Before Princess Forn stole the Sacred Spear, and before the Emperor chased her to the very borders of his empire, he had summoned her to the Throne Castle.
He sat upon his majestic throne, waiting for his daughter's arrival, his mind drowning in a whirlpool of heavy thoughts. He was thinking about what he had to reveal to her. He carried many secrets… secrets no one else knew, and secrets he had never intended to share with anyone except the one who would bear the burden of the empire after him.
He had already decided that his daughter would succeed him as Empress.
And so, he had to face her with the truth. He had to tell her the secrets he carried, so that she could rule the empire with an iron grip—without hesitation or weakness.
As he was lost in thought, he suddenly stopped when he heard approaching footsteps echoing through the hall.
She had arrived.
Moments later, after allowing the guards to let her in, Princess Forn entered the throne room. Her expression was slightly tense, and her eyes reflected clear confusion.
She had just finished dealing with troublesome creatures—vampires and werewolves—but something about them unsettled her. For months now, they had been acting strangely. Their eyes… they looked lifeless, empty of any human spark.
While she was still caught in those thoughts, her father's voice cut through the silence of the hall.
"What is troubling your mind, my daughter, while you stand before me and in my presence?"
Forn flinched slightly, then dropped to one knee and bowed her head respectfully.
"I apologize, Your Majesty. I was merely tired."
The Emperor did not take it seriously. He rose slowly from his throne, his voice calm yet heavy with authority.
"There is no need for such excessive formality now, my daughter. Rise. There is an important matter I must discuss with you."
She was surprised by his words, but she obeyed quickly. Standing again, she looked at him with visible tension.
"An important matter? What is it, Your Majesty?"
He met her gaze steadily and said in a voice that allowed no doubt:
"I decided long ago to make you Empress after me… did I not, my daughter?"
Forn lifted her head quickly, nodding anxiously.
"Yes… Your Majesty, you did."
He paid no attention to her fear and continued in a more serious tone.
"I have waited a long time to see if any of your brothers would surpass you and become Crown Heir."
Forn froze, her heart pounding, afraid he might have changed his mind.
But his next words lifted the weight from her shoulders.
"None of your brothers proved worthy of the title. You are the only one who deserves it."
A heavy silence filled the room.
"Therefore," he continued, "after long consideration… I have decided to tell you some of the empire's secrets, Forn."
Her eyes widened in shock, her face paling slightly.
"You… you will tell me the secrets of the empire, Your Majesty? Why? Are… are you well?"
At her words, the Emperor looked at her with clear surprise, one brow slightly raised.
"Yes, I am well. I thought it best to tell you now, so that you will not be shocked when you become Empress… so that you will not rule blindly."
Then he fixed his gaze on her with a hint of challenge.
"Do you think I am dying? Is that why I speak of this?"
Forn quickly waved her hand in denial.
"No, no, of course not, Your Majesty! It's just that I thought you…"
Her voice dropped to nearly a whisper.
"…that perhaps you were unwell."
The Emperor studied her in silence. A fleeting thought crossed his mind.
Perhaps I was too harsh with Forn before… I made her fear me to that extent.
But he pushed the thought aside.
I will deal with that later. Now, she must learn what she needs to know.
He gestured toward her.
"Come closer, my daughter."
Though tense and uneasy, Forn obeyed and stepped forward. She still feared that behind this calm demeanor lay something she did not understand.
Once she stood near him, the Emperor suddenly asked:
"Do you know where the most secure chamber in the empire is, Forn?"
She blinked in confusion, momentarily forgetting her fear.
"Is it not the Imperial Treasury, Your Majesty? The place where we store our treasures and relics?"
The Emperor slowly shook his head.
"No, Forn. The place you are about to see is the most secure in the empire. The Imperial Treasury you speak of… is merely a façade—meant to distract our enemies and feed them false information."
As soon as he finished speaking, he waved his hand. A golden light erupted and enveloped them both.
Forn gasped, startled. Before she could speak or question what was happening, she felt the ground beneath her feet shift.
In that moment, she heard her father's voice continue:
"It is true that the Imperial Treasury holds our riches, my little one… but this place stores the things that must never be seen by the public eye—no matter what happens."
Her eyes widened.
"What could we possibly hide that cannot be revealed? We are the Imperial Family of Humanity… one of the strongest races on the continent of Mira."
The Emperor looked at her and gave a faint, mysterious smile.
But he did not answer.
He was waiting.
Waiting for her to see with her own eyes.
To understand for herself.