CHAPTER 132
The Emperor leading an investigation team to the Kingdom of Semper—tonight, no less.
It wasn’t unusual for the Emperor to personally oversee diplomatic inspections or take part in wars. In fact, Emperor Maxwell had participated in numerous military campaigns, leading his armies to conquer territories.
However, for the Emperor to leave the Empire, a complex set of procedures had to be followed. Even for a regional visit, extensive preparations were required at least half a month in advance.
But the Emperor had issued the command impulsively.
The kingdoms murmured in disbelief.
“Who will act as regent during his absence?”
According to the laws of the Helterde Empire, when the Emperor vacated the throne, the Empress or a blood relative would govern the Empire. If they couldn’t, the closest member of the royal family would assume regency.
Typically, the person next in line to the Emperor would serve as regent, but to prevent the concentration of power, five royal members would rotate the position.
“Originally, it was to be his uncle’s turn, but he’s currently recuperating from an illness. So, the next in line, Grand Duchess Caroline of Le Sang, will take on the interim rule.”
The Crown Prince of Kouboul quickly suppressed a rising smile, his victory already savoring in his gaze, but Bergen deliberately avoided eye contact.
‘Foolish and useless, unable even to conceal his expression.’
This was precisely the time to be cautious, yet one misstep and suspicion could arise.
“In that case, I shall return to my quarters. The Emperor may call for assistance, and I must be ready.”
With a gentle smile, Bergen took his leave. The representatives from other kingdoms also began to disperse, wary of any misunderstandings that might arise from staying together.
***
Bergen’s Quarters.
Returning from the lake, Bergen had prepared himself for bed. Despite his efforts to maintain composure, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of triumph.
Bergen gave orders to the commander of his guards.
“Prepare for departure at dawn two days from now. Minimize communication to avoid arousing suspicion.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
As the commander reached the door, he hesitated.
“What is it?”
“Well... She hasn’t eaten a single meal since yesterday and is still lying down.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m talking about Lady Tristini. I’m concerned she might be seriously ill.”
Bergen frowned in annoyance.
“And?”
“I... I thought perhaps you should visit her...”
A shadow fell over the commander’s head, with Bergen’s large foot entering his lowered line of sight. A chilling voice echoed in his ear.
“This is the last time you will speak out of turn. From now on, the only person you should be concerned about is Lady Arabelle. Remember that.”
“I apologize, Your Majesty. I will keep that in mind.”
The commander had served Tristini as Bergen’s consort since her childhood. No matter how much Bergen had discarded her, he couldn’t help but worry after all the years he had spent watching over her.
As the commander opened the door,
“Your Majesty, the Emperor is here to see you.”
The startled voice of a servant reached them.
The sudden visit from the Emperor caused Bergen’s shoulders to stiffen automatically.
Arabelle was hidden in a place the Emperor would never think to look. Even if he searched the entire place right now, he wouldn’t find a single clue.
The tension in his expression gradually gave way to calm confidence.
“Your Majesty, what brings you here? More importantly, how great must your grief be.”
Bergen greeted the Emperor with proper etiquette.
Until now, Helterde and Lycanore had not had much interaction. However, with Lycanore rising as a new power, the kingdom was invited as a guest of honor to the wedding, proving its newfound status.
Notably, at the marionette banquet, the Emperor had seated King Bergen next to him, suggesting a shift in the hierarchy among the kingdoms.
His amber eyes, hiding his true intentions, showed only pity.
“If there’s anything my kingdom can do to assist you, please don’t hesitate to ask. We will help as much as we can.”
The Emperor, seated on the sofa in the reception room, slowly spoke.
“I’ve come at this late hour to seek Lady Tristini’s help.”
The Emperor’s unexpected words caused a slight tremor in Bergen’s eyes. He quickly regained his composure and signaled a servant.
As they waited for Tristini, Bergen cautiously tested the waters.
“Forgive the impertinent question, but are you certain that King Ator of Semper abducted the Empress?”
“His granddaughter, Princess Jane, couldn’t endure it any longer and confessed. King Ator still claims his and his kingdom’s innocence.”
Jane, the only granddaughter of King Ator, had been raised as a cherished flower in the royal palace. She must have made a false confession, unable to withstand the terror in the windowless underground prison.
With the echoes of anguished cries filling the place, it was no wonder she lost her grip on reality.
To think the Emperor accepted the confession of a frightened woman at face value.
He was beginning to look ridiculous to Bergen, who hid his sneer behind the teacup.
Before long, Tristini followed the servant into the reception room. As the commander had mentioned, she looked pale enough to collapse at any moment.
The Emperor’s brows furrowed slightly at the sight of the sickly Tristini.
Bergen offered her a seat and explained,
“She collapsed from shock upon hearing the news of the Empress’s abduction.”
Tristini couldn’t meet the Emperor’s gaze, keeping her head down. Her delicate hands resting on her lap trembled slightly.
“She seems not to have recovered yet.”
As Bergen’s voice filled with concern, Tristini bit the inside of her cheek.
The Emperor watched Tristini for a moment before speaking.
“I came to see if you might know Arabelle’s whereabouts.”
For the first time, the Emperor’s voice carried a note of fatigue and desperation.
With Tristini unable to answer, Bergen once again took the initiative.
“Of course. Tristini will do anything in her power to assist you.”
“I know that you and Arabelle are cousins and that you are both Lumen Saviors. Arabelle told me about your mothers as well.”
The Emperor turned his gaze to Bergen.
“I believe you are aware of the Lumen Saviors too, King Bergen, correct?”
“Yes, though I don’t know much... I heard from Tristini that both she and the Empress possess the blood of the Lumen Saviors.”
Bergen intentionally displayed a confused expression, as if uncertain about what the Lumen Saviors truly were, blinking his eyes.
“I’ve heard that, though I don’t know much about the Lumen Saviors, they possess a special light... a light.”
The Emperor also refrained from revealing how much he knew about the Lumen Saviors. Though the curse had been lifted, it was still a sensitive issue concerning the security of the Empire. Moreover, it was unclear how much King Bergen knew about the Lumen Saviors.
Tristini silently nodded in agreement.
“Is it possible for you to sense Arabelle’s light? I heard you could sense each other’s light when holding hands.”
In response to the Emperor’s question, Tristini shook her head.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. We can only sense each other’s light when our hands are joined. Besides, my light is so weak that I can hardly be called a Lumen Savior. I cannot find the Empress’s whereabouts by sensing her light. I’m truly sorry.”
Her voice trembled with the weight of guilt, struggling to hold back tears. She wanted to kneel before the Emperor and beg for forgiveness.
At that moment, Bergen’s voice interrupted.
“When I return to Lycanore in two days, I’ll leave Tristini behind.”
Tristini looked up in shock.
Bergen flashed her a cruel smile before quickly masking it.
“Didn’t you propose that she serve as the Empress’s maid? If the Empress returns safely, she will be pleased to have her cousin Tristini waiting for her. She will devote herself to ensuring this never happens again.”
The Emperor rose from his seat, speaking in a low voice.
“As King Bergen suggests, Lady Tristini will remain at the palace. When the Empress returns, she will help her find peace.”
Tristini’s conflicted heart slowly settled.
“I will do as you say, Your Majesty.”
Tristini rose and bowed deeply.
***
The next morning, early risers could already be seen arriving at the palace, the sight of administrative officials arriving earlier than usual catching attention.
"Did he really leave before midnight yesterday?"
"Yes, he did."
"Is it true that the special investigation team was dispatched to the kingdoms with even the slightest connection to Semper?"
"Yes, at the same time, teams were sent to six different kingdoms."
"Were there any objections?"
"Not at all. They welcomed them with open arms to prove their innocence. The representatives of the six kingdoms are still staying at the imperial palace, aren’t they? The investigation authorization process went smoothly."
"If I were in their shoes, I’d cooperate too. If they were wrongly suspected, they could end up like Semper. The King of Kuvul even opened his naval port to welcome the investigation team."
The voices of those heading toward the office gradually faded away.
***
The Emperor’s third office.
The Duke and Duchess of Lusanne, Count Hawthorne and his son, along with a few other royals and nobles, were gathered.
"It would be nice if he got himself assassinated while he’s in Semper."
Duchess Caroline sat in the Emperor’s chair, reclining her head comfortably.
"Dear, you must be careful with your words."
The Duke of Lusanne glanced around nervously, but Duchess Caroline clucked her tongue loudly, making sure everyone could hear.
"Everyone here feels the same way, so what’s the need for caution? This is why I can’t plan anything significant with you."
Even though Caroline humiliated her husband like he was a mere servant, no one dared to contradict her words.
Not even her husband, who merely flinched.
"Even without holding all the Emperor's powers... There's still a lot that can be done during the week he’s away."
The Duchess leaned forward, glancing around at her allies.
"For example, we could make sure that when the dam guarding the southwestern coastal territories collapses, fires simultaneously break out in the armory and granary within the imperial palace."
***
The third dawn since the Empress was kidnapped.
The first harbor, connected to the capital.
The flags of various kingdoms fluttered atop the masts of ships leaving the empire.
The sound of raising sails and the blaring of ship horns leaving the dock filled the air.
A ship bearing the wolf emblem of the Kingdom of Laicano slowly began to depart from the dock.
Before long, the massive vessel disappeared beyond the horizon.
Footsteps echoed on the stairs leading to the lowest deck.
The sound of boots clattered on the steps, and the stride came to a halt.
Bergen glanced at his reflection in a mirror hanging on the wall.
He flashed a seductive smile, one that would make many women’s hearts flutter.
He needed to dispel her fears and make her open up to him.
His father’s mistake was trying to take Elenea by force.
When a person is pushed to their limits, they cling to whoever extends a hand to them.
Even if it’s the person who kidnapped them, the moment they realize that person is the only one who can help them, they take their hand.
Just like Tristiny did when she was a child.
First, he would ensure there was no one around her.
In an unfamiliar place, trembling with fear, he would become her kind and gentle savior.
He intended to make her believe that the Emperor had abandoned her.
Of course, she would resist at first, not believing him.
But in a place cut off from the world, hearing the same words repeatedly, belief would eventually shatter.
It was a tactic often used to turn captured enemy soldiers into spies for the kingdom.
Bergen stood before the tightly locked door of the bedroom.
The Lumen Savior was now within his grasp. He wouldn’t let her slip away.
If he couldn’t have her, then no one would.
His yellow eyes glinted with cruel determination.
He took a deep breath and nodded to himself.
One of the guards at the door unlocked it with a key.
As the bedroom door opened, a thin sliver of light from the corridor spilled into the dark room.
When Bergen stepped inside, the door quickly shut behind him.
The candle on the table, almost burned down to the end, barely lit the dark room.
This, too, was part of Bergen’s plan.
He had ordered that her body not be harmed but that she should be made to tremble with fear.
The bedroom was deliberately kept cold and dark.
She wasn’t given proper food.
Throughout the night, the sailors pretended to fight loudly just outside the door.
Bergen’s eyes landed on a small, frail figure huddled on the bed.
She was too frightened to even lift her head, curling up into herself.
His body thrummed with excitement at the thought of becoming her savior.
"Don’t be afraid. I promise you won’t be harmed."
Even in the darkness, he could see Arabele’s shoulders trembling like a leaf.
He whispered in the gentlest tone he could muster.
"Let me brighten the room for you."
As he poured oil into the lamp hanging on the wall, the room suddenly became much brighter.
Arabele, wrapped in a blanket, was shivering.
"Let me check if you’re hurt."
He acted as if he were there to rescue her, even though he was the one who had kidnapped her.
Bergen reached out and carefully pulled the blanket away.
As the blanket fell away, his yellow eyes flickered with confusion.
Thud.
The blanket in his hand dropped to the floor.
"This, this can’t be..."
Words stumbled out of his mouth.
Almost instinctively, his hand reached for the sword at his waist.
Bang!
A thunderous crash rang out as the bedroom door was smashed open.
The door, now unhinged, was flung to the ground.
As soon as Bergen turned his head, a sword was at his throat.
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