I was shocked for a moment. I knew her family must be around, but I never thought they’d be leading the charge. Compared to Miki’s pale hair and complexion, the pair of them had a much darker complexion, and hair that was closer to a golden brown than her pale white. That’s why, despite this girl’s similarities to Miki, I hadn’t realized it. Now that I truly looked at her, she looked a bit like Miki would have looked in a few years had she not lived her first years of life in constant pain and weakness. She was plumper, with a larger chest and darker skin. She was staring at me with a glare.

I dropped the man, my brief moment of shock turning to disdain. He collapsed to the ground, and the woman kneeled helping him as he gasped for breath. Her parents were standing before me. I would have rather them be dead than to see such a family. I had been hurt when I found my mom had moved on, but this was on a completely different level.

“It seems I’ve been mistaken.” My voice was cold.

“Now that you understand…” The woman that would be Miki’s mother was focused on her husband, so she didn’t grasp the tone of my voice.

The mayor did, and he nervously took several more steps back. He looked more like a rabbitkin himself, ready to flee at a moment’s notice.

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“Miki had always spoken well of her people. Her biggest regret had always been that she couldn’t be a healthy daughter for her mother and father. She had wanted more than anything to become strong and show you both that she had made something of herself. She had wanted to show you that your kindness to her wasn’t in vain.”

My words had caused the woman who was helping her husband up to freeze. Her back was to me, so I couldn’t see the expression on her face. That was probably for the best.

“Then, just leave.” Her voice came out tired.

“You misunderstand.” I sighed. “I had been under the impression you were decent and misguided people, based on Miki’s words. I appear to be mistaken. I had thought that destroying that lab, and ending the life of that head scientist, would be enough to make things even, but it seems like the rot is far deeper than the surface.”

As I spoke, a miasmic-like aura started to resonate off of me. It spread out across the street, carpeting the foxkin in an instant. It was filled with my emotions of anger, frustration, and righteousness. I may not be the most powerful person in the five countries, or even within Aberis, but compared to a bunch of commoners in a no-named village, they might as well be ants compared to me.

“Lord Deek, what are you saying?” This voice came from behind, it was the wolfpack leader.

Even he was shaken by my words. He had lifted his hand, but in the end, he was too afraid to touch my shoulder.

“This village will pay with its life.” I lifted my blade. “If you don’t wish to be my enemy, then you’ll stand aside. For the rest of you, you all must give sacrifice!”