Chapter 442: The Greed Of Power [Part 1]
Raven and Terence were taken into custody on the Emperor's orders, while the ship was allowed to sail away.
The princes tried to throw a tantrum over why their father allowed them to just walk away like that, but Gahalad paid them no reasonable attention.
Of course, the princes had always been plotting something. It wasn't that their father was unaware of it; he simply chose not to pay it any special attention.
Even when they sent knights outside the walls, which was strictly prohibited.
The Emperor stood in the throne hall, situated at the peak of the pyramid building.
He stood facing his throne, a magnificent golden chair intricately adorned with elaborate carvings and motifs.
The seat was covered in rich, deep red velvet, exuding an aura of royal authority, and mounted upon a series of steps.
Surrounding the throne, towering golden columns rose toward a vaulted ceiling, their surfaces glistening as they caught the light.
These columns were not merely functional but heavily ornamented with engravings and reliefs that told stories of past glories or depicted mythical beings, guardians of this sacred space.
Behind the throne, an arch framed the scene, its structure equally decorated with ornate patterns and crowned with a radiant, sun-like symbol that cast a divine glow over the entire room.
This halo of light filtered through stained glass windows strategically placed around the room, casting colorful patterns onto the marble floor.
Some of the light fell on the Emperor, giving him a radiance befitting his majesty.
Behind him, kneeling with his head bowed, was Guillever. He remained silent until the Emperor turned around and spoke.
"What exactly happened?"
Guillever began his report as soon as the Emperor finished speaking.
"It was a flood, one with its own source of strength. It was more than just a force of nature; it was as if this flood had a will of its own. One of destruction."
Gahalad scratched the stubble along the side of his jaw, looking unconcerned about what the Tower Sage had just reported.
"And where exactly is that flood now?" he replied in a casual tone.
Guillever opened his mouth to speak but froze. His eyes went distant for a moment as he pondered how suddenly and suspiciously the flood had disappeared.
It was as if it had dried up.
'How do I report this to the Emperor?' he thought, caught in a difficult dilemma.
Then he looked at the Emperor again with narrowing eyes.
The Emperor, as usual, returned his gaze with a heavy and overseeing look, as if he was viewing the entire kingdom at once.
By appearance, he looked like a sharp young man nearing his thirties. But the Emperor was already over eighty years old.
His face radiated dignity and power. There was something vicious in the way his black eyes sat deeply calm within their sockets.
Guillever's eyes narrowed to slits, then the Tower Sage asked, "Your Majesty, did you already know about this?"
The Emperor glanced at Guillever and sighed. He then turned around and slowly began to climb the stairs toward his throne, speaking as he did.
"It is not that I knew about it. It is just inevitable," his voice resonated through the hall, bouncing between the pillars.
"Then you knew something about this and still let it happen?"
The Emperor did not respond immediately but took the next few minutes to reach his throne while Guillever waited patiently.
When he finally reached the peak of the golden stairs, he turned around and looked down.
"Guillever, when did I become a Paragon?"
"Thirty-three years ago..."
The Emperor nodded and was silent for a couple of seconds before he spoke again. "It's been thirty-three years, Guillever, and I am still stuck as a Paragon. While I do feel the door to becoming a Luminary within my grasp, it's just so difficult to break through."
He paused and looked at Guillever. "Do you think I am the only one who feels this way?"
Guillever shook his head, a small frown etched on his face as he answered, "No, Your Majesty, I am sure all the Paragons in the world share your plight."
He stared at the Emperor with a puzzled expression.
"You are probably thinking, what is the significance of my plight when half of our country was destroyed in one night."
Guillever was not surprised that the Emperor could guess what he was thinking. The man had been a keen observer and a wise counselor before his first entry into solitary training.
Since then, he had slowly become detached from the affairs of the Empire, to the extent that he almost didn't care.
That was the only reason the princes dared to act under their father's nose, to desire his throne while he was still very much alive.
But guessing his thoughts would not fix the problem at hand; merely displaying his keen observation skills would do nothing.
As a matter of fact, Guillever was beginning to think, 'Perhaps even he is not fit to rule.' The Emperor smiled after he spoke. He looked into the Tower Sage's eyes from the throne, then leaned one hand on the armrest and rested his jaw on it.
"Are you also thinking, maybe I'm not fit to rule anymore?" he asked the Tower Sage, an almost casual smile playing on his lips.
Guillever tried not to change his expression and refused to respond.
The Emperor then nodded, pressing his lips in considerate acceptance of the Tower Sage's silence.
"You must be very angry with me," he began. "The Tower has a supreme purpose: to oversee the acts of the Emperor. They are a guide that points us toward the right path. When I was to take the throne from my father, you and I teamed up to take out the rest of them, making you the only Tower Sage remaining.
"Ever since then, you have tried your best for this nation. Without the other four Tower seats, one would think the Tower would lose its significance in our nation. But you proved both the nobles and the people wrong.
"Together, Guillever, you and I created a powerful nation."
He stopped, looked distant for a heartbeat, and slowly his face began to contort with anger.