Chapter 134

With the triumphant return of the Crown Prince and his group, the Western District finally reemerged from the shrouding white fog. While the empire’s citizens, who had been anxiously following the developments there, erupted into cheers and celebration, all kinds of rumors began to spread rapidly. Everyone was eagerly waiting for an official explanation from the authorities.

The welcoming procession escorted the Crown Prince’s group all the way to the imperial palace. Within the most magnificent structure of the palace—the Mirror Palace—the ruler of the empire was already waiting for the heroes’ return.

They passed through a series of intricately designed corridors before finally arriving in front of a towering door. The knight standing guard at the entrance bowed respectfully and invited the three of them to enter.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, Saintess, and… contestant Pei Xi, His Majesty is waiting for you inside,” the knight said in a humble tone as he bowed deeply.

Ye Zheng cast a subtle glance toward Pei Xi. His face was filled with confusion, as if he could not understand why he had been summoned here. The emperor had even placed his name alongside that of the Crown Prince and the Saintess, inviting them to enter together.

Sykes’s cloak brushed past the two of them as he stepped forward, pushed the door open, and entered first.

Ye Zheng followed silently behind him, while Pei Xi quickly stepped in after her.

Her gaze slowly swept across the interior of the palace, the tall floor-to-ceiling windows, the silver candlesticks, and the pristine white round table, before finally settling on the man seated at the head of the table.

He possessed a head of dazzling golden hair. His half-lowered golden eyes were calmly focused on the documents placed before him. The fine lines at the corners of his eyes, like faint ripples, did not diminish his appearance in the slightest; instead, they added a sense of mature elegance. His crisp red uniform, embroidered with intricate golden threads, exuded both nobility and authority.

When he raised his golden eyes, the oppressive sense of majesty seemed to fade away. The lines at the corners of his eyes softened along with his smile, giving him the appearance of a kind and approachable elder, someone who was willing to listen and offer guidance.

Havel Aston.

Ye Zheng silently recalled the name of the emperor. Havel was a name that carried the meaning of light and hope.

The last time she had seen this emperor had been during her Saintess enthronement ceremony, when she was only fourteen years old. At that time, he had received her and offered a few polite and encouraging words. Back then, she had kept her head lowered respectfully, her mind occupied almost entirely with thoughts of Wen Jian.

But now, seeing him once again from such a close distance, an indescribable sense of disgust suddenly surged within her heart. Perhaps it was because he bore such a strong resemblance to Sykes.

“Sykes, come here and sit beside me.”

“As for the other two, you may sit wherever you like. There’s no need to be nervous, I only wish to understand the situation.”

When the emperor addressed Sykes, his tone still carried a trace of commanding authority. However, when his gaze shifted toward the other two, his voice softened noticeably.

This was Pei Xi’s first time meeting the ruler of the empire. His expression was tense with nervousness, yet the emperor’s demeanor gradually put him at ease. He was not overly friendly like Wen Jian or Kieran, but his sense of authority was balanced with a measured and considerate tolerance.

Pei Xi quietly let out a breath of relief, hoping that the emperor would not ask any particularly difficult questions. After all, he had not made any significant contributions during the events in the Western District, so there was no obvious reason for him to be summoned here.

Still, deep down, Pei Xi had a vague understanding of why the emperor had called him here.

It was most likely related to his background. Ye Zheng went with the flow and chose a seat to sit down. She recalled that the last time she’d come to this Mirror Palace, Sykes had asked her to help heal him and restore his memories. She’d even declared here that she’d grant Sykes “fair redemption.”

The last time she’d been here, there hadn’t been such a large white round table. It seemed the emperor had specially had it prepared.

Usually, when the emperor held discussions, he used a long table to emphasize the noble main seat. A round table, by contrast, symbolized equal dialogue. Ye Zheng’s hand quietly felt along beneath the round table as she thought that the emperor had set up quite an intriguing stage.

She sat at a position slightly to the left of the round table. Directly opposite her sat Pei Xi, while the emperor and the Crown Prince took the head seats.

The Crown Prince, who hadn’t sat together with his father for a long time, didn’t look particularly pleased. Come to think of it, ever since Sykes had unexpectedly regained his memories in the Blood Flower Aberrant Realm, his relationship with the emperor had grown somewhat delicate. During this trip to the Western District, the emperor hadn’t even assigned him the Royal Knights, giving him only an ordinary team instead.

The middle-aged man seated at the head closed the documents in his hands. After his gaze slowly swept across the three youths present, he finally spoke in an unhurried tone.

“I’ve already gained a general understanding of the situation from the documents, but many details are still far too vague. I need you to clarify them for me.”

Meeting that seemingly casual yet ever-present gaze from above, Ye Zheng nodded and replied, “Your Majesty, please ask.”

“Regarding the main culprit behind this incident, Zhou Yun, has her death been confirmed?”

The room fell silent for a moment. Ye Zheng sensed several gazes turning toward her. It seemed the emperor already knew about her unusual connection with Zhou Yun.

“Your Majesty, according to what Kieran said, Zhou Yun had implanted a dragon bone that her body couldn’t withstand. Her body was destined to collapse. I believe the white fog that has now completely dissipated in the Western District has already revealed Zhou Yun’s fate.”

Ye Zheng’s voice carried a heavy undertone.

Pei Xi watched Ye Zheng’s face, which showed no sign of anything unusual. Her answer neatly avoided any mention of her own relationship with Zhou Yun.

“I heard that her daughter was dragged into that cruel experiment by Kieran. That’s why the lady chose such an extreme path. It truly makes one sigh with regret.”

　　Listening to the emperor’s sigh, Ye Zheng’s hand suddenly tightened around the edge of the round table. Just look at that attitude, as though the cruel experiment he spoke of had nothing whatsoever to do with him. But if he truly knew nothing about the experiment, then where had Sykes come from?

A faint, almost imperceptible cold laugh rang out. Sykes, seated beside the emperor, let out a quiet hum. The emperor frowned and glanced at him, his expression turning cold for a fleeting moment.

Ye Zheng had already grasped the emperor’s stance. He wanted to completely sever the Hope Project from the imperial family. That, in truth, wasn’t surprising in the slightest.

However, the middle-aged man’s next words caused Ye Zheng’s expression to shift.

“Sykes, I know what you’re laughing at. You think I’m being hypocritical that I’m guilty.”

The middle-aged man spoke in a low, steady voice.

Ye Zheng and Pei Xi, seated on either side, both showed a flicker of surprise on their faces as they looked up at the royal father and son.

“You’re all closely connected to the Hope Project, so I’ll speak frankly. The imperial family has always known about the Hope Project. Sykes, Pei Xi, both of you are products of the Hope Project.”

The surprise on Pei Xi’s face deepened even further. He noticed that the emperor’s gaze toward him was exceptionally gentle, as though he’d known of his existence for a very long time.

“But the imperial family isn’t the one directing the Hope Project. This is a project run by the church. Although it’s never been made public, Saintess Ye Zheng, I believe you must’ve already sensed something.”

“The imperial family and the church have always kept one another in check while jointly maintaining the stability of the empire. I have no right to interfere in the church’s activities.”

　　Ye Zheng hadn’t even had time to react when Pei Xi, seated opposite her, suddenly braced both hands against the round table and directed his question toward the head of the table. “Your Majesty, I’ve always respected you as a trustworthy elder. Please forgive my bluntness but you actually know a great deal about the Hope Project, don’t you?”

Pei Xi had once questioned Kieran at the base and learned the name of his biological mother, yet aside from that single name, he’d gained nothing else. Kieran had died at Ye Zheng’s hands before he could reveal anything further.

“Otherwise… why would Sykes be the same as me…” Pei Xi found that he simply couldn’t continue.

Sykes’s very existence was proof that the imperial family and the church had once cooperated deeply on the Hope Project. According to Kieran, he himself had also been a key protected result of the base. The emperor might’ve known about him long ago, perhaps even more clearly than Pei Xi understood himself.

“Don’t compare me to a lowly commoner like you, Pei Xi,” Sykes said coldly.

“Sykes, has the etiquette expected of an imperial Crown Prince been eaten by dogs?”

The emperor’s sharp rebuke rang out as he glared at his arrogant and indifferent son, golden eyes filled with unmistakable heartache.

“It was my mistake back then,” the emperor said, his voice lowering. “The date of the world’s destruction, as foretold in the prophecy, was drawing closer and closer. At that time, I was young and hot-blooded. I couldn’t accept the idea of this nation being buried during my reign.”

“The Pope at the time approached me and claimed they had a way to nurture a powerful hope. I listened to that temptation. Because of it, my wife lost her life, and my child…”

“It was I who failed to teach him properly.”

The emperor turned his sorrow-laden golden eyes toward Sykes beside him, then fell silent for a brief moment.

Sykes let out two short laughs, as though he’d just heard some absurd joke. He slammed his palm heavily against the table and was about to stand and leave when a woman’s voice suddenly broke through the silence of the hall.

“His Highness Sykes is simply a bit childish at heart. At his age, still being able to preserve such honest and straightforward thoughts, isn’t that a rare and precious quality in itself?”

Ye Zheng smiled gently as she spoke in a soft, advising tone. Sykes, provoked by her words, dropped back into his seat, as if waiting for her to continue “praising” him.

“Ha, the empire’s heir can’t afford to be childish. If Sykes possessed even half of our Saintess’s composure and intelligence, I’d be able to hand the empire over to him right now.”

The emperor shook his head with a faint smile. He pressed a hand down on the Crown Prince’s shoulder beside him, his golden eyes locking onto Ye Zheng as he suddenly asked, “Ye Zheng, your father once told me that you still have… about two months left before you come of age, correct?”

Ye Zheng’s heart skipped a beat. On the surface, however, she calmly met the emperor’s gaze and gave a slight nod.

The emperor continued to look at her steadily. The faint smile on the middle-aged man’s face slowly faded away. A shadowed, unreadable emotion flickered through his golden eyes, and the ominous premonition in Ye Zheng’s heart only grew stronger.

She didn’t believe a single word of the emperor’s earlier explanation. That so-called “temptation” sounded like an admission of guilt on the surface, yet in truth, it neatly distanced him from any real responsibility, as though everything had merely been the church’s conspiracy.

How could that possibly be the case? She hadn’t forgotten that Kieran wasn’t just the Bishop of the Western District, he’d also held another crucial identity: he’d once been a close confidant whom the emperor trusted deeply.

And now, by deliberately bringing up her coming of age… was he about to expose the arrangements he and Ye Fanjing had made for her all those years ago?

Ye Zheng fixed her gaze intently on the middle-aged man seated at the head of the table.

“The coming-of-age ceremony for the empire’s Saintess will surely be a grand occasion, one that draws the attention of the entire nation.”

The emperor let out a quiet sigh.

“But, child, I’m truly sorry — your coming-of-age ceremony may not be able to proceed as scheduled.”

Ye Zheng’s brows slowly knit together. “Your Majesty, has something happened?”

“Yesterday, the second son of the Green family returned home and sought to bring forward an accusation.”

“This young man isn’t only a direct descendant of the Green family, he’s also a participant in the Hope Project and a survivor of the base. He wishes to accuse Saintess Ye Zheng—”

“Of murdering the Bishop of the Western District and several innocent personnel.”

The emperor tapped his fingers lightly against the round table, his gaze resting on Ye Zheng with a trace of apology.

“I know you’re not a child who would kill innocents without reason. There must’ve been a cause behind it. However, the empire’s laws possess an inviolable dignity and sanctity.”

As his voice fell, the entire hall grew so silent that even a pin dropping could be heard. Several gazes converged at once on the only girl present.

“You mean to say that I’ll be put on trial under the empire’s laws.”

Ye Zheng rested her chin against her hand. There wasn’t the slightest hint of worry or fear on her face; instead, a faint glimmer of playful amusement flickered in her eyes.

“If my father hasn’t yet been transferred from his post this week, then the judge responsible for trying me… would be my father?”

When she spoke the word “father,” a light, clear laugh escaped her lips.

The emperor replied, “Yes. This will be the final case he presides over before his promotion.”

“In principle, since you share a blood relationship, it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to handle it. But I believe he’ll uphold justice. Ye Zheng, what about you?”

“Do you trust your father?”

Pei Xi’s eyes widened. Amid this delicate exchange, his gaze shifted back and forth between the two. The direction this matter was taking had already left him completely bewildered. They were actually allowing a father to judge his own daughter’s alleged crimes?

Ye Zheng tilted her head slightly upward, her lips curving into a faint smile.

“I believe I’ll receive a fair verdict.”