"T-Taking over the throne?" Daniel finally murmured, disbelief etched across his face. He looked from Yuan to his half-brother, unable to accept what he was hearing.
"What else? Both mother and son were planning to seize the throne once the Wyvern matured. They were feeding it something to accelerate its growth so it could evolve into an SS-rank monster," Yuan replied, his tone playful, as if he found the situation more amusing than alarming.
He glanced at them with a mischievous smile and added, "Since I've laid out their plan, I'll leave the rest to your imagination. An SS-rank monster could easily reduce this city to rubble."
The Imperial Family was stunned. Shock rippled through them as they stared at Fedrick, who knelt on the ground with a horrified expression, and his mother, Agatha, who stood frozen, utterly stunned.
They could scarcely believe their own family members had been plotting such treachery behind their backs. This betrayal only highlighted how fractured their family had become. Emperor Philip could barely bring himself to look at his concubine, Agatha, knowing she was complicit in this betrayal.
"T-This is...unbelievable," Emperor Philip muttered in a dazed and pained voice.
"I never imagined my own wife and son could conspire against me, all the while lying to my face..." His voice cracked as he spoke, the sting of betrayal cutting deep.
'Where did I go wrong? What could have driven them to such drastic measures?' Fedrick thought, his heart heavy with guilt and sorrow as the enormity of their treachery weighed on him like a crushing wave.
The rest of the Imperial Family shared the emperor's sense of betrayal. Anger flared in their hearts as they regarded Agatha and Fedrick with disdain.
"F-Father, please forgive me... I didn't plan—" Fedrick began, his trembling voice laced with desperation.
But Emperor Philip raised his hand, silencing him. "Enough! I've heard enough of your excuses. Fedrick, I never raised you to become a traitor to this family! Do you realize the catastrophe your actions could have unleashed upon the Lionheart Empire?" Philip's voice thundered with fury, his blood boiling with anger at the enormity of the betrayal.
"F-Father...please! Let me explain!" Fedrick begged, his voice breaking as cold sweat dripped down his face.
"Silence!" Empress Selena's voice cut through the air like a blade.
"Fedrick, you're a disgrace to the Lionheart Family!" Her piercing gaze burned with disdain as her aura flared, radiating authority.
Turning to Agatha, her eyes filled with icy fury, Selena spoke, her voice bone-chilling. "And you, Agatha. You are equally culpable in this treachery. Don't expect mercy from me today. Both of you have crossed a line that cannot be forgiven."
However, Selena's voice softened slightly as she continued, "That said, since you have a five-month-old child to care for, your punishment will be delayed—for now."
Agatha collapsed to the ground, her body limp as though her strings had been cut.
"I...I..." Her lips trembled as she stammered, but no words came out. Her world had crumbled, and everything she had schemed for was gone.
Before her husband could intervene, Empress Selena turned to Yuan with a stern expression. "Do whatever you want with him. He is no longer a member of this family. He's a traitor who has betrayed us all."
Yuan grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Miss Selena, I wasn't waiting for your permission. Watching him realize his world is crumbling is far more entertaining." He chuckled before shifting his gaze back to Fedrick.
"No... no, no, no... this is impossible..." Agatha muttered, her expression devastated. Tears streamed uncontrollably down her face as her muffled cries echoed in the room.
"Guards! Take this woman out of here and lock her in her chambers," Emperor Philip commanded firmly. "Allow only her children to enter, and make sure no one else approaches her room."
Two guards promptly entered the room. They froze in horror at the sight of the Second Crown Prince Fedrick's lifeless body lying at the center of the room.
'What happened to His Highness Fedrick?! Where did that massive hole come from?' Their eyes widened in disbelief as they noticed the clean, precise hole in his chest, surrounded by burn marks.
'How could His Highness Fedrick die like this?'
Their shocked gazes shifted to Rose, who stood not far from the body, her golden spear still in hand. Her beauty was ethereal, captivating their attention for a brief moment, but the sight of the golden spear quickly brought them back to reality.
'That woman... is she the one who killed His Highness Fedrick? Unbelievable!' they thought, their minds racing to process the scene.
"Guards," Empress Selena's cold, commanding voice broke their daze. "Ensure that Concubine Agatha does not escape her confinement. Double the security around her chambers, and do not let anyone suspicious approach."
"As you command, Your Majesty," the guards responded immediately. They grabbed Agatha, who resisted violently, refusing to leave her son's body. Despite her protests, the guards forced her out of the room.
Agatha's cries and struggles stirred emotions in Anna, who stood silently to the side. As a mother, she could deeply empathize with the pain Agatha was feeling. Watching her son die right in front of her, powerless to stop it, was a fate Anna prayed she would never endure.
'I hope I never have to see a day like this...' Anna thought, her heart heavy with sorrow. Yet, as her eyes met Yuan's, a proud smile broke across her face, her admiration for him unwavering.
|em|p,yr
Yuan smiled warmly at his two mothers before walking over to Rose, who was still staring at Fedrick's lifeless body. Without a word, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into a tight embrace.
Rose leaned into him, a small smile gracing her lips as she felt the warmth and comfort of his love. His embrace was her sanctuary, easing the weight of her emotions. After a moment, the two settled back onto the sofa together, Yuan keeping a protective arm around her.
The Imperial Family sat in stunned silence, still reeling from the swift and shocking series of events. It was hard for them to fully grasp that Fedrick had been plotting such a terrible betrayal all along.
Breaking the silence, Emperor Philip rose from his seat, his expression firm. "Yuan, let me handle things from here. I will inform the family and the empire of Fedrick's betrayal. I will also announce his death to the citizens."
"That would be the wisest course of action," Yuan replied with a nod. "People might grow suspicious if his death were kept a secret."
With a heavy sigh, Emperor Philip summoned several servants and instructed them to retrieve Fedrick's body and clean the room immediately.
Moments later, a group of servants entered. They carefully carried Fedrick's lifeless body away, preparing it for burial, while others began cleaning the bloodstains from the floor. Within minutes, the room was spotless, as though nothing had ever occurred.
The tense atmosphere was broken when Valeria suddenly spoke, her voice icy and laced with fury. "That stupid brother of mine... Make sure that 'bitch' pays for her crimes. If you don't, I will personally skin her alive."
Her words sent a chill through the room, her dangerous gaze freezing everyone in place. Even Emperor Philip felt a shiver run down his spine as he glanced at his daughter, her eyes burning with a terrifying resolve.