A pipeline stretching for miles was located underneath the palace. It was quite complex and vast. It allowed for the construction of secret prisons in between. Those who wanted to rescue the first eunuch could try to sneak into the palace. Alternatively, Lameon brought him here in case the pirates realized how much he meant to Lameon. The stench of sewage was everywhere. It was certainly not fit for an emperor. There were no suspicious soldiers or guards at the edge of the foul water. Just an old man stood at the edge of the stream. He was covered in filth. He pulled his knees to his chest and hid his head. He was missing an arm. He looked up when he heard footsteps. There was a huge scar on his face. It was clearly visible in the dirt. A stone was tied to his healthy right arm. It looked like an ordinary stone, but it was not. The stone limited his strength.
"You didn't run away," Lameon said. There was no trace of emotion in his eyes. A coldness stretched into infinity.
"I don't want to run away from you," said the first eunuch, his voice older and more tired than ever.
But to Lameon, it instantly shattered the emotionlessness on his face.
"You lied to me when I decided to rebel. You reported me to my father! You drove me out of my home!"
"It was neither me nor your father who drove you from this palace. You did this to yourself!"
"Nonsense!"
Lameon clenched his fists, but said nothing. He looked at the old man with angry eyes, but after a second, the tightness in his hands and the anger in his eyes disappeared. The old coldness took over his eyes again. Calmness. He was the emperor now. He should have been calmer.
The first eunuch stood with one foot outstretched in a relaxed position. He didn't care that the emperor was in front of him.
"You will be executed today. You had better prepare to say your last words," said Lameon. Then, he turned around. He quickly took the first steps toward the end of the long road. The more he talked to the old man, the more uneasy he felt. He should never have come here.
Yet, he heard the sound of a rock scraping against the ground behind him.
"Are the feelings you had then gone now, Lameon? How much does it hurt to see that all this sacrifice was meaningless? I told you from the beginning. I told you, Lameon!"
"SHUT UP!"
Lameon ran with all his might. He wanted to reach the palace as soon as possible. He left the old man behind and moved through the sewers, not thinking about the filth. When he emerged from the sewers into the palace, he drew a cold breath. In his room, he returned to his cold demeanor. In order to become a great emperor and rule a whole planet, he had to keep his emotions in check.
So, with fake calm, he watched the preparations for the execution in the square in front of the palace.
A few hours later, the execution of the first eunuch began.
Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in the main square to watch. Many officials and civilians were uncertain about the consequences of this death and the ensuing rebellion. People had lost loved ones in the chaotic war that had engulfed Jadeweb. Now, with the arrival of the new emperor, no one believed they had a peaceful future.
More people might have come from within the city to watch someone of this caliber die, but the throne wasn't the only thing reclaimed in the last war. Those currently above the Sage Realm were only watching from afar.
The 1st Eunuch was no ordinary man. His death was an event to watch, even during this dangerous time. His reputation in the capital was extraordinary. Every powerful expert who came to the capital wanted to meet him at least once. The 1st Eunuch had a legendary story, after all.
But we won't discuss that now. There's no need. All we need to know is the relationship between Lameon and the First Eunuch.
It's a pretty straightforward relationship. Unlike the third and second eunuchs, this man raised the crown prince very differently. He gave him a taste of the beauty of the world and made him live it. Thanks to his talent, this young man never had to work hard. Yet he still managed to win the Star Path Tournament at age 18. He was free-spirited and ambitious. He dreamed of exploring the vastness of the universe and the limits of humanity.
He saw the First Eunuch as his true father. He respected the man who taught him about life, and he respected him more than any other human being.
However, the First Eunuch had betrayed him in the past.
"The emperor's birth eunuch, the first eunuch! On the day Emperor Lameon was born, he renounced his name and became his eunuch. He was honorable and proud, yet he betrayed the emperor. Today, he will be executed for it!"
The executioner standing beside the gallows spoke these words. The waves of energy emanating from his body were inconceivable. He was a high-ranking expert in the empire who rarely appeared in public, but always fulfilled his duty. That's why he was here today. He was going to execute the First Eunuch in front of hundreds of thousands of people.
It's not because he dislikes the first eunuch. It's for the good of the empire. He didn't want Lameon to become emperor, but that's what happened. Now, Leon can no longer have children. He wasn't fit to be emperor. Mais was lost. With his limited talent, it was difficult for him to survive, and even if he did, he could not dethrone Lameon.
That's why the Empire's top experts had to accept Lameon.
He wasn't the one who said those words. Even though his body was used to speak them, he knew. They were from the emperor's heart. The emperor could have made up a simple lie and deceived everyone, but he didn't want to do that. He wanted to show everyone why he had killed the first eunuch.
"Do you have any last words?!"
It was a roar that shook the sky. The old man stood miserably in front of the gallows; the execution site was empty except for him and the executioner. Hundreds of thousands of people stood before them, their faces displaying various expressions. Some looked out of taverns with their eyes averted, focusing only on their chalices, while others, dressed in flowing robes, looked through alleyways. Some were angry; some were confused. Some were scared. There were children among them. Lameon did not care.
He watched the old eunuch from the balcony, looking proud and cold. What would his last words be with his ugly face and broken body? He thought he didn't care. Then why was he holding the balcony railing so tightly? Why was he so afraid of not hearing what he wanted?
The old man raised his head. His eyes were tired. He remembered his past: He remembered Lameon's birth and the days when the king had entrusted him with the child. He had treated Lameon as his own son. He cared for him. Even though things turned out the way they did, he did not regret it.
Because he loved him.
"No."
None of the words he said on his way to death mattered. He didn't want to be remembered for anything. He had remembered everything he wanted to.
Lameon lifted his head, trying to give him a contemptuous look. He curled his lips, but the pain in his eyes spoiled the expression. He wanted to, but he couldn't. When he lifted his chin, he realized he could barely hold back tears. His eyes were twitching. He immediately pulled himself together. He couldn't let his cold demeanor change now.
He stepped back from the balcony, but he could still hear the voice. In that moment, he experienced the curse of his super senses. He felt as if she was standing right in front of him. He couldn't escape.
Tears welled up in his eyes. The cruel man who showed no mercy, not even to his own father; the man who gave up everything and mercilessly crushed himself in pursuit of cultivation; the man who gave up everything; was now crying for someone else.
Just a eunuch! Only a eunuch was far from ordinary. A eunuch you cared for was worth more than the mightiest emperor.