The following day, under the sun of Lutia and surrounded by the familiarity of her home, Elina had a much better look. Everyone did their best to spend time with her and shower her with attention. "Being kidnapped from time to time is not too bad if it means enjoying your company like this." Elina chuckled, giving her children a radiant smile that only made them feel more guilty. She noticed the gloomy expression on everyone’s face and realized that no one but her had taken the joke for what it was. "Seriously, lighten up. I’m right here. Stop acting like I’m dead and this is my funeral." "I’m sorry, Mom!" Tista rushed to Elina and embraced her. "Sorry for what?" She was flabbergasted. "For disappointing you." Tista sniffled. "I promise you I’ll marry soon. You can’t die until I give you ten grandchildren." "Silly child, you’ve never disappointed me." Elina decided not to mention so much as a bruise for the foreseeable future. "As much as your words make me happy, I want you to do those things for yourself, not for me. It’s your life." Lith accompanied Elina to Lutia for groceries and then spent the afternoon with her, Elysia, and Valeron. The babies got quality time with their grandmother while Lith made sure nothing bothered his mother. It took a couple of days before the Verhens started to slowly return to their routine. During that time, Salaark and Leegaain made themselves scarce, entrusting Tyris to take care of Elysia and soothe everyone’s nerves with her presence. "I’m sorry to bother you, Featherling." Salaark contacted Lith via the amulet. "We are done with the investigation. Feel free to come at your earliest convenience and I’ll share its results with you." "Thanks, Grandma. I’ll come as soon as possible." Lith hung up the call and went to the kitchen, where an annoyed Elina grunted him good morning. "Guys, I love you with all my heart but this is getting suffocating." Elina couldn’t move one step without someone hugging her or staring at her from around a corner like she was about to collapse at any moment. "Get back to your work, magic, studies, I don’t care. Just leave me alone for one minute." Even going to the bathroom had become a challenge. If she stayed in too long, someone would knock or the babies with their lack of boundaries would fly inside and chirp in worry until she was finished. Shargein in particular was inconsolable. He was glued to Elina, apologizing constantly and seeking reassurance she wasn’t mad at him. "I guess this is as soon as possible." Solus shrugged. "Agreed. Mom, I have something to do in the Desert. I’m bringing Solus and Shargein with me. Is that okay?" "Thank the gods!" Elina raised her arms to the ceiling in exasperation. "I mean, sure, dear. Go and don’t worry about me. Take all the time you need." A single step through the Warp Gate in the barn brought them to their destination. Before going to the Overlord’s office, Solus conjured the tower over the local mana geyser to restore her forces. "I was starting to get a bit tired." She sighed. "The Trawn woods are too distant from our house. Even with the upgrade, the world energy nourishes the tower core but not me." "I’m sorry, Solus." Lith replied. "It’s better to keep Mom away from Grandma for a while and the Verhen Mansion wasn’t an option either. There’s no place on Mogar like our home in Lutia to Mom." "Don’t apologize." Solus shook her head. "I’m actually surprised she can have too much of you. Mom kicking you out of the house like that is a good sign. It means she’s getting better." "She didn’t kick me out of the house!" Lith grumbled. "Not trying to keep you home is Mom’s equivalent of kicking you out." Solus chuckled. "I honestly thought she couldn’t get enough of her baby boy." Lith blushed a little but said nothing. "My baby boy!" Salaark flung open the door of her office and her arms. "Come to mommy! I’ve missed you so much." "Mommy! Mommy!" Shargein threw himself at the Guardian and she caught him on the fly. "I missed you too!" "That was awkward." Lith cleared his throat while mother and son reunited. "For a moment I thought you were talking to me, Grandma." "I’ve missed you too, Featherling." She patted his shoulder. "I’m sorry for the distress I caused you." "It would have been much worse without you." Lith sighed. "What did you want to show me?" "This." A snap of Salaark’s fingers Warped everyone to the Pits of Agony and insulated Shargein from the hellish scene. Lith recognized humans, Fae, and beasts of all kinds amid the guests of the Overlord’s torturing facility. Their bodies froze, charred, rotted, and wizened just to heal and experience a few moments of peace before the cycle started anew. Those who broke Salaark’s law were punished by death. Only those who earned her enmity and spite ended up in the Pits of Agony. A white aura highlighted ten figures, drawing Lith’s attention. "Just ten? I expected much more people would be interested in Ripha’s skills." Lith said. "And you are probably right." Salaark nodded. "These are just those I caught involved in the scheme against Elina or planning their own. They know nothing of others who may be plotting the same. "Unless I go on a rampage and interrogate Awakened just because I can, my hunt ends here. I’m sorry, Featherling but I have no leads I can follow or pass to you." "Then why did you ask me to come to the Desert?" Lith asked in confusion. "There was no need to come here just to tell me this." "Because I wanted you to witness their punishment and decide what to do next." Salaark replied. "I’ll keep them here for as long as you want. Unless, of course, you want them dead or fed to the Bleed." At those words, Solus went pale while Lith’s gaze steeled. "Thanks, Grandma. I think I will follow your suggestion. Solus?" "I don’t know." She wrung her hands. "Aren’t the Pits of Agony enough?" "They are but that’s not the point." Lith shrugged. "I’m not a sadist. Their suffering brings me no joy. I’d keep them here only because death is too easy a way out for them. I’d put their miserable lives to good use if it were up to me." "How is Forbidden Magic a good use?" Solus retorted. Continue your journey with freewebnovel "Their suffering would come to an end so you can consider it a form of mercy." Lith replied. "Also, by sacrificing their lives to protect yours those bastards would make up for what they did to our mother." The last phrase brimmed with hate. A hate that Solus shared and didn’t bother to hide. "I know, and this might sound stupid, but using the Bleed still feels wrong." She said. "Back when the World Tree kidnapped me, I used the Bleed because I had no other choice. I did it in self-defense in a hopeless situation. "Here I would do it in cold blood. I’d take the lives of these people to fuel my powers and existence."