"Do you swear that you will testify for the truth and nothing but the truth, Crown Prince of Vernignac, Claxiord Lee-Vernignac?"
Crown Prince Claxiord stood before the Imperial Court with a spine stiffened by resolve, hands clenched at his sides as if holding himself together by force alone. The chamber buzzed with suspicion, until Prince Davorin raised a single hand and the room fell into uneasy silence.
Earthlings are now gathered at the Imperial Court. Only themselves, no other external forces or families---only those with close affiliations with Empress Siofra and the other world, Earth.
"Yes." The Crown Prince answered. He looked at where his Emperor father was seated and found him cheering for him silently with pompoms.
"Then, speak," Prince Davorin, who was overseeing the proceedings, commanded. "Tell the court what you witnessed."
Crown Prince Claxiord swallowed. His voice did not shake when he began, but the memory dragged shadows into his eyes.
"My Father ordered me to return here and get the present he made for my brother at the Tower. I arrived around 10 pm and of course, I informed the guards, but ordered them to notify you at sunrise," he said with nothing but pure honesty and the truth while looking straight at Prince Davorin's eyes.
"I instantly found the thing. It was a case with a note that it's for Maxigaufeas. I stayed to watch one movie, though."
"After that, I assume you have decided to leave again?"
The Crown Prince nodded at Prince Davorin. "Yes. I cleaned up and left the Tower. I told the servants about my departure and to tell you about my presence at sunrise. As I take my leave, I found the Diamond Palace shining."
"Why did you not inform us firsthand, Crown Prince?"
Crown Prince Claxiord kept himself cool. "I felt no need to at first."
"What do you mean?"
"I felt no threatening presence. It will never occur to me either, as we all know that the Diamond Palace is one of the safest place there is in this world. It is the Matriarch's sanctuary. There are so many reasons why I didn't think of calling you. So, I went there myself out of curiosity, and..."
Emperor Maxism threw his toys far behind when they saw how the expression on his son changed. The Crown Prince looked pale and basing from his reaction, they felt the same foreboding feeling.
"The Palace's gates opened by itself. The knights came. And then...there was a pool of shadow," Crown Prince Claxiord continued, louder now, forcing the words into the air. "It spread across the ground like spilled ink. It looked wet and very sticky to be a portal. But it looked like one. Maybe, it was indeed a portal."
Beads of sweat began forming on the Crown Prince's forehead. Streak of sweat crossed down his face.
"Veils... There were Veils... Veils...rose from that pool of shadow and devoured the Knights. Pitch black with red aura... And... There was another..."
The court stiffened with a chilling pause.
"A-Another?"
The Crown Prince looked down, biting his lower lip hard. He can't... He don't want to... If he do, he might be charged with treason. But he must. It's an important description to add. That one of the colors surrounding the shadow's aura was---
"Blue."
Their eyes widened.
"I-I swear to my name, my honor, and blood---I am not lying. I will allow you to use magic on me and review what I have seen yourselves. I strongly denied it. I didn't want to believe it, but the dominating color of that shadow's aura was neither pitch black nor red---but blue. The color of the Warlock Imperial Family, and it felt like---"
"NONSENSE!"
Empress Siofra rose from her throne, shaken. "Are you saying that a Warlock... A Warlock opened a portal and fed our knights to those filthy Veils, Crown Prince!?"
Emperor Maxism stomped his foot when he stood.
"Do not scold my second favorite son, Your Imperial Majesty Siofra. He is a Crown Prince of his own right, and he swore to his name, honor, and even blood that he is honest and truthful. My second favorite son is not one to waste his time over matters outside our Empire, so I ask you to be considerate and mindful."
Not only the Crown Prince was shocked about his father's audacity but everyone else, too. It enraged King LIFE and almost drew Excalibur to punish his tongue for speaking that way to Empress Siofra, but the Empress raised her hand to stop him.
"Therefore, in addition to my testimony, I will say that King Liorei have no contribution into this event, that there is no foul play done by him. The Diamond Palace will answer to you if you will ask it, Your Imperial Majesty. This will be all for my testimony."
Crown Prince Claxiord left the podium and walked to the side where his parents are. Emperor Maxism pat his shoulder, proud and smug. Empress Clastigaufeas stayed seated with a straight face. She dragged her eyes to where King Liorei is with Princess Lorreign...and Moon.
Something ominous pierced through her very being when she met Moon's gaze.
There was that tingling sensation that clawed through her flesh. Moon...is certainly looking at her. If you can call that a 'look'.
She barely managed to pull away. She couldn't describe... Why? Why is Moon looking at her that way? It was sickening. She's---
"My Mommy, what's wrong?"
Emperor Maxism gently cupped his Empress's face, flushed pale. She clung onto his wrist, chasing after her breath. Emperor Maxism became more worried.
As for Moon, she have no idea what she was feeling inside.
She couldn't quite describe the feeling. It was strong. Too strong that it makes her heart race. The kind that pumps your adrenaline, the kind that provokes you into berserking. Those Vernignacs...
It was rage.
The emotion boiling down her core. That was it.
RAGE.
Her rage fuels her desire to kill those Vernignacs---but why? What was the reason? Why does she loathe them so?
"Ah..." She held her head when it suddenly ached. She winced. After that ache, an image flashed in her mind.
What horrifying image. It was in her point of view. She was seeing it in her point of view. The image---or that memory rather, showed a monstrous silhouette with a hole in its body.
"Princess?"
King Liorei cupped her cheeks. Moon flinched and returned to reality. She found King Liorei kneeling before her and...and wiping her cheeks? She was crying?
"What's wrong? Are you alright?"
No. No, she is not.
Her emotions confuse her. She wanted to be in this room. Seeing everyone brings pure joy to her heart---but seeing certain people triggers something in her. And out of nowhere, she is hating on those Vernignacs. Why? They are very nice people.
Nice people, but definitely not kind. Especially the Emperor, that sly snake Maxism Ford Lee---Vernignac. He's just as dangerous as everybody else, but something about him is special. He's insane; and he proved it more when he married an alien specie, Empress Clastigaufeas. His greed is sickening. But he's nice and chooses neutrality than taking sides. He's a good observer and a listener. He is wise in his own way and the people of Vernignac Empire learned to love him after just a year of ruling as their Emperor.
That's right. He possess traits that make him more trustworthy than Aloisia sometimes. Keeping him as an ally is good. They definitely shouldn't make an enemy of someone as twisted as him, who will drop all his morals in a blink of an eye for his ambition and beliefs.
Empress Clastigaufeas don't fall short either. She matches his freak. Then there's Crown Prince Claxiord who dwells between his parents' personalities, but he takes after his mother's more. Lastly, Prince Maxigaufeas. Though he is very mischievous and reckless like his father that it makes him stupid, cause him the slightest inconvenience and you'd be punished.
In short, their family consists of nothing but ticking bombs.
"I'm alright. Just fatigue. I didn't get proper sleep." The Empress lied. She would rather not make an issue about what she experienced with Moon just now. They will overreact. They are way too sensitive when Moon is involved because she's a threat. An unknown level of threat. A mysterious thing they are yet to know.
"Don't worry! After this, I will exhaust you so much that you will sleep like a baby aft---"
Crown Prince Claxiord merely watched his father go to the other side after his mother punched him.
"Mother, forgive me for causing you inconvenience."
"This is nothing. This is an important matter. I am glad that you are unhurt. I understand if you were too stunned to react when you saw it happening..."
What the Empress meant is that---since the Supreme God Siofra had successfully performed her duties as a God and brought forth the peace they've been enjoying to this day, the Crown Prince who has never seen a Veil all his life and only heard tales and legends of it, how he reacted was valid.
Veils had terrorized all beings for billions of years that despite not seeing one in sight anymore, the scars and histories it left behind haunts them still even in the present.
Moon, for them, is still an unidentified being. Indeed, she look so much like a Veil, but she's not committing atrocities only a Veil would do...yet. No matter how much they want to get rid of her, they can't.
Because of King Liorei.
Because the King, like King LIFE, is a Veil Lord.
.
.
.
Crown Prince Claxiord sliced the tender meat using his knife and pierced it with a fork.
They're back home. They made it home very late, because the Warlocks demanded more from the Crown Prince that led to minor arguments before they actually initiated a proper investigation. They climbed the Tower and used the Vision on him to look into his memories. He proved them what he had seen was right, but of course, some refused to believe it, so the Empress went to ask the Diamond Palace herself.
And would you look at that.
"I...can't enter?"
The Diamond Palace refused all orders from the Empress. Sun attempted the same and failed miserably.
"You can't enter?"
King Liorei parted the crowd and stepped past the gates. Moon tailed him with Princess Lorreign, but Princess Lorreign surprisingly couldn't enter as well. Only King Liorei and Moon...can go past the gates of the Diamond Palace.
"Dad,"
"Hmm?"
Emperor Maxism drank his wine. He was deep in thought like his second favorite son, because he was thinking if he will have the same chance to hit it tonight or not. He's measuring the Empress's mood and attitude levels right now. His radar said---YES. He can hit it. He will hit it.
"What if... What if King Liorei is speaking the truth?"
The Emperor and Empress paused and looked at him.
"I just...couldn't help but think. I know, you told me tens of times, that King Liorei is a formidable foe. Stronger than King LIFE, but just right a step behind his father, Daro. You told me how he used to be so wicked and twisted, that to this day, you doubt his 'change'. No man that evil will be ever good nor kind, you said,"
Emperor Maxism listened.
"It hurts to say this, but I admire King Liorei. He's been trying to enlighten us about the same thing for a decade now. He says the same thing whenever he will get the chance to, and we will shut him off every time. What if he's telling the truth? In fact, the Princess looking like a Veil won't be surprising anymore, given King LIFE's status as a Veil Lord. If it is true that Moon is the legitimate Princess, but since we were under a spell, we don't believe them... Don't you think what I saw last night was related to that?"
Amidst their silence, a servant came with a serving of desserts for them. For the Empress and Crown Prince, it was nothing. But to an assassin like the Emperor himself...
"The Diamond Palace rejects entry other than King Liorei and Moon. Isn't that already a message to us? The Palace must be aware of the circumstances involving the identity of the two Princesses. Dad, that pool of shadow I saw back then...and that vivid streak of blue aura..."
The Crown Prince's throat dried. He's getting the same feeling again. The chills, the waves of goosebumps, and cold breath blowing against his nape like death...
He was not born yet during the Armageddon War... He have no war experience yet... But if the monsters inside that shadow were to break loose, the Warlock Empire---No, the world is yet to know the true meaning of danger and disaster.
He also tried to ignore her. He tried pretending not see feel it, but the way Moon stared at him, at them, earlier when they were still at court...was something he couldn't describe.
"Thank you for opening up to us, my current favorite son because my most favorite is not here,"
Crown Prince Claxiord gave his father a bored look. Did he really have to say all that?
"I, too, do have sentiments like that once in a while. But if you were to ask me what we should do, then, it'll be---
NOTHING."
"Huh...?"
Empress Clastigaufeas slapped her forehead at that advise.
"It's not our shit to handle, son. Let them destroy each other. What matters to me most is you, my family, and our beloved Empire. If we get involved, then we will get dragged into that same mess, and who knows if we won't make it out alive? What happens then? What will become of our Empire? We already did our part during the Armageddon War. We don't need to participate in another that has nothing to do with us. It's their family. They should fix their matters alone."
"But---But Dad, it's not about getting involved or not. It's about helping them see the truth!"
Emperor Maxism laughed boisterously.
"Claxiord, we are in a fantasy world. Everything is possible here. Although everything is still a mess yet since we're still trying to unravel this world, but with those Warlock monsters living at the Heart Palace, they will figure it out in no time. Let's be neutral. In fact, let's play it safe. If we are not needed, don't meddle. Only I will. You don't have to. Just be safe all the time."
The Emperor's assuring grin was reflected on Crown Prince Claxiord's red eyes. Emperor Maxism chuckled---and it turned evil. The Empress and her son looked at each other, wondering what got into the Emperor and he's being cheeky like that all of a sudden.
He's just simply admiring the family he created. He used up all his luck to try his chance with the Empress and he hit the ultimate jackpot in one try.
Empress Clastigaufeas is the last of her kind. The last Vernignac. Each royal family possess their own distinct traits that no other can possess. Those traits were passed down to their descendants. For the Vernignacs, they are very well known for their slit red eyes. The Emperor never skipped a prayer day during the Empress's pregnancy with the Crown Prince. He didn't want his baby to look like him nor take after him: he prayed to all the gods and Deities that he will look like a Vernignac. They answered him and Prince Maxigaufeas, too, was born with the same red eyes.
He have successfully invaded the family and now, he have two dominant alpha male Vernignac sons.
"Mwehehehehe!"
Empress Clastigaufeas stood first and gestured his son to leave. They left Emperor Maxism alone in the Dining Hall, giggling by himself. He's crazy.
He knew that his wife and son were already gone. Now, he's staring at the dessert that was served to them earlier. Good thing none of them took a bite of it yet.
That dessert was laced.
Not poison, but something else.
The Emperor already had a feeling since. His instincts has been telling him every time that something was wrong. Every time he will try to reach out to King Liorei, his mind suddenly gets foggy and eventually, he forgets his goal.
There's a mole among his people.
There must be one or a couple in every household close to the Warlocks.
Sigh. Seems like King Liorei is telling the truth all along if that was the case. Maybe since their Empire is far from the Warlocks, the influence of the brainwashing technique is weak on them. Whenever they go there, his mind instantly go blank and could only think of Sun.
"Your Imperial Majesty," the butler entranced with a vibrant smile. In his hand was a pink envelope.
"Her Grace, Grand Duchess Aviana, will be home soon. She expresses her gratitude to you in advance."
The Emperor's gloomy vibe was cleared out and accepted the envelope. He took out the letter and the paper inside was also pink. And scented. With lots of cute doodles and characters from his sweet sister, Aviana Lavender Forester.
'Tsk. I remembered she's married. Tsk.'
That doesn't matter. The Grand Dutchess's husband is competent and good to her.
His sister has been away for a few months now, since he treated her a funded trip around the world. The Grand Duchess...was not able to conceive. Back on Earth, they were separated. Emperor Maxism, the eldest, was a sickly child since he was born, and his sister was the healthy one. He tried to survive and get strong but their family gave him up easily and abandoned him to die somewhere far and dark. Unlike them, the Emperor didn't give up his life and fought death. Then, he met Aloisia. Meanwhile, his sister, Aviana Lavender, was pampered all her life. When she was ripe of age, her family sold her off. Chancellor Titania, also an assassin, received a task to assassinate the man who turned out to be the Grand Duchess's fiancé. She saved the poor Grand Duchess who was beaten and assaulted.
But the most twisted turn came into their lives. The Grand Duchess, together with her husband now, were abducted after Chancellor Titania and her squad was defeated by her now-husband, Grandmaster Jeth Draven. Aviana Lavender and Colt Forester were used as sex slaves. Men and women used their bodies for endless pleasure and entertainment.
Back then, when it was happening, Emperor Maxism was believed to be dead. He had no idea about the fate that befell on his sister. How was the Grand Duchess saved? Prince Izaac and Chancellor Titania's eldest son, Lord Celestial, became best friends. When the crisis reached them, Lord Celestial seek the help of Prince Izaac's family. That's how Grand Duke Paris knew.
Grand Duke Paris went to the den himself and slaughtered everyone inside, saving all the victims. Among them was the Grand Duchess, his best friend's sister and only family.
If the Emperor was with them back then... If only he was there back then...
Since then, the Grand Duchess had difficulties in conceiving. Everybody moved on with their lives, getting married and making big families, but Aviana Lavender and Colt Forester were stucked in time, hoping for a miracle. They tried to fix them with magic, but it only lead them to despair once more.
But recently, a good news shocked all of them. The Grand Duchess is finally with child! The first! Though he wanted to 'lock her up' to make sure she will have a smooth pregnancy and smooth delivery, his sister wanted to travel and see their new world. How dare he keep her dreams away from her? So, he prepared everything, funded everything. He even bought them passes to visit Axeore Empire. That was their first stop. They stayed there for two weeks, then went to Warlock Empire next, then the two monarchless empires, and at last, their home.
There is nothing the Emperor wouldn't do for his women.
Their arrival will be just as perfect, because the construction of the first cathedral in Cosmo-Vale will be open for the public soon. He put a handsome budget into its establishment, spent an entire year drawing its layout, and engineered it himself. The Emperor is so crazy for his wife that he built her a gothic cathedral. It'll be his present to his wife for their anniversary. He's so excited.
He was no longer an atheist, because she had become his sole religion.
Yet he did not cage that love. Though the cathedral was born for her, Emperor Maxism will throw its doors open to the world, refusing ownership over faith itself. Anyone may enter. Anyone may kneel. Pray to any god, any deity, or none at all. Everybody can go inside to pray and worship. And he will name the cathedral...
The Cathedral of Endless Love for the One and Only Empress Clastigaufeas Vernignac.
"Mwehehehehe. That's right. That's the perfect name for the greatest place of worship in this world now! Mwahahaha! Bwahahaha!"
Empress Clastigaufeas spread her arms apart. Her ladies dressed her. They all heard the maniacal laughter of the Emperor. Whenever he sounds like that, the most romantic thing happens next. Ah, how they envy their Empress so much!
"Once you leave, stay outside and don't let him enter our chamber. He's pissing me off. Tsk."
The ladies chuckled but they will obey her anyway.
"What!? What do you mean!?"
Emperor Maxism withered before the twin doors of their bedroom. The ladies were not granting him entry. He even used his authority, but they still didn't. A knight even escorted him to another room. The Empress saved it just for him. It's the storage room.
Hah! As if he will sleep without his wife by his side. The ladies and knights were only at the front doors. The balcony is open. Mwehehehe.
"My wife~"
Emperor Maxism sneaked in. He was about to scare the Empress but he had already found her fast asleep. He pouted.
"Not fair! I was certainly sure I'd hit it again tonight!" He cried while chomping on his fist with regret.
Sigh~
He washed himself quick and joined his wife on the bed. He slid under the blanket and went on top of her. He embraced her tightly, burying his face between her breasts.
Right. This was the best place in the world. Definitely not the safest, but still, it's the best.
"Hihi."
Pervert.