Hearing his father's words, High Prince Kael remained silent.
Witnessing this scene, High King Eldric's anger surged to its peak. "It's alright if you don't want to speak," he said, shifting his attention towards the guard nearby.
"Bring her in," he ordered.
Two of the guards nodded and swiftly exited the room.
High Prince Kael's eyes widened in disbelief as if he realized his father's intentions. "Please, Father, stop! She hasn't done anything wrong. I was the one who went to meet her," he pleaded.
However, High King Eldric ignored his words, refusing to acknowledge them.
The door swung open once more, revealing a young woman in her mid-twenties, her hands bound in chains, flanked by two guards who ushered her towards the throne. Arriving at a designated distance, they forced her to kneel and step backwards, awaiting the High King's next commands.
High King Eldric rose from his throne and approached Cerelia.
Cerelia trembled, her head bowed low as she sensed the heavy tension in the air.
"Father, I beg you, Cerelia has done nothing wrong! I was the one who went to her, I swear!" High Prince Kael's voice echoed through the chamber, his plea resonating at the top of his lungs.
He attempted to rise and rush towards them; however, the nearby guards swiftly restrained him, pressing him back to the ground.
"ITCH!" High Prince Kael gritted his teeth angrily and watched with worry as High King Eldric finally approached Cerelia.
High King Eldric gestured for a guard whom he had dispatched on an errand before the meeting to come forward.
The guard promptly complied, his arms outstretched, holding a pillow covered with a white cloth that hid something large underneath.
High King Eldric removed the cloth, revealing two big sacks. He carried both in one arm and tossed them on the ground before Cerelia.
Ding!!
The bag landed on the ground, revealing several fist-sized milky crystals.
"Inside these sacks are 40 large-sized crystal pieces, 20 each. You can have them; however, it comes with a tag—if you decide to take the two sacks, you must swear upon god Aerendir that you will sever your relationship with High Prince Kael and never speak or meet with him again."
"However, if you refuse this wealth, you'll be thrown into the dungeon as punishment for meddling in the affairs of the royal family," High King Eldric explained, his eyes fixed on Celeria's intense, trembling body.
She stared at the two sacks before her, wide-eyed and speechless.
Hearing everything his father had just said, High Prince Kael couldn't believe his ears and stared dumbfounded at the unfolding scene before him.
But High King Eldric was not finished yet. "However, if you accept the wealth and still insist on meeting with High Prince Kael, you'll be immediately put to death for attempting to take advantage of the royal family's generosity and breaking your promise. Now, what is the decision, Miss Celeria? Be quick; we don't have all day to spend on such matters," he added.
High Prince Kael's expression instantly morphed into shock as he listened to his father's final sentence. "Father!! Father, please, I plead with you, don't do this," He begged, tears streaming down his cheeks as he pressed his head against the cold floor toward High King Eldric.
However, just like before, High King Eldric ignored his words.
Witnessing his father ignoring him again, High Prince Kael could no longer contain himself. "If you continue with this, Father, I will step down from my role as the next High king of the Pixie kingdom!" he said.
High King Eldric's expression instantly morphed into anger, his eyes becoming fierce before he immediately calmed himself down.
"It's alright if you choose not to ascend to the throne. You can renounce your crown and identity right now and leave this Palace unharmed. However, I must warn you if you choose this path, Celeria will stay here as punishment."
"She'll become a personal servant, serving the next king's every wish and desire as punishment for being the reason for the former future king's abandonment of his responsibilities, causing the royal Pixie's long-standing lineage to go through a humiliating experience that had never been seen before," he responded.
"If she ever chooses to leave this Palace, she will be immediately put to death for defying the High King's orders. The same punishment awaits her if you decide to ever step foot into this Palace again," he added.
"WHAT IS THIS? THIS IS UNREASONABLE!! YOU CAN'T DO THIS ––" High Prince Kael roared in fury.
However, High King Eldric immediately interjected, "Who says it is unreasonable? I am the High King. I am the one who determines whether it is unreasonable or not. The only ones capable of opposing my words are the High Elders; however, they have a limit on how much authority they possess."
"So if you are unsatisfied with my words and consider them unreasonable, then you can ascend to the throne by getting engaged to your sixth junior sister and continuing the royal bloodline," he responded, his calm gaze fixed on High Prince Kael before he shifted his attention back towards Celeria, awaiting her response.
Upon hearing his father's response, High Prince Kael cursed heavily under his breath. It was obvious that his father had planned everything from the outset.
He was determined to separate him and Celeria, regardless of their choices.
"Kael, I've made my decision," Celeria said, redirecting her attention to High Prince Kael. "I am sorry about this, Kael, but this wealth will help me grow stronger and support my family," she smiled faintly before shifting her focus to High King Eldric.
"High King Eldric, I appreciate the choice you've given me. Therefore, from this day forth, I sever all ties with High Prince Kael and swear upon god Aerendir's name never to see him again," she added, lifting the two sacks from the ground and bowing her head towards High King Eldric.
The entire hall was abruptly submerged in an eerie stillness.
