CHAPTER 49: MEETING THE EMPEROR

Azel sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

’Is there any more information about this mission?’ he asked inwardly.

But the system gave no answer.

As expected.

The [System] loved throwing him into death pits without explanation, then patting his back for surviving with rewards.

He wasn’t new to this.

Still... assassins inside the royal palace?

In the original, they wore the robes of one of the opposing Empires so the suspicion was on them but the thing was that these were trained assassins...

Did the author not want to flesh out the backstory properly? Well since it was a minor arc, it was probably so.

And there was only one person bold — and petty enough to pull off something like hiring assassins was...

The first Empress, Clara Starbloom.

Azel turned to Edna, who was seated near the sunlit window, still gently braiding Lillia’s hair.

The little girl was giggling every few seconds, kicking her legs as her "Mama" tried to keep the strands neat.

"Well... where’s the First Empress?" Azel asked, keeping his tone light.

The effect was instant.

Edna’s blush faded, her smile flattened, and her entire face darkened like a curtain being pulled shut.

"Why are you asking about her?" she said slowly, her fingers pausing in Lillia’s hair.

"I just have a suspicion," he replied. "Something’s off."

Edna stared at him for a moment, her expression unreadable.

Then, with a sigh, she looked out the window.

"She left the palace two days ago for some kind of business. Didn’t say where. Just packed her things, took some knights, and vanished. But..." she trailed off. "She’s returning today."

Azel nodded slowly.

So it lined up.

Assassins were being hired.

Ares was moving hands.

And the key suspect was conveniently absent just before it happened, returning right on time to enjoy the chaos — or blame someone else for it.

Typical imperial politics.

Edna continued, "She doesn’t have to report her comings and goings. Not like me. I can’t even visit the gardens without filing paperwork."

Her words were laced with bitterness.

Not just envy.

Resentment.

Azel glanced at her.

Even while braiding Lillia’s hair, even while smiling at the girl’s babbles, Edna’s heart wasn’t here.

It was somewhere deep in the empire’s twisted web of palace rules, protocols, and politics.

And she hated it.

She deserved better.

’So that confirms it,’ Azel thought, a quiet breath escaping his lips. ’Then tomorrow... everything changes.’

He straightened up. "I want to see the Emperor."

Edna blinked, momentarily caught off-guard. "Why?"

He hesitated for half a second, then smiled. "To ask for permission."

She tilted her head, clearly confused. "Permission for what?"

"For us to go out together," he replied without hesitation.

That earned a full blush.

A real one.

Edna’s lips parted slightly, stunned. She opened her mouth to say something — but nothing came out.

Beside her, Lillia clapped excitedly. "Mama and Papa are going on a date!"

Azel’s eyes twitched.

’Where did this girl learn that word?’ He thought.

"Lillia!" Edna scolded softly, her voice more flustered than angry.

"Will you be okay here with Mama?" Azel asked, squatting down to the girl’s level.

"Yes, Papa!" she said, beaming with full cheeks. "We’ll do girl stuff!"

Azel laughed and ruffled her hair. "Then I’ll be back soon."

He turned to leave but paused when Edna stood, her hands trembling slightly from the braid.

"You... You don’t have to ask him," she said quietly, almost whispering. "You’re not a subject. You don’t need permission..."

"But I want to," Azel said. "Because if I’m taking you out, then it should be official. Not something stolen in shadows."

And then he left.

...

Azel strode through the polished hallways of the imperial palace, accompanied by a servant who hurried ahead to lead the way.

He already knew the route to the Emperor’s office.

But he followed the formalities anyway.

He wasn’t some rebellious upstart trying to throw his weight around, he was just a very honored guest of the Emperor and both of them knew it.

By the time they reached the golden staircase that spiraled toward the tower where the Emperor worked, Azel could already sense the weight of presence ahead.

Two royal guards stood flanking the door.

Both were high-level knights. Azel could tell just by sensing their aura.

The Empire didn’t mess around when it came to protecting its crown.

If he fought them both head-on... he’d win, but barely.

"I’m Azel Thorne," he said calmly. "I’m here to see His Majesty."

The knights didn’t hesitate.

At once, they parted, and one of them pushed open the tall gilded doors, letting Azel through.

The Emperor’s office was a grandiose blend of war and wisdom.

The walls were lined with bookshelves that stretched to the ceiling, crammed with ancient tomes and magical scrolls.

Maps were scattered across a massive table, lit by a glowing chandelier carved from sunstone.

At the desk sat the man himself — Emperor Aldric Starbloom.

His golden hair had dulled slightly with age, and his once-pristine beard was broader and heavier now, tinged with a few streaks of grey.

But his eyes — sharp and perspective hadn’t lost a spark.

"Ah, is that you, boy?" Aldric said, smiling broadly as he rose from his seat. "You’ve grown into quite the man, haven’t you?"

Azel bowed slightly. "Your Majesty."

"Come, sit. Drink? Wine? Tea?" The Emperor waved toward a side table loaded with refreshments.

"I’m alright," Azel said. "I came to ask something important."

Aldric arched a brow, amused. "So serious, eh? Well, what is it?"

Azel stepped forward, his expression composed.

"I’d like your permission to spend time with your second wife."

"..."

Author’s Note:

Phew, I was owing this Chapter, I would have posted it I finished it since but I was out visiting my Grand dad.

I also want to ask for golden tickets, a lot of them if you’re enjoying the book, it helps keep me motivated.

Thanks and I’ll work on the rest of the Chapters now.