Chapter 67 : Where are you

Jessica’s question fell like a blade over everyone present.

Silence.

Heavy.

Suffocating.

The words echoed in the ears of every high-ranking official... including the President of the Republic of Arcania.

For a moment—

No one spoke.

Confusion spread across their faces.

They glanced at each other.

Hesitant.

Afraid.

Then—

One by one—

Their gazes shifted.

Toward the President.

An old man in his fifties, his once-proud posture now slightly hunched under pressure. His neatly combed grey hair and formal attire could not hide the fear creeping into his expression.

Seeing all eyes on him—

He snapped.

"What the hell are you all looking at me for?!" he shouted, his voice cracking slightly.

Jessica didn’t even blink.

Her cold voice cut through the air.

"You are wasting my precious time."

A pause.

"I’ll give you thirty seconds."

The moment those words left her mouth—

The atmosphere changed.

Darkness.

It spread slowly around her feet.

Then outward.

Like ink spilling into water.

The air grew heavy.

Oppressive.

People began trembling.

Their breathing turned uneven.

’...We’re going to die...’

They all knew.

The name Imperius alone was enough.

But Jessica—

She was something else entirely.

Someone who had erased entire clans without hesitation...if she didn’t like them.

Powerful families... wiped out as if they were nothing.

’She’ll do it...’

’She won’t hesitate...’

The President’s thoughts raced.

’Damn it... this crazy bitch...!’

’I didn’t crawl my way to the top just to die like this!’

’I need to say something—anything!’

He stepped forward abruptly.

"Miss Jessica!" he said quickly, forcing his voice steady. "Are you referring to Lord... Lucas?"

A slight pause.

"Is he the one you are searching for? As far as I know, he is your only brother... and who would dare harm someone as powerful as him?"

The darkness—

Stopped.

Then slowly—

Receded.

Jessica’s expression didn’t change.

But she raised her hand.

A small device appeared in her palm.

Click.

A holographic image formed in the air.

A young man.

Black hair.

Red eyes.

Handsome with sharp features.

"Don’t ask questions," Jessica said coldly. "Just tell me if you’ve seen him."

The officials stared.

Then—

A man stepped forward.

The hotel manager.

His body trembled.

But his eyes widened in recognition.

"I— I have seen him, my lady," he said quickly.

Jessica’s gaze snapped to him.

"Speak."

"T—That young man... he was with Miss Yuna Akatsuki at the hotel two months ago," the manager said. "And... she left with him."

A pause.

Jessica frowned.

"Yuna..."

Her voice dropped slightly.

"What was she doing with him?"

She turned her gaze back to the manager.

"This hotel belongs to her, doesn’t it?"

The manager nodded rapidly.

"Y-Yes, my lady."

For a moment—

Silence.

Then—

A faint smile appeared on Jessica’s face.

Cold.

Dangerous.

"I was already displeased with my last encounter with her," she said.

Her eyes gleamed faintly.

"This seems like the perfect opportunity..."

"To settle the score."

"And find him."

She stepped closer.

"Where did she take him?"

The manager’s face went pale.

"I—I don’t know that much," he stammered. "But... she owns several private islands... I believe she may have taken him there."

He immediately dropped to his knees.

"Please, my lady... don’t kill me!"

Jessica looked at him.

Unmoved.

"Oh?"

Her voice turned flat.

"So you’re all useless."

A pause.

"What a waste of time."

Then—

The ground beneath them shifted.

Darkness erupted.

Shadow-like figures emerged from below—

Grabbing their necks.

All of them.

Instantly.

Screams filled the air.

"AAAH—!"

"I—I don’t want to die—!"

"PLEASE—!"

They struggled.

Choked.

Lifted off the ground.

Jessica raised her hand slightly.

About to finish it.

Then—

A voice cut through the chaos.

"Sister, wait!"

Everyone froze.

Another helicopter descended from the sky.

The wind scattered dust and debris.

It landed.

Two figures stepped out.

A man and a woman.

Both in their twenties.

Brown hair.

Sharp features.

They carried themselves with discipline.

Members of a branch family of the Imperius lineage.

They rushed forward—

And bowed deeply.

"Lady Jessica," the man said. "We anticipated you might act like this... that is why Lord Adrain sent us."

The woman added quickly, "Please refrain from taking action here."

A pause.

Then—

They were lifted.

Choked.

By the same shadow beings.

Their bodies suspended in the air.

Jessica didn’t even look at them directly.

"Do you think... you can stop me?" she said coldly.

Their breathing turned ragged.

Their faces pale.

Struggling—

The man reached into his coat.

Pulled out a letter.

With trembling hands—

He threw it onto the ground.

As they gasped for air.

Jessica’s gaze fell on the letter lying on the ground.

The moment her eyes caught the Imperius family crest engraved into the seal—

She paused.

Then bent down.

Picked it up.

The shadows holding Roman and Chloe flickered slightly... as if responding to her shifting focus.

She broke the seal without hesitation.

Her eyes scanned the contents.

Silence followed.

Then—

A faint twitch appeared on her forehead.

Her grip on the letter tightened.

"...Grandfather... huh."

Her voice dropped.

Cold.

Sharp.

"That old man is still trying to control my life..."

A pause.

Her eyes darkened.

"But not anymore."

The moment she finished speaking—

The shadow beings vanished instantly.

As if they had never existed.

Roman and Chloe dropped to the ground.

THUD.

Both of them gasped heavily.

"Haa—!!"

"Cough—!"

Their lungs burned as they struggled to breathe.

Jessica didn’t even glance at them.

She turned slightly.

Then spoke—

"Erase their memories."

Her voice was calm.

Deadly.

Roman and Chloe froze.

Jessica continued, "Every single one of them... erase what they know about Arthur."

A brief pause.

Then—

"Or I will erase you instead."

The temperature dropped.

"He is not safe... if anyone finds out he is an Imperius."

Silence.

Then—

Roman and Chloe immediately stood up despite their condition.

They bowed deeply.

Their bodies trembling.

"As you command."

Jessica didn’t respond.

She walked forward—

Entered the helicopter.

The blades spun.

Wind roared.

And within seconds—

She was gone.

Leaving nothing but fear behind.

---

For a few seconds—

No one spoke.

Then—

Chloe’s hand clenched.

Her nails dug into her palm.

Her body trembled.

CRACK.

The ground beneath her foot slightly cracked.

"That stupid bitch—!!" she suddenly lashed out, her voice filled with rage. "Who the hell does she think she is... ordering us around like that?!"

Roman exhaled slowly, his jaw tight.

"I feel you, sister," he said, his voice low. "But you know the power the main family holds."

Chloe’s eyes burned with anger.

"Just you wait..." she said, her voice trembling with fury. "It won’t always be like this. I’ll do anything... anything... to make them feel the same humiliation."

Without warning—

She stormed forward.

SLAP.

SLAP.

Her hands struck the President and the manager across their faces.

They staggered and fell to the ground.

"W-What—?!"

"What did you tell her?!" Chloe snapped.

Her voice was sharp.

Demanding.

Terrifying.

The President trembled.

"We—we only told her what we knew—!" he stammered. "About the boy... and Lady Yuna..."

The manager quickly nodded.

"Everything we told her... we told you just now as well—!"

Roman folded his arms.

"...So it was all about that useless mutt Arthur, huh."

Chloe frowned.

"What the hell does she want from him now...?" she muttered. "After treating him like he never existed."

Roman smirked slightly.

"Maybe she suddenly developed some familial love."

A pause.

Then—

Both of them burst out laughing.

"Hah!"

"Yeah right."

Their laughter carried mockery.

Cruelty.

Then—

The manager hesitated.

"There... there is one more thing," he said nervously. "I wanted to report it to Lady Jessica... but forgot."

Chloe turned toward him slowly.

Her expression instantly turned cold.

"And what might that be?" she asked in a dry tone.

The manager swallowed.

"There was... an incident involving the Blue Magic Tower and the Crown family," he said. "I believe that boy is connected to it... many mages from the Blue Magic Tower came to our hotel recently... to kill him."

A pause.

"And... Miss Yuna saved him."

Silence.

Roman and Chloe froze.

"...Wait," Roman said slowly. "You’re talking about Yuna Akatsuki... right?"

The manager nodded rapidly.

"Yes—yes—!"

Chloe and Roman exchanged a look.

Then—

Roman exhaled.

"...Good thing you didn’t tell her that."

His tone turned serious.

"Who knows what kind of hell she would’ve unleashed here."

Suddenly—

A powerful blue aura burst from Chloe’s body.

BOOM

.

Everyone in the area collapsed instantly.

THUD.

THUD.

Unconscious.

Silence returned.

Chloe looked down at them.

Her expression calm again.

Cold.

"I don’t like this... not one bit," she said quietly. "But even I’m not stupid enough to go against her."

She raised her hand slightly.

"So you all will forget everything."

"About Arthur."

"About today."

Roman glanced around, then nodded.

"Alright... our work here is done."

Chloe’s lips curled into a chilling smirk.

"You know..." she said, her tone turning playful. "It’s been a long time since we played a game with Arthur."

Roman raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

Chloe’s eyes gleamed.

"To torture him."

A pause.

"And since he’s already made an enemy of the Blue Magic Tower Master..."

She tilted her head slightly.

"Why don’t we pay them a visit and tell him about his whereabouts?"

Roman smirked.

"...We can do at least that much."

He chuckled.

"I just hope Arthur enjoys the game."

Both of them laughed.

Cold.

Amused.

Dangerous.

---

High above the sky—

Inside the helicopter—

Jessica sat alone.

Silent.

Her gaze fixed outside.

Then—

She pulled out her phone.

Dialed a number.

Ring.

Ring.

Click.

A voice came from the other end.

"It’s been a long time... hasn’t it, Jessica?"

Jessica’s expression didn’t change.

Her voice was cold.

Direct.

"Where are you right now?"