Lily felt her chest caving in after realizing from Damien's words and expression that her ancestor was beyond saving. Even someone not well versed in medicine could tell that. It was not that she couldn't sense it herself, but she just didn't want to accept it.
She refused to think that someone as strong as her grandpa, who fought his sickness for years, would succumb to this.
"Is there nothing we can do to help?" Reva asked in a low voice, though she was strangely feeling a pain in her chest…a pain she felt because of seeing Lily so devastated.
Yuria was not an expert in medicine like Damien, but she could tell that Marvin didn't have much time. She didn't say anything but stayed close to Lily to be there for her.
"There has to be something we can do, right? Damien…" Lily unconsciously grabbed Damien's arm since he was her only source of hope and strength. She felt as if he could really bring about miracles no matter how hopeless a situation was.
Marvin slowly turned his head towards Damien and shook his head with a firm gaze, making Damien's expression conflicted.
"I…I am sorry, Lily…" However, Damien could only hold her hand with a lowered head.
Marvin was coughing out blood as his eyes seemed languid. He forced a smile as his trembling hand caught Lily's hand, "Lily…leave it. I know…I am done for, and it is my fault only…"
"B-But…I…I can't lose you…" Lily said in a teary voice as tears trickled down her cheek. She considered Marvin as her own grandfather and the only blood family who loved and took care of her.
After her parents died, Marvin was the only one looking out for her in the palace despite the fact that he was bed-ridden. Otherwise, even she couldn't tell what Olivia would have done to her.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})He was also the one who even stopped Ruthren from taking her away and bought her enough time till she met Damien. Everything she had now was all because of him.
Marvin softly smiled as he shook his head and took one last look at her with pride in his eyes, "You don't need me…anymore. Cough…cough…You now have a husband who will protect and cherish you…forever. You have also become strong enough to look after yourself…Your parents will be proud. I have no more regrets. I…I can be at peace…"
Marvin's eyes suddenly lost their light, with his eyes still half-open and a peaceful smile on his face. Even though dying from a ruptured ethereal core was a very painful death, it seemed not even that pain could rob him of the relief he felt in knowing the fact that he placed Lily in good hands.
It was one of his biggest worries that he might not be able to give Lily the life she wanted, but after the wedding today, he no longer had that worry.
"G-Grandpa? No…no…" Lily's weak voice cracked as she held his head, her eyes filled with tears. Reva and Yuria hugged her from both sides to comfort her while Reva slowly closed Marvin's eyes.
"How impressive. He lasted longer than I thought he would. Well, I always knew Marvin had a strong heart," The Lancaster Emperor said with a scoff, not at all bothered by how the Forsaken people had him surrounded and even had their weapons out.
"Lurin Lancaster! You have gone too far. Do you seriously think you will leave this place alive after betraying us and even killing one of our own?" Elor said with seething rage since Marvin was a good friend of his.
"We were fools to think that we could trust you," Irene said, her expression filled with resentment and guilt since she was the one who said to let Lurin join, thinking it was okay to trust a man like him. She felt that even if someone knew a person for centuries, it didn't really mean they fully knew that person.
"Lurin…I thought I could even trust you with my life, but now I will personally make sure you die a traitor's death," King Krisen said with an unblinking stare. He was not only angry but also disappointed at himself for his poor judgment. He was the one who vouched for Lurin in the first place.
Leon had his brows furrowed with a serious expression since he felt that something seemed off about Lurin.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})"That is not Emperor Lancaster!"
Damien's shout made everyone look at him with a baffled expression while some wondered if they heard him right.
Even Lily, who was feeling numb all over after losing her grandpa, slowly looked in Damien's direction, wondering what he meant by that.
'I knew it…' Yuria mumbled inwardly.
Damien slowly walked out towards the open as he said with an intense gaze, "This man is Emperor Lancaster in body but not in soul. If I am right, Emperor Lancaster is already dead, and someone else is controlling his body using his soul. Am I not right, Ruthren?" Damien asked as he felt a strong aura of death emanating from Lurin's body.
"Ehh? What is Sir Damien saying?"
"I-I don't know…But we all know Sir Damien is never wrong…"
Elor, Irene, King Krisen, and Leon's gazes narrowed as if they finally realized something and felt that what Damien said made sense regarding all that happened just now but at the same time, it didn't technically.
*Clap! Clap!*
Ruthren clapped as he said, "Bravo, Damien. I didn't really expect you to figure out this. Nobody would ever think of it or even believe something like this is possible. But then again, you were always a wild card that kept getting in my way with powers and abilities even I couldn't comprehend. You are not even a few dozen years old, and yet you are already powerful enough to stand among the most powerful experts of this continent and even figure out that I am sitting inside a dead body."
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})Ruthren's words shook everyone while filling them with a sense of dread since he casually mentioned that he was taking control of a dead body, especially the body of the powerful Lancaster Emperor.
How terrifyingly powerful must he be to even control the dead?
