Gil… you found her… You found our little girl. I’m so glad…

“Sniff! Oh, Amelia, what have they done to you? Those Antediluvian bastards!”

“...Ah, yes. An-te-di-loo…vian… good times, good times.”

“They must have tortured and twisted you so, to turn you into their Herald!”

“...Yup, I’m the greatest… A-hem! Herald of them all…”

“I may be too weak to stand up to them, baby. But mommy promises she will break you free of your Blood Gyve!”

“...Blood Gyve…?”

Aunt Gilda blinks a few times and looks into Adrian’s eyes.

“Darlings… I’ll say a few terms and tell me if you recognize them, okay? The Three Tongues… Eternal Slumber… The Four Echelons?”

“Uh…”

“Amelia… Do you know the name of our organization?”

“Of course, I do! Who do you take me for? Something like that needn’t be said!”

“I see… So you really are a high-ranking member of Black Fuschia?”

“You got that right, woman! One day the world will kneel at the altar of the master and live beneath the boots of Black Fuschia! Mwa ha ha ha haaa!”

“Black Fuschia is a brand of perfume, dear.”

“...Oh…”

“Amelia… You didn’t so happen to walk in on my idiot brother and the weasel discussing their evil schemes and just… winged it, did you?”

“...No?”

“The compass says you’re lying, dear.”

“H-how can it even tell that!? That’s an invasion of privacy, old woman!”

“It can’t. I lied.”

“...Oh…”

“This old thing can’t even detect your location unless you’re in a ten-mile radius.”

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“Oh.”

“Your father and I traveled the world searching for you. This compass was our only assurance that you were alive somewhere. What happened to you, baby? Where have you been all these years? Why didn’t you come home?”

“Questions, questions. So many pointless questions. I told you, Amelia is dead!”

“Wait, Amelia!”

Adrian walks back to the study, and Gilda gives chase. Adrian opens the door and sees the conspirators glaring back at him and an extra face in the room—a giant, muscle-bound man clad in red. Adrian tilts his head at him.

“And who might you be?”

“I’m the great master’s herald, pretender!”

“Oh… Ain’t that something… I bet your master eats shit for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”

The herald roars and lunges at him. Adrian turns his arms into blades and slashes at the giant, but his blades can barely penetrate his skin. The herald grabs Adrian by the throat and throws him up like a ball. Adrian crashes through the ceiling to the upper floor. Aunt Gilda is enraged.

“Baby! Why you…!”

Gilda summons her staff and bombards the herald with fireballs. Hubert leaps forward to attack her.

“All betrayers must die!”

The herald jumps up to the upper floor in pursuit of Adrian. He casts his eyes around, but he only sees an empty bedroom. Suddenly, a water ball soaks him, followed by an electric shock. His meat sizzles, but he still stands on two legs. Adrian appears from the shadows and throws both of his swords at the herald’s face.

“Enough!”

The giant herald roars and unleashes mana in all directions! The mansion’s upper floor explodes and Adrian is sent flying back. Blood gushes out of his every orifice. He crashes into the garden and lies still.

“I’m not done with you yet, pretender!”

The herald jumps on Adrian and unloads his fists. Adrian’s head is turned to mush, limbs torn off, and his body twisted.

Mama, no! I’ll kill you! I’ll fucking kill you, you ugly lump of meat!

Devil, get up! Don’t you die on us!

Lady Amelia, get up and show him who’s boss!

Uh, guys… the defendant is standing right here so…

Shhh… let it be.

As a battle takes place on the upper floor, the people at the party hear the explosion and feel the mansion shaking. The guests panic and rush out of the building as Duke Ambrose searches for his wife.

“Gil! Gilda! Damn it, where are you?!”

The duke unleashes his overwhelming mana and locates Aunt Gilda, being attacked by the unhinged Hubert.

“Death to all betrayers! Death to all betrayers! Die! Die! Die, bitch!”

“Don’t you dare touch my wife!”

T-this pressure again!

Ugh! I… I could feel it through the projection!

The duke’s mana burst out like a floodgate, and he soars up like a cannonball. He summons light spears to pierce Hubert’s limbs and pin him in place. And with a snap, the minister’s body is ribbed to bloody chucks.

“Gil, are you okay!?”

“Ashton, stop that man! I’ll explain later!”

Aunt Gilda points to the giant herald. The duke nods and with a wave of his fingers, he shoots spears of light at the man. The spears cut through the herald’s thick skin and he turns to the duke in rage.

“Duke Ashton Ambrose, one of the elders of mankind. Know this, your era is coming to an end!”

The herald and the duke crash at each other in mid-air. Their mana rage like thunder and devastating spells rain down to the world below.

A-amazing! This is what a battle between the world’s strongest looks like.

That herald… he seems familiar. I feel like I’ve seen his face before during my travels.

Well, he ought to be some big wig from somewhere, right? Every member of the organization we’ve seen so far is part of the social elites.

True… Hey, Lady Tate! Care to explain yourself—conspirator?