“You... What are you...”
“Isn’t this what you wanted, mother? For your son to be strong?” He suddenly stepped closer. “If that is what you want, how about you lend me a hand?” He grabbed her shoulders, fingernails like claws digging into her bare skin. “Surrender.”
Before she could react, a burning sensation overtook her body.
“Wha...?”
But it lasted for only a moment. Her power receded until the only thing left was...cold. The whole world suddenly felt frigid. If true coldness was just a lack of warmth, then what she felt now was the lack of power.
Nefradia sputtered wordlessly as she was absolutely stunned. She felt so weak, so flimsy. Even though she held the rank of archduchess, her power had been stripped from her so effortlessly.
“Oh, this is good.” In contrast, her son was overwhelming. His presence was far more intense than it had been just a moment prior. “Thank you, mother. You can’t beat family, can you? This power suits me very well.”
“G-Give it back! Give me back my power! How could you...?!” Nefradia clung to him, but he brushed her off as he might some peasant.
“This is what you wanted, is it not? Look at your son. Don’t you see how powerful he is?” He smiled, and something almost like a glint took to his eyes. “With this, taking the powers of everyone else will be trivial. I am thankful, truthfully.”
“Do you... Do you truly think anyone will acknowledge you if this is how you gain power?!”
“Acknowledge me? Why would I care about that? I’ll just take from anyone who stands against me.” Emergias gave a toothy grin as he growled before looking up at the ceiling. “But...father is a different story. As long as he is alive, I will have to strain myself somewhat. Regardless, surely you understand now. I fear no punishment. Even without stepping foot on the battlefield, I can gain as much power as I need.”
“But... But that’s not your power! It’s mine!” Nefradia pulled out her portable spear, holding it to her neck so it would punch through if she deployed it. “Stop this! Give it back! Now! Or I’ll take my own life!”
Nefradia knew about her son’s authority to steal power from others. But it was only a temporary theft. If the victim died, the power he had taken would be no more. Such an ability was far from reliable. It was less stealing, and more borrowing. This kingdom wasn’t so soft that such a feeble authority could take over as its ruler. All his opponents had to do was kill those he had stolen power from to weaken Emergias once more.
“Go ahead. I don’t mind.” But Emergias simply snorted. “Oh, I suppose I forgot to tell you. My last visit to the Abyss gave my authority quite the growth spurt.” He looked down at her. “Now even if my target dies, I keep their power.”
Nefradia was stunned. He had overcome his one fatal weakness?
“No... No, you’re lying!”
“Do you want to put that theory to the test?” Emergias was unflappable. The joy in his eyes made it clear this was no bluff. He was telling the truth.
“Then... Then you really...” He had actually become exceptionally powerful. Despite all of her failings, Nefradia was still an archduchess, and he had taken her power effortlessly.
Emergias’s power had already been growing while he waited in his room, exceeding that of his station of marquis. But now with the addition of Nefradia’s power, the number of people stronger than him in the demonic kingdom could probably be counted on one hand. And if he faced those few exceptions, if he took the powers of Aiogias and Rubifya as well...
But that all came at the cost of Nefradia’s own power. She was now little more than a child who had just grown their horns.
“You always went on and on about how you wanted a son who was fit to rule.” Emergias stared down at her as Nefradia crumpled to the floor. “This should be cause for celebration.”
She didn’t respond. She couldn’t. In her weakened state, Emergias’s overwhelming power was suffocating her.
With a snort, Emergias left the room behind.
“Ssserves you right,” a coarse voice Nefradia didn’t recognize spoke.
Nefradia struggled to lift her head, but she couldn’t find the source of the voice. But as she turned to see Emergias walking away, she saw a mirage of magic swirling in his shadow, like a venomous snake coiling around him.
Dragons soared through the night sky. At their head was Emergias, riding his familiar green dragon. With him wearing his Bon Dage outfit under bone armor while holding a magic spear at his side, Emergias looked ready for war. Behind him were six more dragons, all carrying warriors of the Izanis family. Dragons usually didn’t get involved in scuffles among demons, but considering the white dragon at Zilbagias’s disposal, he could probably consider the seven dragons additional troops.
Yes, troops. Emergias was fully intent on attacking Zilbagias. His objective was to learn the truth behind this new high-speed communication method, and to secure it for himself if possible. There was not a doubt in Emergias’s mind that his little brother would fiercely resist. And when he did, Zilbagias’s power would belong to Emergias.
He should be at the fortress right now.
Emergias’s intelligence had informed him that on top of Zilbagias himself, the seventh prince’s beloved pets were also at the fortress—the abused and persecuted daughter of the white dragons’ leader, and the high elf saint whose mind he had crushed. Each of them possessed incredible individual power. The old Emergias would be in for a tough bout.
“But sssuch should be trivial now,” Jiiria whispered suggestively. Thanks to the power he had taken from his mother, Emergias could undeniably say Zilbagias was now inferior to him. In a battle of magic between them, Emergias would never lose. Zilbagias could strengthen himself with Naming, but Emergias could do the same.
Glancing behind him, Emergias saw the tense faces of Hisuizia and his other warriors. The dragons were anything but enthusiastic in their flight. His subordinates were nervous at the thought of open conflict with another demon heir, but the dragons likely were just irritated at being dragged into this mess.
Whatever came of this night, Emergias planned on taking full responsibility for all of his actions. The dragons and his subordinates were compelled by his orders. That was the extent of their involvement.
Not only am I directly breaking the law against fighting among heirs, but I’m also interfering with father’s research. The punishment will no doubt be severe...
But it would likely amount to no more than house arrest. Based on previous examples, probably thirty to forty years of it. The punishment might be more rigorous if he accidentally killed Zilbagias in the process, but the ideal outcome would be to steal Zilbagias’s power and let him live a useless existence. For other demons, forty years away from the battlefield would be a fatal punishment, but as he was now, Emergias could just stay within his room and see growth in his power.