Chapter 75

"I need to reach them immediately!" I urgently exclaimed, turning to Andrew.

"You can't, there are three of them. You barely managed to defeat one," Andrew grabbed my shoulder, attempting to restrain me. "Let me accompany you."

"I don't have time for this!" I shrugged off his grip and teleported near my parents' room. The scene before me transformed into a horrifying sight—a corridor stained with blood and lifeless bodies of knights strewn about.

Turning my gaze, I saw my father lying on the ground. With determined steps, I began to make my way towards him.

"Alice," my father whispered repeatedly, and my heart sank. A cold sweat broke out on my forehead, and my pulse raced erratically.

"Father!" I screamed, hastening my pace. His head turned, and as our eyes met, I saw tears streaming down his face, mingling with the bloodstains.

"No! Lucas, stay back!" My father's voice rang out in a desperate plea, causing me to freeze in my tracks. I surveyed the room, taking in the charred remains, the decapitated man, and the figure with a gaping hole in his chest and missing arms. I returned my gaze to my father, hearing his next words as he whispered softly.

"He can't see us like this," he uttered, and in that instant, a wall of fire materialized, blocking my path.

"Father!" I screamed, but there was no response.

"I'm sorry, Lucas," his voice carried a heavy tone of sorrow. "I... I can't let you see her like this."

"See her like what?!" I cried out. "Tell me, father! Please, tell me she is okay!" My voice echoed through the silence, and the absence of a reply confirmed my worst fears.

'I'll kill you!' My thoughts immediately turned to the chancellor as my mind conjured numerous gruesome scenarios for his slow and painful demise. But for now, I had to contain my anger. I scanned the area once more and discovered only one remaining assassin outside the estate.

Teleporting swiftly, I arrived at the training ground, surrounded by the lifeless bodies of three assailants. Gustav stood before me, holding the last assassin by the neck, suspending him in the air.

"Gustav, don't kill him!" I commanded, striding towards them. Gustav turned to face me, surprise etched across his face. After a brief glance, he realized my intentions and released his grip, allowing the assassin to drop.

Standing face to face with the assassin, I seized his face and slammed it into the ground. Then, gripping his neck, I lifted him into the air. "Who sent you?" I demanded, my rage boiling over.

The assassin slowly reached for his mask, lowering it to reveal a sinister grin. "You're asking who killed your mother, right?" His audacious smile widened as I created the multitude of ice needles that materialized around him, poised to strike at any moment.

"I'll tell you who killed her," he spoke in a low, menacing voice, locking his gaze with mine. "Your mother died at the hands of your ambition."

"SO LEARN YOUR LIMITATIONS!" The assassin screamed before I snapped his pathetic neck. An indescribable fury coursed through me, unlike anything I had experienced in both my lives. I desired the chancellor death and I desired it NOW.

Seemingly unaware of my mother's death, Gustav gazed at me with a mix of sadness and surprise. In an attempt to release my rage, I stomped on the assassin's head, but it was futile. The anger surged within me, uncontrollable. Filled with a burning determination, I started making my way towards the inferno-engulfed estate, leaving Gustav behind in the training ground, his lingering gaze weighing heavily on me.

"Where are you going?" Andrew appeared before me, out of breath. He must have expended a considerable amount of mana to catch up.

"I'm going to Elena's room," I replied, attempting to bypass him. However, he placed his hand on my chest, preventing me from proceeding any further.

"And what are you planning to do?" Worry etched across Andrew's face as he stared at me. His usually stoic countenance had vanished, replaced by raw emotion.

"I'm going to gather all the southern armies and march to the capital," I declared, removing his hand from my chest. But Andrew swiftly intervened, stepping in front of me, steadfast in his refusal to let me pass.

"Are you going to throw away everything you've worked for?" Andrew's expression grew serious. "You're acting based on raw emotion. You're not in the right state of mind to make these decisions."

"I am perfectly in the right state of mind!" I shouted at him, my voice filled with frustration. "If he wants to fight, then I will bring the fight to him. I will storm the capital and kill him, even if it costs me my life!"

"That won't happen." Andrew's voice dropped to a low but audible level. "You're not strong enough."

"So what! He killed my mother, and you expect me to sit back and do nothing?" I screamed, my fist clenched tightly. "He started this, and I will finish it," I said as I attempted to move around Andrew. This time, he didn't impede my progress.

"You won't finish anything!" Andrew's voice reverberated with intensity. "You'll march to the capital and die, while the chancellor and the royal family live."

"You're walking right into their plan, and you know it!" Andrew stepped closer to me, his words laced with concern.

I halted in my tracks, squeezing my fist even harder until my knuckles turned white, blood trickling from the wounds.. Deep down, amidst the chaos of my emotions, I knew he was right. Even though my emotions were running wild, I could still discern that my intended course of action would ultimately end in failure.

Gently grasping my shoulder, Andrew spoke with sympathy, "If you march to the capital right now, your mother's death will be in vain. But if you wait and fulfill your plans, you will exact your revenge. At that point, it's not a matter of how, but a matter of when."