If any other person had spoken about killing him, Emperor Zolthemir Lux Vanthelmor would have acted without the slightest hesitation and wiped out the entire family of whoever dared to utter such blasphemous words, as such statements were, in themselves, tantamount to treason against the Empire.
Yet at this moment, he made no move whatsoever, not even the slightest flicker of intent escaping him. He understood just how arrogant and stubborn Malrik was, and the mere fact that the man had come here to speak instead of immediately resorting to violence meant that he had, to some extent, acknowledged the consequences behind his actions and chosen restraint over impulse.
'Did Azaron speak some sense into him?' Emperor Zolthemir Lux Vanthelmor thought to himself, his thoughts moving swiftly yet precisely. After all, he had always believed that Malrik's greatest weakness lay in his siblings, as the young man had never once shown reason, caution, or foresight whenever it came to them.
