NOVPUB
Chapter 334: The Emperor’s Decision
"As emperor, I have decided to punish Princess Loraine Avandi by crippling her cultivation, rendering her a normal human without any cultivation. She will also be placed under house arrest in her chambers for the rest of her life."
"As for the Duclan family, I will personally restore their name and reinstate their noble status and territory. They will be greatly compensated for their suffering, but I will elevate their noble rank to that of a grand duchy," Emperor Herman said with a stern expression. Although his heart ached for his daughter, he could not afford to hesitate at a time like this.
Aldrian, looking at the emperor, understood why he made such a decision. In the end, he couldn’t bring himself to kill his own daughter, even after all the damage she had caused. From the looks of it, this was the harshest punishment Aldrian could expect from a father who had transitioned from loving parent to strict ruler, upholding the final judgment.
If that was the case, then he could only let her be. As long as she had lost her power and status within her family, she was essentially finished. The devils would have no use for her and would not attempt to contact her. All her privileges would be stripped away, leaving her with no authority over anything as part of her punishment. Pushing for more would only strain his relationship with the imperial family, possibly even leading to unnecessary restraint.
He had no intention of letting their relationship become strained, especially since he needed their cooperation when the time of prophecy arrived.
He assumed the emperor would provide the public with a reason to prevent them from questioning the princess’s absence when she eventually vanished from their sight. The only potential issue was the Duclan family’s reaction. He wasn’t sure if this punishment would be enough for them. If they still found it unsatisfactory, the only option for him or the emperor would be to persuade them until they accepted it.
In this situation, one side would have to take a step back—if not, things could turn ugly. And he knew the emperor wouldn’t tolerate being controlled or pressured into doing something against his will.
"Do you find this acceptable, young Aldrian?" Emperor Herman asked. Aldrian responded with a nod.
"Then, young Aldrian, I want you to help me communicate with the Duclan family. Please persuade them that this is the best punishment for her and that she will never trouble them again. I believe they will listen to you more than to me. I will personally meet the young miss of the Duclan family later."
"Alright, I’ll try," Aldrian replied.
He then touched the forehead of the princess, who was still trapped in the spatial lock. She continued to shout at him and the others, but no sound escaped due to the soundproof space he had created. With a surge of lightning energy into her soul, he instantly made her lose consciousness.
After ensuring Princess Loraine had fainted, Aldrian released the spatial lock, causing her body to fall. However, before she could hit the table, Prince Claude had already caught her. Looking at his unconscious sister, Claude could only bit his lips, holding back his sorrow before gently placing her on the sofa.
"Now that we’ve reached a conclusion on this matter, I’d like to take this opportunity to discuss something with you, Your Majesty. This is a much greater problem for the future than what we face now," Aldrian suddenly said.
Hearing this, Emperor Herman and Prince Claude looked at Aldrian in curiosity.
"What is it?" the emperor asked.
"This is about the prophecy, Your Majesty."
At the mention of the prophecy, both Claude and Emperor Herman narrowed their eyes.
"What about the prophecy do you wish to discuss, young Aldrian?" the emperor asked.
"Your Majesty, to be honest, I more or less know what we will face when the prophecy unfolds. I have already met with several leaders of powerful forces across the continent to discuss cooperation for when the time comes. This is a matter that requires the united efforts of all the major powers on the continent," Aldrian said.
He then explained the situation regarding the prophecy and emphasized the necessity of working together to repel the devils.
He didn’t reveal the exact nature of the "thing" that would invade their continent, but he told them that a being of immense strength would aid the devils. When that time came, the empires on this continent would not survive unless they worked together. The only option was to cooperate, regardless of the background or affiliations of those involved.
They had to set aside any grudges they held against other powers on the continent. Once the prophecy’s time arrived, their past conflicts would only weaken them, making it disastrous if they failed to unite against the devils.
"So this is some kind of alliance, and a few leaders have already agreed to it?" the emperor asked.
"Yes, Your Majesty. I have already spoken to them, and they support me—at least for now. The Doria and Forgeheart Kingdoms have agreed to my proposal and decided to join. I also have a special connection to the sovereign of the Ivory Empire, the Heavenly Direction Church, and the demon territory, particularly the three great sects there. Although I have yet to speak with them about this matter, I believe they will support this alliance. Let’s just say I’ve done something that ensures they will follow my decision," Aldrian replied.
Emperor Herman pondered seriously, setting aside his sentimental side and fully embracing his role as ruler. His daughter’s case was one matter, but the prophecy was not something to take lightly. He knew that Aldrian’s words were reasonable.
What truly shocked him was the extent of Aldrian’s connections—he had ties to so many powerful sovereigns across the continent.
If even the Doria Empire, their long-standing rival, had agreed to form this alliance, then surely they could put aside their own rivalry with neighboring empires like the Vindas Empire.
This only showed that the old man from the Doria family also trusted Aldrian, which made him wonder how Aldrian had persuaded him to join this plan. If that old man could set aside their rivalry, then he could surely achieve much. He also realized the importance of the alliance and began leaning toward joining it, after all.
The emperor looked at Aldrian.
"If this alliance determines our future, then of course I will join. In times of crisis, there is no room for hesitation."
Hearing the emperor’s words, Aldrian smiled, feeling grateful to Emperor Herman for agreeing to his proposal.
"Thank you for your cooperation, Your Majesty. As for the details, I will inform you once I have secured the support from the rest of the territories, which only leaves Atria Empire and the Buddhist Sect."
After that, their conversation shifted to more private matters, such as Aldrian’s origins, but Aldrian responded with his usual standard answers.
Their conversation lasted for over an hour and a half, and Aldrian finally stood up to say his goodbyes.
"Your Majesty, I believe I have already taken up too much of your time. Once again, thank you for inviting me here," Aldrian said.
"Ah, you’re not taking any of my time. In fact, I truly enjoyed our conversation, despite the situation we’ve just experienced. I hope you can visit the palace more often; I’d like to have more conversations with you, young Aldrian," the emperor replied with a smile.
Not long after, Aldrian left the room, escorted by Prince Claude. Once the emperor was alone with the still unconscious Princess Loraine, he sighed, his expression weary as he looked at his daughter. His sadness returned, but he tried to bury it deeply. There was something he needed to do to correct his daughter’s mistakes.
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"It’s truly a pleasure to have a conversation with you. Once again, thank you, young master. Thank you for helping us uncover the truth and for maintaining the stability of our empire," Prince Claude said to Aldrian as they stood in front of the palace gate, the carriage already waiting for Aldrian.
"The pleasure is mine, Your Highness. It is also my duty to ensure the stability and harmony of this place." Aldrian took the prince’s hand in a handshake before entering the carriage and heading to the teleportation station.
In the middle of his journey to the teleportation station, Aldrian gazed out at the bustling capital city. With his visit to the imperial palace now complete, his time in the Vindas Empire was nearly finished. For the remaining issues, the imperial family could handle them on their own, he had already done enough to assist them.
As he enjoyed the view of the city, he suddenly felt a tug in his mind and instantly knew what it was.
"What is it, dear? You’ve already contacted me using this technique, and we just separated a few hours ago," Aldrian said with a smile, speaking in his mind.
"Stop it, I contacted you to tell you something," Sylphia’s voice rang inside his mind. This was the technique Aldrian had created so they could communicate without needing any communication artifacts, allowing them to instantly connect their minds like a voice transmission. The technique was inspired by the method he used to communicate with his slaves through Everlasting Demonic Follower.
At this moment, only Aldrian and Sylphia could use this method, as he had just created it for their effective communication.
"You have a guest waiting for you at the inn right now," Sylphia continued.
"A guest?"
