The Forgotten Descendants

The Same Tragedy

Claude never felt as much hatred in his entire life as he observed the kneeling people in front of him.

After he finally remembered the memories he had purposely forgotten about Diana, he locked himself in his palace, refusing every single entry request by the knights and maids. Even from Jennette.

In the dark space of his room, Claude drowned himself in misery. His only company is the various bottles of alcohol as he emptied glass after glass of expensive brandy. He knows that to devour this amount of rum is bad for his health. Lethal, even. But he has no desire to care for his life anymore.

Not when his world is crashing down, breaking into cracks and dust, and settled heavily on his chest when he realized that he no longer has anyone to trust anymore. He mourned the death of his lover and the tragedy that befalls his daughter, a gift from Diana that he had considered worthless and took it for granted.

Anyone who entered his room can see the despair and sorrow that fogged his sanity. Broken bottles and glasses remained untouched on the floor. The walls smudged with splashes of rum when he refused to accept the sad reality he is in and had thrown a bottle filled with exquisite wine in his pathetic rage.

And he refused to rest. He feared the memories of the execution, ironically as he himself had ordered for it. His daughter hopeless form, hanging lifelessly from the noose around her fragile neck. Her expressions differ every time he sleeps. The first time he passed out cold from his drunken stupor, Athanasia cried out to him. Yelling for his help as he sat frozen in his throne, unable to help even as he struggled against the seat. The next time, she smiled at him, accepting her untimely end at the hands of her father. Every time, the last word she would mutter is his name before death claimed her. The expression that scared him the most is when Athanasia scowled at him, a look of contempt and pure disdain reflected in her blue jewel eyes and she said a line that expressed her resentment to him.

"You are not my father, monster."

His heart breaks and Diana would appear beside her daughter's corpse, apathetic, and blank. Her once gentle eyes now reflected her anger and despair. Her soft voice now emotionless and cold.

"I shouldn't love you. Falling for you is my biggest mistake."

The images and the voices of the mother and daughter overlapped as they cursed him for the last time.

"It wasn't worth it to die for you. Loving you is a mistake that led us to our graves."

He knows. He knows that he is a bastard not worth to be loved. Everyone around him died and leave him behind. Diana died for his child, Athanasia died due to his mistake and Felix leave him for his idiocy. But hearing the words from their mouths make him felt as if he was slapped across his face.

Claude's despair came into a halt when the magician requested for an audience with him despite him banning everyone from entering his private residence. In his heavily drunken state, Claude failed to recognize the traces of blue imperial mana around the warlock.

"What on earth do you want with me, kid? Give me a good reason to not kill you right now."

The younger blonde fixed his unwavering gaze at the barely sober Emperor. Not in the least intimidated by the threat.

"I came here to offer you a tribute, Your Majesty."

Claude's mana once again shook the imperial grounds as his rage escalated at the sight of his brother trapped alive in the ice.

***

The square is filled with people as they once again surrounded the stage in the middle of the clearing. The same hostile air once again filled the atmosphere, just like 20 years ago. The guillotine is placed magnificently in the middle of the stage. Its blade gleamed maliciously underneath the glare of the sun. Specially polished and clean for this day.