CHAPTER 131
"Did you hear? The entire Semper delegation has been transferred to prison."
"That's nothing. King Ator has been locked up in the underground prison!"
"They say Semper has been identified as the main culprit behind the Empress's kidnapping. Evidence has surfaced. It's unbelievable."
"I don't understand what's going on... I can't make sense of it."
"Let's hurry. If we're late to the meeting, it could backfire on us."
The royals and high nobles quickly made their way to the Imperial Palace's First Conference Room.
They had been preparing for the Emperor's wedding since early morning, but then they heard a thunderous announcement.
"Today's wedding has been canceled. The Empress has been kidnapped!"
They were dumbfounded by the shocking news, only to be hit with another blow.
"They say it's the work of Semper! King Ator is being transferred to the underground prison as we speak."
Even though they had committed no crime, their legs felt weak.
No one in the empire, no, in the entire continent, is unaware of the Emperor's love for his wife.
To kidnap the Empress on the day of the wedding...
"Semper is doomed to disappear into dust," one of the elder nobles quietly lamented.
A messenger arrived with the final message.
"His Majesty has ordered everyone to convene."
One small mistake at a time like this, and they might not survive.
The royals and nobles threw off their formal attire and rushed to the Imperial Palace.
Before leaving, they repeatedly instructed their wives and children to burn all books, artworks, and anything related to Semper in their homes.
Nobles who were in-laws with Semper's aristocracy trembled as they crossed the threshold of the conference room.
The Emperor would investigate everyone associated with Semper until he found his wife.
No one knew better than these nobles how relentless and meticulous he could be.
Sixty or so representatives of the royal family and nobility gathered in the First Conference Room.
***
The quarters of King Bergen.
Swish, swish.
The sound of a sword being sharpened echoed through the bedroom.
He had abandoned even family ties to get his hands on this sword, passed down through generations to the ruler of the Lycanor throne.
Bergen’s eyes glinted as he sharpened the blade on a diamond whetstone.
The day when he would use this sword to behead the one sitting on the imperial throne was not far off.
"I will be the master of this continent."
Without turning his head, Bergen asked, "Was she received well?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. We have received confirmation that she was moved directly from the forest to the ship."
"You were careful to ensure she wasn't harmed."
"Rest assured, Your Majesty. The men who carried out today's mission know that Lady Arabelle is to become their Queen. She resisted a bit, but they managed to bring her aboard safely."
Bergen's lips curled into a low, satisfied smile.
"They would never imagine that Arabelle is on a Lycanor ship. By now, they're probably torturing that unfortunate King Ator and searching every road to Semper."
The commander of the Lycanor Guard, Bergen’s right-hand man, spoke in a low voice, "They've already blocked all roads to Semper. There's even talk of breaking off the alliance and withdrawing the army. They've sent threatening messages to all the kingdoms allied with Semper."
"They're moving faster than I expected."
Bergen raised one eyebrow in surprise.
The Maxwell he knew was someone who remained calm in emergencies.
While planning, he never acted in a way that revealed his cards.
"The Emperor returned to the palace from the morning forest looking like a ghost. He ordered the arrest and investigation of everyone who had been in contact with the Empress recently."
"Hah, hah. Losing his wife, he has lost his mind as well. He's causing a ruckus like a frantic horse without thinking ahead."
Bergen burst into a hearty laugh.
They say a man's greatest weakness is the woman he loves.
He had never thought that applied to men like him or Maxwell.
Things were progressing more smoothly than he had anticipated.
He had left a merchant's belt, carefully prepared in advance, wedged between a bench when he kidnapped Arabelle.
It was meant to drive a wedge into the conflict with Semper, but he hadn't imagined the Emperor would act so quickly.
He had thought the Emperor would conduct a more thorough investigation before pressuring Semper.
Thankfully, the Emperor's judgment had become quite clouded.
"I will take Semper sooner than planned. Send word to the secret army in Semper. Tell them to start preparing to seize the capital."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"The Emperor will verify if Arabelle is in Semper. When he can't find her, he'll withdraw his troops as retribution."
"In that case, won't he declare war on Semper as revenge? If the Empire attacks, we won't have much choice."
"No, the Emperor won't attack Semper directly. He won't have the luxury to focus on anything else while searching for his wife. However, if he breaks off the alliance, Semper will become a target for the other powerful nations. He'll try to destroy Semper without dirtying his own hands. That's the ultimate punishment he can deliver."
The Emperor had no fear of a powerful nation occupying Semper later rebelling against the Empire.
He could crush them then. It was his fundamental confidence.
Right now, what mattered to him was annihilating Semper, the nation implicated in his wife's kidnapping.
Bergen smirked.
"Even the Emperor is just an ordinary man drowning in love."
***
The First Conference Room in the Imperial Palace.
On any other day, they would have exchanged lighthearted jokes or small talk while waiting for the Emperor.
But in this room, there wasn't even a single breath louder than a whisper.
Click.
The doors to the conference room opened, and Empress Dowager Natalia entered with Grand Duke Le Sang and his wife.
They were the forces that stood tall next to the Emperor.
They took their seats with anxious expressions, receiving greetings from the nobles.
Sighs escaped their lips repeatedly, but the Empress Dowager and Grand Duchess Caroline's faces were unusually lively.
As if on cue, the Empress Dowager and the Grand Duchess opened their feather fans to cover their faces.
They couldn't risk showing even a hint of a smile.
"The Emperor’s weakness has been kidnapped. We had planned to act after the wedding, but now there's no need for us to intervene."
The Empress Dowager thought as she fanned herself gracefully.
She was curious about how the Emperor would react now that he had a weakness for the first time.
Would his perfect rationality guide him this time?
He had always been an emotionless Emperor, with nothing to fear and nothing to lose.---
"Did you hear? The entire Semper delegation has been transferred to prison."
"That's nothing. King Ator has been locked up in the underground prison!"
"They say Semper has been identified as the main culprit behind the Empress's kidnapping. Evidence has surfaced. It's unbelievable."
"I don't understand what's going on... I can't make sense of it."
"Let's hurry. If we're late to the meeting, it could backfire on us."
The royals and high nobles quickly made their way to the Imperial Palace's First Conference Room.
They had been preparing for the Emperor's wedding since early morning, but then they heard a thunderous announcement.
"Today's wedding has been canceled. The Empress has been kidnapped!"
They were dumbfounded by the shocking news, only to be hit with another blow.
"They say it's the work of Semper! King Ator is being transferred to the underground prison as we speak."
Even though they had committed no crime, their legs felt weak.
No one in the empire, no, in the entire continent, is unaware of the Emperor's love for his wife.
To kidnap the Empress on the day of the wedding...
"Semper is doomed to disappear into dust," one of the elder nobles quietly lamented.
A messenger arrived with the final message.
"His Majesty has ordered everyone to convene."
One small mistake at a time like this, and they might not survive.
The royals and nobles threw off their formal attire and rushed to the Imperial Palace.
Before leaving, they repeatedly instructed their wives and children to burn all books, artworks, and anything related to Semper in their homes.
Nobles who were in-laws with Semper's aristocracy trembled as they crossed the threshold of the conference room.
The Emperor would investigate everyone associated with Semper until he found his wife.
No one knew better than these nobles how relentless and meticulous he could be.
Sixty or so representatives of the royal family and nobility gathered in the First Conference Room.
***
The quarters of King Bergen.
Swish, swish.
The sound of a sword being sharpened echoed through the bedroom.
He had abandoned even family ties to get his hands on this sword, passed down through generations to the ruler of the Lycanor throne.
Bergen’s eyes glinted as he sharpened the blade on a diamond whetstone.
The day when he would use this sword to behead the one sitting on the imperial throne was not far off.
"I will be the master of this continent."
Without turning his head, Bergen asked, "Was she received well?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. We have received confirmation that she was moved directly from the forest to the ship."
"You were careful to ensure she wasn't harmed."
"Rest assured, Your Majesty. The men who carried out today's mission know that Lady Arabelle is to become their Queen. She resisted a bit, but they managed to bring her aboard safely."
Bergen's lips curled into a low, satisfied smile.
"They would never imagine that Arabelle is on a Lycanor ship. By now, they're probably torturing that unfortunate King Ator and searching every road to Semper."
The commander of the Lycanor Guard, Bergen’s right-hand man, spoke in a low voice, "They've already blocked all roads to Semper. There's even talk of breaking off the alliance and withdrawing the army. They've sent threatening messages to all the kingdoms allied with Semper."
"They're moving faster than I expected."
Bergen raised one eyebrow in surprise.
The Maxwell he knew was someone who remained calm in emergencies.
While planning, he never acted in a way that revealed his cards.
"The Emperor returned to the palace from the morning forest looking like a ghost. He ordered the arrest and investigation of everyone who had been in contact with the Empress recently."
"Hah, hah. Losing his wife, he has lost his mind as well. He's causing a ruckus like a frantic horse without thinking ahead."
Bergen burst into a hearty laugh.
They say a man's greatest weakness is the woman he loves.
He had never thought that applied to men like him or Maxwell.
Things were progressing more smoothly than he had anticipated.
He had left a merchant's belt, carefully prepared in advance, wedged between a bench when he kidnapped Arabelle.
It was meant to drive a wedge into the conflict with Semper, but he hadn't imagined the Emperor would act so quickly.
He had thought the Emperor would conduct a more thorough investigation before pressuring Semper.
Thankfully, the Emperor's judgment had become quite clouded.
"I will take Semper sooner than planned. Send word to the secret army in Semper. Tell them to start preparing to seize the capital."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"The Emperor will verify if Arabelle is in Semper. When he can't find her, he'll withdraw his troops as retribution."
"In that case, won't he declare war on Semper as revenge? If the Empire attacks, we won't have much choice."
"No, the Emperor won't attack Semper directly. He won't have the luxury to focus on anything else while searching for his wife. However, if he breaks off the alliance, Semper will become a target for the other powerful nations. He'll try to destroy Semper without dirtying his own hands. That's the ultimate punishment he can deliver."
The Emperor had no fear of a powerful nation occupying Semper later rebelling against the Empire.
He could crush them then. It was his fundamental confidence.
Right now, what mattered to him was annihilating Semper, the nation implicated in his wife's kidnapping.
Bergen smirked.
"Even the Emperor is just an ordinary man drowning in love."
***
The First Conference Room in the Imperial Palace.
On any other day, they would have exchanged lighthearted jokes or small talk while waiting for the Emperor.
But in this room, there wasn't even a single breath louder than a whisper.
Click.
The doors to the conference room opened, and Empress Dowager Natalia entered with Grand Duke Le Sang and his wife.
They were the forces that stood tall next to the Emperor.
They took their seats with anxious expressions, receiving greetings from the nobles.
Sighs escaped their lips repeatedly, but the Empress Dowager and Grand Duchess Caroline's faces were unusually lively.
As if on cue, the Empress Dowager and the Grand Duchess opened their feather fans to cover their faces.
They couldn't risk showing even a hint of a smile.
"The Emperor’s weakness has been kidnapped. We had planned to act after the wedding, but now there's no need for us to intervene."
The Empress Dowager thought as she fanned herself gracefully.
She was curious about how the Emperor would react now that he had a weakness for the first time.
Would his perfect rationality guide him this time?
He had always been an emotionless Emperor, with nothing to fear and nothing to lose.
His unerring, meticulous reasoning had propelled him to the very pinnacle of the pyramid.
But how would he react now that he had lost Arabelle?
The curiosity was maddening.
The same could be said for Caroline, the Duchess of Lesang, who was the Empress Dowager's bitter rival.
An emperor whose bride was abducted on their wedding day—such a scandal was beyond imagination.
Losing his beloved wife was one thing, but this was also a direct challenge to his absolute imperial authority.
It would be more surprising if he didn't lose his temper.
For a brief moment, Caroline's eyes met those of Count Hawthorne before quickly darting away.
She knew all too well that Count Hawthorne had handed over the Empire's blueprints for a new weapon and the internal map of the southwestern fortress to the Crown Prince of Kubil.
After all, it was she who had introduced him to the Crown Prince.
She didn't know if Arabelle's abduction was related to the alliance of the five island nations, but it wasn't part of the original plan to occupy Semper and dismantle the dam between the island nations before attacking the Empire.
Yet, the Empress's abduction made things much easier.
The Emperor would focus all his efforts on retrieving his wife.
There would be no time for him to pay attention to anything else. It was the perfect opportunity to destabilize his power.
Caroline hid a sly smile behind the ornate fan made of peacock feathers.
At that moment, the doors to the council chamber swung open,
"His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor."
The Chief Chamberlain of the Imperial Palace announced his entrance.
The royals and noble representatives all stood, ready to receive the Emperor.
Step by step, a long shadow stretched across the floor of the council chamber.
The Emperor appeared, still clad in the crimson uniform he had worn during the early morning search.
In the silence that filled the room, the sound of someone swallowing could be heard.
Facing the Emperor's cold, expressionless face, a shiver ran down their spines.
Even the faint, cynical smile that usually played at the corner of his mouth was absent.
At this moment, they found themselves oddly missing the smile, tinged with malevolence and mockery, that he typically wore.
The vast council chamber suddenly felt suffocating, as if there wasn't enough air.
The Emperor seated himself on the throne, his gaze sweeping across the assembly.
The legs of the royal and noble representatives trembled, but none dared to lower their heads.
Though their hearts felt as if they were being pierced by his crimson eyes, they knew that now was not the time to look away.
The Emperor never tolerated anyone averting their eyes during an interrogation or when he sought their opinion.
Even if tears welled up from staring too long, they had to prove they were not involved.
At a nod from the Emperor, Kyle, his chief aide, stepped forward.
Unrolling a scroll, he read it in a single breath.
"I, Maxwell de Fonte August, as the 27th Emperor of the Helterde Empire, hereby issue the following decree..."
***
At the lakeside of Glasches within the Imperial Palace at sunset.
Groups of representatives from various kingdoms strolled along the lakeside, walking in twos and threes.
They had spent the entire day cooped up in their quarters, being interrogated by the Imperial investigation team.
At last, they were granted permission to step outside, though only within the palace grounds.
Their faces were etched with fatigue and frustration.
The wedding had been canceled, and just as they were preparing to return to their homelands, the investigation team had barged into their quarters.
The situation was already tense, and now their plans to leave had been completely upended.
"Well, we should be grateful for small mercies. At least we can return to our kingdoms in two days," said the Crown Prince of Chatel, trying to lighten the mood.
Next to him, the King of Puquern frowned.
"What’s there to be grateful for? We're stuck here for another two days with our hands tied."
Detaining the representatives from other kingdoms—only the Empire could get away with something like this. If they had attended a wedding in another kingdom and faced this kind of treatment, war would have already broken out.
As the kings and crown princes grumbled quietly among themselves, a pleasant voice chimed in.
"But at least we've all been cleared of any suspicion. I should use the next two days to see if there's anything I can do to help His Majesty. He must be terribly worried."
King Bergen’s words were met with nods of agreement from the others.
"King Bergen is right. It's not the time to complain about minor inconveniences. His Majesty must be heartbroken, having lost his beloved bride on their wedding day."
The Crown Prince of Kubil spoke in an exaggerated tone.
His shoulders shook slightly in excitement as he thought of returning home to conquer Semper and dismantle the dam.
As the group grew somber, one representative from another kingdom glanced around before speaking up.
"Do you really think the Emperor will withdraw all the Empire's troops from Semper as he decreed?"
"It's not just the troops. He's halting all military support as well."
"They're saying a special investigation unit will be sent to Semper immediately to conduct a thorough investigation of the entire kingdom, and then within a week, all military forces will be withdrawn..."
"Even if His Majesty does find the Empress, his anger toward Semper won’t subside. Semper will soon be prey for the strong nations."
"That's only natural. The Empire’s investigation will last about a month, and during that time, the other kingdoms will wait and watch. But it won’t be long before they start calling for Semper's conquest, and attacks will come from all sides."
"King Ator and his queen might be better off staying imprisoned in the Empire. It could be safer than returning to their kingdom only to face an even worse fate."
As they spoke, their eyes gleamed with excitement.
Several of the kingdoms represented here had already begun planning to conquer Semper.
Though small, Semper was a highly desirable kingdom, with its rich cultural and artistic heritage and its untapped mineral resources.
Suddenly, the King of Jodenriden, the last to be released from questioning, came running up to the group, panting.
"Did you hear? His Majesty is leaving tonight with the investigation unit to personally lead the search in Semper!"
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