At that moment, when Ace saw the Abyssal Bone Marquis, the latter also spotted him, and his eyes narrowed, and with a thought, his abyssal sense spread forth, sweeping toward the mysterious figure.
But the moment his senses brushed against Aceâs presence, his expression faltered ever so slightly
, âImpossible... I canât see through him except for his meager cultivation...â
No matter how he strained, all he could perceive was the figureâs cultivation levelâand even that was veiled in layers of unfathomable depth.
A warning instinct howled in his heart. To probe further would not only be recklessâit would be tantamount to courting trouble if that person were the same person whom his follower had just warned him about.
The surrounding whispers grew louder.
"It must be him! The guest of Room 1!"
"Could it be tied to the Dread Duchess? Who else could command such treatment?!"
The onlookers werenât idiots, as they had all been curious the whole day about the identity of the guest in Room-1, and Ace was the last one to come out, so they all suspected him.
Nonetheless, they didnât dare to do anything after all this person dared to exit without bothering to hide his presence, which means he was confident in tackling anything.
But the Abyssal Bone Marquis was still an anomaly no one had expected, and they were also surprised that the Young Marquis was also present in the auction today.
Some of them also knew about the notoriety of the Yong Marquis, and with what they had just witnessed, they could guess that it was most likely the Young Marquis who had dragged his father into this mess.
As the hushed words sliced through the air, filling every corner of the street.
The Young Marquis, hearing the speculation, instinctively leaned forward, peeking past his fatherâs massive frame.
The instant his gaze fell upon the cloaked figure, his entire body stiffened. His pupils shrank, his breath caught, and his knees almost buckled beneath him.
"Itâs... him!" He whispered, voice breaking. His body trembled uncontrollably as though a thousand phantom chains had clamped down upon his soul.
The Marquisâs heart tightened at the sight of his sonâs terror. His own gaze locked once more on the cloaked figure, and though his jaw clenched with the weight of pride and fury, his mind screamed with caution.
âSo thatâs really the same person who snatched my sonâs position and the Dread Duchess... if this one truly bears her shadow, then even I canât do anything to him. Furthermore, he has the Ancient Abyssal Permit, something that everyone coveted, and he has exchanged it with the Ebon Vein Nectar. So, he has bought it most likely for the Dread Duchess.
âWho in the entire Obsidian Myriad Kingdom would dare to snatch it from him now? Not to mention the Dread Duchess wonât leave him without protection...â
For the first time in centuries, the Abyssal Bone Marquis stood stillânot from arrogance, but from the cold grip of fear.
The words âItâs himâ still echoed in the Marquisâs mind, heavy and venomous. His sonâs trembling, the fear carved into the boyâs eyesâthese were things no father could ignore.
The Abyssal Bone Marquis stood still as a statue, his abyssal aura surging faintly before settling back into his body. His eyes dimmed, not from weakness, but from calculation.
Right now, he only has two paths.
The first was clear, simple, and tempting, which was to take his son and leave now. Cut away this humiliation and keep his dignity intact.
For centuries, the Abyssal Bone Marquis had crushed obstacles, and not once had he bowed to another. His arrogance was carved into his very bones. But arrogance was not the same as stupidity.
Furthermore, if that cloaked figure truly stands with the Dread Duchess and if he walks away, it will not end here. One grudge, a single word whispered in the Duchessâs ear, and his clan will suffer endless trouble or worst, destruction without warning. No amount of pride will shield them from her shadow!
Just thinking about it made him clench his jaw. A cold weight pressed upon his chest as he considered the second choice, which was to make his son apologize here, publicly!
But this will make them suffer the jeers and humiliation of the crowd. Let all see the Abyssal Bone Marquis bend for another. The shame will linger for decades, but... his sonâs life will remain intact, and the clan will stand unshaken.
The Marquisâs crimson eyes flicked toward his heir, watching the boyâs trembling shoulders and pale lips. His heart achedâlike shards of glass grinding inside his chest.
He thought of the countless years spent building his clanâs strength, of the faces of his ancestors, and of the burden his son carried as the next generationâs hope.
Finally, the weight of choice crashed into place. Arrogance warred with love. Pride battled with responsibility. In the end, responsibility won.
The Abyssal Bone Marquis exhaled a long, silent breath. His gaze hardened, like steel tempered by flame, and he turned to his son with an expression that was both ruthless and tender.
"Listen well," He spoke lowly, his voice resonant with abyssal authority. "You will apologize. Here. Now. Before all."
The Young Marquisâs eyes widened, his lips parting in shock. "F-Father, Iâ"
The Marquisâs stare silenced him, sharp as a blade. "This humiliation... is the price we must pay. For your life. For our clanâs survival. You will not falter."
The boyâs face drained of color. His pride screamed against the order, but his fear of death screamed louder. He swallowed hard, a bitter knot rising in his throat.
The Marquisâs figure straightened, his abyssal aura retreating fully, leaving him a man whose resolve had been carved by the weight of consequence.
He glanced once more at the cloaked figure and whispered inwardly,
âFor my son. For my clan. I will bear this disgrace, but if I have a chance in the future...â
Thus, the Abyssal Bone Marquis prepared to drag his heir into the flames of public humiliationâbecause to endure shame was better than to embrace ruin!
Ace, who has been watching the Abyssal Bone Marquis with wariness, was feeling jittery inside; however, since the Vaultkeeper was with him, he didnât fear too much.
Although this was an Abyssal Marquis, if he dared to strike him publicly despite knowing his connection with the Dread Duchess, he would be courting death.
Just as expected, the Abyssal Bone Marquis didnât move, and instead, the Young Marquis, who had been arrogant before, walked forward with a pale complexion, and his hands were trembling slightly.
Ace was waiting silently as he wanted to see what this was about, and also found the Young Marquisâs current expression amusing.
The Young Marquis stopped a few meters away from Ace, but he didnât dare to make eye contact, and with unwillingness and humiliation, he bent his knee!