Chapter 8: Emperor Court

Chapter 8: Emperor Court Next Day The Throne Room was normally filled with nobles of the Empire during their monthly gatherings, where they discussed the state of the nation. But for the first time in years, a second court session was held in the middle of the month—a rare and urgent occurrence. The reason? Mavis Belfrost, the Royal Librarian, had been accused of hiding her true power with ill intentions and brutally killing five instructors, three students, and even the Headmaster of the Academy. The Emperor sat on his throne, flanked by the First Empress, also known as the Golden Empress, on his right, and the Third Empress, the Dark Empress, on his left. Their seats were placed slightly lower than his, signifying his absolute authority. Below the Empresses sat two figures, while six chairs were arranged in total. However, only the Third and Fourth Princes were present in the Imperial Capital at the moment. The First Prince, Second Prince, and the First and Second Princesses were currently outside the capital due to various reasons. The atmosphere was tense, and when the Prime Minister stepped forward, silence fell over the room. "Ahem. Today, we hold this emergency court session due to the crimes of the Royal Librarian, Mavis Belfrost." "The Royal Knights have captured her on the charges of treason and acting against the Empire." He turned to look at her, his expression unreadable. "Mavis Belfrost, do you have anything to say in your defense?" Mavis, shackled in heavy enchanted chains, smirked as she looked up—not at the Prime Minister, but directly at the Emperor himself. "What is left to say when I have already been dragged in this court chained like an animal....without even being given the chance to explain myself?" she said mockingly. The Prime Minister scoffed, narrowing his eyes. "Your tongue is just as sharp as ever, I see," he sneered. "So that means you admit to your crimes?" Mavis tilted her head, her smirk widening. "So now we're now also skipping imperial investigation and going straight to execution?" The Prime Minister frowned but continued. " It seems you really have nothing to add" he said as he begin. "You have been sentenced to—" "WAIT!" Just as he was about to **announce her punishment—public execution, one of the highest forms of imperial justice—someone interrupted the proceedings. The Prime Minister frowned as he heard someone interrupting him. However, when he saw who it was, his frown quickly vanished, replaced with a dignified expression. "What is it, Third Prince?" he asked. And yes, the one who had stopped the execution was none other than Fenric, the Third Prince of the Empire. 'Damn this crazy woman... just what the hell did she do this time?' Fenric cursed internally. He had assumed that some lesser figure had been dragged to the courtroom, but when he saw Mavis—wounded and shackled—he was dumbfounded. This was unprecedented. Even in the original timeline, when the Empire was on the brink of destruction, she had never acted so recklessly. It took the Fourth Prince forcing her hand to make her fight for Empire, yet now, this lazy woman had massacred five instructors and nearly destroyed the Academy. 'God knows how much trouble I'm about to be dragged into.' Fenric grimaced, both troubled and displeased by the situation. And to make things worse, he had yet to fully master the Fairy Language, and if Mavis were executed, the First and Third Empress might seize control of the Royal Library. If that happened, he could kiss his peaceful days of studying goodbye. Which he couldn't allow, as his survival depended on it. "Why are you being so rash?" Fenric asked in a cold voice, his expression unreadable. The Prime Minister frowned. "What do you mean, Third Prince?" "I was just keeping it straight and simple so that we shouldn't waste the precious time of this court on a mere traitor who was hiding her powers," Prime Minister said. "Yes? But I see someone else is doing their best to hide their own agenda," he added in a low cold voice, but his words echoed in whole court. Mavis raised an eyebrow, wondering what exactly the Third Prince was trying to pull. The Emperor's gaze sharpened as he watched Fenric closely. 'What is this boy up to?' he wondered. Then, for just a moment, guilt flickered across the Emperor's face as he looked at the Third Prince's body. 'I'm sorry, my child...' he thought privately, but his cold, emotionless expression remained unchanged. "I don't understand... What exactly are you implying, Third Prince?" the Prime Minister asked, his gaze now steely. He also glanced at the Third Empress, who looked displeased. Then, Fenric dropped a bombshell. "I was the one who sent her to the Academy." His words stunned the entire courtroom into silence. The Third Empress's eyes widened, but she quickly controlled her expression, while the Prime Minister's face hardened. Meanwhile, the Golden Empress smirked, her interest clearly piqued. 'Interesting, very interesting...' she thought, watching the scene unfold. "Are you implying that you knew about her powers and that she is serving you?" the Prime Minister asked, narrowing his eyes. The Third Prince glanced at Mavis for a moment before nodding. "She was my mother's childhood friend. After my mother's death, she became like a mother to me and my protector under the Second Empress... my late mother's order," he said, as the courtroom fell into silence, all eyes shifting between him and Mavis. For the first time, the Emperor's face revealed a flicker of emotion—it was momentary, but unmistakable. 'I wonder why you're going this far to protect that sharp-tongued girl, Fenric...' he thought as he gazed at his son. "So why would your protector go on a massacre at the Academy, killing students as well as the Headmaster?" the Prime Minister pressed, his gaze hardening. "Don't tell me... you plan to take control of the Academy? Given that His Majesty has not assigned you any responsibilities due to your weak body?" he accused, now shifting the blame onto Fenric. 'Poor guy... playing the blame game with me.' Fenric thought, amused. 'I've read over a hundred books with manipulative villains—I can make you eat your own words without lifting a finger.' "I am grateful to His Majesty, who has cared for me so much, even though my elder and younger brothers have all been assigned responsibilities," Fenric said with a polite smile.