Trembling As They Stood (End)
Basil had spent one year and a half building a good relationship with Archibald for a reason. No matter how kindly he was treated, he never had any intention to change his view of the Rancuser Family.
For the past year and a half, he didn't only figure out their weakness, but also sneakily erected a Self-Destruction Array in case something unexpected happened in the future. The Rancuser Manor was the centre of the Array; it covered almost a third of the entire territory.
Lo and behold, it had just served its purpose.
The destruction of half of the Dukedom, of course, shocked and baffled many people. The news hadn't come out yet, but the people who lived far from the Dukedom knew that something had happened to the Dukedom due to the Mana fluctuation.
Thousands were killed in the event—men, kids and women alike. The Rancuser Family vanished in a single happening, leaving Archibald as the sole survivor.