Early in the morning, the royal capital seemed a little chaotic, like a baby whimpering softly after waking up early.
One carriage after another lined up in order and marched towards the palace.
People opened the doors of their shops and saw horse-drawn carriages speeding past and disappearing in dust.
Passers-by also stayed away and could only enter the store to take a look and avoid the carriages.
"what happened?"
"I don't know...it seems like there's something big going on with this posture."
Soon, the last thing parked in front of the castle gate was an extremely luxurious carriage.
Duke Levi got off the carriage gently and looked around.
Most of the mages had arrived, but without exception, all the mages were staring at him with hostile eyes.
If his eyes could turn into bullets, Duke Levi would probably be riddled with holes.
Duke Levi's reputation in the mage circle has dropped to the extreme after the volcanic incident.
There were no rumors or slander, everyone saw it with their own eyes.
No one took the initiative to say hello to the Duke, and even the noble Baker, who was relatively close to him, shook his head helplessly.
He stood alone in front of the door, neither humble nor arrogant.
After a while, the towering gate of the castle slowly opened, and a strong wind burst out from the castle, making the clothes of all the mages present whistle.
Like an evil beast, trying to devour the pride of everyone present.
A knight came out supporting the noble man with silver hair.
The man looked to be under thirty and still very young. He was dressed in luxurious clothes and had an extraordinary bearing.
Seeing this face, many people recognized it and all bowed and saluted.
The Duke stood at the front, facing one of the most distinguished men in the empire. He also bent down and saluted respectfully.
"His Royal Highness the Second Prince."
The second prince nodded towards the Duke and raised his hand, indicating that everyone should be leveled without being polite.
"Since everyone is here, please go in first."
After receiving permission, the mages entered one after another. When they arrived at the Duke, they were stopped by the second prince.
He smiled at Duke Levi and said:
"Duke Levi, let's go somewhere else to talk?"
Duke Levi looked at the smiling second prince and responded:
"Your Majesty, I don't want to keep your Majesty waiting."
The second prince shook his head and continued to persuade Duke Levi:
"My father is old and needs more rest."
"You go in now and you have to wait for a while."
"Besides, I do want to communicate with you."
The second prince moved closer to Duke Levi. Covering his mouth with one hand, he whispered in his ear:
"Maybe it can help you get out of your current predicament."
Duke Levi listened to his words expressionlessly and did not reply.
The second prince smiled relaxedly.
The Duke didn't respond, so he naturally agreed.
He said to Duke Levi: "Your Majesty, please follow me."
Under the protection of the knights around them, the two did not enter through the main entrance. Instead, they entered a palace through a side road.
"This is my place, Your Majesty the Duke. You can speak freely here."
The Duke glanced at the guards beside the second prince.
"These guards are naturally our own."
He waved his hand and motioned to his subordinates to move a seat for Duke Levi.
The Duke didn't show any politeness and sat directly on it, their eyes facing each other.
The Duke laughed when he heard this and said: "Your Highness, the Second Prince, is there something wrong with you starting to develop your own cronies so early?"
"Your Majesty, he is not dead yet."
The Duke's question was somewhat chilling, making the second prince tremble slightly.
He showed a helpless expression and responded with a smile:
"Your Majesty the Duke, I don't want to die inexplicably anytime."
"Sitting in my position, whether to fight or not to fight is not up to me."
The prince fell silent and made no reply.
The atmosphere between the two suddenly dropped to freezing point, and they were silent.
The second prince took the lead in breaking the deadlock:
"Let's not talk about this, Your Majesty the Duke. The current situation is not good for you."
"There are too many people impeaching you. Father, he may not be able to bear the pressure."
"To tell you the truth, this is what I want to talk to you about."
Before Duke Levi could respond, the second prince picked up the teacup, took a sip, and continued:
"I heard that the daughter of the Duke's family will be an adult in another year."
After hearing this, the Duke slowly raised his head, his eyes were a little cold, and there was some mockery in his eyes.
"so what?"
The second prince put down his tea cup, looked at the guards around him, and smiled gracefully.
"Your Majesty the Duke really insists on letting me speak directly."
"If I form a marriage contract with your daughter, the Duke will be related to the royal family. When the time comes, my father will naturally have a reason to protect you..."
Click——!
Before the second prince finished speaking, the teacup in his hand instantly shattered.
The knights panicked and drew their swords and pointed them at Duke Levi.
The second prince was not afraid, but clapped his hands, shook off the debris in his hands, and looked at Duke Levi quietly with a smile in his eyes:
"Your Excellency, this is the palace."
"You don't want your daughter to lose all her future because of your recklessness."
Duke Levi stood up, and the powerful magical pressure dissipated instantly when he stood up.
The eyes on the second prince's smiling face froze slightly, and he sighed in his heart.
What precise magic control.
Suddenly, Duke Levi asked:
"Your Highness, how old are you this year?"
"Twenty-nine, how about it? For your daughter, my age is considered appropriate."
"Really? Twenty-nine."
Duke Levi recited this number as if he was comparing it to something.
Soon, he suddenly asked:
"Your Highness, I have watched you grow up, but have you made any progress in the past twenty years or so?"
The cold words pierced the second prince's heart like daggers. He suddenly felt depressed, his head seemed to be pressed by a huge stone, and the smile froze on his face.
"It is true that you are very smart, you know how to use the resources around you, and you also know how to read people's hearts."
"But you are not strong, and the resources you can use are only reflected in the advantages of your bloodline."
Duke Levi didn't say it clearly, but the second prince understood.
The implication is that he is protected by his father.
Without this blood relationship, you are nothing.
The second prince's smile slowly disappeared, replaced by a cold and playful expression.
"Then what? I am the prince. Apart from me, is there anyone more suitable and better than me?"
Suddenly, he froze because he thought of someone.
There really is.
Duke Levi also smiled and looked at him with obvious contempt in his eyes.
"I suggest you speak to the head of Cravenna's family face to face."
The second prince stood up, waved his hand, and roared:
"He's just a viscount! And he's dead! Do you understand? He's dead!"
The second prince became more and more excited as he spoke, and in the end he even wanted to grab Duke Levi by the collar, point at his nose and tell him the truth.
But he didn't do that. As the second prince, he had to maintain proper etiquette. Even if he wasn't calm, he couldn't act like a wild beast. This was his last dignity as a member of the royal family.
He took a deep breath, and then said to Duke Levi:
"He has disappeared forever into that volcano, and everyone knows that."
"die?"
Duke Levi couldn't help laughing as if he had heard a big joke.
He shook his head and looked at him with pity in his eyes:
"In my eyes, your arrogance is not as good as his."
After that, Duke Levi walked out of the door without thinking.
The second prince looked gloomy, smoothed his silver hair, took a deep breath, and adjusted his mood.
"Let's go, let's go to the main hall too."
"I look forward to seeing him remain so calm when being criticized by everyone."
...
The palace was already full of people, and the knights around them were wearing heavy armor and holding knight's swords, guarding the order around them.
Gwen stood near the throne. As the knight captain of the Royal Knights, the person she needed to protect was the emperor.
The person kneeling at the front was Duke Levi.
Seeing the Duke, Gwen's expression was a little complicated.
Of course she knew what this powerful minister was going through today.
That's definitely not good.
But I have to say that he loves his daughter very much.
Gwen quickly left the sight and glanced among the mages.
not coming.
She couldn't find Victor anywhere.
"He didn't come back..."
I don't know why, but I feel a little uncomfortable.
Maybe it's because Victor is someone she's been familiar with since she was a child.
Suddenly, amid the eunuch's announcement, the emperor sat on the throne with the support of everyone.
Aubrey Sol, the eighth emperor of the Calencian Empire.
He looked very old, with white hair on his temples.
Although the emperor was only sixty years old, he was not much different from Duke Levi.
All the mages who saw the emperor knelt down on one knee to show their highest respect to the emperor.
Emperor Aubrey waved his hand and asked everyone to stand up.
Only Duke Levi did not move, still sitting on his knees.
The old king looked at Duke Levi, closed his eyes, and sighed.
Looking at him quietly, he asked:
"Levi, did you stop the magic formation when the volcano was about to erupt?"
"yes."
Duke Levi did not hesitate at all.
The emperor asked again: "Levi, they said that you want to kill all the mages, including the residents under the mountain, to bury your daughter with you. What explanation do you have for this?"
"Your Majesty, I have no explanation."
The emperor looked at him silently and sighed heavily,
"well....."
He looked at Levi, his eyes full of unbearability.
Once, they were best friends and comrades-in-arms.
But now, Levi still looks so young, but he has stepped into the journey of life and death first.
He had wanted to spend his last few years preserving his old friends who had been with him for so long.
However, Levi's move affected the credibility of the royal family.
If you don't deal with it seriously...it will only chill the hearts of others.
"Levi, understand me and forgive me."
He closed his eyes and prepared to make his final verdict on Revi.
Suddenly, all the knights outside the door drew their swords.
A soaring whirlpool of flames rose out of thin air from outside the hall, attracting everyone's attention.
The intense heat wave made them unable to open their eyes until the heat wave dissipated.
The mages present slowly opened their eyes.
A figure appeared from the light.
Gwen stared there, a gleam flashing in her eyes.
"Victor!?"
Victor appeared in front of everyone, his red-striped windbreaker moving with the heat wave.
He looked at the emperor and did not kneel down, but just bowed.
"Sorry, Your Majesty."
"I am late."
