Cleaver Of Sin

Chapter 621: Thoughts

In a blur of crimson-orange, Asher reappeared within the Ducal Wargrave Estate. The moment he appeared, the crimson-orange energy cloaking him vanished immediately, Asher stood in silence for a moment, as though he had been turned into a statue, his figure utterly motionless amidst the grand interior.

His mind went through everything Malrik had said and done, replaying each word and action with careful scrutiny, and he couldn’t help but speculate, over and over again, what Malrik would ultimately choose to do.

Would Conrad, Malrik’s personal butler and right-hand man, be able to stop Malrik from going on a rampage?

Asher didn’t know the answer to this. Although Malrik was strong, outrageously so, to the point of defying common sense, Asher felt now wasn’t the time to do anything. Although it might look as though it would simply be a Wargrave versus the Emperor, it was, in truth, the Wargrave family against the entire Zarethorn Empire, a scale of conflict that could not be taken lightly under any circumstance.

The Wargrave family could be branded as traitors for treason, although the likelihood of that would be small since the Wargrave family themselves were a strong deterrent force against other Empires, a pillar of strength that the Empire could hardly afford to discard. But still, the other Dukes wouldn’t hesitate to side with the Emperor, especially knowing that Malrik was simply acting on his emotions rather than calculated reasoning.

Asher could only sigh as these thoughts ran endlessly through his mind, each possibility branching into countless dangerous outcomes. Back then, he had deliberately given Malrik this information to test something out, a subtle yet significant move on his part.

Earlier, when the Emperor had tried reading his memory, Asher had feared that the Emperor might have manipulated other members of his Ducal family. Him giving Malrik this information was simply a way to test Malrik’s reaction, and indeed, it seemed that Malrik himself wasn’t being controlled by the Emperor, at least not in any obvious or detectable manner.

And also, the information trading had merely served as a convenient method to pass the information to Malrik, after all, him personally having the information was of no use to him at his current level of strength and influence. Only someone like Malrik, who possessed overwhelming power and authority, could truly act upon it. Hence, that was yet another reason why he had suggested the information trading in the first place.

Asher turned and walked towards a couch before collapsing upon it, his body sinking into the cushions as he released a heavy sigh. His eyes remained fixed on the ceiling above, yet his thoughts were far away, as curiosity regarding what Malrik would do next burned intensely within him, refusing to be extinguished.

He had seen the destruction that Malrik had wrought with his own hands; he had stood upon that battlefield mere minutes ago, witnessing the aftermath firsthand. If Malrik were to clash with the Emperor, or even with any Crownstar Life Ranker, every life within the capital would be wiped out in an instant, reduced to nothing more than collateral damage.

The death count would rise to the millions with extreme ease, a catastrophic outcome that would shake the entire Empire to its core. Although Malrik was one to ruthlessly eliminate his enemies, he certainly wasn’t one to deliberately kill innocent bystanders. However, due to his current anger, Malrik could simply ignore them entirely and carry out his destruction without restraint, but again, this would bring disastrous consequences upon the Wargraves.

Even during Malrik’s confrontation with Cindralis, the man had only stopped because Azaron had made an entrance at the crucial moment, interrupting what could have escalated far beyond control. But now, there was no one to stop Malrik, no unexpected variable to intervene and halt his actions.

Asher sighed again, the weight of the situation pressing down upon him. He knew Malrik had shown him the battlefield between himself and whatever mysterious enemy he had fought, not as a display of arrogance, but as a warning, so that he, Asher, wouldn’t grow arrogant due to his recent battle with Debro.

’Even if he storms the Imperial Estate, surely he would need the Wargrave Knight Order Round, right? Only he can’t possibly take on the entire Empire alone,’ Asher thought to himself, the idea lingering in his mind as he felt tempted to meet up with Yveric, explain the situation, and have him rush over immediately.

’What of those Elders and Great Elders?’ Asher thought to himself as his eyes narrowed slightly in contemplation. Malrik didn’t seem like someone who possessed his own army or an established combat force, at least not one that had been made known to him.

Various thoughts moved rapidly through Asher’s mind, colliding with one another as he weighed his options carefully. Should he act, or should he remain passive? The truth was, he barely knew anything about Malrik to justify interfering in the man’s affairs, yet doing nothing felt equally unsettling.

Asher closed his eyes for a brief moment, his mind and heart torn cleanly in two, one urging him to act, the other advising him not to.

’If I were stronger, I wouldn’t just be sitting here doing nothing; I would have been by his side by now, standing within that storm without hesitation,’ Asher thought to himself. Yet, in the very next moment, he shook his head, dismissing the notion. Him standing beside Malrik was nothing more than wishful thinking, a fantasy born from frustration rather than reality.

’It doesn’t matter, I will meet with the Elders and Great Elders,’ Asher concluded decisively, his resolve solidifying. Although he could have gone to Yveric, Asher had already arrived at the conclusion that Yveric would most likely decline helping Malrik. After all, Yveric’s orders were to remain within the Wargrave Estate throughout the year, unless explicitly granted permission to leave by the Duke himself.

As for the Elders and Great Elders, Asher found himself assuming that those individuals had little to occupy their time. After all, one of them was a librarian, someone who spent his days immersed in countless books. Obviously, such a position must have been chosen willingly, as there was no conceivable way a man of such immense power would be assigned such a mundane role against his will.

With that decision made, Asher’s eyes snapped open, he rose from his seat in a single, fluid motion. His destination was clear, the Wargrave Library. Although he did not know the exact method to contact the Wargrave Elders and Great Elders, he understood that simply informing the Librarian would be enough, as the man would undoubtedly spread the message accordingly. That alone would suffice.

Walking towards the door, Asher reached out and opened it before stepping out into the corridor beyond. The moment he did, he noticed a butler standing quietly by the door, as though he had been waiting there for quite some time. The instant the butler saw him, the man bowed deeply and spoke in a respectful, composed tone.

"I greet the Tenth Sun," the butler spoke.

Normally, Asher would have simply walked past the man without a second glance, as butlers and maids greeted him practically every day, every single time they saw him, a routine that had long since grown tiresome. However, the fact that this particular butler had positioned himself directly outside his door indicated that he was not here without reason.

"What is it?" Asher asked, his tone carrying a hint of impatience due to the situation weighing heavily on his mind.

"I’ve been told by your personal maid to bring your food to you, Tenth Sun. I am simply inquiring if I should serve it now," the butler stated as he rose gracefully from his bowing position, meeting Asher’s gaze with calm composure and professionalism.

Asher initially felt inclined to decline and disregard the matter of food entirely, but the reality of his condition quickly asserted itself. He hadn’t eaten since he woke up, and his battle with Debro had drained every single ounce of energy he possessed. His body was, quite literally, crying out for nourishment.

"Serve it, just leave it in my room. I will eat it when I’m back," Asher stated, his voice firm as he made his decision, before turning away and walking off without any further delay.

"As the Tenth Sun orders," the butler responded respectfully as he bowed once more, and in the next instant, he vanished in a blur of motion, executing his task without hesitation.