“Let’s go inside first.”

Kalian did not wither even though he was facing Dominic’s anger. Dominic’s sharp gaze stayed fixed on Kalian’s face for a while.

The people standing outside the room were Kalian’s direct subordinates, so they prioritized Kalian’s orders over Dominic’s.

The servants who were supposed to stand guard in front of the door stood in the corner, not knowing what to do.

But after checking around earlier, Dominic could tell that one of his attendants was nowhere in sight. He had obviously gone out to ask for backup.

“I will give you just five minutes. I believe that should be enough.”

After a while, Dominic turned to face Kalian completely.

Although he was following Kalian’s request, it didn’t look like Dominic had lost. Rather, Dominic’s attitude made him seem like a tolerant parent who was taking a generous step back in the face of his son’s stubbornness.

Tak.

Kalian made a gesture and his subordinate, Russell Harpman, who was standing right in front of the door nodded and closed the door.

Once again, there were only two of them remaining in the office.

“I did not expect this from you of all people.”

“I did not expect to do this to my father either.”

After an exchange of words, a brief silence settled over the enclosed room.

“I know what you did, Father.”

Kalian began to speak first.

“And what might you mean. Do you want to tell me that my capturing of these heretics is going too far again?”

A lazy smile arose on Dominic’s lips.

His tone made it seem like he was getting tired of this continued friction brought up by his thoughtless son.

But Kalian’s next words made the look in his eyes turn freezing cold.

“The Crawford family is the one who made those heretics.”

“…Do you know what you are saying right now?”

At Dominic’s retort, Kalian clenched his fists and ground his teeth slightly.

“Mutants with outwardly revolting appearances.”

“…”

“If you add a cruel and violent characteristic onto them with massive propaganda, it makes for the perfect scapegoat to be a public enemy in the East, doesn’t it?”

That idea wasn’t particularly new or unexpected. It could easily be found as long as you gave it a little thought.

“So Father, you cannot deny that you used the heretics politically to distract the people and unify your power when the Crawford family’s position as the only ruler of the East got threatened.”

Actually, Dominic had never tried to deliberately hide the fact that he had such thoughts.

Of course, in official meetings and relations, he acted polite for the greater cause but in front of his close associates, he didn’t even bother trying to hide it.

“Until now, I have been acting like I knew nothing.”

But as a result, Kalian was also an accomplice.

Part of it was because he did not have the courage to go against Dominic and another part of it was because he was comfortable doing what he was told without thinking too much about it.

“And not only that…”

But naturally, that was not the only reason why Kalian decided to confront Dominic today.

“I also know that that the recent continued disappearances are connected to father.”

Even though he had also made up his mind, it was difficult for him to pull the words out of his mouth, so he kept pausing as he spoke.

“You experimented on children. That stone of unknown origin that the central council manages.”

After he decided that he wouldn’t act ignorant of Dominic’s affairs anymore, he learned of this fact while he was digging deep into Dominic’s sphere of activities.

“Who would have thought that stone isn’t only used in alchemy and weapon development. Were you trying to make a powered soldier through human experimentation?” [1]

Of course, with the circumstances being what they were, Dominic hid all traces of himself thoroughly. So even Kalian wouldn’t have been able to find evidence anytime soon without Genos’ help. Furthermore, Dominic planned to put it all on the Salvatore family.

The Salvatores were also aware that there was a plan to remove them from the east, so they were expanding their strength through exchanges with the South, and at some point, they began to dig for dirt on the Crawfords.

“Please tell me if there is anything I am mistaken about.”

The information Kalian gathered was already an irreversible fact. But in the end, Kalian asked Dominic that.

Frankly, he was hoping that Dominic would deny what he said and say he was talking nonsense. Kalian wondered if Dominic knew what he was feeling.

“You are mistaken.”

Dominic, who had been quietly listening to Kalian, spoke up. At that moment, faint hope flashed in Kalian’s eyes.

However, Dominic’s following words were not what Kalian was expected.

“I did not use that stone for human experimentation; the children were used to make the stone.”

“What do you…”

“I guess your information hasn’t gotten that far yet.”

Dominic leaned on his cane and gazed at Kalian.

“What it means is that human vitality is necessary to make that stone with a mysterious power.”

Instantly, the hairs on Kalian’s neck rose and chills ran down his spine.

Human vitality is necessary to make that stone.

Dominic spent many years developing this new weapon. The development began long before alchemy started to be revived in the East.

Then, how many lives had been used so far to create all those countless stones?

Kalian instinctively felt repulsed by Dominic and yelled before he knew it.

“Humans are the material? How can such utter nonsense be possible…!”

“Good question, how about you find out the rest yourself?”

Dominic was nonchalantly cynical even as Kalian stood agitated before him.

“So this is your choice in the end.”

Kalian clenched his fists harder when he heard Dominic’s next words.

“I wanted you to grow up a little more.”

Dominic’s tone was as if he was actually the one disappointed in Kalian.

Dominic’s face was as though it was sculpted from ice; there was no guilt or hesitation anywhere on his face.

Still, Kalian spoke to him as his son.

“Correct it now at least, Father. That is what you should do.”

“Correct it, you say. You mean put it back the way it was?”

“Yes.”

“Returning to the old state of things is not necessarily the right thing.”

However, Dominic’s attitude was unchanged.

“I can see you still don’t know this. The right thing in the East means what benefits the Crawford family.”

His voice sounded like someone who was kindly educating his young son.

Kalian’s gaze sank.

“Is this truly your choice, father?”

“You certainly know that I will not agree with your opinion as well, isn’t that why you stationed your people outside my door?”

A hint of ridicule appeared on Dominic’s lips.

Kalian did not deny it.

Dominic’s gaze turned to the door where he could hear several footsteps approaching. No wonder he felt it was a little noisy outside.

“It has been five minutes.”

Click!

Just as he spoke, the door opened as if time was up.

“I have dealt with the situation outside.”

The person who appeared was not Kalian’s subordinate from earlier, but the Chief Officer in charge of the overall security of the central council building. It seemed all the people that Kalian brought had been subdued in that timespan.

“There were fewer people resisting than expected so it was easy to deal with them. I felt it would be best to prevent the current situation from leaking outside so I moved as quietly as possible, is that all right?”

“Indeed, good job. This is between me and my son, no need to have those who are not part of the Crawford family gossiping.”

Dominic felt that was quite a good decision, so he praised the Chief officer.

“I was not aware that my son is delusional. I’ve been so busy with work outside that it seems I neglected my home somewhat.”

His office was already soundproofed with alchemy devices, so it was impossible for the conversation in the room to be heard outside.

But considering how Kalian had been able to bring so many of his men, it was obvious that Kalian had learned about Dominic’s whereabouts beforehand and bought their sympathy.

“Even if he is my only successor, I cannot let what happened today pass with a light hand. For now, lock them all up.”

Dominic ordered his men outside the door.

But nobody moved from where they stood.

“Did you not hear me?”

Even when he coldly pressed them, nothing changed.

Even Dominic’s personal guards and attendants disobeyed his order. They were looking at Dominic with trembling eyes for some reason.

The faces opposite him had confusion written all over them.

Dominic furrowed his brow.
He couldn’t tell what was going on.

Even if other people were swept along, his subordinates who already knew everything should not have been misled by Kalian.

Furthermore, even if they were taken in by Kalian’s words, would they be willing to confront Dominic, the head of the Crawford family, directly when such evidence could be manipulated by anyone?

That was impossible.

“What are you up to?”

Dominic’s sharp gaze fell on Kalian.

Seeing Dominic like this, Kalian finally opened his mouth.

“I am only trying to correct what is wrong, even if it’s late.”

It was then that the soldiers guarding the door began to step aside, making a path from behind.

And someone appeared in that created path.

Dominic’s eyes opened wide once he saw the face of the person who appeared.

“You took longer than I expected, Kalian.”

“I’m sorry, father.”

Kalian bowed his head not to Dominic, but to the person who appeared at the back.

The men gathered around also got on their knees in unison and greeted him.

The only three left standing were Dominic, Kalian, and the last person to appear.

And among these three, two people looked just like twins.

Although it was hard to believe, the person who appeared after people made way, was another Dominic.