For the Blood Clan, possessing a Holy Seal signifies eligibility for the throne. Throughout history, Blood Clan leaders typically possessed only one Holy Seal, meaning there was only one heir apparent.
Yet now, King Steyat remarkably possessed three Holy Seals upon his Heart Core, which meant that both Sista and Moria were eligible to become the next King.
“No wonder you’ve been so close to Sista lately; you intended to install her as your successor.”
Moria’s smile hid a simmering rage.
“The Queen Mother and I truly trusted you too much. I never expected you to be making these little moves in secret.”
As she spoke, she tucked away a small glass vial. Then, with a flash of cold light, she revealed a blood-stained dagger.
King Steyat’s face turned pale instantly. He stumbled back, hitting the bookshelf behind him and sending books scattering everywhere.
“Moria… what… what are you doing?”
His body shook uncontrollably, any semblance of kingly dignity long forgotten. He finally realized his daughter’s ambition was beyond containment.
Members of the Blood Clan possess incredible self-healing abilities; ordinary human weapons were rarely fatal to them. However, there was one exception—weapons coated with a mixture of mercury and the blood of another member of the Blood Clan, excluding one’s own blood.
In ancient times, the Blood Clan was sealed by the God of Beginning and lost the ability of the First Embrace. Since then, this mixture became their most lethal poison.
Of course, such a poison was extremely difficult to obtain. On one hand, its shelf life was incredibly short; once it lost its vitality, the Blood Clan tissue would rapidly decay into sludge. On the other hand, due to their regenerative powers, one had to continuously inflict harm on a kinsman to gather sufficient blood.
“Father, you really are dull.”
Moria’s lips curled into a cold smile that looked exceptionally eerie in the dim room.
“The Tax Law was just a ruse. If I hadn’t obtained Nori’s Heart Core, I might not have found the resolve to kill you.”
“Why did you think I took such a great risk to place you under house arrest?”
Her voice was as cold as a winter wind.
“If you hadn’t honestly admitted to the matter regarding Sista just now, perhaps I would have reconsidered.”
“But unfortunately, Father—you chose the wrong answer.”
These words were like a blade in the cold night, piercing Steyat’s heart. He felt as if all his strength had been drained, and he collapsed heavily onto the floor.
“If I’m not mistaken, you also planned to unite with the supporting Nobles to drive the Queen Mother and me out of the Palace, didn’t you?”
Driven by terror, Steyat crawled backward, his entire body trembling.
“No! No! My daughter, my dear Moria, I am forever on your side!”
“I’ll never listen to Sista again! I accept your proposal from before… we’ll get rid of her together, alright?”
His voice was almost a plea.
“It’s already too late, Father.”
Moria’s tone grew even colder.
“How can I trust a fence-sitter?”
“If I let you go today, you’ll just name Sista as King tomorrow. What would the Queen Mother and I do then?”
“No! You must believe me, I swear by the name of the Goddess—”
Before Steyat could finish, his gaze was locked onto the glint of the dagger. The sharp edge still held traces of undried blood, shimmering with a ghoulish luster in the dim light.
His fingers shook like withered branches as he gripped the carpet, as if trying to tear it apart.
“I am your father… I am your father, Moria! Are you really going to strike down your own father?”
That once-authoritative voice was now as fragile as a flickering candle in the wind.
Just as the dagger closed in, a surge of power seemed to awaken within Steyat. Survival instinct forced him to leap from the floor and dash toward the door with staggering speed.
However, Moria was faster.
She reached out like a bolt of lightning, firmly grasping his arm and wrenching him back. In the next instant, the dagger carved a cold arc through the air, aimed straight for his chest.
“Ah—!”
With a piercing scream, the dagger plunged into his chest. The sharp blade easily pierced through flesh and bone, striking the heart.
The Blood Clan King, who had lived for over 100 years, shuddered violently before slowly collapsing. His solid gold crown tumbled to the floor, and his crimson royal robe spread across the ground like a blooming flower of blood.
*Clang—*
The dagger fell to the floor, letting out a crisp ring.
Moria slowly knelt down and reached out to touch the face that had already lost its warmth.
‘Dead… truly dead…’
‘Is everything I prayed to the Goddess for… finally coming true?’
She stood there, her inner ecstasy intertwined with dread. Years of planning and waiting had finally become reality at this moment. She was about to become the ruler of the Blood Clan’s kingdom. That supreme power felt as if it were within her grasp.
The corners of her mouth curled upward involuntarily, as if she could already see herself draped in royal robes, wearing the crown, and standing at the pinnacle of power while receiving the bows and reverence of her subjects.
However, a moment later, a profound fear quietly surged in her heart.
She had committed regicide with her own hands, and the one she killed was her own father. This was undoubtedly a violation of the Blood Clan’s taboos. She would face countless condemnations and curses.
Moria’s body began to shake uncontrollably, her breathing became erratic, and her eyes gradually grew crazed.
“Father… this is all Sista’s fault!”
“If it weren’t for her, why would I have feared you giving the throne to her?”
“If you had just listened to me sooner and worked with me to eliminate her and hand power to me, we could have lived in peace!”
“No… it’s not just her; that God of Beginning is also at fault!”
“Why did you have three Holy Seals? Why was Sista also qualified to inherit the throne?”
“The God is mocking us!”
She muttered loudly in the room, seemingly trapped in a frantic monologue.
The blood on the floor gradually turned black, and the King’s corpse began to rot, turning into sludge that emitted a nauseating stench.
Outside the door, a pair of terrified eyes watched everything through the crack.
Thomas stood frozen like a statue outside the heavy wooden door, having witnessed this tragic act of regicide.