In her chambers, Veronica wept quietly. Part of her wondered if she'd been too harsh, if she should have at least listened to Aldric's protestations.But the evidence was overwhelming. And in her heart, she couldn't deny the small voice that whispered: ‘Maybe I'm just not enough anymore. Maybe he needed someone younger, more exciting, less worn down by years of noble obligations.’A soft knock interrupted her tears."Mother?"Sofia entered, concern etched on her face. "I heard shouting. Are you alright?"Veronica quickly wiped her eyes. "It's nothing, dear. Just a disagreement with your father."Sofia closed the door and sat beside her mother on the bed. "It didn't sound like nothing. Mother... if something's wrong, you can tell me."Veronica looked at her daughter, so young, so naive to the cruelties of marriage and betrayal. She shouldn't burden Sofia with this and yet..."Your father has been unfaithful," she heard herself say. "I have proof."Sofia's expression shifted through sho

Aria hadn't slept properly for some days, anonymous letters kept coming. Each one arrived through different channels: slipped under her office door, delivered by street urchins, even one tied to an arrow that had embedded itself in her window frame. All of them told the same story, all of them named the same perpetrator, ‘Zach’. She sat at her desk in the Blue Phoenix Guild headquarters, the latest letter spread before her alongside the previous ones. [Guild Leader Aria, You've received multiple warnings now. Perhaps you thought the first letters were lies, slander from outsiders or haters, but can you truly dismiss them all? Seventeen names, seventeen young women, all dead or missing. Some families received payments ranging from 300 to 800 gold coins as hush money, documented in Zach's private financial records. You claim to value honor and justice. Prove it by Investigating, or become complicit in his crimes. ] Aria's hands clenched into fists, she'd spent the past s

The royal delegation arrived three days after the scandal broke.Twenty knights bearing the King's banner, three magistrates in formal robes, and at the center, the King's Justice, a severe woman named Helena whose reputation for impartiality was matched only by her reputation for ruthlessness.The Middle district town square was packed, hundreds of town folks had gathered, all wanting to witness nobility finally facing consequences.Helena stood on a raised platform, her voice magically amplified to reach every corner of the square."By order of His Majesty King Aldwin the Third, I have been granted full authority to investigate and render judgment upon House Alderton. The crown does not tolerate corruption, regardless of bloodline."The crowd roared approval.Helena continued without acknowledging them. "Aldric Alderton, former Viscount of Raul, step forward."Guards brought him up, Aldric looked haggard, the proud noble reduced to a shell of himself in just days, but there was stil

Zach sat in the mansion's basement cell, replaying how he'd been captured.(Earlier, before the city fell...)"Where is the so-called King's Justice?" Lucifer's voice carried across the square, calm despite the chaos erupting around them.A guard, braver or more foolish than the rest, charged with his spear aimed at Lucifer's heart.Lucifer didn't bother move, the spear struck his chest and crumpled like wet paper."Annoying." He flicked his wrist.The guard exploded, body bursting into red mist that painted the cobblestones."Woman," Lucifer called again, stepping over what remained. "I know you're here. Show yourself, or I start killing civilians. One per second. Your choice."A woman emerged from behind the executioner's platform, face pale but expression defiant. "I'm here. What do you want, demon?""You were going to execute Zach Alderton, yes?""I was. The sentence was…""Irrelevant." Lucifer gestured, and Zach, who'd been cowering beside Helena. He lifted into the air, suspend

Three days passed.Raya spent them as a Demon Lord should, managing his growing territories, reviewing reports from the Arch-Demons, making decisions that would shape his empire's future.He didn't bother to visit the sub-level chambers again.He'd given his orders clearly: make Zach suffer beyond comprehension, then end it. Alfred was a professional, so the result was inevitable.On the third morning, Raya sat reviewing territorial expansion maps with Lucifer when Alfred's presence announced itself at the chamber doors.The butler entered quietly, carrying a silver platter covered by a black cloth. He approached the throne and knelt, holding the platter up with both hands."My lord, it is done."Raya set aside the maps. "Show me."Alfred pulled back the cloth.Zach's head rested on the platter, eyes frozen wide in an expression of absolute terror and despair. The skin was pale, waxy, dried blood crusted around the severed neck.The face that had once sneered with noble arrogance wa