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This secret room was spacious, clean, simple, and well lit.

“I greet the old patriarch.” Yasa stood in the middle of that room and spoke respectfully with a lowered head.

A man in dark robes sat in front of him, on top of an ancient-looking stone chair. He wore black robes, a black mask, even his clothes and shoes were all black. Nobody could tell his age and appearance.

However, that guttural voice still revealed his gender. He was a man.

“Rehn told me about what happened during the day.” The man in black robes said.

Hearing that, Yasa’s face blushed and his tightly clenched fists trembled intensely—his eyes flashed with killing intent. That hatred was not against the man in black robes, but Yaeger.

‘This damn w̲h̲o̲r̲e̲ made me lose everything and even lose the right to be a human. I will rip her into a million pieces!’

“It’s Kastina. If Kastina didn’t involve herself behind the scenes, I would never… I will never receive such humiliation! Old patriarch, our [Sword Clan] has been wronged!”

He hated both Yaeger and the seventh princess. After all, the latter had aided a foreigner despite being a member of the royal family. Yasa had never assumed that he was the one in the wrong. Instead, the entire world is at fault but not him.

“The royal family, haha.” The man in black robes chuckled and spoke in disdain.

“Old patriarch, a royal family like this never deserves the protection of our clan!” Yasa spoke emotionally.

There were now 2 patriarchs in [Sword Clan], one on the surface and another behind the scenes. The patriarch that was known to everyone was nothing but a tool to attract destruction. The true patriarch of the clan was this man in black robes.

After a moment of silence.

“Yasa, do you know about our ancestor’s story?” The man in black robes said.

“I know.” Yasa nodded, not understanding why the old patriarch would suddenly ask him about this.

Once upon a time, the ancestor of [Sword Clan] and the ancestor of the current royal family were both adventurers, they were as close as brothers. The two of them had adventures together. They constantly developed their forces and conquered the world for themselves. Finally, they built a country here.

Back then, both of them were qualified to become the emperor. However, the ancestor of [Sword Clan] did not fight for that position with the royal family’s ancestor. Instead, he willingly chose to become the latter’s defender.

“Our ancestor is such a great man. Sadly, the royal family is just terrible!” Yasa spoke angrily.

Their [Sword Clan] had protected the royal family for countless years, but all they received in return were endless humiliation and shame. Back then, when [Shield Clan] forcefully annulled the marriage, the [Sword Clan] would never become a laughingstock if the royal family stood by their side and stopped it from happening.

During this morning, if the seventh princess had chosen to support him, he would never lose his right to be a human as he did now!

“Alicia, have you heard about that name?”

The man in black robes did not make any comment after hearing Yasa’s words. Instead, he suddenly asked.

“I’ve heard of it, how could I not? That person was the most outstanding prodigy ever since the kingdom’s founding. Sadly, she was ruined before she could achieve anything.”

Although his words were sympathetic, there was actually a massive smile on his face.

Because Alicia was the eldest princess of the kingdom, a member of the royal family. By now, he hated the royal family with every fiber of his being.

“Yasa, do you know of [Berserk Warrior], Akkash?” The man in black robes asked again.

Yasa felt excited after hearing this familiar name, because…

“Of course. He’s the strongest warrior of the Empire, the eagle of the Empire, the light that illuminates the land, and he’s my respected grandfather!”

“Then do you know what happened to Princess Alicia back then?” The man in black robes asked.

Yasa shook his head. As a youngling, he knew nothing about this secret.

The man in black robes slowly tapped the stone armrest with his fingers and spoke slowly, “Back then, your grandfather was Alicia’s bodyguard captain, responsible for protecting her. But in fact, Alicia has no need for any bodyguards at all. She was simply too strong, terrifyingly strong. However, in the end, she’s still young and ignorant.”

At this point in the conversation, the man in black robes spoke mockingly.

“At one day, she paid a heavy price because of her ignorance. That’s right, she is cursed!” The more he spoke, the more excited he became. “Alicia, who had the highest potential within the Empire and was lauded as the heavenly chosen Queen, fell into the endless abyss!”

Yasa listened while feeling excitement. He could picture the scene where a young girl wilted sorrowfully like a flower at sunset.

At this moment, the man in black robes changed the subject. “As Alicia’s bodyguard captain, Akkash was summoned by the Emperor at that time. That’s right, your grandfather is suspected of colluding with external powers!”

As he spoke, his hands started trembling uncontrollably. He seemed to be truly emotional.

“As a response of his Majesty’s doubt, your grandfather, Akkash, committed suicide on the spot to prove his innocence!”

“Damned Emperor!” Learning of such a secret for the first time, Yasa was so enraged that his eyes were completely widened to the point of cracking.

That person in question was the grandfather that he worshiped since young, someone he revered as a hero. Yet, he could never expect that his grandfather died just like that.

“Sooner or later, I will… I will…” ‘Kill all the royalty.’ Yasa didn’t say that out loud because it was utterly rebellious!

The man in black robes ignored him and continued speaking, “Akkash died just like that. However, at that point, the seeds of doubt were already planted in the royal family’s mind. Doubt is something that will grow on its own without any fertilizer. As time passes, it will thrive and eventually grow into a massive tree. I’m sure you have personally witnessed the changes of our [Sword Clan] throughout the years. That’s right, The royal family no longer trusts us!” He slammed the armrest suddenly, creating cracks.

“These damned royals. We would risk our lives for them but yet they have the gall to doubt our loyalty! Absolutely ridiculous!” Yasa was immensely enraged by those words. Now, he realized that the royal family was the reason why [Sword Clan] had suffered so many hardships over the years. Yet, the ridiculous fact was that they still did everything they could to protect such a family!

Ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous!

“Loyalty is something that our [Sword Clan] used to have. But it’s been long gone by now.” The man in black robes said.

“Huh?” Hearing this, Yasa was perplexed.

“Because the one that assisted [that person] in cursing Alicia is your grandfather.” As soon as he said those words, Yasa felt like he had been struck by a thunderbolt that completely roasted his innards.

‘All the anger I felt just now, is it for nothing?’

“But still, in the end, it’s all the royal family’s fault.” The man in black robes continued speaking, “If they didn’t suppress our [Sword Clan] at first, would we start feeling the desire to rebel? Yasa, do you know about the [Shattered Mirror War]?”

By now, Yasa finally returned to his senses and forcefully suppressed the complicated emotions that rose from his heart. He said,

“I know. It was the battle that determined the Jade Empire’s National Fate.”

“No, it was also the battle that determined the fate of our [Sword Clan]. The man in black robes shook his head.”

“Our [Sword Clan] was at its prime during that year. We have many exemplary people and the clan was prosperous. However, during that battle that decided the National Fate, our [Sword Clan] almost lost everything! The damned royal family sent all of the elites in our clan to the front lines! That brutal war completely shattered our clan’s future!”

“Those goddamned royalty just stayed behind and watched as our clan wilted and devolved, while having the biggest smile on their faces! It’s obvious that our ancestor gave the throne to their ancestor! But why don’t they understand gratitude at all? Why can they repress us and bully us recklessly, without a care in the world?”

“Yasa, do you know why?” The man in black robes tilted his head as bloodlust flashed in his eyes.