“What do you mean, a massacre?! This is my palace! These people are my guests!”

“You have your orders, Prince Gael. This situation is brought about by your carelessness. And now it’s time to pay the price and prove your worth to the leader—the great master!”

“I am of royal blood. No one is the master of me, worm! You came to me, promising the throne. Yet all you people do is demand! Demand! Demand! No more! Ugh!”

Hubert grabs Prince Gael by the throat and lifts him up with his skinny arms.

“We do not demand, prince. We’re offering you a chance to experience power you never thought possible. Something far greater and more noble than your wildest imagination. But I see now that you need assistance to see the light.”

“L-let go… Ugh! Let…”

“Rejoice, my prince. You are one of the lucky few who has the chance to experience the master’s gift. Now, where oh where do you keep the booster? Is it… there?”

Hubert walks to the table with the prince still gasping for air. He clears the desk, but the gun is gone.

“Where is it, prince? Where is it?!”

“I… gasp! It was there… Just a moment ago! It was…”

“Don’t lie to me!”

“Oh, he’s not lying.”

Adrian forms himself sitting on the window frame with the gun in his hand.

“Looking for this?”

“Who are you?!”

Hubert roars and throws the prince aside.

“Who am I? Who am I!? Do you truly not recognise me, my pet?”

Adrian widens his mouth like a snake and reveals rows of sharp fangs.

“M-master?! B-but it can’t be–”

“Aah, wrong! Guess again.”

“You’re not the master, then…”

“C’mon, four eyes, the answer is on the tip of your tongue. Who am I? Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock…”

No. No, it isn’t.

Damn, there’s gaslighting, then there’s this bullshitery.

“You’re not the master then… you must be one of his angels! The upper echelon!”

“Bingo.”

“M-my apologies, my lord! I-I didn’t know he would send you here!”

Hubert quickly drops to his knees and bangs his head on the floor. Adrian chuckles and steps on his head.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

God, I wish that was me.

What?

What?

“And why shouldn’t I be here? When you two bozos can’t even complete such a simple task.”

“M-my apologies, my lord!”

“Don’t apologies to me, four eyes. I’m not the one your incompetence upsets.”

“T-the leader he’s…”

“Running out of patience. And you, of all people, should know what he’s capable of when he’s angry.”

“I-I-I…”

“Tell me, four eyes, what kind of punishment should a failure like you receive?”

“I-I-I… Please, my lord, give me another chance! The princess is within reach so—”

“Within reach? Within reach?! She should have been ours a month ago. If it weren’t for your incompetence! So I ask again, what should your punishment be? Answer me!”

“E-eternal suffering, my lord… Sob… Eternal suffering…”

“You don’t want that, do you?”

“No, my lord! I’d rather die! Please, spare me, o benevolent one! Please…”

“Lick my shoes.”

“Gladly! Gladly, my lord!”

Hubert licks Adrian’s feet like a dog. Adrian smirks and turns to my uncle.

“And where do you think you’re going, Prince Gael?”

“N-nowhere! Nowhere, sir!”

“Good. Come closer. Let me look at you.”

The prince gulps and carefully walks closer to Adrian. Adrian elongates his fingers and grabs his face.

“Tell me, prince, do you recognize my face?”

“N-no, sir!”

“How can you not when you only saw it a few days ago?”

“A few days… a few days… That knight! The one who rescued the princes! W-was it you who–”

“Don’t be moronic! I’m only inhabiting this body.”

Adrian turns his free hand into a sword and presses it to Prince Gael’s neck.

“Neat trick, right?”

“Yes, sir! Very neat trick, sir!”

“What about you, four eyes? Are you impressed?”

“Yes, my lord!”

Adrian kicks Hubert in the mouth.

“Who gave you permission to stop licking?!”

“E’m orr-eey ey ood!”

Adrian takes out the gun and aims it at Prince Gale.

“This is the booster four-eyes here wanted to use. Do you know what it bolstered, my dear prince?”

“Yes, sir! It exponentially enhances a mage’s mana, sir!”

“Good boy. And do you know what the drawback of using this thing is?”

“I-I…”

“Four eyes never told you, did he?”

“No, sir…”

“Four eyes. I give you five seconds to speak. Use it wisely. The countdown starts… now!”

“It forcefully burns the subject’s system in exchange for a short burst of power, my lord!”

“That’s four seconds. Good job. Here’s a treat.”

Adrian stomps on Hubert’s left hand, shattering it.

“Ugh! T-thank you… thank you, my lord!”

“So you see, my prince. I saved your life by stopping him from using it on your old bones.”

“Thank you kindly, sir!”

“I’m glad some people still know their manners.”

Adrian releases my uncle.

“I give you two ten minutes to gather everyone in this room.”

“B-but, my lord, some of them are stationed elsewhere and—”

“Did I stutter?”

“No, lord! B-but what’s impossible is still…”

“Huh… Why the master keeps idiots like you around is beyond me. Here, I’ll spell it out for you. Gather everyone nearby here. I’ll relay what the master wants to do with you lot, personally.”

“Yes, my lord! Immediately, my lord!”

Both men rush out of the room, and Adrian rests his wet shoes on the desk.

“Ah, now this is the life of villainy I’ve been looking for! Things are finally going my way for once.”

Kyaa! He’s so cool! Devil, please step on me!

Choke me and call me piggy, mistress!

My lord, think of all the possibilities!

Behave yourselves, people! Remember, children are watching this trial.

Uh… Are we going to ignore the secret death cult and this evil mastermind business? It kinda sounds like a big deal, you guys.

The only evil mastermind around is my mama! Didn’t you see how cool she was?! She played them like a violin!

Amelia, I’m so proud of you, darling! If only your mother is here to see you!

I… I killed her, remember?! Just as I slaughtered thousands of people in cold blood!

Did you, though? Did you really, Adrian?

Listen to me! I’m the villain, you hear me?! I’m the great evil. The most hated person on the planet. Children cower at my name. Heroes cower at my sight. Where I go, bodies are stacked as high as the sky… Hey, listen to me!

Shhh! Don’t shout. This is a courtroom.

But… But…

Look, those two are coming back.

There are five other people with them. Shit, these are all high-ranking people! A-and is that…?!

No way, it can’t be!

T-that person is… That person is…

Adrian feels his heart sink to his stomach when Duchess Gilda Ambrose steps through the door. His little charade isn’t going to be as simple as he imagined.