"Now that the fate stone is broken, doesn't that mean...?" Elora understood why Lerian was so upset.
The only thing which could've helped him find what happened that day was the Fate Stone. It was something that could record events that led up to the death of the owner even if it was not broken.
As long as they could've found the fate stone, they could've recovered that information and found out the truth of that incident. With the destruction of the Fate Stone, they lost all opportunity.
"This is bad news as well as good news in a way," The Holy Priest of Wind also spoke, entering the discussion. "He has been trying for so long to find the Fate Stone of his daughter. If he couldn't find it until now, that means it was impossible for him to find it. Instead of failing to find it, it's better to have the stone broken."
"What do you mean?" Elora inquired, not understanding why having the stone broken was a good thing.
"The Fate Stone wasn't on the body when we found out," the Holy Priest of Wind answered. "And the Church of Flames searched the entire path, worrying that maybe the kidnapper tossed the stone. Since they couldn't find the stone in the path leading upto the location we found the body, that meant the stone wasn't tossed. Instead, the killer took the stone with him."
"Now that the Fate Stone is broken, it not only transmits its location to the Church of Flames, but it also marks everyone who was within a hundred thousand miles of the stone when it was broken."
"I don't know why the stone broke after all this time, but if the stone was kept by the killer, when it broke, it must be near the killer as well. Now that everyone who was in the range of the stone has been marked, Lerian should finally be able to get some answers."
The shattered Fate Stone meant the chance of finding the exact details were forever lost, but it also meant that Lerian could finally get closer to the real killer, or at least people who were associated with that incident.
"I'm afraid if he can't find answers, he would most probably kill everyone marked by the stone." The Holy Priestess of Earth sighed, shaking her head.
She turned to the Head Priest who brought this information here. "You there! Tell me which city it is?"
She knew that whichever City the stone was broken in was definitely going to face a calamity in the future. She just didn't want it to be one of the cities in her jurisdiction. If that was the case, things could get more complicated between her and Lerian.
"I-i can't tell you that." The Head Priest stepped back, slightly hesitating. He couldn't provide this kind of information to anyone else without the permission of Lerian.
The door of the Palace opened at the same time as extremely scorching air rushed out. A man stepped out of the Palace. The aura around the man was completely different from before.
*****
Gabriel entered the Royal Palace, slightly tired. As he entered, he was greeted by all the Royal Knights. By now, everyone in the Empire knew that the young man who barely looked to be twenty years old was the new Emperor of Arecia!
The Head Servant of the Royal Palace personally came to escort Gabriel inside to show him around the Palace.
"Take me to the Royal Treasury first..." Gabriel told the Head Servant who seemed to be taking him to the room where he could rest first.
The Head Servant agreed and changed directions. "The Treasury is in that direction in the central part of the palace."
As Gabriel was being escorted, he couldn't help but observe all the portraits that were hanging on the wall. In most of the portraits, only the Royal Alecton Family was depicted.
"Have these portraits changed. If you still have the pictures from Arecia Clan, hang them instead. If not, buy any random paintings from the market. I don't want to see these the next time," he informed the Head Servant, who instantly noted it down.
"It shall be done, Your Majesty."
Looking at the portrait in which the Emperor was painted with his family, Gabriel thought of something. "That reminds me. It should be time..."
****
"That bastard! I will kill him when I have the strength!"
The Eldest Prince of Arecia was tossed in a cell. It was only after he made sure that no guards were here that he finally calmed down and returned to his old attitude.
He was supposed to be the Prince who was destined to become the Emperor after his father! This Empire was supposed to be his inheritance and his property. However, it was because of Gabriel that he lost everything! Not only was his father killed, but he was also a prisoner now!
Whenever he remembered how shameful he felt when he wet his pants before Gabriel in fear, he could only scream at the top of his lungs in anger. Unfortunately, even he knew that there was nothing he could do for now.
In a nearby cell, both his sisters were kept. Azia was already given the medical treatment that she needed before being left in the cell.
The Prince was still cursing Gabriel when he heard the sound of footsteps. He instantly closed his mouth and didn't dare speak, not knowing who was coming.
He sat with his back resting against the wall, keeping his eyes focused outside to see who was coming.
'Another prisoner?' he thought, noticing the guards outside the door. The guards were escorting a middle aged man who had both his hands tied behind his back.
The guards opened the door and pushed the middle aged man inside.
"A spy from Yann dares to roam around in our Empire? This bastard really thought he wouldn't be caught." The Guards scoffed before they turned and left.
"A spy from Yann? You must not be a good spy if you were caught that easily," the Prince commented, shaking his head in disappointment.
If it was in the past, he would've hated the man who was spying on his empire, but now the Empire wasn't his. He couldn't care less who was spying on the Empire. If anything, he wanted more people to know what happened here to see if someone could help him.
"Young Prince, your words are really sharp. And that too, after I came all this way to help you?"
The middle aged man said, letting out a disappointed sigh. "It seems you don't need my help. In that case, I'll be leaving."
The man stood up, stretching his arms as he lazily yawned.
Initially, the Prince didn't think much. In fact, he was about to call the middle aged man an idiot for thinking that he could still help him, despite being a prisoner as well. However, it was only after a while that he realized something wasn't right!
