Awakening

"Where has the First Legion reached now?" Ophelia asked her subordinates.

"They will arrive at the outskirts of Saint Callen before sunset," one of them reported.

Ophelia nodded and immediately arranged, "First, restore order in the Royal Capital and calm the people's fears. Then, expose William's conspiracies—yes, and summon the heirs of the Sword and Shield families to see me."

"Are we making the nobles choose sides?" Caroline asked worriedly. "Will they truly pledge loyalty to Her Highness the Princess?"

"Don’t worry. They’ll side with whoever wins," Sir Fred sneered. "Right now, who else holds power besides us? These nobles fear death more than anything."

"Actually, there is one more force at the moment," Monica said, gazing into the distance. Her heightened vampiric senses detected a suspicious group approaching.

"I smell... the foul stench of holy light..." She frowned.

"Your Highness, the Third Prince is approaching with the Church Knights," a scout reported.

"They must be here to rescue that old bastard!" Tilis glanced at Carlton lying on the ground and raised her hand, ready to cast a spell.

"I’ll kill him first and eliminate the threat!"

"Wait!" Ophelia stopped her immediately.

"Hmm?" Tilis looked at her in surprise. "You’re not thinking of sparing him, are you? This is no time for mercy, Ophelia!"

"No," Ophelia shook her head. "We don’t need to do it ourselves."

"You mean..." Tilis frowned slightly.

Luo Wei, leaning against the wall to rest, spoke up. "Carlton still holds a place in people’s hearts. After all, only we know the atrocities he’s committed. In other words..."

"A regicide would lose public support. Don’t dirty Ophelia’s hands."

"Oh~" Tilis suddenly understood, a smirk curling her lips. "I see. You two are the most cunning of all!"

Soon after, the ruins of the palace were empty—Luo Wei, Ophelia, and their group had vanished without a trace.

The Holy Decree Knights finally arrived and quickly took control of the scene. The Third Prince, seeing Carlton lying in a pool of blood, rushed forward.

"Father! Are you alright? Father!!"

Carlton was unconscious, his breathing barely detectable.

"He’s still alive! Thank goodness! Quick—where are the healing priests? Save my father!"

"Your Highness Kevin, the Emperor’s injuries are too severe..."

"What use are you then? The rest of you, escort me! Take us back to the church at once!"

Without waiting for the knights to prepare a stretcher, the Third Prince hoisted his father onto his back himself.

His face was alight with joy.

His father wasn’t dead yet! And he was the one who had saved him!

He had accomplished a great deed!

Just as he had told his younger sister, among the three factions, he recognized only Carlton’s authority—he stood firmly on the Emperor’s side.

It had never crossed his mind that his father could be defeated.

Exhilarated, he carried Carlton with a feigned look of filial piety, rushing through the streets toward the nearest church.

As long as his father lived, victory would be his!

The Third Prince grew more excited with every step. His mind even conjured illusions—visions of himself crushing the rebellion, trampling over William and Ophelia in triumph!

"Out of my way! Die!" He swung his blade, cutting down the treacherous rebels, carving a path of blood, unstoppable.

As the church drew nearer, the Third Prince laughed in exhilaration. He turned his head. "We’re almost there, Father! Once we reach the church—"

That smile vanished in an instant.

His father’s blood splattered across his face. Those dim pupils had lost all light.

Carlton was dead.

His gaze slowly lowered.

A dagger was embedded in his father’s chest—the fatal wound that had ended him abruptly.

Wait... this dagger...

Why was it in his own hand?

The corpse slumped to the ground. The onlookers scattered in terror, whispering and pointing from a distance.

The Third Prince looked around, at the bodies of the knights, and suddenly realized—

Where were the rebels blocking his path?

Had it all been an illusion? Or had he gone mad?

Staring at his father’s corpse, cold sweat poured down his face.

What... have I done?

It’s over...

"Clown."

On the other side of the palace, Tilis was using magic to project a live image of the scene on the western street. Seeing Kevin’s stunned, vacant expression, Monica couldn’t help but sneer.

"I can’t imagine a more dramatic end for that father and son..." Sir Fred murmured.

Who would have thought that the mighty Emperor, the terrifying and unyielding Carlton Gordian Wigner, would meet such a ridiculous demise?

"Truly... those whom the gods wish to destroy, they first drive mad..."

"The old bastard is finally dead..." Luo Wei, slumped against the wall, felt his consciousness wavering. Only when he saw Carlton take his last breath did he finally relax.

He couldn’t hold on any longer. His mind couldn’t process another thought. The only thing he wanted now was sleep.

Luo Wei passed out.

Ophelia approached with concern.

At the same time, her gaze fell upon Eleya, who had been sitting beside Luo Wei all this time.

Those pale golden eyes had been fixed on Luo Wei with quiet intensity. She had been sitting there for a long time, motionless, lost in thought.

Ophelia narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Eleya, the greatest threat has been dealt with. I don’t know what Luo Wei promised you in your alliance, but I hope we can continue cooperating. That’s surely what he would want."

Eleya remained silent.

"If you have any thoughts, you can speak freely with me," Ophelia said bluntly. "I’m not like Carlton. War isn’t the only solution between us."

Eleya slowly turned to her but asked an unrelated question.

"How long until Tilis returns?"

"You—" Ophelia’s frown deepened. A sudden sense of foreboding gripped her.

"What are you planning?!" Helena immediately sensed something amiss. This woman was definitely up to something with her brother!

The next moment, a surge of divine light erupted into the sky.

"Luo Wei!"

"Brother!!"

Under their horrified gazes, Luo Wei and Eleya vanished before their eyes.

...

When warm sunlight streamed through the window and touched his face, Luo Wei wearily opened his eyes.

His head throbbed dully. He had no idea how long he’d slept, but he’d had a particularly horrifying nightmare.

He dreamed that Eleya had captured him, subjecting him to endless torment, leaving him unable to live or die...

Thank goodness it was just a dream...

As his vision cleared, Luo Wei finally noticed the unfamiliar ceiling above him.

Wait—

His heart jolted. He quickly looked around and realized this wasn’t his room but a shabby little wooden hut.

"Where am I?"

Weak and exhausted, Luo Wei struggled to sit up from the ancient, rickety wooden bed. He glanced out the window and was met with a desolate rural landscape—barren gravel, rolling hills, and sparse vegetation, unmistakably marking this as an arid region.

For some reason, the place felt strangely familiar...

Luo Wei quickly realized this must be the westernmost kingdom of Velun, and more precisely...

On the road to Blackwater Town.

In an instant, he understood his current predicament.

Eleya had indeed dragged him here. Luo Wei couldn’t help but notice her inexplicable obsession with this godforsaken place...

The cabin was empty except for him. Looking down, he saw that his original clothes were gone, replaced by local Velun attire—courtesy of Eleya, no doubt.

And it wasn’t just his outfit. The communication ring on his finger had been confiscated too.

She was cutting off all his ties to the outside world...

With a resigned sigh, Luo Wei got out of bed and pushed open the door. A wave of dry, scorching air hit him.

Though he’d been kidnapped to this middle-of-nowhere wasteland, there was at least one silver lining.

[Save point updated...]

[Velun Kingdom, Demon Valley]

Finally, a new save point. The life-or-death crisis back in the Royal Capital was officially behind him...