Veronica repeated, her voice laced with concern and disbelief, "Bloodlust so extreme that it has materialized in the form of an aura…"
Out of worry and shock, she turned to Mia and asked, "So… um… why is he emanating this much bloodlust, and where is it directed?"
"Are you sure that going in front of him when he isn't in his right mind is safe?"
"Aren't you afraid that, due to some misunderstanding, he might unintentionally harm you?"
Hearing Veronica's words, Mia stared at her with clear dissatisfaction. "You identify yourself as one of Lucifer's wives, yet you don't understand him even a little."
Mia's voice softened with motherly warmth. "You don't know the reason behind why he is emanating this much bloodlust, or where it is directed, because you don't know what happened to him before you joined the Velmora family and Westirifer… and I can understand that much."
"Veronica, what I'm dissatisfied about is that you are doubting Lucifer. Right now, in your eyes, he is just a lunatic who isn't in his right mind—spouting nonsense and laughing like a maniac. Maybe because I'm his mother, what I can see in him is not some lunatic, but a pitiful soul suffering from extreme pain."
"The pain of losing someone close… the pain of losing someone important… the pain of unfulfilled revenge."
Mia continued, "Veronica, although you are my daughter-in-law and one of Lucifer's wives, we are both of the same age, and we both have someone we love more than anything."
"For me, it is Lucifer. For you, it is your son Tristian. And that is justifiable, because a mother should always love her children the most."
"So just for a moment, imagine Tristian in Lucifer's place. It isn't that difficult… because Tristian and Lucifer are about the same age—rather, Tristian is two years older than my Luci."
Mia pointed her right index finger toward Lucifer. "Just imagine that the person sitting in the middle of the central aisle isn't Lucifer, but Tristian… and answer me." Her voice hardened a little. "Answer me, Veronica. In that case, would you still find Tristian a madman spouting nonsense and feel afraid to go near him? Or would you feel concerned for him and pull him into your warm, motherly embrace—full of love—without thinking about anything else, just to calm him down?"
Listening to Mia, Veronica fell silent, realizing her mistake. Mia took another step toward Lucifer, but her voice lingered behind and struck Veronica like a pointed dagger aimed straight at the heart. "Veronica, I once heard you say that although Lucifer is your husband, he is also like your son, and that you deeply care for him… but now, seeing how you are reacting to his condition, I think those words were just pretense."
Mia's insinuating words struck Veronica harder than ever. Two pearl-sized tears rolled down her cheeks. Just as Veronica was about to break into sobs, someone gently placed a hand on her shoulder. Feeling the touch, Veronica turned around and saw that the person who had tapped her was Amelia.
Seeing her, Veronica tried to speak, but before she could utter a word, Amelia reassured her. "Don't take Mother's words to heart. Your reaction toward Lucifer is the common reaction—anyone seeing him like this would react the same way."
"It's just that Mom is extra sensitive toward Lucifer. It's not like you don't know our history and his sufferings. Whatever she said to you about pretense… she isn't one to judge another's character. Don't mind her words; they weren't intentional."
Hearing Amelia's words, Veronica hugged her tightly. "Even if it wasn't intentional… it still hurts… it hurts so much… so much…"
Amelia stroked Veronica's back. "Why are you crying like this, Veronica? Does it seem appropriate for the future queen of Westirifer to weep like this in front of everyone?"
---
While Amelia provided solace to the grieving Veronica near the throne, on the other side Mia approached Lucifer with steady, unwavering steps, Westeria following closely behind her.
*Tap… Tap… Tap… Tap… Tap… Tap… Tap… Tap…*
*Tap… Tap… Tap… Tap… Tap… Tap… Tap…*
Seeing both women walking toward Lucifer, Duchess Velora cried out in panic, "Your Grace, what are you doing?! Can't you see that Lucifer isn't in his right mind? He may even harm you… Leave him alone!"
But she wasn't the only one warning the duo of Westeria and Mia. Lady Layuri followed Velora's lead.
"Lady Westeria, stop Her Grace… Going near this madman is definitely suicide. He is simply a lunatic… I think we should call a priest from the Church of Love and Compassion to treat him."
Then, from the side of Duke Gelvin of the Wielhiem Duchy, three voices rang out simultaneously—belonging to the Duke's three wives: Lady Azhara, Lady Mirosalva, and Lady Khryst.
Azhara warned, "Your Grace, don't go near him!"
Mirosalva stated, "He is emanating an aura of death."
Khryst followed, "I think he is possessed… it may be demon possession. Your Grace, beware!"
At last, Ildrek Ironheart spoke with feigned concern, "Your Grace, don't go near him… His symptoms aren't normal. See how his hair is dancing like silver serpents—how could this phenomenon occur in a normal human? He is definitely possessed by some evil force."
"Your Grace, you are a Grand Duchess… Your safety is of the utmost importance. Why are you taking such a risk? I suggest you ask your knights to bind and beat him until he regains consciousness."
Although many people offered many suggestions and warnings to Mia and Westeria, ultimately none of them succeeded in halting the steps of either woman. Eventually both of them reached the place where Lucifer sat on the floor, laughing, murmuring, clattering his teeth, and laughing with even greater intensity.
Seeing Lucifer's condition, Mia's face grew somewhat grim. She could see that his eyes were no longer even violet—they were entirely black—and his aura had become even more suffocating, as if she were facing some unknown entity.
Westeria glanced at Mia. "I think his condition is worse than before… The last time he suffered symptoms like this was when Seren died… but this time his symptoms are even stranger. Mother, do you know what's happening to him?"
Mia nodded. "Yes… his symptoms do look worse than before. The last time this occurred to him, he was burning with intense rage—it's not as if you haven't felt it before. But this time… his symptoms appeared because he is extremely happy. Well… I can't say he is extremely happy, but something equivalent to that emotion."
Westeria repeated, "Equivalent to happy…"
Mia said, "Yes."
Saying this, Mia took one more step forward toward Lucifer, until the distance between them was less than a meter.
Seeing how unafraidly Mia was approaching Lucifer, Old Count Goccrek shouted somewhat in rage, "Beware, woman! He is looking dangerous… Think about your own safety first!"
The moment Mia heard Goccrek's voice, her anger flared. "Sir Goccrek, Luci is my own son. I know him far better than any of you… and now, if I hear your voice raised against him once more, I don't know about Lucifer—but I will definitely separate your head from your neck with my own two hands. And if you doubt my words… try me once."
After giving a firm warning to Goccrek, Mia looked at Lucifer with intense warmth, her eyes growing wet. She did not know the exact reason, yet somehow she could feel the intense rage, pain, and sorrowful emotion hidden deep inside him.
After gazing at him for a moment, Mia sat down in front of him and called softly, "Luci…"
Her first call went unanswered. Lucifer continued laughing maniacally:
"Hehhehehhh... Hehehehe... Coming... He... Is coming... Hehehehe... Kill him... Heheheheh... Ahahahahhaa... Hehehehhehee... Purefield... Rotveil... Hehehehehe... Coming... Dead... Hhahha... Heheheh... Cristopher... Heheheheh... Ahaha... Coming...kill...heheheheh....aahahaha ...purefield.....cristopher.....heheheheh.....seren....kill....purefield ...heheheheh....dead...ahahahahaa.....sarah....purefield....hehehehehh.....ahahahaha.....ahahahah...eheheheheeh.....kill....kill....cristopher...heheheheh.....ahahahahaa.....revenge....heheheh....ahahahaha.....ahahaha.....dead....kill....purefield..Hehhenee..."
Mia called him once more, this time with even greater warmth and affection. "Luci, my darling…"
This time too Lucifer did not answer, continuing to laugh as before:
"Heeehehehe... Hehehhe... Kill... Kill... Kill... Heheheh... Cristopher... Kill... Killl...hehehheheheh…..ahahahaha....eeheheheh....hehehehe....kill.....kill..ahahahaha....dead....cristopher....dead....heheheheh.....revenge.....hehehehe...seren....my...seren.....hehehehehe.....dead.....dead....kill.....purefield....sarah....ehehehehe....eheheheh.....aahahhaa....kill purefield....hahahaha....torture....torture....eat....kill hehehehee.....eat....hahahahaha....kill....eat....dead....seren....kill...hahahahaa....purefield....kill....torture....hahahahaha...dead....ahahahahah....cristopher...kill ....revenge....eat..eat....kill....ahhahahaha....ehehehehehe… Ahahah... Hehehehe..."
But this time, while he was laughing, his gaze suddenly fell upon Mia, who was sitting right in front of him.
Seeing her before him, Lucifer's laughter paused for a brief moment—then erupted again, but now the laughter was different, fractured, almost childlike in its desperation:
"Hehehhee... Mommy... Mommy... Hehehe... They are coming... Heheheh... My revenge... Hehehhee...hehehehehe....ahahahahahaa....Mommy...heheheheh... I'll kill them all... Hehehhe…...mommy....mommy....hehehehehe....ahahahahahahhahaha....kill....revenge....mommy..... I'll ....avenge you....mommy....seren....dead....hahahahahaha....dead..… Kill them all... I'll avenge... Hehheheheh... Ahahahaa... Hehehehe... Cristopher...hehehehehe.....dead.....killl.... I'll avenge you... Mommy... Heheheh... Seren... mommy.....mommy...hehehehehe....kill....cristopher....heheheHehehehe .....mommy... Ahahaha...ill avenge everyone... Hehehehe..."
As Lucifer kept laughing, the tone of his laughter suddenly changed. Two blood-colored tears trickled down his cheeks.
Seeing this, Mia pulled him tightly into her embrace, her own eyes filling with tears. "Yes, Luci... you will definitely avenge me."
Lucifer laughed, the sound now breaking:
"Heheheh… I'll avenge... Hehehe... I'll... I'll... Avenge... Kill…Cristopher... Kill... Hehehe… Ahaha... Hehehe... Avenge..."
Mia began stroking his back while holding him. "Yes, my son, don't cry anymore... See, you are making your mommy's eyes wet... Don't cry more, honey..."
On the other side, Lucifer's laughter began to transform into something entirely different. Now he was laughing and crying at the same time, more and more blood-red tears streaming down from his eyes onto Mia's shoulder:
"Hehehe... Kill... Aahahaa... Sob… Sob… Hehehhe... Ahaha... Seren... Kill... Purefield... Purefield… Heheheh... Sob… Sob… Sob… Sob… Hehehe… Hehehe... Heheh... Ahaha… Sob… Sob...hehehehehe… Sob....sob...sob...sob.....heheheheh....sob....sob...sob....ahahahahahaa.....dead....sob.....sob....cristopher.....seren....kill.....seren.....kill....sarah....sob....sob....sob....ahahahahhaa... Kill...purefield... Heheheheh... Sob… Sob... Hehehe... Aahaha... Sob... Sob..."
Although Mia could not feel anything strange or harmful from these blood-red tears, in truth the tears possessed corrosive properties. Bit by bit they ate through the regal blue fabric of her gown from the shoulders, until the entire gown vanished, leaving her fully naked. Everyone present could clearly see how well-proportioned, voluptuous, beautiful, and sensual her body was.
Eventually, as time passed, the sound of Lucifer's laughter completely ceased—only to be replaced by something else.
Now Lucifer was no longer laughing. He was weeping and grieving in Mia's arms, his voice quivering and broken:
"Sob… Sob… Sob...mommy... I'll take revenge from them...sob… Sob... For you…for seren...for everyone... Who suffered under them... Sob... Sob...mommy... Sob… Sob... Sob... I'll make... Sob… Sob... Their lives worse then death... Sob… Sob... Sob...worse then death...sob... Sob... They… Killed her... Killed her... Tourtured her... Sob... Sob...ill never forgive them... Never... Never...ill never...sob… Sob..."
As Lucifer continued grieving and weeping in that shaky, trembling voice, Mia gently placed his head upon her lap and began stroking his hair with infinite tenderness. "Yes, Luci... I'll support you. Now don't cry anymore, honey... Don't cry... You will definitely take your revenge... That vile Cristopher and that vile Purefield family will definitely face their doom by your hands... Now, honey, don't punish yourself any further... You know that I can't bear to see you in pain... So don't cry, honey..."
She added a lighthearted remark, trying to ease the heavy atmosphere. "Luci, see what you have done… Your pearl-like tears have already burned through my clothes, and now everyone is ogling this beautiful body of your mommy."
Even after hearing her words, Lucifer's trembling sobs did not fully stop, nor did he open his eyes. Still, a raspy voice escaped his lips:
"Mm… Mommy I .. L… Love you…sob…sob... Don… Don't… Leave… Sob… Sob.. Me alone mommy..."
Hearing Lucifer's words, Mia stroked his head with even greater warmth. "Yes, darling… Mommy loves you the most... Didn't she accept you as her only husband? Then how could she ever leave you? Mommy will never leave her Lucifer alone... never."
As Mia's words concluded, Lucifer's sobs finally ceased. He fell into a deep sleep, his head resting peacefully in her lap.
Seeing such a poignant scene between Mia and Lucifer, even Westeria's eyes grew wet with tears. But she was not the only one. Many others had tears in their eyes as well—including Aria, Synthia, Veronica, Amelia, Talmora, Rkliona, Fobila, Fifi, Lorisa, Aelema, Fiji, all the wives of Denford Redlife, Denford Redlife himself, most of the wives of Duke Gelvin Wielhiem, Duke Gelvin himself, Nad Kevlon, Nicole Kidman, Duchess Velora, and many more.
Although not everyone fully grasped the entire situation surrounding Lucifer's condition, they still caught certain key words: kill, revenge, Seren, Rotveil, Sarah, Cristopher, Purefield, life worse than death. And now nearly everyone was eager to learn the full story behind it—everyone except Amelia and Westeria, who already understood the reason for Lucifer's extreme reaction.
---
As Lucifer finally fell asleep, Mia looked at Westeria with a somewhat concerned expression. "Dear… this was his third time... I am still unable to understand why his emotions are this unstable."
Westeria replied, "Isn't it only natural for him to have emotions this unstable, considering how much he has suffered since childhood?"
She continued, "Mother, don't fret over this more than necessary."
"Now it is clear that the Purefields are coming for him—but they do not know that Lucifer has already been waiting for them. Those fools of the Purefield Duchy truly believe they can outsmart Lucifer and attack Westirifer when our duchy is unprepared."
"That is why they chose to march against us on the very next day, right after the Fertility Ceremony Festival concludes. But I think Cristopher does not know... that since the day Seren died, Lucifer has also been starving for his blood..."
Hearing Westeria's words, Mia nodded. "You know, dear… the last time Luci destroyed the Asher family, I was somewhat conservative. Sometimes I even wondered whether that much bloodshed was necessary... But the moment I beheaded that Xavier with my own hands... it was pure bliss. This time, unlike before, even I want to see just how brutal he can be."
Westeria added, "I want to hear Cristopher scream... I want to see him grovel on the ground in extreme, unbearable pain... just like how—"
Just as Westeria was about to continue, Mia interrupted her. "Westeria, control your emotions... I know we are in our own palace, but we are still amidst many outsiders."
Listening to Mia, Westeria nodded. Then she turned toward the throne and called, "Vance."
Hearing her call, Vance immediately came forward and knelt. "Yes, my Lady."
Westeria continued, "Take your master to Sister Veronica's room. He is very tired and sleeping soundly."
"And..." Westeria looked toward all the guests and added, "Although the people from Livingstone Duchy, Wielhiem Duchy, and Ironford County are our guests... confiscate all of their magic crystal balls or any other communication devices for the time being, so that no one can leak whatever happened here. And lastly, tell the sound mages from the Viper Guards and the regular army to cast an anti-transmission barrier over the entire ducal grounds."
She added, her tone growing sharp, "I hope that everyone will cooperate with you willingly... but if someone does not, then you may use force... just don't kill them. Torturing is fine."
After instructing Vance, Westeria glanced at Mia. "Are you really going to present yourself like this in front of our guests, Mother-in-law?"
Mia replied, "What's wrong with this attire of mine?"
Westeria laughed a little with helplessness. "Where exactly is your attire? Or are you deliberately showing your body to our guests?"
Mia nodded. "Yes, I am... Actually, today I had planned to spend a steamy and lovely night with my Luci, but now he is tired and asleep. I really don't want to disturb him... so I need someone else to satisfy my needs."
Westeria sneered, "Who is going to satisfy you, Mother? You are just an old hag."
Mia laughed. "I agree that I am older than you, dear, but our age gap isn't that large—it's only three to five years. And one correction, darling... I am not an old hag. I am beautiful."
Westeria rolled her eyes. "Who said that you are beautiful, Mother?"
Mia's smile bloomed. "Who else, other than my Lucifer?"
Westeria added, "Are you taking advantage of him here, Mother? To him, you are the most beautiful woman in the world, so that doesn't count. Name someone else."
Before Mia could answer, someone among the guests shouted, "Grand Duchess, you really are beautiful!"
Both Mia and Westeria looked toward the guests and saw that Kinru Livingstone was raising his hand. Mia asked in surprise, "Young man, am I really that beautiful?"
Kinru replied, "Umm... You are beautiful, like everyone else. I didn't say that you are the most beautiful lady in the world."
When Westeria heard his words, she laughed. "Pfffthh—— See? Only the young master is the exception."
Just as Westeria's words finished, Kinru stepped forward and asked Mia, "Grand Duchess, although the young master isn't here to satisfy your desires tonight, I am still here… and I am young too. How about you spend tonight with me?"
Mia replied, "Fine, young man. I'll ride you today... But remember—having sex with me and satisfying me are both very difficult tasks, and you will have to follow certain rules. If you don't... then you can also die. And I am not joking."
Kinru asked, "What rules?"
Mia waved her hand. "I'll tell you when you meet me in my room... Now it's late, and all of us are hungry. Why don't we move toward dinner?"
"I'm sure everyone is quite hungry."
On Mia's words, Duke Gelvin added, "Yes, why not, Your Grace... But we still have some questions regarding the events that just occurred. I hope you will elaborate on everything in detail while we dine."
Mia replied, "Yes, I will. Now everyone, please follow Allen as he leads you all to the dining hall. I'll join you after a moment—I'm feeling a bit cold and want to get dressed again."
With that, everyone began moving toward the ducal dining hall.