The words hit Velix like a blow, twisting his expression with anger. He hadn't expected the mysterious face to be aware of the outco of the war in the Desert of Chaos, nor to uncover his deepest fears.
"Are you threatening ?" Velix asked coldly.
A powerful surge of montum erupted from his body, thickening the tension in the throne room.
However, the face remained unfazed. Its expression stayed indifferent, the mocking smile still lingering on its lips.
"Threatening you? It seems you've misunderstood , Velix Larrison," it replied calmly. "What I spoke was rely a fact, one you should have already realized. Of course, if you choose to see it as a threat, that's your decision."
Velix fell silent, unable to find a response.
Taking a deep breath, he suppressed the anger burning within him and looked at the face with cold indifference.
"Tell , then: what is your purpose in inviting to join your Temple of Twilight?" he asked, his gaze narrowing.
The face chuckled softly before replying, "To extend our influence and spread our faith to all of humanity."
Velix's brow furrowed at the response; he hadn't expected this to be the reason they had approached him.
Curiosity about the term
"our faith"
suddenly sparked in his mind.
Hesitant, he looked up at the face and asked, "Faith? What do you an by that?"
A proud smile spread across the face as it answered, "We worship a deity known as the Evil God."
With those words, laughter escaped its lips, brimming with an insane fanaticism that was mirrored in its bloodshot eyes.
"Evil God? What kind of deity is that? How have I never heard of it before?"
Velix muttered in surprise, his frown deepening.
In this world, many people worshipped deities, including those in the Holy Empire of Elysium and the Holy Orthodox. However, these beliefs were often shallow, with people praying only on specific days.
Although Velix himself didn't follow any deity, he didn't forbid his people from believing as they wished. Furthermore, he was familiar with many of the well-known gods worshipped by his people, but he had never heard of one called the Evil God.
Recognizing Velix's hesitation, the face smiled casually and said, "I know you've probably never heard of him, but don't worry. The Evil God is a powerful deity, and I assure you, joining us will be a decision you won't regret. So, what's your choice?"
Velix fell silent at that, his expression betraying a complex struggle of emotions.
He wanted to refuse, but the situation he was in was too precarious. One wrong move, and his status as Holy Emperor could crumble.
After a long pause, he finally clenched his fists, grinding his teeth with a heavy heart.
"Alright, I agree," he said in a low, strained voice.
"Hahaha! Very good!" The face laughed, looking at Velix with satisfaction. "Since you've agreed, I'll ensure you won't regret it. You can rest easy in your position as Holy Emperor, and I'll guarantee no one will be able to challenge your rule."
In response to the assurance, Velix gave a small nod, his expression tinged with distress.
"In that case, I'll report to the temple and return in a few days," the face said excitedly before adding, "Oh, and one more thing—don't let your guard down in the coming days. Sothing big is headed your way."
Velix's eyes widened at the warning. He was about to ask what it ant, but the face vanished, leaving behind a large cloud of smoke that gradually dissipated into the ceiling of the throne room.
In an instant, the room fell silent again, and Velix's expression grew serious.
"Sothing big is coming my way? What could that an?"
he wondered, doubt clouding his mind.
After a brief mont of reflection, he still couldn't grasp its aning. Nonetheless, he knew he couldn't allow this uncertainty to distract him. Without delay, he summoned the guards stationed outside the throne room and instructed them to heighten surveillance across the nearby towns and the Imperial capital.
...
In the bedroom, Arshley reclined against the headboard, sipping warm tea.
She wore a loose, milky white nightgown that elegantly draped over her figure. Her silver hair, usually left loose, was now styled in a beautiful bun, resting gently on her left shoulder.
Her sky-blue eyes shone brightly as she watched birds perched on the trees outside the window.
Suddenly, a knock at the door shattered the silence, accompanied by a man's voice from the other side.
*Knock!*
"Saint, it's , Edward. May I co in?"
Hearing Edward's voice, Arshley set her teacup down on the saucer beside her and turned her calm gaze toward the door.
"Of course, Edward. Co in; the door is unlocked," she replied softly.
Shortly after, the door opened, revealing Edward in a green robe that accentuated his composed deanor. He approached with a warm smile, stopping respectfully two ters from Arshley.
"Good morning, Saint," Edward greeted with a polite bow.
Arshley gave a faint smile and waved her hand dismissively.
"No need to be so formal, Edward," she said casually, then added, "So, what brings you here?"
Edward slowly raised his head and gave a small smile.
"I ca, of course, to check on your condition," Edward replied, causing Arshley to roll her eyes in response.
"Didn't I already tell you I'm fine?" Arshley said with a hint of exasperation.
Ever since she had fainted, Edward had beco very strict with her schedule, limiting her work hours and insisting she rest more often.
Though she appreciated his concern, she naturally wanted to work harder to distract herself from the sadness and loneliness she felt without her brother. But Edward persisted in stopping her, leaving her feeling utterly helpless.
"Given your character, I know you didn't co just to check on ," Arshley said, leaning her head against her palm. "Co on, tell , what news do you have?"
Edward couldn't help but chuckle, looking at her with a hint of admiration.
"You're as sharp as ever, Saint. Indeed, I ca to share so rather intriguing news," Edward replied lightly, instantly catching Arshley's attention.
"Intriguing news? What is it?" Arshley inquired, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.
Edward remained silent as he took a scroll from his robe pocket and handed it to Arshley.
Taking the scroll, Arshley slowly unfurled it and began reading the contents.
After five minutes, her eyes widened in disbelief.
"The Army of Humanity was defeated by the Demon Army? How is that possible?" Arshley exclaid in horror, straightening in shock.
The hands gripping the scroll trembled uncontrollably, a clear sign of how strongly she reacted to the news.
She fixed her gaze on Edward and asked, her voice trembling, "Edward, is this news reliable?"
"Of course, Saint. It's a report directly from our spies," Edward replied firmly.
Arshley fell silent, her expression clouded with confusion as she turned her gaze back to the scroll in her hand.
"How could this be? How could humanity's army have been defeated?"
She thought inwardly, astonished.
The scroll revealed that the defeat was attributed to a single figure—the Demon Emperor. However, the Army of Humanity had been led by heroes Luna and Valen, with additional support from Jim, Natsaya, Rain, and Guren. Furthermore, Guren had attained the status of a Sword Hero.
Despite the appearance of the Demon Emperor, they should have been able to win the war. However, this unexpected outco left Arshley both confused and astonished.
Suddenly, Arshley felt sothing off and eyed Edward suspiciously.
"Why haven't I seen any reaction from you after hearing this news, Edward?" Arshley asked, her voice hesitant.
Normally, Edward would have shown a serious expression when receiving such news, but this ti he seed unusually calm, even smiling slightly. This puzzled Arshley.
Edward shook his head, replying casually, "Why be surprised? I expected this."
Arshley was confused by his words but soon recalled sothing.
"Are you saying their defeat is connected to my brother?" she asked, surprised.
Edward smiled and nodded. "Yes."
"But wasn't it the Demon Emperor who defeated them?" Arshley asked again.
Edward chuckled softly and responded, "Saint, how many Demon Emperors have been born with extraordinary talent and strength? And what was their fate? All were ultimately defeated by the heroes."
Arshley was stunned for a mont, and a bold guess began to form in her mind.
"Does that an..." Before she could finish, Edward quickly interrupted.
Stay tuned to empire
"Yes, as you've likely guessed. This Demon Emperor is probably not the real one, but the Fated One—the Sword Hero Leon Kruger."
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A/N: Thanks for the support!
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