Chapter 1068: Congratulations
"He’s dead," Anthony stated flatly, his voice devoid of emotion, as though he had merely brushed aside an insignificant insect rather than ended the life of a powerful individual.
Bryan, Rider, Bringer, and Tiara stared at Anthony with confused expressions; they hadn’t seen him do anything, and yet he was already saying the man was dead. But did they doubt him? Not really, not in the slightest, not after everything they had already witnessed from him up until this very moment.
Tiara’s eyes turned toward her hand; on her finger was her engagement ring, the one that Elara Bloodmoon had personally provided. She and Drake wore them, an artefact that linked the both of them in a sense; when one of them died, the other would know through the engagement ring. The moment Tiara stared at her engagement ring, her eyes widened in shock as she watched the ring, which had been blood-red a moment ago, now dim swiftly until it became completely colorless, losing all traces of its former brilliance as though life itself had been drained from it.
The others who saw Tiara’s expression and noticed her gaze fixed on her ring didn’t need her to explain anything; they could already guess the function of the ring, as it was very popular amongst couples who truly loved each other, and it was how they monitored each other’s vital signs in such a cruel, wicked world. After all, you could be laughing with someone today, sharing moments and memories, and the very next day they could be dead or missing, gone without a trace, leaving nothing but silence and grief behind.
"I guess this is the part where I say congratulations for your freedom," Bryan said from the side as a smile appeared on his lips, his tone light yet carrying a hint of genuine relief for her.
Tiara’s eyes hadn’t left her engagement ring, but the moment she heard Bryan’s words, a smile appeared on her face, a genuine smile that seemed to have disappeared from her face for a very long time. Tiara felt a sudden, invisible weight vanish from her chest, her mind, and her shoulders; she felt liberated in a way she had not experienced in years, as though invisible chains had finally been shattered and cast aside.
Her eyes shifted as they met Anthony’s; gratitude filled them as she spoke, "I honestly can’t thank you enough, Anthony," and indeed she couldn’t. She knew no way in which she could properly thank Anthony; how could one even begin to thank someone as all-powerful as him, someone who had effortlessly altered the course of her life with a single action?
"You’ve already thanked me already," Anthony replied with a shake of his head as a faint smile graced his lips, his tone casual, as though what he had done held little significance to him.
Rider, seemingly thinking of something, spoke, "but what of the Blood Queen? Would she be angry that you didn’t rush toward your soon-to-be husband’s side at the moment of his death?" he asked with a calm tone, as he posed a very logical and unavoidable question.
Tiara simply shook her head as she replied, "for the past five years, I’ve never faked that I loved her or her son; I’ve always made it known that I hated the both of them, I never hid it," she stated plainly, her voice steady, carrying neither fear nor hesitation.
"That must have required some titanium balls, displaying your hate for the Blood Queen so openly; only a few can do such things, and it’s usually those on her power level," Bringer couldn’t help but state, clearly impressed despite the danger such actions would normally entail.
"Well, I knew she needed me and wouldn’t harm me because of whatever plan she had. Besides, it wasn’t like I went out of my way to be disrespectful or anything like that; I’ve always made it known I never liked her or her son, it’s as simple as that," Tiara intoned with a smile at the thought of her newfound freedom. She couldn’t help but imagine the kind of rampage the Blood Queen would unleash, the kind of overwhelming anger and fury she would be feeling at this very moment.
Tiara was sure that Elara had already known her son was dead; after all, Vampires had a way to link their blood with their descendants if they wished. That way, they would know if a descendant of theirs was alive or dead through their bloodline connection, a bond that could not be easily severed or deceived.
"I see," Bryan stated as he fell into his thoughts.
"Although I don’t know how intelligent the Blood Queen is, what if she suspects you?" Rider stated as his black eyes shifted toward Tiara, his expression thoughtful yet cautious.
"Suspect me? Why would she?" Tiara asked, confused, her brows knitting slightly as she considered the possibility.
"Well, you left the Vampire Domain and met up with Anthony, then your soon-to-be husband mysteriously dies for no apparent reason on the same day. Strange, isn’t it? She might start guessing that you used your connection with Anthony to free yourself from the engagement," Rider stated calmly, his reasoning too logical to be ignored or dismissed outright.
Tiara couldn’t help but frown for a moment, the weight of his words settling in her mind, but before she could speak, Anthony spoke.
"No need to overthink it. If the Blood Queen indeed later comes to such conclusions, she would meet up with me to ask questions, and if she decides to act without evidence and relies solely on her motherly instincts, then I won’t mind sending her and the entire Vampire Domain to meet their two-faced Prince," he stated with calm ease, as though he were merely discussing something trivial.
Anthony was certain that if Elara Bloodmoon indeed had the suspicions that Rider had spoken about, she would act on them; after all, a mother’s love was not something to be taken lightly or underestimated.
Everyone looked at Anthony for a moment; they had been left speechless far too many times since meeting up with him today, each statement of his carrying an overwhelming weight that was difficult to ignore.
"Aren’t you talking about killing strong and important people way too casually?" Bryan couldn’t help but ask as he stared at Anthony, his tone laced with disbelief.
Anthony simply chuckled as he spoke, "that’s because I possess the power to back up my words, Bryan." Anthony paused as he met Bryan’s gaze, then asked, "between me and your father, who do you think is stronger?" His question was rhetorical. "If he was stronger than me and I was just another random planetary-level human, do you believe he would have welcomed me with such hospitality?" he asked with a casual smile. "So yes, I can talk about wiping out an entire Domain or killing your so-called important people simply because I possess the power to do so," he stated in finality, his tone unbothered.
His words left everyone silent for a moment, the weight of his confidence settling heavily in the air. Then Bringer sighed as he spoke, "honestly, if I were in your shoes, I would have become outrageously arrogant," he admitted.
"Well, it’s a good thing you are not," Rider stated with a light laugh, easing the tension slightly.
Anthony waved his hand, and a bottle of wine with five glasses appeared on the table, as though conjured out of thin air itself. "Shall we celebrate Tiara’s freedom?" he stated with a smile, and with that, rounds of drinks began, the atmosphere gradually shifting from tension to something far more relaxed and liberating.