Chapter 336: Even Men Cry
Phyllis, in her current state, was like a blank slate.
Her limited consciousness focused solely on the simple pleasure of eating, of satiating her hunger.
She had sensed Augustus’s unhappiness and had offered him food, hoping to cheer him up.
But his reaction puzzled her.
He stood frozen, as if struck by lightning, his face a mask of shock and disbelief.
It was the first time in over two decades that she had spoken, uttering more than just a scream, a few simple, halting words, but enough to fill Augustus with an overwhelming joy.
Could this mean… she was recovering?
For the first time in years, he felt a flicker of hope, a glimpse of a brighter future.
His years of tireless effort, his unwavering devotion, had finally been rewarded.
The sudden surge of happiness was overwhelming, and tears streamed down his face, the salty taste on his lips a stark contrast to the bitterness that had consumed him for so long.
Then, he couldn’t hold back any longer.
“Aaaaaaaaaaah…”
“Aaaaaah…”
Even men cry.
He sobbed like a child, his cries punctuated by choked laughter, his usually dignified face now a mess of tears and snot.
He wanted to hug her, to tell her how long he had waited for this moment, but he was afraid of frightening her.
He could only clench his fists, pounding them against the ground.
His reaction startled Phyllis, her eyes widening, her hand hesitantly reaching out, gently stroking his grey hair, a soft murmur escaping her lips:
“There, there…”
She vaguely remembered him comforting her like this before. Perhaps it would work.
Augustus cried for a long time, his voice hoarse, his eyes filled with joy, relief, and a lingering fear… a fear that this was all a dream.
He sat on the ground, his back against the wall, gasping for breath, his composure forgotten, his nose running, his face still trembling.
“Phyllis, do you remember me? I…”
Phyllis tilted her head, pointing at his nose: “You…”
A pang of disappointment stabbed at his heart.
It seemed she could only utter a few words, her memories still lost.
No, no…
He shook his head.
He couldn’t be greedy. He had to take things one step at a time.
Even this small step had taken years. Her slight improvement was a miracle. He couldn’t ask for more.
He believed, he had to believe, that one day, she would fully recover.
But… he might not live to see it.
He looked at his aging, wrinkled face, a wave of sadness washing over him. For revenge, for the power and resources to heal her, he had pushed himself to his limits, accelerating his own aging process.
The consequences were severe.
Reaching level 80 significantly extended a human’s lifespan.
Reaching level 90 extended it even further.
But his lifespan wouldn’t be much longer than an ordinary person’s, perhaps even shorter.
By the time she recovered, he might already be dead.
He wasn’t as talented as she had been.
He pushed the depressing thought aside, turning to Phyllis: “Phyllis, do you want to go outside?”
“Outside?” She tilted her head, confused.
In her limited consciousness, this small room was her entire world. She didn’t understand what “outside” meant.
He nodded: “Yes, outside.”
“There’s a sun, a moon… it’s big, with many, many people…” he explained, gesturing with his hands.
But she didn’t seem interested, even showing a hint of fear.
Her mood shifted, becoming agitated.
She clutched her hair, her breathing quickening.
Then, she stopped eating, standing up and leaning against the wall, as if waiting for him to restrain her again.
Augustus knew that soon, she would revert to her feral state.
Her moments of lucidity never lasted long. And each time, it was heartbreaking.
He sighed, reattaching the chains and closing the door.
Her screams echoed through the passage.
Listening to her cries, Augustus clenched his fists. Her slight improvement was a good sign.
But his hatred hadn’t diminished. It had only intensified.
If not for those damned beings, she wouldn’t be suffering like this.
He left the Holy See, heading towards an abandoned manor outside the Imperial City, his laboratory.
Within, numerous test subjects were held captive: Demon Beasts, wild animals, even humans… bandits captured nearby, and even grotesque hybrids, half-human, half-demon, or half-human, half-beast, created through forbidden, ancient magic.
For revenge, he would do anything.
Their cries of pain and terror echoed through the manor, creating a chilling atmosphere.
The stench of blood and decay hung heavy in the air.
He cleaned regularly, but it didn’t seem to help.
In the dimly lit laboratory, he picked up a glass vial containing a dark red liquid and some strange, sponge-like filaments.
It was… the viscous fluid collected from Karsus’s remains, the ground, and the ashes. He had sensed a strange power within it.
After numerous experiments, he had cultivated these crimson filaments.
They allowed him to completely control the beings they were attached to… unfortunately, the process was incredibly painful. No one, neither Demon Beast, nor wild animal, nor human, had been able to endure it.
These filaments could even reanimate the dead… perhaps because they were already dead, their resistance to pain was greater.
And even as corpses, they continued to evolve and grow stronger.
If he could obtain the Hero’s body, he was confident he could transform it into a powerful war machine under his complete control.
But that wasn’t his ultimate goal. While the Hero was strong, he wasn’t strong enough.
So, he needed something else… the blood he had collected from a certain… terrifying being.
The blood contained immense, maddening power.
He had conducted numerous experiments, but even the strongest, magically enhanced corpses, tougher than steel, couldn’t withstand its power, shattering within seconds.
Only the Hero…
If he could obtain the Hero’s body, he was certain he could unlock its full potential, rapidly increasing its strength, creating the perfect weapon.
A single drop of blood wasn’t enough. He needed ten, a hundred, a thousand… he believed that one day, this weapon would be powerful enough to destroy those beings.
Then, his revenge would be complete.
The thought made his body tremble.
After a moment of contemplation, he picked up another vial, containing a strange, greenish-red liquid.
To kill the Hero… he needed to increase his chances of success.
Without hesitation, he drank the liquid.
Within seconds, his body tensed.
Strange, red and green patterns spread across his skin, his eyes widening, a guttural growl escaping his throat.
…
The next morning.
Qin Chu stretched, getting out of bed.
He glanced at Athena, still asleep beside him, a puzzled look on his face. He had been teaching her the two spells from the stone slab, the Plague and Misfortune magic, and somehow, they had ended up… here.
He wasn’t learning a foreign language.
She must have been exhausted. She hadn’t even stirred when he got up.
He dressed and went downstairs, seeing Angelica preparing breakfast.
“Morning, Ange,” he greeted her.
A smile touched her lips, and she glared at him playfully: “It’s almost noon. It’s more like brunch.”
When they were alone, she was more casual, but in the presence of others, especially outsiders, she always showed him respect.
“Where are the others?” he asked casually.
“Anastasia and Violet are at the training grounds, practicing magic. They’ve already eaten. Little Karen is also there, trying to learn…”
“Ekaterina and Sylph haven’t returned yet.”
“Norma took Heloise and Iyeta shopping with Natia…” she replied quickly.
Girls and shopping… perfectly normal.
While it could be expensive, with Natia, the rich girl, footing the bill, it wasn’t a problem.
She hesitated, then decided to tell him about the strange experience she had last night.
“Master, there’s something I wanted to tell you. Last night, I saw…”
Chapter 337: Interference from Fate
But before she could finish, hurried footsteps echoed from the entrance, followed by a whirlwind of activity.
It was Princess Carol.
Her pale face and anxious expression told Angelica that something important had happened.
She sighed inwardly. Every time she tried to tell Qin Chu something, she was interrupted.
Was it a coincidence?
“Ange, what is it?” Qin Chu asked.
He prioritized his maid over the princess who had barged in.
Angelica smiled gently: “It’s nothing important. I can tell you later. Her Highness seems to be in a hurry. You should attend to her first, Master.”
She could wait.
And while the strange sensations had puzzled her, she hadn’t felt any malice, so it probably wasn’t important.
Carol, noticing them, her anxious eyes lighting up, rushed over, grabbing Qin Chu’s hand and pulling him towards the exit.
“Wait, wait, Your Highness, what are you doing?” he asked, startled by her actions. While he knew she was impulsive, this was inappropriate.
What if someone sees us? It would ruin my reputation. They’ll think I’m some kind of womanizer.
Carol also realized her impropriety. Despite her anxiety, he was still the Hero. She had to maintain decorum.
She released his hand, taking a step back and bowing slightly: “Hero, my father requests your presence.”
Wadsworth?
He had been quiet since the Mavis incident.
Qin Chu knew him to be cunning, devious, and a master of disguise, but also genuinely boisterous. When Qin Chu was in the Imperial City, Wadsworth would often drag him to… ahem… drinking establishments.
But he had been unusually quiet for the past month, remaining within the palace walls.
Seeing Carol’s anxious expression, Qin Chu suspected something was wrong.
He casually wiped his face: “Let’s go.”
A grateful smile touched Carol’s lips, and she led the way.
Once they were outside the Residence and away from prying eyes, he finally asked: “What happened to Wadsworth?”
Had he been assassinated? Was he seeking Qin Chu’s healing abilities? After all, many coveted the Emperor’s throne.
“My father…” But Carol’s answer wasn’t what he had expected. She frowned, her face pale and filled with fear: “He’s… different lately.”
“I don’t know how to describe it. He’s become incredibly irritable…”
“Wasn’t he always irritable?” Qin Chu asked, slightly exasperated.
He doubted anyone in the Auville Empire would describe Wadsworth as gentle.
“No, it’s different,” she insisted, shaking her head. “While he was always… boisterous, he loved his children. But in the past month, he has secretly executed two princes, three consorts, and a princess…”
“And he often lashes out at the other princes and princesses, even beating them. Several have suffered broken bones.”
“I’m worried he hasn’t recovered from the Mavis incident… Hero, you’re close to him. Please, talk to him.”
Her voice was filled with desperation.
Despite her rebellious nature and her lack of interest in courtly affairs or the throne, she still cared about her family. She didn’t want it to fall apart.
Qin Chu frowned. Carol believed Wadsworth’s change in behavior was due to his consorts’ and Empress’s infidelity, the humiliation of being cuckolded, but Qin Chu doubted it.
Wadsworth was an ambitious man.
He didn’t just want to be Emperor. He wanted to control the Holy See and the Church of the Earth Mother Goddess, consolidating all power under his rule.
His will was far stronger than his daughter imagined.
He hadn’t even lost control after witnessing Mavis’s participation in the Blissful Witch Society’s ritual, even after she had given birth to the monstrous fetus. He had merely observed from the shadows, assessing Qin Chu’s strength.
While he might have been angered and humiliated by his wives’ betrayal, Qin Chu didn’t believe it would cause such a drastic change in his personality.
“Let’s see him first,” he said after a moment of thought.
Carol nodded, her quick steps and the clicking of her heels betraying her usual disregard for royal decorum. She practically ran.
They reached Wadsworth’s study in record time.
“Father, the Hero is here…” she announced cautiously.
Normally, she would have just kicked the door open.
“Brother Qin? Come in, come in…”
Wadsworth’s voice, eager and almost desperate, echoed from within.
Please!
Qin Chu sensed her silent plea and nodded, opening the door.
He closed it behind him, then looked up and froze, stunned by the sight of Wadsworth.
Was this really the Emperor?
His hair was a tangled mess, his beard unkempt, bits of… something… clinging to it.
His face was pale, his skin cracked and dry.
His eyes were sunken and bloodshot, as if he hadn’t slept in days.
He clutched a dark grey whip.
Qin Chu frowned as he saw the whip, his gaze drawn to it.
As he stared at Wadsworth’s disheveled appearance, Wadsworth rushed over, grabbing his shoulders, his yellowed teeth bared in a wide grin: “Brother Qin, you’re finally here! Help me…”
How long has it been since he brushed his teeth?
And has he been eating raw meat lately? His breath reeks of blood.
Qin Chu’s stomach churned, a wave of nausea washing over him. And as Wadsworth drew closer, he felt a strange, oppressive aura emanating from him.
Wadsworth’s face was dark and shadowed, his bloodshot eyes filled with a deep unease.
He was agitated, his emotions volatile, his behavior increasingly erratic…
His state shocked Qin Chu. Even Shaye, within his mind, was stunned. She had been quiet lately, rarely communicating with him.
But now, she couldn’t help but comment:
“Has Wadsworth been corrupted by an Evil God?”
Qin Chu’s heart lurched, his face turning grim.
Wadsworth’s symptoms were similar to the early stages of corruption, though not as pronounced as O’Niens, the First Prince, or Karsus’s.
But why would he be corrupted?
He hadn’t used the threads on him. This shouldn’t be his fault.
He suppressed his unease, forcing a smile. He had intended to pat Wadsworth on the shoulder, but seeing his current state, he decided against it: “Brother, calm down. Tell me what happened.”
Wadsworth, seeing Qin Chu, seemed to calm down slightly, even inviting him to sit down.
Then, he looked around, making sure they were alone, before whispering conspiratorially: “Brother Qin, let me tell you…”
“There’s been a lot of… unusual activity within the Holy See lately. That old bastard, Augustus, is definitely plotting against me.”
“And that Saint Monique, always pretending to be so innocent, has been meeting secretly with Augustus. Those two bastards can’t be up to any good. They’re definitely planning to kill me…”
“And my sons are colluding with the nobles, clearly trying to usurp my throne. Even my daughter wants me dead.”
“And my wives are trying to poison me, so they can be with their lovers…”
“And those damned nobles are plotting to overthrow the royal family. They’ve all been bribed by Augustus and Saint Monique…”
Qin Chu’s eyes narrowed.
Paranoia.
But strangely, while he suspected everyone around him, he didn’t seem to suspect Qin Chu, the Hero.
