Cleaver Of Sin

Chapter 643: The Dukes’ Stance

All eyes remained fixed on the sky, none of them daring to break eye contact with the being that had just stepped into the battlefield, as they felt the immense presence that warped the sky itself. Some swallowed hard, while others felt their bodies tremble for a fleeting second before they regained control; after all, none of them had ever felt such overwhelming pressure in their entire centuries of existence.

No one so much as dared to breathe as a man who could decide something that would affect the Empire, and possibly the entire world of Crymora, had arrived.

Azaron Wargrave floated in the sky as the nebula that had taken over the sky churned above him, his golden eyes tearing downward as he gazed at the destruction unfolding right before him. No one had called him; he had only come because he sensed the devastation erupting within the capital and had simply made his way over.

His cape flapped behind him as his golden eyes landed on his first son, Malrik; then his gaze shifted towards the Emperor, then to the three other Dukes who stood protecting the Emperor, before finally settling upon the Great Elders and Elders of the Wargrave family. Although he did not know exactly what was happening, he could already surmise that Malrik, as usual, was once again the source of the disturbance.

But... Malrik, despite being a troublesome child, would never cause trouble on this scale, one that would draw even the Elders, who barely ever left the Estate, into action alongside him.

With that, he took a step; the moment he did, the natural gases from the nebula in the sky churned downward like a violent tornado and formed a series of staircases that led to the ground below, and with that, Azaron walked down with an indifferent expression. He was not angry, nor was he even remotely irritated; he was simply utterly calm, as though nothing at all had happened.

The moment his feet touched the ground, the staircases formed from the natural gases vanished immediately, as though they had never existed.

In the very next instant, the Great Elders and Elders snapped out of their thoughts; they abandoned their opponents without hesitation and arrived before Azaron Wargrave immediately, greeting him with a unified bow.

"We greet the Primarch," eight voices echoed at the same time in perfect synchrony.

Although the Great Elders were Azaron’s uncles and were older than him, while the Elders were Azaron’s siblings, within the laws of the Wargrave Ducal Family, that meant absolutely nothing; the Primarch represented absolute power and authority, and age was merely a trivial number devoid of any significance here.

Azaron did not reply immediately; his eyes remained on the bowing Elders for a brief moment before he finally spoke.

"Explain what is happening," he stated flatly, his words unhurried and entirely unbothered, despite the fact that his family had seemingly made a move against the Royal family.

Great Elder Morthen stepped forward with a calm expression as he spoke, "According to the information we received, the Emperor, Emperor Zolthemir Lux Vanthelmor, attempted to mentally manipulate the Tenth Sun, Asher Wargrave," his words calm, a faint smile appearing at the edge of his lips.

The moment those words left Morthen’s lips, an explosion of shock appeared across the faces of Duke Mauvrek Ravencroft, Duke Rhydion Silvershade, and Duchess Syvrein Stormveil. They simply could not believe their ears; they had come rushing here, standing against the Wargrave family for the Emperor, for the Empire, but now... it seemed they might have taken the wrong side entirely.

Their eyes snapped towards the Emperor who stood behind them, their minds racing with rapid calculations. They did not need to be told to understand that the Emperor now possessed a separate ability aside from his bloodline ability, and they could not help but wonder just how many individuals the Emperor currently held under his control.

To them, if the Emperor had attempted to manipulate Asher, then surely he might have attempted the same against the children of various noble houses, their own children, possibly even their own wives, their Knights, their trusted butlers... what if... what if the Emperor was also controlling them at this very moment in order to ensure his protection?

Even if he was not controlling them at this particular moment, he could have already embedded his mental manipulation within their minds and would merely be a single thought away from activating it if the worst came to pass.

Their minds could not help but spiral, overanalyzing the entire situation with increasing intensity.

Although it had not yet been confirmed, everyone among the noble houses knew one thing with certainty: Malrik would not be here causing such chaos, backed by the Wargrave Elders, if this information were false.

In the next moment, the three Dukes vanished from where they stood, their bodies blurring as they put distance between themselves and the Emperor. Although nothing had been confirmed, it could also mean the Emperor had not yet taken control of them... and proximity might grant him the opportunity to do so. None of them knew the conditions of its activation or the mechanisms behind it; it was far better to err on the side of caution.

They immediately reappeared in the sky, their bodies floating with calm ease, though their expressions were now etched with deep frowns as their demeanors grew increasingly tense. After all, even some of their most guarded secrets, known only to them as Dukes in relation to their personal households, might already be in the Emperor’s grasp at this very moment.

How could they continue to stand with and protect the Emperor while knowing this?

But... just because this was happening did not mean they would align themselves with the Wargraves in whatever decision they chose to make. If the Wargraves chose to act against the Imperial family, they would not interfere; they would simply observe from the sidelines.

Although the Wargraves were monstrous in every conceivable regard, no one truly knew the extent of the Emperor’s mental manipulation. What if he already had all lower nobles, aside from the Dukes, firmly within his grasp?

Besides, that was merely the smallest concern; one had to remember that as Emperor, Emperor Zolthemir Lux Vanthelmor had undoubtedly visited other Empires for meetings and diplomatic engagements with various Empires and their officials. What if Emperor Zolthemir Lux Vanthelmor had members of foreign Empires under his control as well?

Every possibility had to be considered.

And with that realization, the Dukes decided to remain uninvolved. If the Wargraves emerged victorious, then so be it; they would simply adapt and align themselves with the new power structure. Better yet, there was no conceivable way the Wargraves would win without sustaining injuries; after the battle, the three Dukes could strike, eliminating both the monstrous Wargraves and the mind-controlling Emperor in one decisive move.

And if the Emperor were to emerge victorious, they would not be branded as traitors or accused of treason, as they had not taken part in the conflict. However, from that moment onward, they would remain on absolute guard against every individual, every breathing soul who had ever come into contact with the Emperor, even if it had been for no more than a fleeting second of interaction.