Cleaver Of Sin

Chapter 654: Greatest Failure

The Imperial Palace was now restored, standing as though nothing had ever happened, yet the tension within the building was suffocating; in fact, at this moment, only two figures could be seen, and they were within the Throne Room itself.

One was the former Emperor, Cyrvexis Lux Vanthelmor, who was seated upon the throne as though he were still the reigning Emperor of the Zarethorn Empire, while the other was his son, the current Emperor, Emperor Zolthemir Lux Vanthelmor, who stood a few meters away in silence.

Although his battle with Azaron had ended barely over an hour ago, he was already fully healed, restored to his perfect state; he was clean once more, his hair neatly arranged as he wore his usual imperial attire, his outward appearance betraying none of the turmoil within.

Silence passed between the two of them as Cyrvexis Lux Vanthelmor stared down at his son from the throne; after a moment, the silence shattered as he spoke, "You know, for the first time in seven centuries, I am actually considering having another child," his voice flat and calm, yet laced with cutting disdain, "because you simply cannot be a child of mine; no child of mine can be this stupid, right?" he asked rhetorically, his gaze unbroken.

If any members of the Imperial family had been present, they would have been utterly shocked and stunned, for none would have imagined that anyone could speak to the Emperor in such a manner, let alone with such blatant contempt.

"Do you realize what you have done?" Cyrvexis Lux Vanthelmor continued, his tone steady as he remained seated upon the throne, his authority pressing down heavily upon the room.

"I’m sorry, Father," Emperor Zolthemir Lux Vanthelmor replied, his voice subdued, lacking its usual composure and imperial authority, as at this moment, he was nothing more than a child being reprimanded by his parent.

"Sigh... where could I have gone wrong?" Cyrvexis Lux Vanthelmor asked himself as he stared at his son, his expression unreadable; after a brief pause, he spoke again, "I have told you to keep your Mind Manipulation ability in check and to use it only when you are one hundred percent certain it would work. Unlike me, who can openly display my Time manipulation, you cannot reveal your Mind Manipulation so carelessly, and what did you do? You attempted to manipulate a Wargrave, really?" his words sharp and unforgiving.

"But—" before Emperor Zolthemir Lux Vanthelmor could offer any defense, his father cut him off without hesitation.

"No fucking buts," Cyrvexis Lux Vanthelmor interjected immediately, his tone firm and sharp, "I had to use a favor, a favor not from any ordinary Wargrave, but from a Primarch, just to save you, and what do I receive in return? Nothing," he added, his frustration evident; personally, he did not care about the broader ordeal, for he was no longer the Emperor, but rather a retired ruler, what he truly cared about was the loss of that invaluable favor.

"From your youth, I have always told you to build relationships with the Wargraves of your generation, to foster alliances and mutual respect, and instead, you chose to make enemies of them, all because you feared their bloodline and the power they possessed," Emperor Cyrvexis Lux Vanthelmor continued, his disappointment palpable, as though he were addressing the greatest failure of his life.

Hearing this, Zolthemir Lux Vanthelmor could not remain silent, "Father, they needed to be kept in check; allowing them to act as they please could lead to the downfall of our family as we know it," he argued, his voice carrying a mixture of justification and desperation.

Cyrvexis Lux Vanthelmor stared at his son as though he were looking at a complete fool, "Truly, I should have another child; it is not too late," he stated without hesitation, his words cutting deeper than any blade.

"You are the one who will bring about our ruin with your own foolish hands, Zolthemir. From a young age, I told you stories about the Wargraves, about their Primarch, and yet you chose to confront one, only to be beaten without landing a single strike, not even a scratch," Cyrvexis stated, his tone sharp and merciless.

"Yes, the Wargraves are a family of monsters; they possess overwhelming power and force, but I have always told you, ever since you were a child, that they do not care for rulership or authority. As long as they remain a Ducal family and are not provoked, you would not even know they existed," Emperor Cyrvexis Lux Vanthelmor continued after a brief pause, his words carrying both frustration and undeniable truth.

"And beyond that, your actions today could have led to far more devastating consequences beyond just the Wargraves. The other Empires are always ready to strike at any moment, and even the Sinvairas are prepared to attack. Because of your actions, this Empire could have been erased entirely, and all of this would have come to pass had Azaron chosen to decapitate you," as Emperor Cyrvexis Lux Vanthelmor spoke, the pressure in the room spiked dramatically.

Though he primarily cared about the loss of his favor, it did not mean he wished to see an Empire he had ruled for centuries reduced to nothing.

Emperor Zolthemir Lux Vanthelmor’s expression twisted as he felt the overwhelming pressure; although he was a Crownstar Life Ranker, he was not yet on the same level as his father. Yes, he was talented and powerful, but his father, Emperor Cyrvexis Lux Vanthelmor, was an entirely different breed of monster, one who had lived and ruled for over five centuries.

"What do you intend to repay me with, Zolthemir? The favor I wasted on you, on your life, what will you offer as compensation?" Emperor Cyrvexis Lux Vanthelmor asked as the oppressive pressure dissipated the very next moment.

Silence tore through the room as Zolthemir Lux Vanthelmor had no answer; what could he possibly offer that his father did not already possess?

Seeing his son’s silence, Cyrvexis Lux Vanthelmor shook his head as he rose to his feet, "Due to the exposure of your ability, we have lost many allies, from Dukes to various Imperial forces aligned with us, and now, even the Wargraves, whose minor support we once had, are no longer on our side. We have lost a great deal because of you," he stated as he descended the steps before him with the calm, measured grace of a man who had ruled for centuries.

"I ruled this Empire with a flawless record, Zolthemir. The Emperors and Empresses before you did the same, yet you... your very existence has become a stain upon my name," Cyrvexis stated as he walked past Zolthemir, his words final and cold, "you are truly my greatest disappointment and failure, Zolthemir Lux Vanthelmor."

With those final words, he exited the Throne Room, leaving Emperor Zolthemir Lux Vanthelmor standing alone in complete silence, burdened by the crushing weight of his thoughts.

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AUTHOR’S NOTE: I feel pity for our Emperor, as he seems to be the worst recorded Emperor in history. Also, what are your thoughts on the former Emperor? Do you like him? Also, this shameless author thanks y’all for the support and golden tickets thus far. I sincerely appreciate it all. Love y’all, in case you’ve forgotten.