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The morning after our encounter with the divine beast, the atmosphere in the palace was unusually tense. I could feel it in the air, thick and suffocating, as though the kingdom itself was holding its breath. Everyone, from the highest noble to the lowliest servant, seemed on edge. It wasn't just the beast's unexpected appearance; something more was at play here. Something I could not yet comprehend.
Lucien, ever the silent observer, walked beside me through the hallways. His face was set, his lips pressed in a thin line. His usual cool demeanor betrayed an unusual intensity, his eyes distant. I knew he had much on his mind, as did I.
"Your Majesty," he began after a long stretch of silence, his voice steady yet low, "I have received new information about your parents' death."
I stiffened at the mention of them. Despite all the time that had passed, the pain of their loss had not dulled. Their deaths had always been a mystery to me, one that gnawed at me in the quietest of moments. I had tried to bury the thoughts, focusing on the immediate tasks of the Empress's role, but the questions had lingered, unanswered.
"What have you found?" I asked, trying to keep my tone composed, though my heart was already beating faster.
Lucien's gaze shifted to the floor for a brief moment, as if considering how to frame his words. "It seems, Your Majesty, that what we were told… may not be the whole truth."
I narrowed my eyes, urging him to continue.
"Spies from the northern border have uncovered something crucial. They've tracked down one of the original investigators who worked on your parents' case. According to him, there was no sign of the assassins that were said to have killed your parents. In fact, they weren't killed by any outsiders."
I felt the floor beneath me shift as though it might collapse, but I stood my ground. "Then who? Who killed them?"
Lucien's eyes darkened, his voice lowering further. "It was an inside job, Your Majesty. Someone within the royal court, someone close to them, orchestrated their deaths. A high-ranking official, possibly even a trusted ally."
I stumbled, as though the world itself had tipped sideways. My mind raced to process the information. "But… the Empress," I whispered, though the words tasted bitter on my tongue. "Could she have had a hand in this?"
Lucien's silence spoke volumes. He didn't need to say it out loud for me to understand. The pieces were falling into place, one by one.
"I need to see the royal archives," I said, my voice firm with an unexpected clarity. "I need to know the truth. Now."
---
The royal archives were buried deep within the palace, hidden beneath layers of stone and guarded by a network of loyal servants. They were not easily accessed, not by anyone—let alone an Empress who had only recently come into power. The archives contained the kingdom's most secret records: the royal family's history, the kingdom's treaties, and more importantly, any documents that could reveal the secrets that others preferred to remain hidden.
As we approached the thick wooden doors of the archives, I felt an overwhelming sense of both dread and anticipation. What would I uncover within these ancient walls?
Lucien nodded to the guard standing before the door, and with a creak, it swung open.
The air inside was thick with the scent of dust and aged parchment. Thousands of scrolls were stacked along the stone shelves, each one a piece of the kingdom's history. The archives were dimly lit, with only a few candles flickering in the corners, casting long shadows that seemed to stretch endlessly across the walls.
I stepped into the room, and Lucien followed closely behind, his presence a constant reassurance in this place where so many truths were kept locked away. I moved toward a section of the shelves where the royal records were stored, my fingers brushing over the ancient tomes as if they might hold some forgotten clue to the past.
"You will find it here, Your Majesty," Lucien said softly, his voice breaking through my reverie. He handed me a small scroll. "This is the final report on your parents' deaths. It was sealed by the Empress herself."
I took the scroll, my hands trembling slightly as I unrolled it. The words were old, written in a formal, almost archaic style, but they were clear enough to reveal a chilling truth.
The report detailed the deaths of my parents—who were supposed to have been murdered by a group of rogue assassins—but the details, as Lucien had mentioned, didn't add up. The report mentioned an internal investigation but made no mention of any suspects. No assassin names, no leads, only vague references to a "shadow in the court." It was as if the entire document had been carefully designed to avoid implicating anyone with power.
"This is not possible," I whispered, anger rising in my chest. "They've covered up everything. There's nothing here but lies."
Lucien placed a hand on my shoulder, his expression grim. "There is more, Your Majesty. The original reports were altered before being sealed. If we can find the unaltered copies, we may learn who was truly behind your parents' deaths."
I clenched my fists in frustration. "And where do we find those?"
"There is one person who might know," Lucien replied. "Someone who was close to your parents and who might have been involved in the investigation. The Empress's loyal assistant."
I froze. "The Empress's assistant? Are you certain?"
Lucien nodded. "He's a handsome and cunning man, loyal to her above all else. He may hold the key to unraveling this mystery."
My mind swirled with possibilities. The Empress had many loyal followers, but if one of them held the truth about my parents' deaths, then everything I knew about the past would change.
---
I didn't waste any time. We left the archives in haste, the weight of the report heavy in my hands. Lucien's expression was serious, his eyes scanning the hallways as we made our way back to my chambers. There was no telling who might be listening. The truth was dangerous.
As I walked, I couldn't help but think about the divine beast. Its appearance was no coincidence. I had been chosen for a reason—maybe to uncover the truth of the kingdom, to reclaim the power that had been stolen from my family. And if the Empress had been behind it all… then this would not end with her reign.
We would have our reckoning.
---
That evening, after a long day of meetings and political affairs, I found myself in my chambers, alone with my thoughts. The report had been burned into my mind, the hollow truth echoing in my ears.
Lucien had promised to follow up on the lead about the Empress's assistant, but I knew that I couldn't just wait. I had to act quickly, before the Empress or anyone else could silence the truth.
I stood by the window, staring out over the kingdom. The stars twinkled overhead, distant and cold. The darkness was a mirror of what I was feeling inside—a sense of loss, betrayal, and an unshakable resolve.
Tomorrow, I would confront the assistant.
And I would uncover the truth—no matter the cost.
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End of Chapter 9
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