"Marquis, do you think the 'appropriate' time is half an hour later?"
Although Count Jared and Marquis Barton were allies, it did not mean that the ambitious Count was willing to submit. But at this time, internal strife could not be allowed. The other Count from other territories did not say much. The so-called camp now had a more appropriate name — "rebel army".
That's right, they had already betrayed the royal family "Myers", betraying the royal family that had ruled the empire for hundreds of years. Their purpose was self-evident. Like all traitors, they weren't ashamed of their actions. On the contrary, these nobles were boiling with excitement because they were about to overthrow a decadent dynasty.
"It's not what I think, it's what 'he' thinks."
Marquis Barton sat in the middle. He was obviously the leader of the rebel army camp because he had the most soldiers, the best quality, and the best equipment. At this moment, the nobles around him felt a little strange when they heard his words. Because up until now, they did not know that behind Marquis Barton was … "he"?
Who was "he"?
No one asked this question, including Earl Garr. He looked into the deep eyes of Marquis Barton and was stunned. In the end, he didn't continue to say anything. He just nodded bitterly and said, "Well, my army is ready to be ordered at any time."
Marquis Barton did not have any reaction. He looked at the nobles around him. There was no excitement on his face, nor was there any fervor before a great war. Instead, he calmly straightened his back and sat up straight. He said in a very soft voice, "Everyone, our performance has begun."
* * *
Merkel flew straight to the front of the Sisyphean Palace in Xiliath City. At this time, Empress Flora had been waiting for a long time. When she saw the adjudicator of the Vatican arrive, she immediately went forward to welcome him.
This was an extremely high courtesy. But it usually meant that something was about to happen.
"How is Emperor Chanak?"
This was Merkel's first sentence after he landed. He did not even have any extra pleasantries. Clearly, he knew what he needed to do at this moment. The reason why Flora waited for him here instead of dealing with government affairs was obvious.
Merkel looked a little anxious, which made Flora feel a little better. But the heavy feeling in her heart did not dissipate. Because her father, Emperor Chanak, had suddenly received news that he was seriously ill!
She did not know what to do. For a long time, Flora had never felt that her father had any health problems. A year ago, her father did appear to be a little weak for a period of time. But at that time, she could not see her father at all. She could only hear the nobles' discussions. And when she got close to her father again, she did not see any discomfort in her father's body. The only thing she asked was that a priest from the Luminous Vatican had treated her father and was successful. There was nothing else.
Now that her father had suddenly fallen ill, Flora really didn't know what to do. Even now, she still believed that she and her father would rule this country together for a very, very long time. She hoped that this time would be infinitely long, but deep down, she knew that it was impossible. Everyone would die one day, but she didn't expect that day to come so soon.
"Father is in his room. I'll bring —"
Before Flora could finish, Merkel waved his hand. A wave of power lifted him up. With a serious face, Merkel took Flora and flew towards the back of the palace. At the same time, he said in a very serious tone, "I need to be quick. Please forgive me for my rudeness." "That's right.
"Over there."
Flora did not mind at all. She was even more anxious than Merkel. After leading the way for Merkel, the two arrived in front of Chanak's tower in less than two minutes. When Chanak's bedroom door opened, Flora's heart tightened.
In her vision, her father was quietly lying on the bed with a soft pillow behind him. Charnak's current appearance was completely different from the famous' Sword Sovereign '. Flora could not imagine what made her father turn from a spirited and energetic man to an old man with one foot in the grave in just a few weeks!
His pale face made him look like a skeleton. Charnak's cheeks were yellow due to not eating for a long time. His cheekbones were tightly attached to his cheekbones. His eye sockets were sunken. He looked like he was already dead. However, his chest was still rising and falling slowly. That was the only biological sign that he was still alive.
The servants around them stood quietly at the side. They could not do anything about it. A few royal physicians looked at Charnak with serious expressions. Then, they looked at Merkel and Flora who had opened the door. They stood there silently, unable to say anything.
At that moment, they understood that Emperor Charnak … seemed to be dying.
Flora's eyes were filled with tears almost immediately. However, she forcefully suppressed them. She took a few steps forward and tried her best to hold back her tears. However, the more she walked, the more she could see her father's horrifying appearance … Charnak's arm seemed to have no muscles at all. There was only a layer of yellow skin that tightly wrapped around his bones. His hair was a little messy. His pale hair was covered by the crown. However, the majestic aura of an emperor was nowhere to be seen.
"Father …"
Flora said. However, her moans changed drastically. As soon as she opened her mouth, her tears began to fall uncontrollably. A daughter watching her father walk towards death step by step with her own eyes was a pain that no one could understand.
Merkel narrowed his eyes, and his body suddenly emitted a golden light. As he walked toward Charnak, the golden light became brighter and brighter, but when he walked in front of Charnak, all the light seemed to gather on his palm in an instant. Then, as he placed his palm on Charnak's chest, it suddenly disappeared.
Life seemed to have returned to Charnak's body. The Monarch who seemed to be at the end of his life slowly opened his eyes. His eyes were no longer as bright as they used to be. They looked gray and murky, no different from the old beggars on the street. What worried Flora the most was that her father seemed to have lost his sight.
After he opened his eyes, he looked straight ahead. His hands that were outside the blanket moved slightly. Flora immediately grabbed her father's hands tightly. As if feeling the warmth, Charnak slowly turned around and looked at Flora with his lifeless eyes.
"My daughter, I am sorry … for letting you see me like this."
Emperor Charnak's voice was very hoarse. After saying that, he took a few deep breaths and tried his best to clench his hands. His skinny face seemed to have regained some color. However, Flora understood that this was the effect of Merkel's magic.
Merkel, who was standing on the side, silently reached out his hand. Flora understood that her father only had a few minutes left.
Charnak was silent for a while. Then, he laughed.
The laughter was not pleasant to hear. However, Flora did not feel uncomfortable at all. She looked at her father quietly and listened patiently.
This was the last moment. No matter how impatient she was, she had to listen to her father's dying words.
"Someone, record my will."
Charnak knew his situation very well. After the servants were ready, the monarch quietly announced his will. The content was as expected. Flora was crowned as the only Empress of the Empire. Prince Stu did not receive any substantial rights. Other than some land and … 'freedom', he did not receive anything else.
However, Charnak mentioned his inheritance. His private study room … or rather, a list of private books belonged to Flora and only Flora. This order meant that no one else had the right to use these things.
Merkel stood at the side quietly. He watched the monarch in front of him tell his life's last wish to his daughter in a self-mocking manner. Suddenly, he felt that the so-called rulers … or everyone in this world, were all the same when it came to their final moments.
Although he had experienced too many massacres, it was the first time Merkel truly experienced the mercilessness of time. Time was the harshest weapon in this world. Merkel had a deep understanding of it at this moment.
"It's a pity that I couldn't wait until the moment my daughter got married. I once had a wish, and that was to personally put on a gown for my daughter when she got married." Charnak's eyes gradually dimmed. "It's a pity, a pity. A person's life is filled with too many regrets. Only now do I realize that when a person is alive, it's as though they never die. But before they die, it's as though they've never lived."
"Father …"
Her tears soaked Flora's clothes. She could no longer hold back her tears. She knelt in front of her father's bed. Her father's skinny hands were tightly gripped by her. They were slowly losing their strength.
"My death is only an inevitability in the Wheel of Fate. Please don't waste time investigating the cause and effect. I only hope that you can survive the next trial."
Charnak blinked his eyes slowly, his ash-grey pupils slightly looking above his head.
"I should rest, my daughter." Charnak's voice was almost inaudible. "Now, it's your time."
…