm of his own, his father was among the top brass at the Clock Tower and not without the power to back that up.

Now, the magi nobility could only keep shut and watch on.

"Yo 'father', you know the difference between you and an elevator?" Roman asked off-handedly, blowing air on his nails with his eye closed... He had what he wanted now, there was no reason to participate in this farce any longer.

"...?" Paralysed, McDonell Trambelio Elrod could only answer the question with silence, not understanding what was being asked.

"An elevator can raise a child."

Snickering, the Magician stumbled to a few steps to the side, his footsteps echoing in the deadly silent hall... Seeing that his words prompted no reaction though, Roman could only sigh, "Come on, you lot are buzzkills." Well, that aside, he pointed a hand towards his father, "I'll let you go... Don't attack or I'll retaliate." If possible, he didn't want to kill his father, the attempt on his life wasn't in the man's knowledge.... Ah.... Humming, he leaned down next to McDonell and whispered, "My mother tried to have me removed.... Hope that clears it up." Really, he never would have done it otherwise... He'd only have done the same thing he'd done here.

In face of this revelation, McDonell was doubtful and in denial, how could his dear wife even think about doing such a thing? And with Roman's track record regarding playing people, it made a fair bit of sense to assume that he was lying.

"Ehem...." Lorelei cleared her throat, entertaining as this was, she had things to do, "Aside from the aforementioned allegations, the Holy Church demands your head for the destruction of a Holy Grail and dozens if not hundreds of church operatives....."

"Fools..." Inorai huffed, unamused.

If everyone wasn't so damn afraid and still in the middle of processing what was going on, they may as well have burst out laughing at the church's 'demands'.... The animosity between the Mage's Association and the Holy Church that branded them heretics was no secret... Bluntly put, they fucking hated each other even if they didn't show open hostility anymore.

Even that was only because they'd brokered deals for peace, before that... They'd openly been undermining and engaging one another in combat, resulting in unprecedented property damages and deaths.

"They're just mad cause I know about little Timmy."

Roman Trambelio only shrugged, unbothered, the Church could go fuck itself. They were hypocrites who could only ever have boners for underage children and declared that magecraft was only for those devoted to their 'God'... Any who used it without belief were heretics and should be hunted down... Such were their principles.

"Pay them no heed. I vouch for the young man here, let him be...." An old yet playful voice, fully resolute and with a presence none could ignore... The speaker sat on one of the rear-most seats and had gone unnoticed until he spoke for some strange reason.

Once he was recognised though, the lords parted to make way for him as a series of very audible gasps echoed in the courtroom...

"Well isn't this surprising?" Roman was pleasantly surprised, facing the 'old' man with a bright enthusiastic smile on his face..... He'd not expected this... Truly, he hadn't but it wasn't detrimental.. If anything, this made things more amusing...

".....You were here? ...Could you not have spoken earlier, Lord Zelretch?" Lorelei sighed, slightly exasperated with the man's antics... He was always like this, always doing whatever amused him! Did he not understand that his presence was a big deal?... No, he definitely did.

That's right, the man now making his way down to Roman was none other Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, wearing a regal suit too old to be called old-styled and a cape that went down to his knees. The man still looked attractive, with well defined features and a well-kept beard that somehow managed to highlight his hairstyle.... There was a strangely warm and welcome smile on his face, even if others didn't interpret it as such.

"I believe it's our first time meeting, young man." Zelretch extended his hand, meeting Roman's closed eyed smile with one of his own... The Second True Magician, Master of the Kaleidoscope, the one who defeated the empowered Ultimate One of the Moon, Crimson Moon, holding the rank of Wizard Marshall and one of the greatest trolls known to the magical world.... That was Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, Magician of the Second.

"Ya..well.." Laughing, Zelretch scratched the back of his head, "This was too amusing to not participate in." The looks on their faces had been to die for.

"Ja, I wanted to see you some time." Roman shook his hand firmly, not one bit afraid.... perhaps that was arrogant of him but oh well, he was a Deity that qualified as a Beast armed with a magic, he had the right to be at least this sure of himself.

"Then let us talk over some tea... I take it this hearing is over?" Zelretch smiled at the Twelve Lords, not willing to entertain the notion of someone denying...

"Bu-" Rufleus Nuada-Re Eulyphis wanted to disagree but was instantly shot down.

"I take it this hearing is over?"

"Yes it's over." Lorelei sighed, understanding that the Magician would have his way here.... What could they do to stop him? "The Clock Tower hopes that Roman Trambelio Hauth will do his utmost to make us not regret our decision."

"He won't." Roman denied it immediately, what did they take him for? Some altruistic saint?

"What?" Lorelei wasn't amused.... Were they about to have two Zelretches now?

"I'm not doing it...."

"T-That's not allowed, Roman..." Marisbury tried to salvage the situation with a twitching smile on his face.

"I refuse."

"You can't."

"Stop me then. Attack me right here."

"..."

"Thought so."

Just as they were about to exit however, McDonell once more shot at Roman.. only this time, the latter didn't do anything to stop him, taking a reinforced blow straight to the face and having his neck halfway ripped off, thick red blood spewed out like water from a faucet, covering the angered Lord Trambelio... Family, was the one thing he wasn't willing to compromise on.. The murder of his beloved wife wouldn't go unpunished...

Perhaps swept up in his emotions, the magus forgot that Roman was his family too...

"Oh my..." Zelretch only smiled knowingly and slowly turned to face McDonell, "Did I not say this hearing was over?"

"And that.... is all I can tolerate..." Roman hid his feelings with his ever-present annoying smile, even as his throat went dry and his heartbeat went up.... Truly... He'd said he didn't care but apparently that was a lie...

This.... hurt...,

"I'm your family too..."

With an unfeeling gaze, the evil Deity swiped his hand diagonally as his neck reattached itself and McDonell's body fell in two, sliced apart by an invisible force... "I was attacked first.." He affirmed before leaving quickly, Zelretch following close behind.

And once again, the events here would take the Clock Tower by storm, as would the new Lord Trambelio and Leader of the Democratic Faction.. Roman..nay, Lord Roman Trambelio Hauth...

On a side note, several Magi that saw Roman the cripple leaving with Zelretch, the Second True Magician, quite literally passed out on the spot.... A comical reaction, but an understandable one.

The whole of the magical world felt as if it had been slapped right across the face once the events of the day were made public.

Roman, had gotten what he had desired... His plans had worked... and yet, as he sat with Zelretch, sipping on tea.... He didn't feel as amazing or rejuvenated as he had expected he would..... Killing his own father was... a little too much for him and so, abusing his powers... He erased those feelings too.

It was somewhat pathetic but what could he do? It would affect him more than Raikou's death.. He'd murdered his own fucking father after stripping the man of everything he had.... It didn't matter if he'd deserved it, he was his father! Perhaps.... he'd overreacted.. perhaps there were other ways but now, now he could just accept it and keep moving...

His ambitions and his path didn't allow him obstacles of any kind and strictly objectively, McDonell was the greatest hindrance he would have had going forward....

Such were the thoughts of All The World's Evil as he sat in a dimly lit, yet ornate and large office room, drinking tea with the Second True Magician.

"You did what had to be done. In a way unbecoming of a magus solely because you waited this long.... It's alright young man... He'd sent the Bartholomei girl your way hoping she would destroy you."

Zelretch, sitting across from Roman, tried to console the young man in his own way... There were none more in the know as to what went on in the clock tower than him....

"If you survived her, you would have been given the sealing designation regardless if things went his way.... He gave you a death sentence.."

"....Ja."

Roman looked at the floor, holding his cup with both hands...

Yup... this did hurt... So much so that what Zelretch said had escaped his mind entirely before.

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Share thoughts mfs.

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Anyone ever get the urge to read about an MC like the Ascendant Lord from the ESO cinematics? If you don't know what I'm talkin about, just search it on youtube, you won't regret it.... I think.

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You can find up to 7 chapters ahead at patre0n.com/stoned_face