Inside the workspace, David stood facing the window with his back to Arthur, who stood a few meters away.
Feeling both confused and curious, Arthur refrained from speaking and patiently waited for David to initiate the conversation.
After a few minutes, David stayed silent.
However, Arthur patiently waited until he finally heard David's voice.
"Arthur, do you know why your mom hates me so much?" David suddenly said something that greatly surprised Arthur.
At first, he thought that the initial topic David was going to talk about was the promotion he received.
However, he did not expect at all that the subject would be something he had never thought of or anticipated: his mother, Elizabeth.
Although Arthur was taken aback, he maintained an unchanged and indifferent facial expression.
"I have no idea," he replied nonchalantly.
"My mother never mentioned anything about it, so I simply don't know."
Naturally, he was lying.
Elizabeth often harbored a strong desire to kill whenever there was news about David or anything related to him.
Arthur was well aware of Elizabeth's deep-seated hatred, thanks to his knowledge of Elizabeth's background through the novels.
Upon hearing Arthur's answer, David appeared unsurprised and continued speaking.
"At that time, there was a prosperous small kingdom located near the southern region," he said, speaking with a touch of nostalgia in his voice.
"Coincidentally, rumors circulated that this kingdom intended to rebel against the Balka Empire by forming an alliance with the Savaran Empire."
"Upon hearing this, Emperor Alex sought my assistance in launching an attack on that kingdom as a deterrent against their rebellious intentions." David paused briefly.
Arthur continued to listen attentively to the topic at hand.
As the novel lacked detailed explanations, he found himself devoid of relevant information.
"Mother's obsession must have stemmed from this story," Arthur muttered softly, his curiosity growing.
"At that time, I decisively led a hundred thousand soldiers, ten thousand of whom possessed extraordinary power, all of them being Elementals of the fifth to eighth circles!" David boasted, his tone tinged with pride.
Hearing this, such an overwhelming expression appeared on Arthur's face that he felt a little short of breath.
One hundred thousand troops, with ten thousand individuals being five- to eight-circle elementals!
This incredible lineup truly made Arthur feel the absurdity of the situation.
Considering the immense power of such an army, it was evident that acquiring and maintaining it would require terrifying resources.
One could only imagine the grandeur of Duke Asvold's mansion!
Arthur took a deep breath and continued to listen.
"You may be wondering why I personally led the expedition instead of delegating it to my subordinates," David questioned.
Arthur nodded affirmatively, his voice low. "Yes."
David paused briefly and chuckled. "Hehe, it's because I wanted to exterminate that kingdom myself!"
"Emperor Alex was too lenient to grant that insignificant kingdom any chances!"
"Unlike him, my objective was to eliminate all those harboring rebellious intentions!"
"So that anyone entertaining thoughts of rebelling against the Empire and I would know the consequences!" David declared in a cold and resolute voice.
Arthur gazed deeply at David and acknowledged his admirable loyalty to the Balka Empire.
"However, your obsession led to the rebellion and the involvement of numerous innocent lives, didn't it?" He murmured, filled with regret.
It could be said that this trait of David's was both a strength and a weakness.
Soon, David continued speaking, his voice trembling slightly, a stark contrast to his usual demeanor.
"However, all of my obsessions somehow disappeared when I saw the princess of the kingdom, who is your mother, Elizabeth," David revealed.
"Her appearance and figure bewitched me, causing me to lose control, and I ended up forcing her to become my wife."
"However, she refused so firmly that I had to kill all her relatives, and finally, her father, before her eyes," David said, devoid of any guilt, as if it were an inevitable course of action.
"You know, in the end, I destroyed her kingdom right before her eyes."
"Moreover, I kidnapped her and forced her to become my wife until now, hahaha!" David laughed with a resounding voice.
Arthur frowned upon hearing this fact.
Although he had read about it in the novel, experiencing the story in person made it feel entirely different.
He clenched his palms, feeling anger well up within him.
The intensity of his emotions was almost overwhelming.
However, his extraordinary emotional control enabled him to prevent himself from succumbing entirely to anger.
Gradually, he managed to calm himself down.
Nevertheless, anger still lingered in his heart.
After all, Elizabeth was not only his mother but also his first love in this world.
It was only natural for him to desire revenge, wasn't it?
Just then, David turned around and fixed a stern gaze on Arthur.
"Do you know why I can do this?" David spoke in an indifferent tone.
However, before Arthur could answer, he promptly interrupted him.
"It's because I possess incredible power, Arthur!" He exclaimed in an excited tone.
"It's all about power!"
"In a world where the strong prey on the weak!"
"Where strength is the ultimate law!"
"Where everything aligns in your favor based on your power!"
"Arthur!"
"Remember this deep within yourself!" David shouted, staring intensely at Arthur.
The pressure in the entire room suddenly became overwhelmingly heavy.
David's aura permeated the mansion, instilling a sense of panic in everyone inside.
His words carry the weight of an imperial edict, demanding obedience from all who hear them.
Hearing all this, Arthur widened his eyes as he stared at David in front of him.
For the first time, the calm expression and clear mind that he used to control everything seemed to be out of use.
...
On the balcony of the room,
Arthur stood, gazing up at the three moons in the clear night sky.
The hour was well past midnight.
However, Arthur felt neither sleepiness nor fatigue.
Naturally, he couldn't sleep after his conversation with David earlier.
The undeniable truth left him speechless.
David's actions toward his mother were undeniably cruel.
Nevertheless, the intensity of Elizabeth's hatred for David grew exponentially.
But was what David did justified?
Perhaps it was right from his own perspective but wrong from Arthur's.
To be honest, deep in his heart, he couldn't completely dismiss the notion that David might not be entirely wrong.
After all, what David said was 100 percent true.
In a world where everything revolves around power, the one who possesses the greatest power is certainly considered right.
This principle held true not only in his previous world, where his family, the Welston family, wielded immense influence, but also in his current reality.
"However, although I agree with your words, I have my own principles and beliefs, David."
He disagreed with David, who had become so consumed by his power that he had lost his sanity.
Despite possessing tremendous strength and influence, Arthur made it a point to remind himself not to be controlled by them.
After all, his primary objective in seeking power was to return to his previous world and reunite with his loved ones.
Arthur let out a soft sigh, his gaze drawn to the mesmerizing twinkle of the stars.
"You may be right, David," Arthur conceded with a faint smile, a touch of madness flickering in his purple eyes.
As if a memory had resurfaced, Arthur chuckled, his voice suddenly taking on a somber tone.
"Oh yes, Abel," he mused.
"I almost forgot about you."
"Of course, you're also one of the individuals I need to eliminate to ensure my complete safety," He said lightly.
"All the pieces are in place."
"I have acquired status, awakened powers, and most importantly, the crucial character connection," Arthur said, his lips curling into a cold smile.
"Now, it's simply a matter of perfecting everything." He let out a small grunt and made his way back to his room.
The brisk wind tousled his hair, while his purple eyes gleamed subtly under the luminous moonlight.
---------
Well, I finally finished this volume huft~
I honestly wanted to go faster, but due to time constraints, I'm taking it slowly. I'm sorry~
If I may be a bit of a spoiler, this chapter is quite important because there is a slight change in Arthur's character.
However, don't worry; it won't really turn him cruel to anyone, but of course, only to his enemies will he become very cruel.
This chapter will also end Little Arthur and start a new chapter where time skips and Arthur becomes a teenager.
Also, the story in the novel officially begins.
By the way, I will release the bonus chapter I promised tomorrow, or maybe the day after tomorrow.
Thank you for your support~
