CHAPTER 195: CHAPTER 160: RED ALERT FOR TORRENTIAL RAIN

Collins-Margaret was convicted.

The charge was unauthorized perusal of forbidden texts, studying taboo knowledge. The accused voluntarily admitted to the crime, and according to the Empire’s law, Collins-Margaret would be executed by fire.

On this day, everyone in the imperial capital was awaiting the outcome of this trial. Despite being mentally prepared, once the news spread, the entire city was thrown into an uproar.

Margaret is an ancient family that existed at the founding of the Empire, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to describe them as founding heroes. They created Daklimo’s Sword, and this Golden Fleet helped the first King end the chaos, becoming a symbol of the Empire’s power for hundreds of years to come.

And today, the church would execute the descendant of the Margaret Clan under the charge of worshipping the Evil God!

The chaos-loving spectators were quite satisfied. Within these short two days, countless major events had occurred, such a lively tumult had not been seen since the War of Corruption. Even those who usually did not pay attention to state affairs could feel that the world was on the verge of upheaval.

The nobles who attended the banquet immediately understood that Ave and the Second Prince had failed to reach an agreement, and it probably ended with dissatisfaction. In a fit of anger, the Prince wanted her father executed via the church to assert his authority. Yet, they didn’t expect Miss Ave to have such a fierce temperament, exactly like Collins in those days!

He was very curious about the future direction of the relationship between the royal family and the Margaret Clan after Collins’ execution.

The execution was scheduled for that night. After tonight, all questions would be answered.

But in fact, when Damian emerged from the church, he was still dazed.

His conversation with Ave was not as the outside world imagined, ending in disagreement. Instead, something bizarre occurred that he couldn’t understand, seemingly altering the positions between him and Ave.

He tried every possible way to persuade Ave, hinting that he had a way to pardon Collins, but Ave’s mind was made up, even eagerly watching her father sent to the stake.

Could it be...the father-daughter relationship within the Margaret Clan was awful to the extreme, and Ave had long been displeased with her father?

This completely disrupted their plan, while the Pope’s attitude was more unyielding, setting the execution time for that night, leaving no room for negotiation.

The Pope said even without Collins, their church could use Holy Word Art to completely erase Ave’s thinking, turning her into a puppet that entirely obeyed the church.

Damian’s emotions were complicated. This was not the result he wanted; he especially didn’t want his future queen to become a foolish reproductive machine.

Ave’s charm, in his eyes, was precisely her composure and intellectual allure; erasing her mind would destroy all beauty.

For the first time in his life, Damian defied the Pope’s orders. He commanded the royal guards to find Ave’s whereabouts, finally locating her in a hotel in the imperial capital.

"Ave, there’s still a chance to save the situation."

This time Damian was really somewhat anxious. Upon seeing Ave, he disregarded noble etiquette and hurriedly grabbed her wrist.

As a result, of course, she shook him off, "Your Highness, please mind your image."

"Do you know what the church plans to do to you? They will use Holy Word Art to erase your will, turn you into a puppet. When that time comes, you still have to marry me, and Uncle Collins will have died in vain!"

By rights, Damian should never have revealed the church’s plan to Ave, especially at a critical time when he was about to ascend to the throne.

He knew very well that everything he obtained today relied on the church’s power, and the Pope valued his incompetence and indecisiveness—so long as he continued as such without his own opinions, this game of indulgence could continue.

But deep within Damian’s heart, he didn’t want events to develop towards the worst-case scenario.

So he compromised, "Let’s do this, we can first establish a marriage contract; when you think it over, then marry me, how about it?"

This was Damian’s ultimate concession he could imagine.

"Your Highness, don’t you see yet? Once the Judicial Court made the final judgment, this matter was already irrevocable."

Ave understood why the church had chosen Damian. She found it hard to imagine how the heir to the imperial power center could say such a naïve thing, "The matter of my father being an Evil God’s follower has spread throughout the entire imperial capital. If he is pardoned, wouldn’t it be trampling the dignity of the whole church?"

Faith in the Evil God has always been the most unforgivable crime created by the church, and no one can escape it.

When the Judicial Court convicted, Ave also could imagine the church had prepared means to deal with her.

Damian clenched his fist, "But you clearly had a chance to salvage the situation before, I don’t understand."

"My father said that everyone must pay the price for the path they choose. He must have prepared himself long ago. I have too."

Ave said, "I hope that you and the Pope have as well... It’s getting late, you should prepare for the execution tonight."

Saying this, she glanced at the door of the hotel.

Damian’s so-called "secret operation" was never a secret from the start. The Kingdom Army knights had surrounded the place, and leading this Knight Order was Abaddon, who was slated for the Knight Commander position. He seemed to have emerged from the shadows, his face once again radiant.