Clara's Melancholy

"Your Majesty, no! I will quit taking that drug, please spare me!" Julius screamed as another flaming whip smacked him on the butt, eliciting a hiss of pain from him.

His pain tolerance was very low. Even a slight prick against his skin would make him cry out. But his father was beating him black and blue without relenting.

Why did he have to start taking it as soon as he woke up in the morning?

It was just yesterday night he had finished his stock since the new one had arrived that evening.

Why did he feel the need to take it again this morning?

Julius didn't realise his increasing dependency on the drug day by day. He still believed he had control over his addiction.

The clone Elmer didn't care for what Julius was going through, he just wanted to beat him to his heart's content and quickly go back to his underground lair so that he could try the new drug.

Keeping up the facade of an aggrieved parent, he spat:

"Look at you! Already nearing your 25th birthday and yet you're still a Martial King… and, and you have no plans for your future! Tch, Why can't you learn from Scarlet and be more hardworking?"

Julius kept begging to be spared but the brutal onslaught of flaming whips never stopped. In his mind addled with pain, he even imagined his mother entering the training hall.

No!

It was not his imagination. His already bruised face darkened visibly as he heard the footsteps when she approached them with a worried face.

"Your Majesty, must you be so harsh on him? He is our son!" Clara bemoaned, looking at the sorry state her son was in.

She had watched them both train previously, it was never this intense, however. Her son wasn't even given the chance to defend himself.

It almost appeared as though Elmer was beating him on purpose.

"No, Clara! You don't understand! I have been too lenient with this brat. I need to bring him to the correct path." The clone replied as he stopped his attack for now, though the flaming whip was still sizzling in his hands.

"He has strayed too far from our teachings!"

"Your Majesty, what happened? Why are you so distressed?" Clara placed a hand on his shoulder in a gesture of offering comfort.

Immediately, the clone flinched and moved a bit further from her on the pretext of lifting Julius by the collar.

Of all the things he was ordered by the real Elmer, one of the most important orders was to never touch his wife Clara.

It had been hammered into his head so many times that, whenever she came close to him thinking he was her real husband, he would react on instinct and make distance between them using some excuses.

The clone really felt indignant because of this. Everything that belonged to Elmer was his and vice versa, but it really frustrated him whenever he thought about Clara.

She was probably the only person the real Elmer truly loved.

The clone Elmer wasn't too confident about keeping his life if he laid his hands on her.

"This brat!" He bellowed and threw Julius at her feet.

"No, father! I will not do it again. Please don't say anything to mother!" Julius pleaded. In his mother's eyes, he was a well behaved son who listened to his parents. He had painstakingly built up that image over the years.

It would all be ruined if the truth was revealed.

"Shut up! Your mother needs to know what you've done!" He kicked him on the butt. "Now confess to your mother! Go on, don't be shy."

"Julius, what did you—"

"I am sorry, mother. Please forgive me, I will not do it again…!" Julius whined. "Tell father to stop beating me!"

Clara visibly recoiled from the way her son— a grown man— was grovelling at her feet, cowering in fear with tears streaming down his cheeks.

"What did you do, Julius? Why are you crying like a child?" Her eyes shook as she asked.

Julius was really unwilling to admit his mistake in front of his mother but the flaming whip hovering over his body made him shudder.

"I will not take any drugs again…I swear! I will reform and be a filial son…please mother, forgive me…"

Her countenance changed after hearing his words. Her voice was devoid of any emotions as she asked:

"What drug? Julius, what are you talking about?"

Julius lowered his head at her feet, unable to speak further.

But that was enough for Clara. Her eyes moistened as she looked down at her son helplessly.

First, it was Egon who ran away from the palace, only leaving behind a brief note about his wish to travel the world for the first time in his life.

Even though Egon was not her biological son, she still considered him as one. Not only he, but all of Elmer's children were also hers.

She was heartbroken and distressed at the same time thinking about the poor boy's safety. He had barely ever left the comforts of his home.

How was he going to survive in the outside world without the Imperial Family's protection?

Whatever attempts she was going to make to find him and bring him back was stopped by Elmer.

'He is a grown man and has chosen a path for himself. We should respect his wishes…'

Elmer had stopped the searching party arranged by her and told her these exact words. Even Egon's mother had agreed with him.

If that was one case, then there was her daughter Scarlet. She had locked herself up in her courtyard and was cultivating like a mad woman.

Not even once she had come out of her seclusion after the Phoenix festival.

And now, her son— her pride and joy— was taking drugs instead of learning how to run an empire.

It was like someone had cursed her family to suffer in silence.

No, things were going bad for her children. She needed to take a step to make things right whether it was a bold one with Scarlet or a harsh one with Julius, she wouldn't hesitate.

"Elmer," She spoke, this time not using his title. "Do with him as you wish, but he should be right on track by the end of this month!"

The clone nodded and grabbed Julius' legs and threw him towards the middle of the training hall.

"Of course, Clara. If he doesn't learn quickly I will beat it into him!"

With that, his whips crackled with fire and he smacked it at Julius.

Clara quickly turned around, she couldn't possibly watch her son getting such a harsh punishment.

She walked out of the door of the training hall and her legs halted to take a last look at her son before leaving.

No matter what, he was still her son and she hoped he would change.

"Huh?"

-Thud!

The door was shut tightly behind her back but Clara was distracted by something she saw.

Why did her husband seem to enjoy what he was doing?

***

One hour later…

"Guards! Bring some water."

The clone ordered and squatted near the unconscious form of Julius.

"Your Majesty,"

He took the jug of water brought by the guard and splashed it on Julius' face.

"Wake up!"

Julius groggily opened his eyes. Every inch of his body was aching with pain. His once luxurious clothes were now riddled with burn marks.

"Drag him back to his room and keep an eye on him all the time." The clone ordered the guard. "Don't leave him alone even if he is in the bathroom, understood?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." The guard bowed.

"If he shows the slightest sign of craving for that drug, notify me quickly!"

"As you command, Your Majesty!"

"Good! Now, take him to his room."

The clone watched as the guard carried Julius out of the hall.

He was finally free. After an hour of workout, it was time to relax. And there was no better way to relax than indulging in his desires.

"Keke,"

Letting out a chuckle in excitement, he exited the training hall and headed deep inside the palace.

After taking several turns around the winding paths he finally reached the white wall that opened up to reveal a staircase down to the abyss upon injecting his mana.

He quickly dragged a chair and a table from the corner and took out the neatly wrapped package of Rave Spirit.

His breath quickened as the vials upon vials of bluish powder revealed themselves after opening the package.

He urgently opened one of the vials and quickly poured the powder on the table. Taking a seat, he sniffed it slowly at first.

His eyes swirled for a second but his mana surged into action and negated the effects of the drug.

The clone clicked his tongue in annoyance and reined in his mana by sending it back inside his core.

Having a high cultivation base could be disadvantageous sometimes, he thought and took another sniff.

"Ahh, this is good stuff!" He exclaimed as a pleasant warmth filled his lungs.

He looked at the remaining stock and shook his head.

"I need to finish these before Elmer comes back…"