Chapter 48: Official Punishment, Come Back Home
"This is wrong!" Cidar suddenly shouted, fear twisting his voice. "We were just doing our jobs! Why are we being punished for this? You’re favoring Adrian too much! He’s not even a Daelthorn anymore! You have no right—"
"Sit," Melissa said.
Her voice was calm, but her eyes turned dull gray. They looked hollow and cold.
A heavy pressure filled the room.
Cidar’s knees buckled, and he sat down without meaning to.
His body was following her will instead of his own.
His entire body became drenched in sweat.
His breath came short and shallow.
"We will be the ones speaking from now on. You’re only allowed to answer with yes or no," Melissa said.
She walked forward and sat in front of him.
"Lucas."
Lucas stepped forward and handed her a stack of documents.
Melissa opened them and began to read.
"Cidar Falleto. Embezzlement of Exorcist Union funds.
"Illegal licensing of unqualified Exorcists. Allowing these Exorcists to harm civilians with their license.
"Silencing those who tried to expose you. Selling cursed artifacts.
"Forging Exorcist Union records. Accepting bribes from businessmen dealing with cursed items."
She flipped another page.
"And assisting in illegal missions that resulted in civilian deaths."
Cidar’s lips trembled.
His body was shaking so hard the chair creaked beneath him.
He finally managed to speak. "Since when...? Since when did you know all this?"
Melissa’s eyes shifted to him.
"You’re only allowed to say yes or no. If you ignore my words again, you’ll lose a limb," she said as a matter of fact.
Cidar shut his mouth immediately.
Melissa stared at him for a moment, then nodded after he didn’t disturb her again.
"All the crimes I listed. Are they true?"
Cidar didn’t respond.
Melissa waited quietly.
The silence stretched on until Cidar finally broke.
"I was ordered by someone to go after Adrian Daelthorn," he said quickly. "That’s why I didn’t send a rescue team when he was trapped by the Cursed Spirit. I don’t know who gave the order, but they’re from the upper echelon of House Daelthorn. I can help you find them, just—"
"That was not a yes or no," Melissa said.
Before Cidar could react, Lucas swung his sword.
There was a dull sound.
Cidar blinked.
He didn’t feel anything at first.
Then he turned his head and saw his arm lying on the ground.
Blood poured out.
A second later, he screamed.
"Stop shouting. As a Rank 3 Exorcist, you should have gone through enough missions that you must have pain tolerance for this level of injury. Now, answer the question I asked," Melissa said.
"Yes! Yes! I did everything you said! Please, save me! I’ll tell you everything!"
Melissa ignored his pleas.
"Cidar Falleto," she said calmly, "you have been found guilty of your crimes. As per the official laws, your punishment is death."
"What—"
Before he could finish, Lucas swung again.
The sword cut cleanly.
Cidar’s head hit the floor with a heavy thud.
Silence filled the room.
The only sound was blood dripping from the body onto the carpet.
Nisha and Oliver stared at the scene with calm, indifferent eyes.
Lily was pale and trembling.
Adrian frowned, his jaw tightening.
Just then, a familiar presence appeared behind him.
It was Elias Daelthorn, his older brother.
"How is it?" Elias said with a carefree smile. "My brats have become quite strong in the last two years, haven’t they?"
Adrian turned around as Elias walked forward.
Without hesitation, Elias threw Cidar’s body off the chair and sat down on it.
Then he leaned back and put his feet on the desk like it was his own office.
Adrian met his gaze silently.
He wanted to complain.
He wanted to tell Elias that Melissa and Lucas shouldn’t have been raised this way.
That they should’ve grown up as normal children, not trained soldiers.
But he sighed and didn’t say anything.
That would have been foolish. This was their world. You were either weak and lived under someone else’s mercy, or you were strong enough to protect yourself.
House Daelthorn was harsh, but it made sure its children were strong enough to protect themselves in this cruel world.
"You could’ve let him live. He might’ve known who’s trying to kill me," Adrian said after a moment.
"There’s no way he did," Elias replied easily. "If it was that simple, we’d have found that person already. Besides..."
He looked at Cidar’s headless body and shook his head.
"I saved him from torture by giving him a quick death. The Provisional House Head is furious that her Exorcist died protecting you. She hates losing her people. She wants blood right now, and if I hadn’t ended it quickly, she would’ve made sure this man saw a hell before he died."
Adrian nodded slightly.
The room went quiet for a few seconds.
Elias turned his gaze to Nisha, Oliver, and Lily.
"Thank you for helping Adrian. We’ll make sure you’re compensated. Now, about the Exorcist who exorcised that Cursed Spirit, do you know—"
"What about my money?" Nisha interrupted.
Elias blinked. "What?"
"I spent all my money bribing the Exorcists from the central union so they’d come late when Adrian woke up," she said.
"...We’ll pay you back. You don’t have to worry."
"Just my money? No extra payment for saving his life?" she said, raising a brow.
Elias stared at her for a moment, his lips twitching.
Even Melissa looked at Nisha strangely.
Finally, Elias gave in and nodded.
"Yes, you’ll get extra."
"Good," Nisha said, leaning back on the sofa. "It was the disciple of the Monkey King who exorcised the Cursed Spirit. He’s also the one who took out Frank."
"What!?"
Elias straightened immediately, the easy smile gone from his face.
Adrian, Melissa, and Lucas also looked shocked.
"Monkey King had a disciple?" Elias asked. "Since when—"
"I don’t know anything else," Nisha said quickly, cutting him off.
She decided not to mention that the man used portals.
Elias rubbed his forehead and sighed. "Why do these things always happen when I’m supposed to be on holiday?"
He turned to Adrian. "Anyway, you’re coming home. Pack your things in a day or two."
"What?" Adrian blinked, confused.
"The Provisional House Head ordered it. You’ll be given a false identity and work at the main estate as an instructor," Elias said.
"Huh?" Adrian’s confusion only deepened.
Before he could say anything, Elias continued. "Her words, not mine: ’Brat, I let you go last time and you were attacked. It’s clear they won’t stop, so come back home. The elders can’t touch you there since too many eyes are watching. And I’m not asking. This is an order.’"
Adrian frowned.
Elias looked at him seriously. "Adrian, your son’s going to get dragged into this world sooner or later.
"If the elders can go after you, they can go after him too.
"So bring him home.
"We’ll train him with the other children. He’ll become strong. He’ll be able to protect himself."
Adrian stayed quiet.
For years, he had been thinking about the same thing.
Nisha and the others had been protecting Lyra and his son, but that couldn’t last forever.
He didn’t want his son to walk the path of Exorcist.
But.... maybe it was too much to hope for a peaceful life.