"I am getting old," said the emperor, silencing the entire assembly. His voice echoed through the skies, and everyone in the kingdom could hear him.
"I have always been a brave man and considered myself confident. But the next Emperor cannot be like me; he needs to be more," said Adam, glancing slightly at Velryna beside him.
"A strong, stern Emperor, and above all, happy with who he is and who he shares these feelings with," he declared, leaving everyone in silence. "Therefore, I would like to introduce someone."
A ray descended from the heavens as planned, and in the middle of the assembly, Ethan appeared, with a stern, strong, and imposing look.
Everyone began applauding as he waved to everyone. "Ethan Smith, my son and heir," said Adam with a smile, feigning joy.
"Would you like to say a few words, my son?" he asked, expecting a speech from Ethan.
Ethan, dressed in his ceremonial robes, rose to a raised platform, surrounded by the powerful atmosphere all around.
The eager looks of the nobility, military leaders, and common people were fixed on him as he advanced to the lectern, his presence radiating authority and dignity.
It wasn't just the members of the Empire observing this. Finally, he began to speak:
"I am Ethan Smith. I greet all of my empire and promise to lead with wisdom, compassion, and humility. Together, we will face challenges, upholding justice and promoting peace. May our nation flourish, and may God guide us."
"He sounds like that idiot wolf giving a speech," growled Dante invisibly, while Vex floated beside him. "What idiot?" she questioned, but he didn't have time to respond. "Come on, it's starting for real now," he commented, and she nodded.
As Ethan spoke, the gleam of determination in his eyes reflected the seriousness of his words and commitment to his people, or so one might think. In reality, everyone was falling for Avarice's theatrics, which were beginning to possess and corrupt their minds, but Dante already knew that.
At the end of the speech, the silence was broken by the thunderous applause resonating throughout the area.
"Hahaha, this is my son," said Adam, something he would never say... Damn, he was lying so poorly that even a blind man could see it!
"Unfortunately, it's a pity," Adam said, and silence fell, with everyone seeing what he had just said. "You're not the Emperor," he added.
"What?" Ethan looked confused, and then the silence was broken by the boom of some kind of magic.
"Lumius," Aldria said, as a kind of thin layer of snow fell on all the people present, a snow that... purified.
"Ethan Smith, as royal advisor, Empress, and Judge of the court, I, Aldria Luminus, decree you guilty of the crimes of slavery, murder, corruption, involvement with demons, and torture." Everyone was shocked, even Morgana, who flew away in the distance, saw it as something surreal to happen to a crown prince.
"Therefore, you are sentenced to death," she added, and then... From the silence.
"Hahahahaha, you must be joking," he said, however, it wasn't a joke. "Death? Hahaha, you and how many others will do that?" He said and quickly attacked the Emperor.
Adam no longer had the reflexes necessary to dodge, so his attack, a punch delivered with the force of lightning, was about to hit him.
Boom.
When the punch was about to hit him, Dante intervened, holding it, smoke rising as Dante's hands began to burn with fire, burning Ethan's hands, who felt no pain at all.
"Get out of here, protect him," Dante said to Velryna, who already understood how this plan would work.
Ethan quickly backed away feeling that Dante was a danger, but his arrogance remained intact. "Look who it isn't, my sister's boyfriend," he said to Dante. "Or rather, a demon." Everyone heard that phrase and looked at the man; the nobles hadn't been evacuated for a reason. Dante didn't care about them.
"And you continue to be the attention-seeking slut," Dante commented and attacked him forcefully, sending him several meters back, almost hitting some nobles who immediately ran away from the scene.
"Those who did not involve themselves with this man, you may leave, the rest of you, you will be killed, so spare me the trouble of going after you," Dante commented and made a gesture with his hand. Soon, Yrniel appeared, carrying all the people "clean" of demonic energy away. After all, he would only kill those who were contaminated, if necessary.
Ethan got up from the fall looking around. Then, he heard on his shoulders "kill him." Yes, it was Avarice who finally began to truly influence Ethan. "Yes," he agreed.
"The plan," Dante said to the air as he watched Ethan preparing to attack. "It's okay! We've removed the clean people! We're going to stop the others!" Aaralyn said, and he saw Vex flying away in the distance while carrying more people away from the Golden Barrier.
"Thank goodness the emperor had this card up his sleeve; we'd be in serious trouble if they could escape," Dante thought. The barrier was a last-minute thing Aldria informed him about.
Dante looked up at the sky and saw Morgana again. 'Watch closely... my wife,' he murmured to himself.
"Hahahaha, an idiot like you dares to challenge me?" Ethan's voice passed through his ears, and a huge electric green pillar began to emerge from the ground.
'Finally, it ended in...', Dante thought, seeing Ethan's entire electrified body slightly greenish and losing color. He was truly transforming into a demon.
Dante didn't have time for games. Before he could prepare himself, Ethan had already appeared in front of him.
An extremely strong blow was dealt horizontally, but from Dante's hands, his spear that Nafiri had made stopped it.
"Avarice, it's good to meet you," Dante said aloud and Ethan's entire body slightly trembled, after all... the Progenitor was speaking to his creation.
Suddenly, in Dante's thoughts, a female voice entered, "Who are you, how dare you address me so indecently?"
"Be quiet, I'll deal with you later," Dante said and from the shock of the impact, he launched Ethan far away, hitting the mansion and breaking one of the floors.
"Lilith, it's good that you keep our deal," Dante said, now, however, all his power began to rise to the air. "Ah, I hate forcing things," Dante said and took a deep breath, channeling his mana into the Spear.
"Descend from the heavens," he said and threw it with all his strength. "Die."