Divine Emperor of Death

"Right now," Davis spoke, "We are still losing out. Valdrey Alstreim, you should be thankful that my mother is being merciful as she understands that the causes are the factor that should be taken into account when punishing rather than the consequences."

"Now that it is clear that Faragin Yantra was the cause and you were merely the consequence that danced to the former's tune in my mother's matter, you have a chance to repent."

"However, punishment is unavoidable since there's a person who had died. My mother's mother was a victim of Weiss Alstreim's shrewd scheming, and for pampering him, you and Grand Elder Elise Alstreim should be punished without a doubt."

"As Ancestor Dian Alstreim also said, you two should surrender while you can and repent for your wrongs." Davis logically stated and advised.

After that, Davis didn't watch Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim's expression but cast a glance at his mother.

Since his mother decided to just punish them instead of killing them as they were just partly at fault, he could understand her decision.

However, he mused that it shouldn't be just that, but another factor stopped her from killing them. He felt that she and Nora Alstreim might've reached some kind of consensus. It was just he didn't know what kind of deal they had established.

'Well, as long as it doesn't negatively affect the family... I think I can turn a blind eye...'

His mother was her own person. He was clear that she should be able to make decisions for herself, and as for whether it would be good or bad, only time could tell.

*Sigh~*

Suddenly, a long sigh could be heard.

Everyone's attention was grabbed as they looked at Grand Elder Elise Alstreim possess an exhausted expression on her face. Her rosy yet dull lips moved, "I'm tired..."

Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim and Patriarch Eldric Alstreim's expression changed.

"No, mother-"

"Don't say anything, Eldric. I finally understand that I was a fool to have taken such a person as my grandchild and nurture him to be an upright person... trying to make him the next Patriarch, as good as you."

"Even though he wasn't up to Edgar Alstreim's level, I still supported him and pampered him. I believed that as long as obtained the responsibilities of a Young Master, he would shine brightly, just like you."

"All I thought was that he had a liking to women as all men would possess, but I never saw through him until the end..."

Grand Elder Elise Alstreim's voice trembled before she wryly chuckled, "I never thought that I was blinded by my affection towards him..." 

It could be seen that she was regretting to nurture such a character.

"It's my fault... I have failed to look after my grandchildren..." Patriarch Eldric Alstreim was full of blame for himself.

Normally, he would be staunch and prideful when it came to every matter, but when it came to his mother, he was nothing more than a child. He couldn't bear to see her suffer as it reminded him of the time whenever his mother would cry while thinking of his father, her husband, who had died in a danger zone.

Furthermore, Weiss Alstreim was his grandchild three generations apart, so it could be said he partly had responsibility in this matter.

He inwardly grumbled before he clasped his hands towards Ancestor Dian Alstreim, "Ancestor, can something be done about this matter without having my mother and grandfather facing a punitive sentence?"

He knelt in mid-air and kowtowed.

But then, Patriarch Eldric Alstreim saw himself standing without his own consent.

Ancestor Dian Alstreim visibly sighed, "Stand up, child."

"You have no need kowtow as you have done nothing wrong but took care of the family all these years to the best of your ability."

"As for your mother and grandfather, they have no way to avoid responsibility. For their wrongs, they should at least spend two thousand years in prison while having their cultivation bases sealed."

The three of their expression shook, but Grand Elder Elise Alstreim's expression became aghast!

Two thousand years? By the time they crossed that amount of time, her father, Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim, would already be a few steps near to the grave! 

Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim was around eight thousand years old, and Peak-Level Law Sea Stage Experts possessed a lifespan of twelve thousand years. If two thousand years of imprisonment passed, then her middle-aged looking father might become an old man instead! Not only would his potential decline, but even the chances of him stepping into the Law Rune Stage would severely be affected.

"No! Compared to what I did, father's actions don't warrant him to suffer for that long. All he did was conceal the wrongs that we did and suppressed information from spreading. It wasn't as if he was the person who was directly responsible for everything!"

"What do you propose?" Ancestor Dian Alstreim asked as he saw that Grand Elder Elise Alstreim seemed to be more inclined to accept her punishment.

Grand Elder Elise Alstreim's eyes flashed as she knelt, "I ask Ancestor for leniency and shorten my father's sentence as he doesn't have much time to live compared to me."

Ancestor Dian Alstreim seemed to descend into contemplation for two seconds before he nodded his head, "Indeed, what you're saying has a point. I can only shorten Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim's sentence by a few hundred years, reducing it to a thousand and five hundred years."

Grand Elder Elise Alstreim's expression lit up, but it was still large that it left her feeling anxious for her father's health. She took a deep breath and spoke, "Ancestor, everything was due to my fault. I shouldn't have... nurtured an ingrate. Nevertheless, since everything that happened to Edgar Alstreim was mostly due to me, I'd like to take my father's sentence upon myself."

"Mother!!!"

"You! Stop speaking drivel, Elise!!!" 

Both Patriarch Eldric Alstreim and Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim bellowed at Grand Elder Elise Alstreim, but she remained staunch and stubborn.

"Do you realize what you're saying?" Ancestor Dian Alstreim frowned.

Three thousand and five hundred years is a long time even for him.

Just because it was almost just ten percent of his lifespan doesn't mean that he wouldn't feel the passage of time. It was only when he fully immersed himself in seclusion he would not be bothered about it much.

However, prisoners would have their cultivation bases sealed, so how would they cultivate during their sentence period?

It was basically torturing to be unable to do anything at all!

It was said that many went insane, so there was a stop-gap method that they were allowed to be visited by a person at least once a year during their imprisonment. It helped them not lose themselves to insanity or to their heart demons.

"I am aware..." Grand Elder Elise Alstreim perfunctorily replied.

Ancestor Dian Alstreim saw her beautiful purple eyes and saw that they had no determination but was rather dull and lifeless. 

Even without his Heart Intent, he could tell that Elise Alstreim wanted to be somewhere alone, never disturbed by anyone again, but while she was at it, she chose to take her father's wrongs upon herself as well.

"Shut up!" Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim's face fumed with anger as he pointed his finger right at his daughter's nose, "I order you to stop uttering nonsense! If we're being punished, it is I who should beg for leniency and plead to lessen your sentence!"

Grand Elder Elise Alstreim's eyes became filled with a bit of gleam as she bit her lips, but she didn't retract her words.

Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim turned around and clasped his hands, "Ancestor, while I accept that I certainly committed a huge wrong against Edgar Alstreim's family by covering up, what needed to be said has been said by my daughter. However, please don't take her drivel into account. If possible, instead of my daughter being punished, I would like to-"

"Don't bother... I can't reduce the sentence or do anything of that sort anymore as it wasn't I who suffered. The two of you must be punished. Otherwise, I don't have an explanation to provide to Edgar Alstreim's family."

"If you want to plead for leniency," Ancestor Dian Alstreim's eyes flashed as he cast a look towards Davis but rested on Claire Alstreim instead, "You might want to try to implore Claire Alstreim, the daughter of Edgar Alstreim."

"..."

The atmosphere became silent.

Grand Elder Valdrey Alstreim's expression twisted. To plead for leniency, no, mercy from a junior, and that too a woman?

He felt his face burning up as he didn't even dare to imagine himself doing it!

"Claire Alstreim..." Patriarch Eldric Alstreim took a few steps forward, "As the Patriarch, I request you to shorten my mother's and grandfather's punishment."

Claire coldly stared at him without a change in her expression. She didn't have enmity with this person, but since he was Grand Elder Elise Alstreim's son, they were not bound to be allies either.

Hearing no reply, he frowned.

"Why don't you try asking nicely... Patriarch...?" Davis smiled as he pressed.

Patriarch Eldric Alstreim cast a look at Davis as he stared, but he quickly took his gaze away and took a deep breath before he asked with his waist bowed ninety degrees, his gaze looking at the bloody surface!

"I plead that you may reduce their s-sentences!"

'Woah, he sure can swallow his pride for his mother...' Davis smiled as he looked at the trembling Patriarch.

The head of a High-Level Emperor Grade Power, bowing his head to his mother. Just that fact alone brought immense satisfaction to him. Nonetheless, he rather approved this person when compared to the degenerate Weiss Alstreim. He could see that Grand Elder Elise Alstreim had brought up a good son with a commendable temperament who knew when to show his pride, unlike that piece of trash Weiss Alstreim.

After a moment, a cold yet melodious voice echoed.

"I can consider shortening their sentences if they apologize by kowtowing to my father, asking for forgiveness, and acknowledge that they're regretful for the death of my mother, Julianna." 

Claire possessed an indifferent expression on her face while the expression of the other three went a broad change.