The masked man, Beacrox, flicked the whip.
Flick.
The whip cut through the air and landed on Venion.
"Aaaaaah!"
Venion's body was heavy, but he could still feel pain. The whip continued to land on Venion's body. The simple noble's attire underneath the robe started to tear and the skin underneath started to bleed as the sharp additions to the whip cut into his skin. Some of the glass fell off the whip and remained pierced in his skin.
It was the same way Raon was abused when he was just a newborn.
"Oo, ugh, oo-!"
Venion was shouting something but the words did not come out of his mouth. He tried to struggle and move but his body was still paralyzed.
Just like Raon had suffered under the mana restriction chains, Venion could not do anything but suffer. All he could do was slowly curl up.
However, just as Raon had done, Venion glared up at the Black Dragon on top of the table. It was a glare that showed that he would not give in.
Flick! Flick!
The whip cut through his cheeks as he continued to glare.
"Aaaaaaah, ugh!"
Venion's body shook in pain as it slowly became drenched in blood. However, Beacrox showed no reaction and continued to whip at a steady pace.
He whipped the bleeding areas over and over and did not show any emotion even as the blood sprayed into the air.
"Mm."
Cale turned after hearing a moan from his side. The baby kittens On and Hong were in the invisible area with him curled up next to each other.
Hong seemed to find it difficult to watch as he looked up at Venion and looked down at the ground over and over.
Raon had already set up noise suppressing magic in this invisible area so there was no chance of getting caught by Venion. However, it wouldn't really matter if Venion heard the noise.
"Ugh, oo, oo, ah, aaaaah!"
Venion's cheeks were completely bloody as he started to shout some groans and words that could not be understood. Every time he did that, Beacrox just flicked the whip even harder.
Do not speak.
Stay still.
Stop glaring.
That seemed to be the message as the whip landed any time Venion showed any of those reactions.
"…I need to watch, that's what I need to do."
That was what the silver kitten On was saying as she lowered her head. Cale understood how they were feeling. On and Hong were in pain watching this.
The basement, where Venion's arms, legs, and neck were chained up, was slowly turning red with blood. But it was not that they were struggling to watch because it was scary or because they felt bad for Venion.
It was because they knew what Raon had gone through and that this was only just the beginning.
Cale petted On and Hong's heads.
"You don't need to watch if you can't."
He turned his head as he said that.
He could see Raon sitting alone on top of the table.
Raon was currently eating. He was eating his favorite food, steak. Raon continued to stuff his mouth with food.
"Aaaaaaah!"
Raon fed himself over and over while listening to Venion scream.
Raon had looked forward to this moment over and over for a very long time. He had imagined this exact scene in his head numerous times.
That was why he could not miss even a moment of this meal, no, this feast. Precious food that he could not have even imagined half a year ago, as well as a healthy body and his freedom. Raon continued to eat as he savored all of the things he had now gained.
"Cough."
Raon coughed for a moment from stuffing too much food but he did not stop. Cale observed Raon's face as well as his actions.
Raon was crying.
However, he did not stop.
"Mm, cough."
He continued to stuff himself with food while observing Venion getting whipped. On and Hong did not manage to see how Raon was right now.
But Cale was making sure to observe Raon.
"Oo, uuuugh, ooo, ah."
Venion's body started to twitch. Beacrox continued to flick the whip in spots he knew would hurt. Venion could not even look up at the Black Dragon on top of the table anymore.
He just had a blank expression as he slowly lost consciousness while being surrounded by his own blood.
Swiiiiiiish!
With a loud noise, the whip struck Venion's head, making him finally lose consciousness.
Raon stuffed another steak into his mouth. Raon's eyes were open, but he did not see Venion. What he saw was his past self. That was why he could not stop.
It was at that moment.
"You're going to choke."
Tap. Tap.
He could feel the sturdy yet warm hand on his back. He was familiar with it now. Raon turned his head.
"Tsk, it's all over your mouth."
The voice was as indifferent as usual. Raon could see a sleeve wiping his mouth as well as Cale's face.
Raon slowly turned his head.
Venion was lying on the ground. Raon looked at the unconscious Venion and started to speak.
"I will continue to watch."
"Sure. Let's watch together."
Raon put his head on the table as Cale said that. Cale continued to pat Raon's back as he looked at Beacrox. Beacrox could see that Cale was frowning.
"What is it young master?"
"Why are you using the potion now?"
Cale pointed to the potion in Beacrox's hand with his chin. Beacrox asked a question back with confusion.
"Don't we need to heal him?"
"Use it when he looks like he's about to croak."
Although Venion had fainted, he was still groaning. His entire body was covered in blood and made it look like his skin was red.
Beacrox looked toward Venion after hearing what Cale had to say and nodded his head.
"He won't die just yet. Your order is correct and amazing."
He put the potion back down.
Cale let out a sigh then went to lift Raon up in his arms. He then started to frown.
Raon was heavy.
Raon was very heavy.
Although Raon had not grown in size these past few months, his weight seemed to have exponentially increased. Cale could feel his arms slightly shaking but kept on holding Raon. He couldn't just leave him here.
Cale could feel his shoulders starting to get sweaty as he looked at On and Hong. They were anxiously walking circles around Cale and Raon. Cale sensed his arms quickly going numb and quickly started to speak.
"Let's rest a bit."
Nobody said anything in opposition. However, Beacrox had a question.
"What should I do when he wakes up?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
Raon answered after that.
"We will continue."
"What he said."
"I understand."
Cale pushed the door and it opened with a small noise. Choi Han was standing there with an expression that showed both anger and sorrow. Cale gave an order to Choi Han who looked back and forth between Raon and himself.
"There's an unopened bottle of wine in there. Bring that along with a glass."
Cale decided that he needed to drink tonight. Cale headed for the residence upstairs as he asked Raon.
"Did you grow bigger? You're heavier than last time."
"Weak human, you just have no arm strength."
"I can't say anything about that."
Raon, who had been stuffing himself since the early morning, raised his head. He could see the view outside the residence. The fog had lifted, and morning was quickly approaching.
"Well, it's good that you are growing. Good job getting bigger."
Raon put his face on Cale's shoulder after hearing that. Cale's arm was shaking but Raon pretended not to know. And Cale let Raon do that.
He was only four years old. It was fine for him to act this way.
***
It was now late at night three days later. Raon flew up from the table and landed in front of Venion.
"Huff, huff."
Venion was breathing heavily. His face had become a mess in the last few days and that arrogant noble was now crying and begging for his life.
He had glared at first thinking that someone would come to save him, but he grew tired and weary as he did not know how much time had passed. All he knew that Raon continued to eat meals while watching him suffer.
"Venion Stan."
Raon quietly looked down at Venion who had his face on the ground and did not dare to look up.
Raon remembered the others who had abused him as well. Cale already had a plan to punish those people as well. This included the Marquis. Although the Marquis had not personally abused him, he was the one responsible for all of this in the first place. Even he will pay for it soon enough.
"I plan to let you live."
That was why Raon was planning on letting Venion live.
Raon felt like even the term human was wasted on Venion after seeing this weak, stupid, and hateful human who was shaking without being able to even look at him.
Raon remembered what Venion had said to him in the past.
"It really is best to see this dragon bastard's blood when I'm annoyed. Always gets me in the mood."
A calm voice reached Venion's ear.
"And I will come find you whenever I don't have an appetite."
Raon was planning to do the same thing Venion had done.
Venion's body started to shake after hearing what Raon had to say. The dark red fog surrounded Venion's body again. Venion continued to shake in fear. He looked at the dark red fog surrounding him and tried not to lose consciousness.
"Looks like he is unconscious."
In the end, he fell unconscious. Beacrox verified that Venion was knocked out before looking at Cale. Cale was slightly astonished while looking at Beacrox.
For three days, Beacrox had instilled fear in that snotty Venion's mind. It was only natural that Venion's entire body was injured, but Beacrox had given Venion enough fear every so often to make him lose his will.
'There's no need for Cage's mental torture.'
They didn't need to call Cage.
Of course, there were many times that it was difficult for even Cale to watch Beacrox torturing Venion because of how brutal it was. However, he had to watch as he promised to watch.
Choi Han approached them and stood next to Cale while looking down at Venion.
"He seemed to have been hoping for the Marquis to come save him. Too bad."
The only thing that kept Venion going was the fact that he had hope that the Marquis would come save him. Even if he wasn't the legitimate successor, one of his potential successors had disappeared. They would need to find him even if it was to just save face.
"Do you mean that?"
"No."
Choi Han shook his head at Cale's question.
"I feel like we need to torture him more but this is Raon's business so I am holding back."
"Good."
"Although the fact that Raon told him he will not kill him probably put some hope in his heart."
Choi Han looked down at Venion with an odd expression.
As Venion thought, the Marquis was currently frantically looking for Venion.
Two of Venion's lackeys were caught by Taylor's friend Cage and they had revealed that Venion had worked with the Stan territory's underworld to do all sorts of illegal deeds.
That revelation put the citizens in a state of shock. Although the Marquis and his family was tyrannical, they had thought that they were at least upright nobles.
The Marquis was currently looking for Venion Stan who had left his injured lackeys behind and ran away when Cage and her crew caught them.
Of course, the person with the evidence for all of this was the eldest son, Taylor Stan.
Cale gave an order to Beacrox and Choi Han.
"Get it ready."
Beacrox put on a new pair of white gloves. A potion was in his hand. Venion Stan will end up getting caught in his secret base in the back alley without an injury on his body.
It was time for him to feel despair while remaining alive.