It had been 10–11 days since Lucifer arrived in the duchy… and by now he had grown tired even of torturing the members of the Asher family.
The Asher family had a total of 124 people—5 men and the rest all women.
In the past 10–11 days, Lucifer had tortured them so brutally that only 10 women and 4 men remained alive.
The surviving men were Xavier, Haaland, Gerdy, and Wendy.
Kevin had died just one day earlier after being continuously raped by wild boars.
Even upon his death, Lucifer didn't give Kevin's mother, Usla, a single moment to mourn her son—because at that very moment Usla was being mounted by those same three wild boars. Lucifer made her endure the boars for at least three hours every day.
Ravina, meanwhile, was forced to take a black stallion for two hours.
After that came the turn of Fabina and Repklice, and finally Cloe and Avery.
Care was also taken of the boars and stallions—they weren't machines that could keep going endlessly, so every 1–2 hours the animals were swapped out.
At the end of each day, the survivors were given two pieces of bread and, instead of water, horse urine. For the main dish or curry, they were fed boar feces.
That was the fate of the men. As for the women, the survivors were Ravina, Usla, Fabina, Repklice, Cloe, Avery, Debry, Jesina, Lucy, and Ijlicta.
All of their bodies had become gaunt and frail—no proper food, no clean water. Most of them thought death would be better than eating this… but death was not an option.
Yet they had no idea that today would be their last day, and that Lucifer would finally get the chance to fulfill his vow and end his long boredom.
After all, even an executioner would grow bored hanging people day after day. And Lucifer was still only an 18–19-year-old boy.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Amelia, Mia, and everyone else—including Silva's and Vibrosa's groups—entered the duchy.
As the wagons moved forward, the sound of the horses' hooves drew people outside. They were not plump and healthy, but there was peace in their eyes. For the past 10–11 days, no one had harassed or disturbed them—not once. They had never known such tranquility before.
Suddenly, a child spotted Mephis and Allen and shouted, "Daddy! Daddy! They've arrived! They've arrived!"
At the child's cry, the people nearby also turned to look at Mephis, Allen, and the rest. In their eyes, these newcomers were not rulers—they were saviors.
Amelia surveyed everyone with a single glance, then bowed deeply in greeting. After that, all the wagons began moving toward the Asher ducal residence.
As soon as they reached the road leading to the ducal home, a horrific stench hit Amelia and the others; they covered their noses. At that moment, Allen spoke:
"Miss, this is where the master slaughtered over 25,000 of Asher's knights. Look—the soil itself has turned red."
Mia looked around, and her eyes filled with love for Lucifer. After all, her son had done all this for her and for her daughter—to avenge their gang rape. How could her eyes not well up with tears?
Everyone dismounted in front of the ducal house one by one.
First Amelia stepped down, then Rubi, then Mia… everyone descended. They gazed at the ducal residence.
Suddenly, without a sound, two arms reached out and tightly pulled Mia into an embrace—or rather, Mia melted into the hug.
At first Mia was startled—who was hugging her so suddenly? But when she saw the silver hair, she instantly knew it was Lucifer. She pulled him close to her chest, and Lucifer shrank into his mother's arms like a nursing child, snuggling into her breasts. There was no lust in this—only pure innocence. No matter how grown he was, to his mother he was still just her little boy.
After that, Lucifer hugged Amelia and said, "Big sis, you took so long to come… Do you know how much loneliness I had to face?" Saying this, he clung to her arms again.
Then he went straight to Westeria, scooped her up in his arms, and said, "My dear Wess, look—from today onward, this is no longer the Asher duchy. It will only be Westirifer… just as I promised you."
And then he gave her a deeply passionate kiss—so intense that Mia and Amelia both felt a twinge of jealousy toward Westeria.
Next, he embraced Rubi, and finally he gently ran his hand over Jason's head and said, "Jason, you didn't trouble anyone, did you? …Never mind, you're sensible. You must have taken care of everyone. Come inside… No, no—don't come inside yet. Not yet."
Lucifer turned to Allen and said, "Allen, my cleaver."
Allen drew the cleaver and replied, "Here, young master," handing it over.
Then Lucifer looked at Jeff and said politely, "Uncle Jeff, may I have your blade?"
Jeff asked no questions and simply gave it to him.
After that, Lucifer turned to the watching people of the duchy and said with affection and humility, "Would you all do one small favor for me?"
An elderly man asked, "What do you wish, my lord?"
Lucifer replied, "Grandpa, who am I to be your lord? I'm only about to become one. Just think of me as your son or grandson—that's more than enough."
Tears welled up in the old man's eyes at Lucifer's words.
Lucifer continued, "Grandpa, you shouldn't do this task—it isn't right for you. I need people who hate the Ashers even more than I do."
From the back, a man of 40–45 years shouted, "Child, we all hate them more than you ever could!"
"Your name, uncle?"
"Borris."
"Uncle Borris, will you and your friends please bring the remaining Ashers out here? My mother and sister will sever their heads with their own hands."
Borris asked, "Child, how many are left inside?"
"Four men and ten women."
Then Lucifer added, "Uncle, do you wish to claim any head except these four?"
"Which four, son?"
"Those four are mine: Xavier, Usla, Ravina, and Haaland."
Borris's voice cracked. "Child… give me Haaland. His men murdered my son and raped my wife until she died." Tears rolled down his cheeks. "And while that happened, Haaland's daughter Repklice was at my home… she raped me too."
Lucifer nodded. "Very well, uncle. Take his head. The rest of the corpses will be fed to wild beasts. Go—bring them all."
As Borris and his companions turned, Lucifer called, "Wait!"
He faced the crowd again. "Aunts, sisters—if any of you wish to kill one of the others, step forward. Gerdy and Haaland's families are inside, along with their concubines."
A woman of 50–55 stepped out—mature, still strikingly beautiful. Lucifer regarded her with compassion, not desire, and let her speak.
"Son… Avery raped my daughter, then melted iron in my own forge and poured it into her womb. She screamed until death took her. I want Gerdy and his entire family dead by my hand—or at the very least, Avery."
"Your name, aunt?"
"Misty."
"Aunt Misty, such a beautiful name. Go. She is yours."
Borris, his friends, and Misty entered the palace. Moments later they dragged out the remaining Ashers and forced them to their knees on the bloodstained stone.
Lucifer approached Amelia, pressed Jeff's blade into her hand, and whispered, "Sis, Xavier is yours. End him."
Amelia's rage exploded. She seized the blade and—
SHAAAKHHHH—CRUNCHHH!
SLASHHHHH—SPLURTTT!
SHAAAAKHHHHHH—CRRRACKK!
Two savage stabs punched through Xavier's chest, ribs shattering like glass. Then one monstrous horizontal slash—
SHRRRRIIIIPPPP—THUNK!
—nearly decapitated him in a single stroke, the remaining flesh tearing with a wet rip.
Lucifer handed his massive cleaver to Mia. "Mommy, kill the bitch who laughed while you were gang-raped."
Mia struggled to lift the weapon—it reached her waist—but fury gave her strength. One full, tremendous swing—
SWOOOOOSH—CHOOOOOMPPP!
Usla's head flew clean off, spinning through the air in a crimson arc before thudding to the ground.
Lucifer turned to the crowd. "Grandpa, fetch a truly enormous chest. We will need it."
The old man soon returned, dragging a huge iron-bound box that THUDDED heavily before Lucifer.
"Oswald," Lucifer commanded calmly, "cover mouth and nose. Whatever I give you—place it inside. Everyone else… avert your eyes if you must."
No one looked away. They needed to witness justice.
Lucifer stepped before the kneeling survivors, cleaver gleaming.
First Borris took Haaland.
CRUNCHHH—SHLASHHH! Hands severed.
THWACKK—SPLORCHHH! Legs gone at the knees.
CRRRACKK—RRRIIIPPP! Thighs carved away.
Finally—
KRRR-THOOOOOMPPP! The head struck the stone with a sickening CRACK-SPLAT.
Misty approached Avery. Legs forced wide, Misty drove the blade upward—
SHHHHHHRRRIIIIPPPPPP—CRUNCH-CRUNCH-CRUNCH!
Steel screamed through flesh and bone from crotch to sternum, guts spilling in steaming ropes. Avery's final shriek gurgled into a wet GLURK.
One by one the others claimed their vengeance—
SLASH—CHOP—CRACK—SHLICK—SPLAT—THUNK—CHOMP—CHOMP—CHOMP!
Until only Ravina remained, shaking, eyes wild with terror.
Lucifer raised the cleaver, voice deceptively gentle.
"Ravina… you were laughing, weren't you?"
SWISH—SHALSHHH!
"Right…?"
CHOP—CHOMP!
"Right…?"
SLASHHH—CRRRUNCH!
"Right…?"
SHALSHHH—SPLURTTT!
"Right…? Right…? Right…? Right…?"
The pace became frenzied.
SHALSH—CHOMP—SLASHHH—CHOP—CRACK—SHALSHHH—CHOMP—CHOMP—THWACKK—SHRRRIPPP—CHOP—CHOP—CHOP—SHALSHHH—CRUNCHHH—SPLAT—CHOMP—CHOMP—CHOMP!
Blood fountained in sheets. Chunks of flesh flew. Bones splintered into shards.
In moments the proud woman was reduced to a quivering, unrecognizable heap of minced meat, fat, and bone fragments—twitching faintly in a spreading red lake.
Lucifer's arms were coated crimson to the shoulders. Gore speckled his silver hair and face. He breathed fast, almost laughing.
"Oswald—take it. Into the box."
Oswald scooped dripping handfuls—twice—then collapsed unconscious.
Baldwin lasted three loads before fainting.
Godfrey, Geoffrey, and five more men followed—one after another they lifted the warm, slippery remains until they too dropped retching into the blood.
Ruby kept Jason's eyes tightly covered throughout.
Finally the chest brimmed with finely butchered human meat, blood sloshing thickly inside.
Lucifer slammed the lid shut.
He turned to Cesar. "Take this with Alric to the palace gates of Lustbound Heaven. Leave it there.
Tell anyone who asks: 'This is solely for Angelina Asher.'
Only the king, queen, or Angelina may open it. If challenged, speak my name.
Return within six days or I will come for you. Take fresh horses and the strongest wagon. Go."
Cesar bowed and departed.
Lucifer looked at Misty, voice suddenly small and exhausted. "Aunt Misty… please have the palace cleaned a little. Until then, we'll stay in your homes."
Still drenched in blood, he walked into the nearest house, collapsed fully clothed onto the bed, and fell into deep, untroubled sleep—as though the entire world could wait.
Misty watched him and smiled softly.
But Jeff, Silva, Vibrosa, and Samuel did not smile.
They only stared in silent awe, thinking:
How can the same soul be devil and child in a single heartbeat…?
Far away, Remison's terror grew. If Lucifer ever learned the truth… gods help him.
In the quiet house, Mia slipped in beside her sleeping son. She drew his blood-streaked head to her breast, closed her eyes, and drifted into peaceful slumber with him safe in her arms.