10 Chapter 238: The Final Straw

After the many ministers and military figures had left the room, Caesar exchanged a few more pleasantries with Crowley before the room finally descended into silence. He sat atop the throne, eyes squinted. His left finger rhythmically tapped the side of the royal chair, echoing out.

Now that he could finally sit down and rest, he instantly remembered both Ahri and Elizabeth, his family. Caesar could sense neither of their energies, nor had anyone mentioned them since he appeared. A dark suspicious rose within his chest as he stood up, the nearby surroundings chilling.

Then, as if his questions had been answered, the palace gates were blown open. Crowley entered with long strides, an amicable smile plastered on his face. Behind him, a beautiful vixen alongside an adorable girl could be seen trodding along. Even further back, a stout Joe followed, an expression full of masked frustration. The dwarf was biting his bottom lip, his eyes bearing into the back of Ahri.

All of these short interactions were witnessed by Caesar, instantaneously. He reigned in his cold energy and stepped forward, seemingly unperturbed by the strange events. His countenance irradiated sophistication as he passed by Crowley, meeting Ahri, face-to-face. Her yellow eyes trembled; a small tear forming at the corner of her eyes.

Elizabeth wasn't much different, appearing genuinely happy to see Caesar.

But… Caesar was revolted. As a vampire, one who had neared the pinnacle of his current race, he could easily differentiate between his loving wife and a pathetic human.

Time seemed to freeze as Caesar's blood became cold. His heart paused, unbearable rage beginning to sprout deep within him. Did someone dare to try and fool him? Play as his wife? His daughter? To assassinate him?

Then, it took only a moment. The entire throne room was doused in bone-chilling ice. The sconces and torches which once breathed life into the halls were vanquished, leaving only an eerie cold. The darkness seemed to overtake the evening sun, shrouding Caesar, Joe, and the others.

With one movement, the imposter who wore Elizabeth's glamour was decapitated, her head flying into the air. Blood spouted like a fountain, causing the one who looked like Ahri to open her eyes wide in shock. The mission didn't inform them of such a strong and ruthless king! She didn't even have time to react before a hand clenched her throat.

Joe wasn't slow either, he quickly moved to knock Crowley unconscious. More than anyone, Joe understood how much Caesar loved his family. And, through constant preaching and warnings by the man in question; he was also aware of how strong the hatred generated by such strong love truly was.

And with that in mind, a body was flung by Joe, skipping like a rock on water. Caesar followed soon after, impaling the imposter's hands to the ground. A cold smile was etched onto his face as he walked toward her. "Where are they?" He asked through clenched teeth.

The one who appeared to be Ahri was tongue-tied. Her hands were stabbed into the ground by solid ice, and a few of her ribs were smashed by a kick. Fear filled her eyes as she attempted to bite onto a pill, hidden under her tongue. Unfortunately, she felt the insides of her mouth freeze before she could do so.

"You will ANSWER ME!" He roared, stabbing her in the shoulder with another piece of ice. There was not a single shred of magnanimity inside of Caesar's bones.

The woman wailed out in pain, her appearance soon warping into that of an unrecognizable woman. Her pale skin and elegant features revealed themselves, sickening Caesar to an entirely different level.

He knew that the 'thing' in front of him was a trained assassin, so he didn't hesitate to use more ruthless means. Interrogation was, after all, one of his strongest suits. Especially so after the addition of his powerful ice magic and skilled physique.

Joe could only watch for one breath of time, swiftly looking away in disgust. The number of torture methods that Caesar utilized was repulsive to anyone who possessed even a tinge of consciousness.

Screams reverberated throughout the kingdom, until finally, two words were uttered from the imposter's mouth. Only then, did silence return to Rahvin. No maids, nor palace guards, dared to question the happenings, or the sound. There existed a tacit understanding of the palace halls.

Caesar stood, looking down upon an unrecognizable, mangled body. Various limbs were flung in every direction, painting the halls in blood. He, however, remained calm. The words she spoke of were exactly what he had expected; only slightly more irritating when confirmed.

His red eyes flashed as he brought his hand to his chin in a moment of deliberation. Unbeknownst to even himself, his regard for humans had reached a drastically low level. The fact that he could bear the corpse below him with not so much as a glance, was a testament to this fact.

"Joe, make sure that no mishaps occur. You will run things for a few days or so." He commanded, uncaring for Joe's reaction.

Joe, who was still facing away, shuddered. The coldness in that voice seemed to freeze even the soul. It was clear that although Ceasar still maintained a calm expression, he was anything but.

"W-where will you be going? You can't hope you defeat that force by yourself, do you?" He asked, hesitantly.

Caesar turned around, still stained with blood. "It is because I do not have that power, that I will be visiting an old acquaintance."

He paused, strolling toward the door. "Besides, I have never truly been alone."

Joe didn't respond, he decided to wait for when Caesar returned. Right now, he was clearly out of his normally placid mind.

Caesar soon left the palace, unannounced, his destination toward the burned down forest.

He could feel his blood boiling in anticipation. "I wonder, will the blood of a gryphon bring me to evolution?" He whispered to himself, as gentle as the summer breeze.

The abrupt abduction had truly pushed Caesar past his tolerance level.