Master the Abyss, starting from an apprentice priest.

Chapter 712 Hayek's Return

The capital city, the Duke of Harkas's mansion.

This is a modestly decorated manor house. Judging from its exterior alone, it appears simple and unadorned, even old-fashioned. There are many traces of water or wind erosion on the stone bricks of the exterior walls, with moss connecting the gaps. The wrought iron gate is even a bit rusty and makes a somewhat hoarse sound when the wind blows.

In the courtyard of the manor, there were only two servants on night watch, carrying dim lanterns and patrolling the courtyard in the moonlight.

This place looks like the residence of a fallen nobleman. If you didn't know beforehand, looking at the exterior of this manor, no one would have guessed that this was the residence of a "Red Crown Prince" duke of the empire, the most powerful duke under the emperor, Duke Harcas!

Unlike the dukes of other empires, Duke Harkas disliked having too many people serving him; he preferred quiet—the two servants on night watch patrolled the courtyard like machines. Their footsteps were light, almost silent, like ghosts.

Duke Harcasville Norland was known for his low profile. If it weren't for the bloody purge that began with his disappearance as a "messenger," everyone would have thought that Duke Harcasville would have continued to keep a low profile.

Deep within the manor, there stands a three-story traditional villa.

On the third floor of the villa, in the study of Duke Nolan of Harcasville.

The master of the mansion, Duke Harkas, sat in his ducal chair, his face filled with sorrow—half a month had passed since Count Hayek disappeared.

But to this day, there is still no news of Hayek, and no trace of him can be found.

Earl Hayek—the eldest son of another "Red Crown Prince," Duke Austinville Nolan—had a more than ordinary kinship relationship with Duke Harkas. Only Duke Harkas himself knew that Earl Hayek was his illegitimate son.

Therefore, the Duke of Hakkas took special care of Hayek. Apart from Hayek, the Duke of Hakkas left no other bloodline—it was common knowledge that he had no children, and this was exactly what the Duke of Hakkas wanted the outside world to know.

In this way, even if he were to die one day due to unforeseen circumstances, Hayek could be spared as much as possible so that he could survive and continue his bloodline. This was something Duke Harkas had planned long ago.

He also left a substantial inheritance for Count Hayek, enough for Hayek to escape the empire and seek refuge anywhere in the world during times of crisis.

But now, there's only one question—

...Hayek's whereabouts remain unknown.

That made the Duke of Harcas extremely anxious—he had previously vowed to search high and low to find Earl Hayek, but perhaps the commotion was too great and the actions too hasty, which aroused a lot of dissatisfaction, especially from another "Red Crown Prince", the Duke of Kentville Nolan.

The Duke of Kentville, whose power in the Empire was no less than that of the Duke of Harkas, joined forces with several other "Guardian Princes" and "Red-Crowned Princes" to jointly petition Emperor Augustusville for accountability and impeachment of the Duke of Harkas.

On that day, both the Duke of Harkas and the Duke of Kentville were summoned to the palace by the Emperor, and the Duke of Harkas received the most severe warning from Emperor Augustusville.

"Hayek Nolan, an imperial descendant with 'Nolan' as his surname, is a branch of my bloodline. If he were to disappear, become crippled, or even die, it would only prove that he was too weak. You should not have taken care of everything for him, Harkas."

This is a direct quote from Emperor Augustusville, warning the Duke of Harkas.

"The investiture ceremony is imminent. Yet you have stirred up such turmoil right before my eyes, Hakkas. Cease immediately, and I may forgive you once, but only this once."

"..."

Whenever he recalls that time, the voice of the emperor echoes in the ears of Duke Harkas.

At that time, Hakkas clearly felt the emperor's murderous intent towards him—an intent so intense, so real, that it even made Hakkas, who had lived for three hundred years, instinctively feel fear.

After all, what he was facing was the pinnacle of everything in the human world, the highest level.

Not only the pinnacle of the Supreme Order, but now also the pinnacle of the Supreme Killing Order—Emperor Augustusville Nolan is like a sword forever hanging over the heads of all the Supreme beings, a thorn forever placed before their hearts.

Upon leaving the Imperial Palace, Harkas recalled all his soldiers and knights, halting all operations. He was forced to cease his forceful investigation into Hayek's whereabouts and could now only search secretly, but to no avail.

Until now.

"..."

When I recall these things.

Duke Harkas leaned back somewhat dejectedly, his back pressed completely against the seat, and let out a long sigh.

Despite being a "Red-Crowned Prince" and an Imperial Duke, Hakkas now felt a profound sense of powerlessness.

Then--

Dudu, dudu.

A knock came from outside the Duke of Harkas's study door.

Duke Harkas raised his gaze to the doorway. The somewhat dejected expression on his face vanished, replaced by a composed, gentle look, like that of a kind old man. He then gently raised his right hand.

On the ring finger of his right hand, at the knuckle, a bronze ring with dark red gemstones emanated spiritual threads that flowed with dark red light.

Then, the study door opened by itself, and a servant wearing a black vest stood outside. His eyes were empty. After the door opened, he entered the study, bowed to Duke Harkas, and said, "...Master, a guest requests an audience with you."

"Guests?" Duke Harkas looked up in confusion.

"who is it?"

"...The guest didn't tell me his name. But he did tell me that he knew you had been looking for him."

"I've been searching for..."

"..."

"...!"

As if suddenly realizing something, Duke Harkas sat up straight and said to the servant in front of him:
"Bring him in."

"Yes." The waiter nodded.

Then the servant turned and left the study, and Duke Harkas felt his heart begin to race, and his aged body seemed to grow hot—

If it's really as he thinks... if it's really as he thinks, and Hayek himself has returned, then... the emperor was right. Hayek has indeed proven that he is not weak in reality, and that he is qualified to be a descendant of the "Nolan" imperial family!
"..."

Duke Harkas grew increasingly anxious as he pondered these things.

In his eyes, he soon saw that the waiter had returned.

Behind him stood a figure draped in a dark cloak, beneath which wore a magnificent robe—

The aura felt both familiar and strange to Duke Harkas.

Until the "guest" raised his hand and took off his cloak.

"...!"

Upon seeing the "guest's" appearance, Duke Harkas's pupils dilated sharply, and his mouth involuntarily gaped open—

He did see it; he saw the figure he had been searching for.

“It is I, your nephew, Hayek.”

Count Hayek, gazing at Duke Harkas, smiled and said:

“I’m back, Uncle.”

……

—It really is Hayek!

Duke Harkas stared in disbelief at what was happening before him, at Count Hayek standing right in front of him.

On the Duke of Harkas’s face, a complex expression of astonishment, panic, joy, and doubt appeared. His mood was not calm because of the return of Count Hayek, whom he had lost. However, his first reaction was to fully release his “supreme” spirituality and envelop the “Hayek” in front of him!
“Your spiritual aura tells me…you are not Hayek.”

Duke Harkas's gaze gradually turned cold. As he looked at "Hayek" before him, the familiar figure of Hayek was gradually peeled away from the figure in front of him. He only saw a red mass—a spiritual surge that was similar to the "Supreme," but was by no means the "Supreme"!
Hayek is a "Guardian King" of the sixth level of the [Supreme] Destiny, and a Saint who was promoted from the lineage of the Chief Judge. But now, the "Hayek" in front of him no longer has that aura. This makes Hacas know that the person in front of him is definitely not the Hayek he knows!

At this moment, Duke Harkas's spirituality had completely permeated the room. The once spacious study suddenly felt cramped and confined. The bookshelves trembled due to the vibrations of the tangible spirituality, and the pages began to flip wildly, making a rustling sound.

The waiter was violently pushed away by the terrifying surge of spiritual energy, thrown to the floor of the corridor, and the study door slammed shut behind him.

"who are you?"

The entire study had become a sealed cage. Duke Harkas did not stand up; his eyes, burning like dark fire, were fixed on the man before him who called himself "Hayek."
"Why are you impersonating Hayek... What are your motives? Where is the real Hayek now?"

"..."

“...I am Hayek, the real Hayek, Uncle.”

On "Hayek's" face, the panic familiar to Duke Harkas appeared, but that panic was merely a facade; beneath it lay the same composure Duke Harkas knew well—a fox using panic to conceal its true nature. And then Duke Harkas heard "Hayek" say:
"I have gained new power..."

"As you sense, Uncle, a new power resides within me—a power that is more ancient than the Supreme, a power derived from Authority!"

—【Authoritarianism】!
……

(End of this chapter)