CHAPTER 124
The body lying on the grass, soaking it in dark red blood, was not a beast.
It was one of the members of the Semper National Troupe who had just moments ago captivated the attention of the women.
He was a young man, said to be gentle, and once a fisherman in Kubul.
"The beast that died... turned into a human!"
A shout came from the entrance of the garden from the unit commander.
Following the Emperor’s orders to concentrate on flanking attacks, the soldiers successfully subdued the second beast.
It was another moment that demonstrated the supreme combat prowess of the Helterd Empire.
Emperor Maxwell was not just a warrior; he was a strategist who shone brightest in moments of chaos.
On the battlefield, no one could match him in strength, nor could anyone outthink him.
The soldiers had immense trust and faith in their Emperor, forged through life-and-death battles.
Even in the chaos of tonight’s events, they were able to regain their composure quickly because of him.
Their bodies responded first to his commands, even when their minds were paralyzed with fear.
When the beast, impaled by dozens of spears in its neck, fell to the ground, the soldiers erupted in cheers.
But then…
The eyes of the celebrating soldiers wavered in disbelief.
The grotesque beast before them disappeared, and in its place was the corpse of a young man.
At the unit commander’s exclamation, the Emperor lifted his gaze from the dead young man at his feet.
He took a step toward the entrance of the garden, where the second beast had fallen...
The Emperor's brow twitched for a brief moment.
The small arms wrapped around the Emperor's waist tightened with all their might.
The tiny body, which didn’t even reach the Emperor's chest, clung to him, unmoving.
It looked like a small butterfly perched on a large tree, but the butterfly was very serious.
It's entire being exuded the determination to protect the tree from anything and everything.
The Emperor's red eyes, which had been dark with bloodlust, softened.
He abandoned his plan to move Arabelle to safety.
In an instant, Arabelle’s feet were lifted off the ground.
The Emperor cradled her in his arms and began walking with determined strides.
No one was embarrassed to see the Emperor carrying the Empress in his arms.
They were too stunned by the horrific and surreal situation unfolding around them to think of anything else.
After all, the dead beast had transformed into a human.
It was a wonder that anyone was still standing and not fainting.
Sir Benji and the soldiers quickly formed a protective circle around the Emperor and Empress.
As the human shield suddenly disappeared, the guests hurriedly followed the Emperor.
As the Emperor approached, the soldiers standing in a circle parted to let him through.
The Emperor stopped in front of the corpse.
With a smooth motion, he covered Arabelle’s face with his large hand, blocking her view.
The same situation was repeated here.
The beast that had terrorized the garden was gone, and in its place was a member of the Semper National Troupe.
The Emperor’s sharp red eyes scanned the body.
At that moment, Sir Jacob and Sir Peter burst through the garden doors with their swords drawn.
Behind them, the First Imperial Guard entered into combat formation.
"Your Majesty…!"
Sir Jacob and Sir Peter simultaneously approached the Emperor.
They had been inspecting the route that the Emperor and Empress would walk after their wedding the day after tomorrow when fireworks erupted over the Garden of Light, where tonight’s event was taking place.
They immediately sensed that something was wrong.
Commander Jacob ordered the bell in the Imperial Tower to be rung, sealing all exits from the palace before leading the First Imperial Guard to the scene.
The two vassals saw the Emperor, his uniform torn and tattered, holding Arabelle in his arms.
Their hearts sank, fearing that this might be connected to the Emperor’s curse.
The Emperor nodded once to Sir Jacob and Sir Peter, signaling that he was unharmed.
The two vassals let out a sigh of relief...
But behind the Emperor's shoulder, the whispers that had started softly began to grow louder.
"This person… wasn't he the young man helping with the stage setup next to the other dead man?"
"What on earth is going on? Both of the dead were members of the Semper National Troupe. King Ator, you must explain this!"
"They must be demons. How could demons infiltrate the Semper National Troupe? And become part of the performance for Emperor Maxwell's wedding celebration?"
"The only reason they could enter the garden was because of the puppet show by the Semper troupe. King Ator, you owe us a clear explanation!"
Several foreign envoys openly expressed their suspicions.
The others began to look at King Ator with skeptical eyes as well.
King Ator of Semper was at a loss for words, utterly bewildered.
He was as confused as everyone else about what was happening.
Moreover, his troupe had been attacked, with at least twenty members dead or severely injured.
Despite Semper suffering the greatest loss, they were now under suspicion.
He quickly realized how disadvantageous the situation was becoming.
King Ator, momentarily speechless, gathered himself and spoke.
"I promise a thorough investigation to uncover the truth. If His Majesty allows it, I will personally oversee the inquiry."
Voices from those supporting him and those doubting him clashed in the crowd.
The Emperor, who had been silently gazing down at the corpses, turned his red eyes toward King Ator.
When the Emperor raised his hand slightly, the noisy surroundings fell silent.
"The incident occurred on Helterd's soil, so the investigation falls under my jurisdiction."
King Ator, left with no choice, reluctantly agreed and requested to assist in the investigation…
The Emperor added, devoid of any emotion,
"To ensure a thorough investigation, from this moment on, all members of the Semper delegation and associated personnel are not permitted to leave their quarters. The Royal Guard will ensure that King Ator and his family are comfortably accommodated until further notice."
The color drained from King Ator's face.
They would be confined until the investigation was complete.
No one in the garden failed to understand the true meaning behind the words "comfortably accommodated."
It meant that the King of Semper, his queen, and their granddaughter would be held captive within the Imperial Palace.
Several kingdoms, including Semper, hesitated to protest but immediately closed their mouths.
The Emperor's sharp expression made it clear that no objections would be tolerated.
The Emperor had already shown that he was far more formidable than any beast.
Though his face exuded noble dignity, the muscles visible through his torn uniform were still bulging with excitement.
A warning rang through everyone’s mind: *Do not speak carelessly.*
When the Emperor gave a silent nod, Deputy Commander Peter stepped forward toward King Ator of Semper.
Twelve Imperial Guards quickly moved to escort King Ator and the representatives of the Semper delegation.
"Wh-what will happen to us? Sob, sob..."
The Princess of Semper, unable to contain her fear, burst into tears.
"Nothing will happen. This was a tragedy that had nothing to do with us. I trust that His Majesty Emperor Maxwell will uncover the truth."
King Ator's voice, as he comforted his granddaughter, was cold.
The Empire and the Kingdom of Semper had long been allies based on mutual trust.
He had known the Emperor to be a cold man, but he hadn’t expected him to be this ruthless.
Hiding his shame and concerns, King Ator followed the Imperial Guard out of the garden.
The representatives of the other kingdoms also began to leave, escorted by the soldiers.
The Imperial investigators, who had arrived at some point, were already securing the scene.
As people returned to their quarters, they whispered in hushed voices.
"What will happen to the relationship between the Empire and the Kingdom of Semper?"
"What's there to say? A crack will form in the alliance that has been strong for so long."
"Oh dear, the Kingdom of Semper, which prided itself on being a peaceful nation under the Empire’s protection, is in trouble. It’s obvious that the powerful nations that have been wary of the Empire will start to target them."
"Absorbing a kingdom like Semper, known for its academic and cultural excellence, would be very attractive. Especially for the barbarian kingdoms, who see it as an opportunity to rewrite history."
King Bergen, uninterested in the conversations around him, leisurely walked toward his quarters.
Tristiny, who followed two steps behind him, wore an expression as emotionless as a wax figure.
However, her hands inside her robe were trembling uncontrollably.
The gruesome spectacle she had just witnessed overlapped with her memories of Eleyna’s final moments, plunging her into a whirlpool of terror.
She stared at Bergen’s broad shoulders as he walked without looking back.
She thought of the Emperor, who had shielded Arabelle’s view and carried her back to her quarters.
Though she hated and feared Bergen, she couldn’t help but wonder... if he were to turn around now and offer his shoulder…
Even though she knew it would never happen, she loathed herself for still clinging to that hope.
She bit the inside of her cheek so hard that she could taste blood, just to keep herself from crying.
Bergen never once showed Tristiny his face on their way back to the quarters.
***
Residence of King Laicanoor Bergen.
Late at night, an unexpected guest arrived at King Bergen’s quarters.
It was an uninvited visitor, and King Bergen hid his rising displeasure behind a smile.
The Crown Prince of Kubul stormed into the reception room as soon as he entered, throwing a fit.
Though he couldn’t raise his voice too loud for fear that the Emperor might hear, he was still stomping his feet and flailing his fists like a child.
*Tsk,* King Bergen silently clicked his tongue at the reckless and foolish crown prince, who was the same age as him.
"It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and yet you failed to kill the Emperor...! Didn’t you assure me? Not only did you fail to eliminate the Emperor, but you also lost the monsters we worked so hard to create. Now what are we supposed to do?"
The Crown Prince of Kubul pointed a finger at Bergen in accusation.
The representatives of the Kubul delegation, including the Crown Prince, hadn’t even been invited to tonight’s puppet show banquet.
Though they had ground their teeth in humiliation, they soon found reason to smile.
According to Bergen’s plan, the Emperor was supposed to die during tonight’s puppet show.
He was to be gruesomely torn apart by monsters raised in Kubul.
Laicanoor and Kubul, both island nations, had formed a secret alliance with three other island nations to oppose the Empire.
Using secret blueprints stolen from the Empire, Kubul had nearly completed the production of hundreds of new cannons. Laicanoor, known for its expertise in weapons, handled the manufacturing and production.
The cannons soon to be deployed were much more accurate and powerful than the Empire’s.
Kubul was also in charge of experiments to turn humans into monsters. Bergen had entrusted them with a monster creation method passed down from Belherm, the predecessor of Laicanoor.
They had experienced countless failures.
But finally, they had succeeded in turning two strong young men into monsters.
"Do you know how many people were sacrificed to create those monsters? We had only two... and now we’ve lost them both!"
The Crown Prince of Kubul, unable to contain his agitation, tore at his hair.
He seemed entirely unaware that he was being used.
The yellow eyes watching the foolish prince leap about gleamed with mocking amusement.
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