The One King

Lilian continued staring at the crimson skull-shaped birthmark on Azrael’s chest as painful memories began replaying in her mind.

Memories of that day...

The day when everything had begun.

Memories of having failed an infant child.

Memories she would never be able to forget for the rest of her life.

The longer she stared at the tiny crimson skull, the clearer those scenes became, as though time itself had carried her back to that fateful day.

Tears began streaming down her cheeks like rivers.

At first, no one noticed what was happening to Lilian.

Everyone was still preoccupied with the events that had unfolded moments earlier.

But the first person to notice her change was Azrael.

He looked at her with curiosity, then suspicion slowly crept into his eyes.

There was something extremely strange about her expression.

Yet even with his vast experience, he couldn't understand why she was crying.

Why would merely seeing that mark cause such a reaction?

Before he could ask her, Valer and Selena hurried toward Lilian.

"Mother!"

Selena embraced her mother anxiously, while Valer placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Lilian, what happened? Why are you crying?"

Lilian took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure.

She quickly wiped away her tears.

She wasn't ready to reveal the truth.

So she came up with an excuse for her tears.

She said quietly,

"I should have been the one to take that stab... not Azrael."

Valer stared at her for a moment.

Then he sighed.

He knew his wife well.

After hearing her explanation, he turned toward Azrael with an apologetic expression.

"I apologize. My wife has always been extremely emotional."

Azrael didn't respond immediately.

He simply stared at Lilian for several moments, as though trying to understand what she was hiding.

But he didn't press her.

Three Kilometers from Moonfall City

Two masked figures were flying through the sky at their maximum speed.

One was a man, while the other was a woman.

They barely exchanged a word as they fled.

Their objective was simple:

Get as far away from Moonfall City as possible.

But suddenly—

A terrifying roar reached their ears.

A voice that tore through the sky and spread across several kilometers.

It was Azrael's voice.

His words were clear enough for them to understand that he was threatening them with death.

Their faces turned pale at the same time.

The two nearly lost control of their flight and fell from the sky.

"Faster!"

The man shouted.

The woman didn't need to be told twice.

Both pushed their power to its absolute limit and accelerated even further.

Deep inside, only one thought remained in their minds:

We provoked a terrifying existence.

They had completely misjudged the situation.

And they knew that man would not forget what had happened.

That Evening

After the events of the day had come to an end, Azrael and Gaya attempted to leave the Foyd residence and find an inn to stay at.

However, Lilian and Selena insisted that they remain for a few more days.

Azrael said,

"There is no need. We will leave tonight."

But Lilian shook her head firmly.

"No. You two are staying here."

Azrael stared at her for a few moments.

He could easily leave, but he saw no reason to argue with her.

After she insisted once more, he sighed.

"Fine. We'll stay for a few days."

During dinner, Azrael sat beside Gaya while Duke Valer and the rest of his family sat around the table.

After several minutes of silence, Azrael finally brought up the incident.

"Who do you think sent that servant?"

Valer stopped eating.

The same question had been occupying his mind ever since the assassination attempt.

"I don't know for certain."

He then added,

"But whoever is behind it undoubtedly possesses considerable influence."

Azrael raised his eyes.

"And who do you think is the mastermind?"

The moment Azrael asked that question, his voice changed.

It became deep and terrifying, as though his voice itself carried a promise of death.

He had already made his decision.

He would find the mastermind.

And he would destroy him.

Even his entire clan.

Valer could feel the hidden killing intent within Azrael's words. He hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"There is one possibility..."

Azrael raised an eyebrow.

Valer continued,

"Duke Varan."

Silence descended upon the room.

The duke continued,

"As you know, the Varan Duchy is currently at war with us. Therefore, it is possible that they sent someone to eliminate Selena or put pressure on our family."

Azrael said nothing.

But he engraved the name deep within his mind.

Duke Varan.

He didn't yet know whether this man was truly the mastermind.

But if he discovered that Duke Varan was involved...

Then the man would regret the day he had ever thought of provoking Azrael Netherval.

The Following Day

A woman arrived in Moonfall City accompanied by her son.

The woman was Miranda, Lilian's biological sister.

Her son, Alex, accompanied her.

From the moment they entered the city, Miranda sensed that something was different.

The city was gloomy.

People were speaking among themselves in fear.

Soldiers were stationed throughout various areas.

Miranda noticed this and stopped to ask one of the passersby,

"What happened here? Why does the city feel like this?"

The man looked at her hesitantly before telling her what had happened.

He told her about the terrifying voices that had thundered across the sky.

About the tremendous roar that had frightened the entire city.

Then he told her about Selena's incident and the attempted assassination of Lilian.

The more Miranda listened, the paler her face became.

When she learned that her sister and niece had been in danger, she didn't waste another second.

"Hurry!"

She ordered her son before rushing toward the duke's residence.

Not long afterward, she arrived at the Foyd family estate.

She entered hurriedly, and the moment she reached the dining hall, she suddenly stopped.

The Foyd family was gathered around the dining table.

But what caught her attention wasn't her family.

It was the two unfamiliar people sitting among them.

One of them was a woman of extraordinary beauty.

Gaya.

The moment Alex laid eyes on her, he stopped.

For a moment, it seemed as though he had completely forgotten why he had come to the estate.

Gaya's features, bearing, and extraordinary beauty were enough to capture his entire attention.

Alex took a few steps toward her, attempting to approach her.

But Gaya met him with a cold look and clearly rejected him.

Alex froze in place.

He then asked about her identity.

A moment later, he discovered the truth.

Gaya was Azrael's wife.

The instant he heard that, his expression changed.

His eyes burned with anger.

He looked at Azrael, then back at Gaya.

And for the first time since entering the estate, something other than concern for his family began burning within his heart.

Jealousy.

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