Leaving the Abandoned Palace to return to the Palace of the Sun, Raven ran pretending despair. Her golden dress was no longer so bright. It was dirty, and her hair before meticulously trapped found a mess. She ran for narrow paths not to be seen by anyone, because she needed to give the impression of never having left the Palace. It was as if she wanted to look like a victim in the midst of chaos.
On the way, she found out that her plan was going according to her orders. The mercenaries and rebels carried Geledel's weapons, keeping guard outside the Palace of the Sun. There was a fight against the imperial knights, who were outnumbered.
Great!
Excellent!
Hiding her smile, Raven strove to keep the expression more grieved when she set foot inside the Palace of the Sun and ran back into the ballroom. As she passed through the ornate doors, she came across a completely different scene outside the Palace.
The ballroom was impregnated with the metallic smell of gunpowder blood. Fragments of glass and torn tapestries told the story of a battle that shook the foundations of the Palace of the Sun. While chaos reigned outside, the ballroom presented a different scene. Nobles gathered in safety, soldiers guarding prisoners, and priests lighting the environment with their healing work. It was a scene that exuded control and resilience, a striking contrast to the smoking ruins outside.
Raven barely managed to hide her surprise at seeing the hall relatively under control. Her peach-colored eyes shrunk slightly when realized that the damage was not as absolute as she expected.
"What a horrible tragedy" she murmured, walking slowly through the hall "To see the heart of the Empire so brutally attacked... What kind of despair leads people to such barbaric acts?"
Some nobles stared at her trying to measure her sincerity. Raven walked into a small group, where a marchioness held her fan with trembling hands.
"My dear Marquise" said Raven lowering her tone to console the Marquise "I hope you and your family are well."
"We are, thanks to the knights" answered the Marquise, still unsure.
Raven sighed, looking up at the damaged ceiling.
"It is terrible to think that there are people so desperate to resort to such violence. We should not blame them completely, however. The system led them to it."
Her words caused murmurs among the nobles. Some seemed to agree, while others frowned.
"Perhaps it is time to reflect on how the Empire has treated those who have been marginalized."
Before Raven could continue her carefully rehearsed speech, a sound of firm steps echoed through the hall. All turned to see the First Prince, Cadec, entering with Eugene, his rigid posture and his burning look on purpose.
Raven smiled lightly.
"Brother, I'm glad to see you safe."
"Safe thanks to the knights who protected what you tried to destroy."
The hall was in absolute silence. Raven's smile did not falter.
"I do not understand what you mean, brother. I myself was a victim of this attack."
Raising his hand, Cadec issued a silent command. A rider of his escort pulled a rope, making some nobles tied. Raven recognized them immediately, and precisely for this reason she did her best not to sketch the accusatory reaction. She just nodded her head innocently.
"Why are they tied up, brother?"
Cadec raised some papers, holding them up so that everyone could see.
"This list contains the names of all the nobles who financed these mercenaries and rebels. Letters were intercepted, some of them were caught in warehouses that hid contraband of these dangerous weapons." Cadec looked coldly at the imprisoned nobles, making them shudder "All the contraband came from our enemies of Geledel."
The mere mention of the enemy nation made the other assembled nobles murmur surprised and disgusted. The reaction was intense, after all Roveaven has always been at war since Geledel broke the peace treaty. The present prince regent of that place was a tyrant who sought to increase his military power.
Well, Roveaven was powerful in this regard. Naturally they would be seen as enemies. Therefore the Emperor refused to make any negotiation with Geledel.
"Geledel? Oh my..." Raven covered her mouth in surprise. The false act did not go unnoticed by Cadec "How they can..."
"Are you surprised, Raven? I was even more surprised to see these nobles committing such treachery and all of them being related to you."
The hall, before filled with suspicious murmurs, was taken by a heavy silence. The eyes of the nobles were fixed on the list in Cadec's hands, each name an accusation that made the blood cold. Raven, however, maintained composure and theatricality.
"Are you saying I'm involved in this? My brother, this can only be a play to put us against each other!"
Cadec did not back down. Eugene handed him other documents, from which Cadec threw at the feet of the gathered nobles so that they could see.
"Correspondences have been intercepted from Geledel. The signature is of none other than the family of your personal assistant. To me, this is clear proof that you are the mastermind behind all the smuggling."
Raven sighed, leaning over to pick up the letter and examine it. It was indeed the letters she had been sending for months. These were the last letters from which she did not receive a reply. Now Raven understood why.
"This seems to me fabricated by someone interested in incriminating me. Since I am an omega that can perfectly become the heir to the throne, you may be trying to sully my honor."
"Do you think I would do that?" Cadec took a step forward, raising his voice "Are you getting desperate enough to make silly excuses?"
"Am I desperate? I'm the only one here who is trying to maintain dignity. I have nothing to hide."
It was the first time that the two main candidates for the throne argued in front of the nobles. Raven was trying to maintain her innocence despite the accusations of Cadec, dividing opinions among the other nobles who were treated by the priests.
Sound of hasty steps broke the discussion. The heavy wheeze of a man running desperately caught everyone's attention. A man in uniform identical to the servants, ran into the hall while looking over his shoulders, as if trying to run away from some ghost.
"Help!" shouted the man as he stumbled and fell to the ground "I'm innocent, I swear! I did nothing!"
"Calm down" Ordered Cadec, despite not having the expected effect.
The man was crouched on the floor, shaking as he stared at the door of the hall. From there, sound of footsteps announced the arrival of another play for that final theater. The crimson glow was the first to emerge from the darkness. The silhouette of Magnus Grimwood emerged from the shadows, his sword dripping blood, and the spotted frock coat turning him into a figure that looked more like a predator than a duke. He walked with a disturbing calm, each step resounding as a warning to everyone in the hall.
The coldness, villainy, seriousness present at each step given showed that Magnus Grimwood was chasing that man with the intention of taking his life.
"I have already said, there is no point in begging for your life unless you are willing to tell the truth. After all, you dared to try to tarnish my husband's reputation."
"I-I didn't do anything, I swear by the Goddess!"
"Don't you dare say the name of the Goddess in vain" shouted Skyler, who was helping a wounded lord.
"Nor is it necessary to call for your precious goddess, as she will be unable to help you." Magnus pointed the sword at the man "Tell the truth, was it you who caused the earlier accident involving the Eighth Prince and the young lord Baragnon?"
The man swallowed dry, horrified by the cold blade against his neck. He looked around and noticed the First Princess nearby, watching everything coldly. Immediately the man felt a wave of relief, and extended the trembling hand towards him.
"H-Highness! Please help me!! Tell him that I did nothing wrong!"
Raven tilted her head further.
"What do you mean by that? My brother-in-law is asking you something, why not just answer it? If you haven't done anything too much, there's nothing to fear, right?"
"Your Highness!"
"Hey, worm, my patience is limited" Magnus growled pointing the sword at his neck "So tell me about the incident before."
The man hesitated, and for the last time he glanced at Raven, who continued not to move to help him. The sword made a cut in his neck, showing the Grand Duke's impatience. Death seemed to blow into his face, leaving him even more desperate.
"I-It was the Princess who ordered!!!" He shouted at last, making all the nobles sigh in surprise "She ordered me to bring young Baragnon closer to His Highness, the Eighth Prince, so that they looked intimate!"
Magnus opened a malicious smile and pulled his blade back a few inches.
"Well, well, that's interesting." Turning to the imperial knights, he gave his order "Arrest him too, before I kill him."
The knights quickly tied up the servant before he ran away, or the Grand Duke changed his mind. Looking over his shoulder, the omega commented coldly.
"Is that enough, Your Majesties?"
At the door of the ballroom, the imperial couple watched everything coldly. The Emperor closed his eyes and let out an inaudible sigh.
"Where is the Eighth Prince?" Cassander asked, stepping forward "Lucian disappeared before the duel, where is he?"
The intense look of the imperial consort made the false servant tremble even more. It was as if all the high-ranking nobles had a great friendship with death, to the point of playing with danger. Unfortunately that was your limit.
"I-I took him to the Abandoned Palace at the command of the Princess..."
"How dare you incriminate me!!!" Cried Raven, losing her composure little by little.
Cadec wielded his sword, despite his poorly healed wound, there was a determination in that cold countenance.
"All your plans have been undone, Raven. Your greed and desire for the throne has blinded you. There is no one else to support you."
Raven narrowed her eyes, and for a moment her mask fell. The sweet smile disappeared, revealing something cold.
"Don't be foolish, Cadec. You can judge me as you like, but know that I do not regret. I did what was necessary to secure the future of this Empire, something you would never dare do."
"Arrest the First Princess" The Emperor ordered coldly "And begin the search for the Eighth Prince in the Abandoned Palace."
The order was given, the riders advanced by trapping Raven in ropes and keeping her under strict surveillance. Then, Skyler let out a grunt, leaning on a priest.
"Priest Skyler!!!" shouted the priest.
The sharp tap on Skyler's head made him growl even more. He became pale and sweated coldly. His chest went up and down in a heavy breath as he looked at Magnus.
"Something happened... Argh!... with the Saint."
Those words said among wheezers made Magnus harden. If before there was a malignant coldness, now it was something more intense and murderous. Magnus' patience was coming to an end, and his desire to simply destroy everyone in that palace just to find Lucian grew in his chest.