Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Monster of the North (1)

“Tax evasion, human trafficking, taking bribes, corruption…that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Need I say more, Marquis Peruka?” Lucius, the Duke of Rizar said while signing paper after paper on his desk. He didn’t care for the man begging for mercy on his knees.

Alexander Peruka smirked. “If I may be so bold, Your Grace.” He said the last two words with disdain. Such a young Duke, there was no way he’d show him any respect. Why should he have to beg for mercy? Why should he have to kneel to this ignorant fool? “My Father fought by the previous Emperor’s side and even saved the current Emperor’s life when he was a child.”

The Marquis stood up and stared down at the Duke. With the Emperor’s backing, what did he have to be afraid of? Even if Duke Rizar has evidence against him, he wouldn’t dare go against this Empire’s Holy Sun. “Without the Emperor’s decree, you have no right to take my title away! I will request an audience to meet with the Emperor!”

Without looking up, Lucius grabbed the scroll in front of him and threw it at the Marquis’ feet. “His Majesty felt it was a waste of time to meet with you after I sent him the evidence of your crimes.”

When Peruka saw the seal on the scroll his eyes widened in horror. "T-t-that's...that seal...!" He had a bad feeling. While trembling, he leaned down to pick it up and slowly opened it. As he read the contents, Lucius' aura seeped out little by little, making the Marquis drop the scroll and step back in fear.

The Epheria Empire Imperial seal!!!

Unfortunately for him, he had forgotten why Duke Rizar household was called the ‘Monster of the North’. Although all men of the Rizar household were considered 'monsters', this person, Lucius Rizar was on another level. He was abnormal.

Lucius stood up and walked towards him. “The Emperor wouldn’t have bothered about your previous crimes if you hadn’t overstepped your boundaries. Your biggest mistake was thinking you could get away with harming innocents just because of your Father’s past achievements.”

“You…you!!” The Marquis pointed his finger at the Duke. “What can a brat like you do to me?!” Alexander was gambling. He heard rumors that Duke Rizar’s familiar had still not shown itself. The reason being that it was still in its infant stage, making the Duke vulnerable.

The rune on Alexander's palm glowed a purple color, indicating that he was using lightning magic. “Come out, Hutia!” A one-tailed purple fox with red eyes appeared in front of him. Seeing the Duke stop in place made Alexander smirk in satisfaction. ‘I won!’

But…

Alexander didn’t notice the two Shadow Knights who appeared behind him at all. Nor did he notice the signal Duke Rizar gave them with his eyes to not interfere. He would have been killed on the spot if Lucius didn't have them hold back.

Hutia, the purple fox was cloaked in lightning mana. The fox bared its fangs at the enemy before him. His master was an idiot, but the fox enjoyed toying with the weak. Once in awhile his master would give him permission to play with the humans who disobeyed him. It was fun!!

Foxes were mischievous and cunning in nature, but this one especially picked up on his master's bad habits.

The lightning corsac fox was a rare spirit beast that specialized in both combat and defense. It can use the lightning ability to paralyze its opponents and then kill them with their claws. But that was only if it met certain conditions. If the fox does not have six or more tails, then it was useless when fighting stronger opponents.

Its speed will be too slow, and the lightning ability too weak to do any damage. So this one-tailed fox was nothing but a newborn in Lucius' eyes.

While the Marquis was reveling in his victory, he didn't realize that there was already an invisible hand wrapped around his neck.

The one-tailed purple fox quivered. His body slammed down as though he was being crushed by gravity. ‘W-what is this…?? What is thiiiiissss?!’ This mana filled with killing intent, it was unlike anything the fox had ever felt. Even back then when humans could use their mana core, he’d only felt this from Witches. But this person in front of him clearly wasn’t a Witch. No, even the Witches he met didn’t have such dark and muddled mana.

This idiot master of his offended someone he shouldn’t have offended!!

The Duke of Rizar was shrouded in his heavy and dark mana, making it difficult for the Marquis and his familiar to breathe. Lucius started walking forward again. “You think you’d still have a noble title if it wasn’t because of His Majesty’s gratefulness? As someone who can only summon a useless low level familiar, you would have long been cast aside.” Lucius glanced at the fox.

Feeling that person’s gaze on him, Hutia trembled even more. He would have run away if he could!

“You should have just obediently hid away in your mansion while counting your gold coins and playing with your women.”

Marquis Peruka fell on his knees with a thump as he lost all his arrogant attitude from before. Unable to stand against the Duke, he was sweating from all his pores.

“In His Majesty’s name, the 31st Emperor of the Epheria Empire, Karyuel Cassian Di Epheria, the Peruka Family will be removed of their noble rank and sentenced to live as commoners. Marquis…no, Alexander Peruka’s bond with his familiar will be broken and your rune erased by the Holy Temple.”

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“No…no…impossible!” The Marquis shook his head in denial. “You can’t do this…Your Grace…Duke Rizar! Please have mercy! I am a noble from the Dukedom of Rizar! If the public finds out about the things I have done, as someone under your territory, the Rizar’s reputation will be shamed! You, as the new Duke, will be humiliated!”

His rune will be erased? He’d rather be dead than become a Runeless!

After awakening your mana core at eight years old, a rune will be inscribed somewhere on your body. The rune was a conductor of sorts to allow people access to their mana to use Rune Magic. Those who do not have runes were either criminals or those who too little mana to use runes. They were scorned and looked down upon in society. Those low born people were called Runeless.

Lucius ignored the man’s pleas. He waved his hand for Lyle and Cain to take him away. “Find someone to escort him to the Holy Temple in the City along with His Majesty’s decree. Let them handle the rest.”

“You can’t do this to me!!!” Alexander yelled as he struggled. “Duke Rizar!!! I won't forgive you! I will never forget this you monster! No wonder others call you 'Monster of the North'!!!"

As Alexander Peruka was dragged away, his familiar returned to where he came from.

A man with gray hair and purple eyes, Captain of the Rizar Knights, Raya Kasser, entered right after. An exact copy, though younger, Halon Kasser, the Duke's attendant and Head Butler of the Elran Mansion, followed behind. Raya, currently 36 years old, was assigned by the previous Duke, to protect Lucius since he was born. While his brother, Halon, who is six years younger, became the Duke's attendant.

“You should have let me kill him, Your Grace,” Raya said with a snort. “To think he’d dare call his Familiar out.”

“Forget it.” He was finally able to deal a killing blow to the Peruka household. Because of the previous and current Emperor’s favor, he had a hard time dealing with them. But with the evidence stacked against him this time, His Majesty could no longer ignore his people’s cries for justice.

Lucius turned his attention to Halon. “Did you invite her?”

"Yup, she's waiting for you outside..." Before Halon could continue, he felt his big brother's glare and gulped. "Ah. I mean, yes, Your Grace."

"Is there anything new?"

Halon grinned. Could the Duke be showing interest in a woman for the first time? He put his hand on his chin. “I think she doesn’t have any previous knowledge about Rune Magic. According to Tanya and Anya, she was very surprised when they used their rune to activate the bath.”

“How's that possible?” Lucius was dumbfounded. Even Familiars know about Rune Magic. After all, without it, one can not make a contract with a Familiar.

“I don’t know.” Halon shook his head. “She barely talks with her maids. Rather than not wanting to talk, it seems like she can’t talk.”

Lucius nodded. “Call for the Doctor to come tomorrow morning to do a checkup." He'd been busy the last few days cleaning up the mess left by the Peruka household and had just returned today.

“Yes.” Halon paused. “Ah!” He hit the palm of his hand as he remembered something. “There’s one other thing. I don’t know where she heard this from, but before I came here, I overheard her ask the twin maids about what the ‘Monster of the North’ is. I thought she might have heard Alexander Peruka just now since she was near the staircase, but she asked a few seconds before it happened...”

"Maybe she heard it from someone else?" Raya voiced his opinion.

Lucius stood up and clasped his hands behind his back as he thought about what Halon said. She couldn’t have heard it from anyone else. Besides the twin maids, Halon, and some of the other Knights she hasn’t met anyone else.

He also knows that there wasn't anyone in this mansion who was daring enough to call him by that nickname.

Then…how?

He narrowed his eyes. Did it have something to do with her ability?

"Tell her to come in."

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