The bedroom's warm lamps seemed to keep every shadow and the late autumn chill locked outside, while gentle moonlight washed across knight-patterned carpet and opulent furniture.
Across the long table, Alexia, Third Imperial Princess of the Creti Empire, still sat in place. Her brown hair cascaded naturally over her shoulders, and her eyes, like pools of deep water, had grown dull and listless, lacking their former luster. In the moonlight, her cheeks appeared pale and translucent.
She looked like someone who, after struggling with all her might, had met only utter despair, leaving her hope shattered across the floor, never to be pieced back together.
"So, in Your Highness Princess Alexia's view, the Creti Empire truly shows not the slightest sign of being infiltrated?"
Lanqi confirmed with Alexia once more, sounding relieved.
"None," Alexia replied, her tone curt and resolute.
Yet to her ears, Lanqi's words felt like repeated torture.
Even though Alexia knew Lanqi meant no malice, since he was completely in the dark...
Still, if he had asked that extra time on purpose, his personality was simply wretched beyond measure.
What a pity.
She harbored no illusions about some omniscient and omnipotent guardian hero swooping in to save her and her country; such tales belonged strictly in fairy tales.
"..."
Beside them, Hyperion did not dare make a sound. She remained tense, hanging on every trace of potential information.
She could tell that Princess Alexia was being exceptionally stubborn.
Under the influence of the Poet of Great Love, the princess's emotional swings were obvious.
At this very moment, Hyperion's mind was churning with calculations of her own.
She didn't want either Lanqi or Princess Alexia to see through her.
She alone knew that the disappearance of her father, Duke Micah Aransal, was tied to the Creti Empire.
As an imperial princess, Lady Alexia likely possessed crucial intelligence!
Yet Hyperion refused to drag Lanqi into this dangerous mess, leaving her with no choice but to listen from the sidelines, hoping Lanqi might unwittingly pry loose some lead to help find Duke Micah.
However.
Even though Hyperion acted just as she always did, Lanqi's gaze shifted toward her.
He smiled, yet said nothing.
Her heart skipped a beat!
She was certain there was no flaw in her acting.
Why did Lanqi's sudden gaze give her the inexplicable feeling that he could see right through her thoughts?
"Don't worry, Hyperion. Since we subjectively consider her a suspected accomplice of the Resurrection Church, remaining vigilant and even detaining her until her identity is confirmed does not violate Southern Continent international law," Lanqi said gently.
His words made Hyperion breathe a sigh of relief.
As expected, she had merely overthought things.
"..."
Lanqi turned his head, smiling without a word.
On the surface, he seemed to be amused by Princess Alexia's stubborn refusal to admit the truth.
In reality, Hyperion had no idea how much he already knew. Even when Lanqi had told her earlier that he would rescue Micah, she had taken it as nothing more than a joke.
To retrieve Duke Micah, they truly had to beat Marquis Bernhard, the Ninth Progenitor, before he broke his seal, killed Duke Micah, and claimed the [Original Slate - Darkness].
The [Original Slate - Darkness] was an irresistible top-tier magic card to every member of the Blood Clan, given their natural affinity for the dark element.
Back in the era when the Blood Clan was sealed away, items of the [Original Slate] series had seemingly not yet come into being. Thus, none of the newly unsealed Blood Clan possessed an [Original Slate], and in the main story line a year and a half later, the Blood Clan would even launch campaigns to hunt down slate holders.
The [Original Slate] series possessed the property of "dropping upon the holder's death," but for the immortal Blood Clan, claiming an [Original Slate] was practically equivalent to possessing it permanently.
Since Marquis Bernhard, the Ninth Progenitor, would claim the [Original Slate - Darkness] in the future, and Lanqi already knew that the Third, Seventh, and Eighth Progenitors had unsealed earlier yet hadn't taken Micah's [Original Slate - Darkness], there was a high probability that Micah was still alive right now.
According to Lanqi's plan, once he returned from seeking the [Original Slate - Seal] in the Northern Continent and prepared by challenging another Shadow World, he and Hyperion would head to the Blood Clan's lair in the Creti Empire to conduct an ecological balance survey.
It would naturally be ideal if they could secure a collaborator within the Creti Empire beforehand.
As long as Princess Alexia was an enemy of the Blood Clan, they shared the same objective.
And so, Lanqi decided to test her a little further.
"Princess Alexia, based on your answer just now, forgive me for venturing a guess: the Creti Empire's current plight is not the Resurrection Church, but rather creatures far more terrifying than cultists that instill such fear in you."
Lanqi set down his teacup. As he spoke, his gaze drifted away from the princess; his eyes were calm, but his tone was resolute.
"...What are you talking about? I have no idea. Besides, the Creti Empire is in no plight whatsoever, so there's no need for your wild imagination!"
Alexia's shoulders trembled slightly. Even as she retorted, even Hyperion could tell she was stubbornly bluffing.
Lanqi's words had struck precisely through her defenses.
"With the Twelve Guardian Generals watching over the realm, why are you afraid? Could it be that you can no longer tell which of them have already fallen under someone's control?"
Lanqi chuckled, murmuring as if to himself.
"Every word you are uttering right now borders on high treason. Stop, and I can let bygones be bygones."
Alexia's hushed voice was curt and cold as she strained desperately to suppress her unraveling emotions.
She should have been able to maintain her facade from the start to answer Lanqi, but under the influence of the Poet of Great Love, she simply couldn't control herself!
She had no idea why Lanqi probed her again and again, as though he could peer right through every thought in her mind!
"Has there been a presence in the imperial palace recently that frightens you?"
Lanqi gave her no room to catch her breath, his voice pressing on.
"I'm warning you, stop asking!"
Alexia's voice had clearly cracked, her trembling form like a little lion with its fur standing on end.
"A year and a half at most..."
Lanqi tapped gently on the tabletop, as though delivering Alexia her final answer.
His voice rang with certainty, like the chime of destiny's bell tower cutting through the dark night.
"A blood moon will completely engulf the Creti Empire. Princess, your country is doomed."
Those few words detonated in Princess Alexia's ears like rolling thunder.
"!!"
Accompanied by the clatter of the table and teacups, Princess Alexia finally staggered back half a step and shot to her feet in panic.
In the pitch-black night, she looked like a girl broken by terror at the crash of thunder.
She stared at Lanqi, searching his eyes for something, yet failed to find any answers in those natural emerald depths.
Even if Lanqi could piece together some clues from her demeanor and words...
Across both the Northern and Southern Continents today, absolutely no one in their right mind would believe that a colossal behemoth like the Creti Empire would fall within a mere year and a half because of the Blood Clan!
"Just what... what on earth do you know...?"
Resentment and unwillingness welled up in her eyes as tears, once dried, began to stream down again.
Chapter 147