The imperial capital was becoming increasingly peaceful, and the cold weather didn't seem to bother its inhabitants. Jadeweb, the imperial capital, had been built on the most beautiful spot on the planet.
Unfortunately, while the city was recovering, chaos reigned in the palace. In fact, the palace, which had not been damaged on the outside, was beginning to harbor great storms within.
The second prince had been castrated, and the chief eunuch had been executed. Could the ministers still stand by the second prince after all this? Even if the third prince did not survive and the second prince became emperor, the next emperor would still be the first prince or someone from his lineage. Could they cause the death of the first prince? That was impossible. Especially after the second prince's line died out.
Of course, one day, the second prince could rise to a position where he could regain what he lost in his cultivation. However, these people could not act on such possibilities. The first prince could no longer be their enemy, and they had no choice but to side with him.
At that moment, the second prince sat on the edge of the Tao fountain in the palace garden, watching the Tao flow. He was well aware of the immensely beautiful woman approaching him from afar. She had taken off her armor and was wearing a dress. Leon felt that he had aged another year.
Unfortunately, the lust he had once felt had now been replaced by pain alone. His emotions flowed like the water in the fountain.
"I guess your father has made his decision." The words came out of the prince's mouth without hesitation. Although Leon tried to hide the pain in his blue eyes, Elaris, who had lived much longer than Leon, could easily read his emotions as she approached him. She could easily read Leon's emotions.
Elaris stood before the prince. She was cold and sharp. She stood there as if she were still wearing her armor.
"My father did not make the decision. Your brother did. The day you were castrated—"
"Since you dared to say these words in front of me, I must be more worthless in the palace than I thought."
Elaris paused for a moment. She sighed as she looked at the handsome prince with her bright green eyes.
"I'm sorry, but after this, it's impossible for me to remain engaged to you."
Elaris's calm eyes were framed by her brown hair. She was wearing a dress that was unusual for her, yet her sword remained at her waist, ready to be drawn at any moment. Even in front of the prince.
Elaris did not hate the prince; however, the only reason she had agreed to marry him after all these years was now gone.
Leon saw this and smiled. He had always known that the marriage was purely political. Still, since they didn't hate each other and even showed a hint of affection, he hadn't objected when his father arranged the marriage. Besides, Elaris was the daughter of Prime Minister Zaturu. He had no desire to struggle for the throne against Mais, but that did not stop him from wanting to guard against treacherous thoughts among the ministers.
"And as a result, your father will marry you off to our new emperor?"
Elaris's eyes remained cold in response to Leon's implication. They were like a vast sea. There could be small waves, of course, but what could fall into this vast sea and be big enough to make it churn?
"You can't really think I could marry him? I never intended to marry in the first place. Just for a ki... Things... went well for me. I'm sorry I couldn't fulfill my duty."
Leon dipped his hand into the fountain and stirred the water. Yes, he knew that. Elaris was much older than him. In fact, she was nearing the end of her life. She wasn't as talented as Leon or other geniuses. Still, she had managed to become a Tao Guardian. On top of that, she was a high-ranking captain. Typically, Tao Guardians did not marry or have children. However, exceptions were made on rare occasions. These exceptions only occurred under one condition:
A Trial of Fate.
A person wishing to marry would undergo a life-or-death test. If they succeeded, they could marry. Failure meant death.
"Maybe you just don't want to enter the Trial of Fate one more time."
Elaris stood calmly, sighed, and sat down on the fountain wall. They both felt a little peace watching the water flow. They both had regrets, but even though they were engaged, they hadn't gotten close enough to fully open up to each other about them.
"Mais's death wasn't your fault. That bastard betrayed my brother Lagos and stabbed him in the back," Leon said suddenly. He was one of the few people who could see beyond Elaris's strong defenses. He knew she felt guilty about the deaths of her little brother, Mais, and the emperor. His father's death was beyond their control, but those who wounded Mais and fought the eunuchs were not.
Elaris knew the little boy loved coming here. Leon didn't know Mais very well, but he knew he was a lonely soul. He loved silence and had few friends.
Who would have expected him to be stabbed by one of those friends?
Do you think Prince Mais could really be alive? After he was wounded by Lagos and disappeared to the other side of the world? Could he have cut his hair and been preparing a rebel army?" Elaris asked. Leon laughed at this.
"A rebel army might be possible, but I don't think he'd cut his hair. He won't easily accept being sent into exile."
The room fell silent once more. At that moment, Elaris looked at Leon with a genuinely sincere gaze. She noticed he looked thoughtful. Yet he still frowned occasionally and clenched his teeth slightly.
"What will you do now?" Elaris asked.
No one would support him. Leon could only find support if Mais was alive. But if she was alive, what if she wanted the throne too? Or what if, after everything that had happened, the little boy's spirit had grown stronger instead of being broken? Then, perhaps, the lords would choose to support not Leon but that little boy. The arrogant lords who believed that only a talented person should be emperor would follow Leon. Clearly, he couldn't win the throne after such division. Perhaps there would be great struggles and a war lasting many years.
And all this was true if the 3rd Prince Mais was alive.
Leon stood there. Anyone could see his anger. He had lost his manhood and would never have children again. At least not unless he ascended to a miraculous realm and undid the cursed execution carried out on him.
"You came here to tell me that our engagement was broken off and to comfort me. I am grateful to you. Still, you should know that you alone are not enough to comfort me. Everyone who could has either died or become a prisoner of a terrible fate."
A prisoner of a terrible fate. Elaris understood instantly. Who else could be a prisoner of a terrible fate but the Second Eunuch who cast the Gambler's Die?
"We will meet again while you remain in the palace, Leon. I am back at my post, and as a Tao Guardian, I will do what I must."
Elaris turned and walked away. His last words were a kind of threat. But they were also good advice.
'As long as you remain in the palace...'
Leon waited there until the sun set, then felt the shadows stir. He ran his hand over the fountain's wall.
It was covered in dust. No one had been here for a long time.
"What did Advisor Wu say?" he asked suddenly.
There was no one around to answer, but the shadows could speak as they moved.
"He apologized to you for what happened, Your Majesty. He was ready to rescue you but said he couldn't interfere unless your life was in danger. He mentioned something about not being able to break his promise to the first empress."
Leon frowned, then slammed his fist hard into the decorative pool at the Tao fountain, causing water to shoot into the sky. He jumped to his feet. As the water flowed back into the pool, Leon did not look happy.
"The old man is just doing what he wants! Excuse after excuse! My brother was banished from the throne, and yet he accepts him as emperor?! Damn it!"
Of course, Advisor Wu would guarantee his life. He was bound by a strange agreement he had made with the first empress. No one knew the terms of the agreement. Therefore, everyone thought that Advisor Wu was acting on his own whim.
He was supposedly protecting the lineage of the first empress, but he didn't show up on the day of the rebellion because it was the anniversary of his son's death. His father died. Mais was exiled. The chief eunuchs died or suffered terrible fates. He was castrated himself, and Lameon ascended the throne. Despite having the power to stop all of this, Advisor Wu interfered very little in any of these cases. He put on a show to intimidate the pirates, but he didn't kill the pirate who attacked him. He just had him executed.
"What will you do, my Lord?"
'Always this question. Aren't they tired of asking it?'
It was as if Leon's actions would change everything in an instant.
Well, not in an instant, but he would change something.
Leon started walking toward the palace. As the talking shadow blended into his own at the palace entrance, he noticed a figure in the dark corridor. When he recognized the figure, a smile appeared on Leon's face.
"I'm thinking."