"No…no…impossible…it's impossible!"

　　Nils staggered, her body s.h.i.+vering as she rejected this new reality with every fiber of rationality she still held.

　　"Why? He has no cause! There is no point! Even the most oversuspicious of emperors will not result to such means! There must be a misunderstanding…a misunderst…"

　　But as she attempted to convince herself of otherwise, Nils' eyes fell back on the soul worm and reality forced her back into the truth.

　　Among the Holy Flame Empire's pureblooded paragon spirits, those with the ability to cultivate soul worms were not many. Those who dared, fewer. If on top of that, the person needed to be one of her close relatives, her father was indeed the most likely suspect.

　　But why? Not just her, but of all the people Konrad mentioned, the soul worm's use only made sense on Adelar. And even then, it was too extreme.

　　"Why? Elmar only vies for power because father raised him to. Were it not for father, he would be happily married to the Slesinger Duke's daughter, having no care for who held the throne.

　　Why force him on this path but still infect him with such a dreadful thing?

　　If Adelar could reach this level of power, it's because father allowed him to. He could have effortlessly suppressed him in the cradle.

　　As for the Holy Empress and the Holy Consort? One is his lover and the other his most trusted! What are the gains?

　　This makes no sense!"

　　Nils roared, her mind failing to grasp any reasoning in those nefarious deeds.

　　"Because on the road to supreme power, you're his stepping stones."

　　Konrad smiled and placed his hand on Nils' forehead, letting her witness Yvonne's words, Olrich's display of madness, and Wenzel's atrocious death.

　　"The blood…the souls…of one thousand newborns…one thousand newborns…the souls of…the closest kin…such a dreadful art exists in this world…and is cultivated by…my father…"

　　If she weren't in her soul form, Nils would have spat blood on the spot. Still, her mind faced imminent destruction.

　　She now understood why her sixth brother had suddenly disappeared, and no one dared mention his fate, using an amalgam of ridiculous lies.

　　Konrad didn't a.s.sist her, knowing that if she couldn't find the strength to overcome this truth, helping her was meaningless.

　　"Fattening…fattened with love and care…I understand…the worms are to make sure he can incapacitate and refine us at all times…I can also understand…but why…"

　　"Because he must first let you fulfill your potential. The farther you go on the cultivation road, the more benefits he reaps when the harvest time comes. At least, that's my belief.