Lyriana and Aldric coughed up blood, crimson dripping from their eyes, noses, and ears under the crushing weight of Kaelen's oppressive aura.
> I can't even move a muscle... Aldric's thoughts were frantic, pain etched across his face. Just his pressure alone—it's as if my body's being crushed! Is he really going to kill us? Why isn't the brat stopping him? Is he just going to stand there and let the King kill us?
Draven, watching them bleed out under the invisible weight, frowned.
> Goddammit... he's really going to kill them. A flicker of guilt—and irritation—crossed his face. Crap I should probably stop him letting them die like that... it's kind of wasteful. If they die, who's going to do all my shit?
Still holding little Elenya in his arms, Draven stepped forward, placing himself between his father and the two bleeding servants.
Looking up with a rare seriousness, he said, "You can't just kill them because of one mistake."
Aldric's eyes widened as he endured the crushing pressure. Brat, what the hell are you saying? This was your idea!
Kaelen looked down at his son, voice cold. "They were aware of the danger, and yet did nothing to stop you. That shows—"
"They did warn me," Draven interrupted. "I just didn't think it was a big deal. You move around under the sun just fine, so I thought it wouldn't matter. They're still basically babies compared to you, so I figured covering them up would be enough. But that was reckless—my mistake. So you can't kill them for something I did."
From her seat, still calmly sipping tea, Elliana added without looking up, "He's right, honey. You can't punish someone else for something your son did. And since he says they warned him, it's not their fault. Besides, it's not like they could've stopped him anyway. They're just his servants."
A beat of silence passed. Then, suddenly, the crushing pressure vanished.
Kaelen turned without a word and walked away.
Lyriana collapsed forward, gasping for breath, her face streaked with blood.
> That pressure alone... it was terrifying. We couldn't even move. To think we almost died... Her thoughts trembled. So this is the difference between a pureblood and us.
Aldric remained kneeling beside her, breathing heavily. Finally... I thought I was going to die. He turned his head toward his sister.
"Lyriana... are you alright?"
She nodded weakly. "Yeah... I'm fine."
Draven looked down at them, expression unreadable, still holding his apple took a bit
Damn... what a mess, he thought, watching the blood drip from their faces.
chewing his apple
They're all bloody. What the hell even was that anyways? The old man just walked closer, didn't lift a finger, and they suddenly collapsed bleeding. Is that some kind of magic?
Lyriana and Aldric slowly stood, legs steady. Together, they bowed deeply.
"We humbly thank His Highness for the mercy he has shown," Lyriana said respectfully.
Aldric cast a sidelong glance at Draven, who shrugged and took another bite from his apple—Elenya still wriggling in his arm, reaching for the fruit with tiny, determined fingers.