Chapter 142: So what will it be?



The king looked down at Marcus. "I don't think we can be gentle when it comes to traitors," he said coldly. "You have crossed a line that cannot be undone, Marcus."

The Duke of Norish pleaded. "Please, Your Majesty! He is just a kid! He was easily influenced by the promise of power! He didn't understand the consequences!" His voice cracked. "Please, Your Majesty, show mercy! He deserves a chance to redeem himself."

The rest of the room remained silent and the tension was palpable. None of the other dukes dared to speak, knowing how delicate the situation was. Their eyes shifted between the king and Julian, unsure of how this moment would unfold.

The king's gaze shifted to Julian. "Since he tried to kill Julian, whatever decision he makes, you will be subjected to that," the king declared, his voice leaving no room for argument.

Julian's lips curled into a wicked grin as he observed the Duke of Norish's desperate plea. The Duke had fallen to his knees, begging with the urgency of a father who feared losing everything.

"Please, Lord Julian please forgive him," the Duke pleaded. "I will do anything you say, whatever you say."

Julian slowly released his Authority and his form returned to its usual state. His hair faded back to its natural blonde color. The thunderous sky calmed and the storm dissipated into nothingness. The tension that had enveloped the battlefield melted away. Everything returned to normal, as if the chaos had been nothing more than a illusion.

Julian chuckled with a mischievous glint dancing in his eyes. "Anything I say? That sure is tempting," he teased.

The Duke of Norish who was desperate and with no other choice, bowed his head deeply. "Yes, I will do anything you say, Lord Julian."

Julian's smile widened, his gaze unyielding as he continued, "Is that so? Then from now on, I want the Norish family to be under the Easvil family. Everything that belongs to Norish will now belong to Easvil. You will exist as one of the forces of the Easvil family and listen to every one of our commands."

The Duke of Norish's hands clenched into fists and his body trembled under the words of the King.

Alden's shock was evident as he looked at his son, Julian, standing confidently before the Duke of Norish. His mind raced to understand what had brought Julian to this point of change. The boy he had raised, the son who once displayed an unwavering sense of duty and respect, was now displaying a ruthlessness and cold calculation that took Alden by surprise.

Alden who was still struggling to come to terms with his son's transformation, quietly whispered to himself, "What have you become, Julian?"

Meanwhile, Marcus clung to his father. Tears streamed down his face as he pleaded, his voice cracked with emotion.

"Father, please! Don't abandon me! I didn't know what I was doing... I was just trying to gain power, but I never wanted this. I never wanted to hurt anyone."

The Duke of Norish who was still kneeling before Julian, looked at his son with anguish. His hands shook as he reached out to touch Marcus's face.

"I... I never wanted this for you, Marcus. I never wanted this to happen," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

The Duke of Norish was torn between his love for his son and the overwhelming weight of his family's future. He felt the walls closing in.

Yet, the reality of the situation was undeniable, choosing his son meant losing everything; their lands, their power, and their independence. The Norish family would be nothing more than a puppet to the Easvil family, their very existence subject to Julian's will.

He clenched his fists in agony, the thought of losing his legacy was too much to bear.