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    The tension in the chamber remained thick, and not a single soul spared Blei a glance. There was no mockery, no sympathy—only cold indifference.

    Had Richard killed Blei outright, they might have feigned sorrow for a brief moment. But the Emperor had chosen restraint—Blei was left broken but alive. This meant that Richard''s wrath, for now, had its limits.

    A subtle wave of relief washed over the chamber, though none dared to show it.

    With agonizing effort, Blei dragged himself back to his place and knelt once more. His face was drained of color, his breath ragged—he looked like a man on the brink of death.

    "It has been days, and you still have no clue?" Richard''s cold voice echoed as he stared down at him.

    "Y-Your Majesty... I... I do have something..." Blei forced out the words, his voice hoarse with pain. Each syllable sent sharp jolts of pain through his battered body.

    "Speak," Richard ordered, his expression easing slightly.

    Having such incompetent subordinates was a disgrace to his reign.

    "Your Majesty... this is what happened..." Blei gasped out, recounting the recent events in painstaking detail.

    The moment Richard heard that Lili had not only remained in the city but had actively blocked Blei from capturing that damned outsider, [Princess], his fury nearly erupted. ‘Time and time again, you''ve defied me, Lili... Do you want to die?''

    If not for their nearly equal strength, he would have ended her long ago. Regrettably, if Lili decided to fight recklessly, the battle would be evenly matched.

    She would undoubtedly lose, but not before inflicting unacceptable losses upon him. This was the sole reason he had tolerated her existence thus far. But now... no matter the cost, Lili had to die.

    A deafening boom shook the chamber. The walls trembled as Richard’s immense aura burst forth, surging across the inner-city district like a tidal wave.

    In mere seconds, a suffocating dread gripped every soul in the district, sending shivers down their spines. Then, just as suddenly as it came, the pressure vanished.

    ‘She’s gone.'' Richard’s frown deepened, his knuckles whitening as his fists clenched tight enough to crack. His outburst had been for nothing—like swinging a sword at empty space.

    Lili had anticipated his arrival and fled well in advance. She was likely already outside Jade City’s walls.

    ‘That damned woman... She ran faster than a startled hare!'' Richard seethed.

    His cold gaze snapped back to Blei. "Issue the order—lock down the entire city. Find and capture the outsider, [Princess]."

    "Y-Yes, Your Majesty!" Blei gritted his teeth through the pain and obeyed.

    "Oh? If you claim innocence, then perhaps you’d care to explain the underground auctions operating in the commoners'' district? Shall I order them to be dismantled this very instant? Furthermore, you conveniently acquired the Imperial Auction House while my Lord Father was away. Suspicious timing, wouldn’t you say?" Kastina added with a smirk.

    Richard had never minded the underhanded dealings of the noble class, so long as they remained within acceptable bounds. However, for Grand Duke Keene to carry out his schemes in Richard’s absence was nothing short of blatant disrespect!

    "Your Majesty, this is a complete misunderstanding! I merely noticed that the auction house had been left dormant for too long, so I—"

    "Enough! Stand down!" Richard snapped, his patience wearing thin.

    "Your Majesty..." Grand Duke Keene’s face paled, his voice trembling.

    "Your audience is over!" Richard’s voice was a growl, barely stopping himself from ordering Keene’s removal by force.

    Keene’s entire body stiffened as he struggled to keep his composure. "...I see. Thank you for your time, Your Majesty." Before leaving, he turned and shot a seething glare at Kastina, his frustration evident.

    "Kastina," Richard called, his voice colder than before.

    "I am here, Father," Kastina responded, standing firm.

    "Even though you have severed ties with that outsider, [Princess], your actions have still brought disorder to Jade City," Richard stated, his tone measured. "You are sentenced to ten days of house arrest, and your assets will be frozen for the time being."

    Naturally, Richard didn’t entirely trust Kastina’s account. However, as his daughter, she was still afforded leniency—he could not punish her too severely.

    Kastina exhaled subtly, relief washing over her. Considering the circumstances, this punishment was surprisingly mild.

    The surrounding princes and princesses, however, were visibly seething. She had clearly caused a major disturbance, yet she got off with barely a slap on the wrist! The injustice was infuriating.

    If it were up to them, Kastina would have been executed on the spot. Her downfall would mean one less rival to contend with. With each passing day, Kastina’s growing influence only made them more uneasy.

    Meanwhile, atop the Imperial Auction House in the outer city district, Yaeger stood tall, brushing strands of her jet-black hair back into place as the wind played with them.

    "I wonder how Richard will handle this... I can’t wait to see," she murmured with amusement. Before she could finish her thought, the sky shifted ominously.

    No—this wasn’t natural. It was a barrier.

    The moment she recognized what was happening, her pulse quickened.

    ‘Damn it!’

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