A heavy silence dominated the throne room for a few moments. Fact after fact had just been revealed, as if draining all the air from the room.
Emperor Rodaz stared at his nephew with an unreadable expression, his mind working hard to piece together the fragments of the puzzle that had been bothering him for so long.
"S-So the reason you were able to become young again is because of your son's [Time Loop] blessing?" Rodaz asked, his voice sounding a bit hoarse. He still found it difficult to accept the series of nonsensical realities hitting him tonight.
"Yes, that's right!" Elara answered almost without a pause. There was no longer anything to hide from her brother. "He can reverse time on a person's body until they become young and immortal, as well as advance time to make that person die in an instant. He is like a god who holds the absolute right over the life and death of everyone in this world."
Elara stepped forward slowly, her gaze sweeping over Harold's pale face before looking back at her brother. "I even saw it with my own eyes when Calian made five people die instantly due to the incredibly fast passage of time. Their bodies were left as nothing but skeletons. I didn't even have time to catch the scent of the decaying process of those corpses!"
This vivid explanation made Emperor Rodaz swallow hard. On the other hand, Harold, still locked in his paralysis, felt a terrifying dread creeping through his mind. The man, unable to move, now realized how vulnerable his life was before the purple-haired teenager standing calmly there.
"No wonder you went so far as to threaten to kill anyone who overheard our conversation about your young face at the gate earlier." Rodaz said, finally understanding the reason behind his sister's intense murderous intent that afternoon.
"When it comes to my son's safety, I will never play around!" Elara stated, her gaze unwavering. "Because he is my single greatest regret as well as the source of my remaining happiness in this world."
Calian remained silent. Hearing his mother's honest confession and absolute protection spoken so openly made his heart feel full. That warmth continued to seep in and settle in the deepest recesses of his heart.
Without wasting any more time, Elara turned her body toward the imperial advisor who was still frozen.
"I'm going to kill this spy, Rodaz!" Elara decided coldly.
Hearing his death sentence delivered just like that, the panic in Harold's eyes peaked. Since he could not move his body, he spontaneously pleaded with a trembling voice to the first princess.
"I beg you, Your Highness!" Harold said quickly, pleading desperately for forgiveness. "Please listen to me. I did once work for them, but I truly love Rodaz. I stopped being a spy for the Yornvast Empire eight years ago! I have no intention of—"
Before the man could finish his sentence of defense, Elara cut him off.
"Do you think I'm stupid?" Elara barked, not falling for the spy's sweet words for a second. "Do you think that while I was in the Yornvast Empire, I knew nothing about your movements there? Even four days ago, I saw with my own eyes that you were holding a secret meeting with the emperor in the corridors of the Yornvast Empire's palace!"
Harold was silenced. His blood felt like it was freezing.
"A spy will always and forever do their job, even if they have to sacrifice their own feelings or pretend to be a man's spouse like your current assignment!" Elara continued mercilessly. "You might be able to use sweet words to deceive my brother who trusts you too much, but your trickery has no effect on me!"
Harold felt his breath hitch. Frustration and despair mixed as all his lies were stripped away without pity.
Damn it! Harold cursed in his heart, his eyes staring sharply at the marble floor even though his body was stiff. She really isn't affected by my words. And why did she have to see me with His Majesty at the palace that day? Damn it! Everything is falling apart!
Ignoring the advisor's look of despair, Elara turned to look at her son.
"Calian, prove your ability and turn this bastad spy into a skeleton!" Elara commanded. Her voice trembled, holding back her rage at the infiltrator who had dared to deceive her family for over a decade. "After he turns into a skeleton, I will personally move and send the remains of his bones to the forest not far from the capital of the Yornvast Empire as a warning!"
Hearing the execution order, Calian did not act immediately. He looked at his mother's face with a slight furrow in his brow.
"Mother, are you truly sure about this decision?" Calian asked calmly. "If we kill and send the corpse of a member of their noble family, a great war could break out between the Yornvast Empire and this empire."
Elara returned her son's gaze, then offered a gentle, reassuring smile.
"You don't need to worry about that possibility, Calian." she said softly, easing the doubts bothering her son's mind. "I know their nature very well. I am sure they will act much more cautiously after realizing that their best spy, who possessed the [Space Traveler] blessing, has been killed. They are not so foolish as to dare declare open war just because they lost a single secret spy pawn."
Calian looked intently at his mother's face, searching for a gap of doubt. However, all he found was an unwavering conviction. The teenager finally let out a long sigh, letting go of his past common sense, and was willing to carry out his mother's orders.
"Alright, Mother..." Calian replied while looking toward Harold. "I will do it!"
Elara looked at her brother's face. "Are you willing to let your nephew kill your spouse tonight?" she asked bluntly, ensuring there were no remnants of regret or grudge in her brother's heart in the future.
Rodaz closed his eyes for a few seconds. When he opened them again, his gaze had turned cold, the hallmark of an absolute ruler.
"I have no other choice." Rodaz answered quickly, his voice heavy but firm. "If he is indeed a spy, I cannot let my personal feelings cause this entire empire to be threatened and destroyed from within!"
Elara smiled with relief after hearing her brother's rational answer. The burden on her shoulders lifted slightly. However, that smile vanished instantly as her brother continued his words, leaving them hanging.
"But..."
"But what?" Elara pressed, one eyebrow raised. "Do not leave your words hanging at a critical moment like this, Rodaz!"
"But, in exchange, I have two absolute requests that must be met this very night!" Rodaz answered without a trace of doubt on his face.
Elara crossed her arms. "Speak, what are your conditions?"
"First! Calian must use his [Time Loop] blessing to make me young and immortal like you!" Rodaz requested with a loud voice. He then directed his gaze at his nephew, who was preparing to execute the command. "And if later I find someone of my choice who is an ideal spouse for me and I have lived with them for years, then Calian must also promise to make my new spouse young and immortal like me!"
Calian was slightly taken aback to hear his uncle's first request, which sounded like a business transaction. He blinked, then let out a long sigh for the second time in the throne room.
"Alright, Uncle. That is not a difficult thing." Calian agreed. "I will do it for you!"
"My son has agreed to your first condition!" Elara chimed in. "Then, what is your second condition?"
Emperor Rodaz straightened his back, staring sharply into his sister's eyes.
"I want to step down from my position as emperor and you must take the throne as the new emperor!" Rodaz stated, his voice echoing with conviction. "By law, you have been the legitimate heir to the Erthland Empire from the beginning! You are the one much more suited to be the ruler in this room, not me. And if one day you grow bored of sitting on that throne, just make Calian the next emperor who will be irreplaceable forever!"
The second condition that just slipped from Rodaz's mouth made Elara, Calian, and Wolvin stand frozen. The three of them were so shocked, especially Elara. She truly never expected that her brother, who had just been betrayed by his spouse, would still insist on putting the burden of the highest ruler back on her shoulders.
Seeing her brother's stubbornness, Elara massaged her temples slowly.
"It seems... I really have no other choice tonight." Elara complained resignedly, surrendering to the situation. "Alright, Rodaz. I will become the emperor to replace your position and duties."
Elara turned to look at her son, who was still shocked. "But remember the condition. If I get tired of managing this country, Calian... you must be willing to replace me and lead this empire in the future!"