Chapter 9: Matriarch Lysira von Shade
The throne room of House Shade was unlike anything Victor had ever seen.
The floor beneath his feet was made of dark polished marble, so smooth it mirrored everything above—except the reflections didn't move quite right. They were always just a second behind, like a memory trying to catch up.
On both sides of the hall stood massive pillars carved into the shape of twisted, elegant figures—some locked in tender embrace, others frozen in sorrow and despair. Faint silver runes pulsed slowly at their bases, shifting like mist that had learned how to breathe.
The ceiling was lost behind layers of silk banners in deep red and violet. They hung low and swayed gently despite the still air as if the entire room itself was breathing.
Everything inside seemed to watch him.
And at the very end… stood the throne.
It wasn't some grand chair made for comfort. No, it looked more like something grown than built—dark glass and metal shaped like blooming petals or blades. Shadows curled around it like living cloth, whispering in a voice that didn't touch his ears but stirred somewhere deep in his chest.
Sitting on that throne was the Matriarch of House Shade.
She was dressed in long, flowing layers of black and violet, with a thin veil hiding most of her face and even her eyes. He didn't know how she could even see. She didn't speak and didn't move much either. But her presence was like gravity. Heavy. Absolute.
To her side stood silent guards in strange reflective armor that didn't show their faces, and masked attendants who looked like they'd forgotten how to feel anything long ago.
The air was still. Too still. Thick with the kind of silence that said too much.
This place wasn't meant for comfort.
Victor remained silent, but now he could see Lysira von Shade, the matriarch's face tilted only just a little after he stood up. He believed she might be curious, as how couldn't she be when he was supposed to be dead?
He knew he didn't have much time, so he quickly spoke in his cold, emotionless voice. Even when he was in a new body, his face had adopted the same emotionless look from Victor, his eyes soulless but they had light in them now.
He didn't know what to call her because of his memories, so he decided to call her "Your Majesty" like he had heard in the novel, as what most people in the house called her.
"Your Majesty, I believe I didn't have a corrupted soul and it was an attempt to take me out, planned by my siblings."
He didn't just stop there and continued even when knowing he was bullshitting, but the most important fact was right—he didn't have a corrupted soul now and he only needed one person's approval to walk out of here freely.
"Have you personally checked if I have a corrupted soul or not?" He questioned her.
The people behind the pink mist of illusion had seen the dead Elias wake up and heard what he had said just now.
Victor could only see the Matriarch on the throne and some people beside her. As for other people inside the throne room, he couldn't see their appearance but was aware of their presence as their figures were blurry but tangible.
Lysira behind her veil had a curious look on her face because of his previous demeanor before the soul attack—he had acted quite desperate and even begged her to give him a chance. He didn't outright say he had fallen to corruption, but he did act like he was guilty and knew he didn't have much time to live.
But currently, the way Elias appeared in front of her, stating these things without any emotions on his face while looking at her—she couldn't even detect the strong lust within him that he always had.
'Was all that an act from before to catch the ones who were after him?'
It was a possibility, but she wasn't completely sure.
Who was the one to give her information about his corruption? It was the maid of her one and only favorite daughter, Mirae von Shade, so she didn't even bother to check herself.
But now, after hearing his words and seeing his changed demeanor, she had to see if there was another of her sons who was worthy of attention, as he had even fooled her all this time with his act until now.
"Alright." She only said one word.
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Behind the mist of lust and illusion, Mirae was witnessing everything. She was shocked that one of her weakest brothers didn't die with that powerful soul attack which could kill a Bronze Vow user easily.
But hearing his words didn't even make her bat an eye. One of her trusted maids had informed her about him falling to corruption, and she had even checked it personally, so she was sure his lies wouldn't work in front of her mother.
'Elias, your death would be even more painful now if Mother sees your corrupted soul.'
She found him very pathetic from the very start because of his lustful nature, and now this—his death didn't make her feel a thing even if he was one of her siblings.
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The words coming out of her mouth once again tried to evoke lust in him, but he resisted with his willpower alone and remembered there was only one person he loved with all his heart.
Lysira was once again surprised that even after hearing the words coming out of her mouth, he didn't show lust and resisted it with his will alone. Now she was sure that her son Elias von Shade was not as simple as he seemed. He was definitely hiding everything about himself from others.
She released her vow energy, which was in the form of a pink mist. It flowed toward Elias and covered his body for only a second before vanishing away.
"It seems you are telling the truth, Elias. Your soul really isn't corrupted, and not just that—you haven't even taken a vow just yet."
"I don't know how you were able to fool Mirae, but it seems you succeeded in it masterfully, and you even survived the soul attack earlier. Was it an artifact? It should be, as you are not strong enough to block with your strength. I don't know how you got that, but you really did arouse my interest, Elias."
"I will be keeping my eyes on you from now on, Elias von Shade."