Chapter 96-The Manga Pariah's Guide to Self-Salvation
Yu Tianming stood silently beside Sykes. He shifted his eyes, looking at the mirrors on both sides of the palace, secretly observing Sykes's expression in their reflection.
This The Mirror Palace was the most magnificent and luxurious palace in the entire imperial residence. Exquisite arched floor-to-ceiling windows reflected silver candelabras and dozens of crystal chandeliers, and the silent figures of the two men were mirrored within like a mural.
Sykes's profile showed no emotion. Since some unknown day, Yu Tianming could no longer easily read him.
Not only that, but there were many things he could no longer interfere with as he had before. It was as if he had suddenly lost Sykes's trust one day.
Yu Tianming racked his brain. Although he had his own little schemes, he hadn't done anything to Sykes's detriment so far. The only reason could lie with Sykes himself.
He looked up at the arched ceiling. The lifelike mural, unusually, did not depict a legend of the God of Hope, but rather how the Aston Royalty won a righteous war eight hundred years ago and led the people to establish the current empire.
He had to admit, this dynasty was truly as if blessed by the gods. When he was flipping through ancient documents at home, he discovered that five hundred years ago, before the advent of the Demonic Domains, the Aston Royalty was already on its last legs. The miraculous development of industrial technology had made the common people and the emerging classes dissatisfied with the corrupt rule of the royalty, leading to large-scale uprisings.
Just as the Aston Royalty was about to meet its end, the Demonic Domains appeared. The changes they brought instead gave the royalty a chance to breathe, allowing it to continue to this day.
Of course, ordinary people didn't know about that embarrassing past of the royalty. Even he had only stumbled upon it by chance.
"Yu Tianming, do you know about my—mother?"
Sykes spoke abruptly. Hearing this, Yu Tianming's eyelids twitched. Who didn't know that the former Empress was the Crown Prince's taboo subject?
"The former Empress was gentle and beautiful, with outstanding talent. I heard that in..."
The bespectacled young man began cautiously.
"That's not what I want to hear."
Sykes interrupted him coldly.
Yu Tianming secretly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his eyes under the lenses filled with frustration. What was wrong with Sykes today? Did he want to hear him talk about how he had caused his mother's death?
"During her pregnancy, the former Empress often traveled between the palace and the church. The old-timers in the Sei Curia who remember her all say she was a pious and kind believer. She often prayed alone before the statue of the god, surely filled with anticipation and beautiful wishes for the child in her womb."
Yu Tianming turned his head in surprise. The Saintess in a white dress walked in slowly, giving him a smiling glance before quickly looking away.
Then, he turned to look at Sykes. The Crown Prince had finally turned around, his proud and delicate face still expressionless. His golden eyes stared unblinkingly at the white figure, the slight tremble in his gaze betraying his suppressed emotions, like an impending downpour.
Caught between the two, Yu Tianming felt the dangerous pull of a storm's eye. He adjusted his glasses and decisively asked Sykes for leave. After receiving the Crown Prince's nod, he headed towards the palace entrance.
In the instant he passed by Ye Zheng, Yu Tianming couldn't suppress his complicated gaze. His lenses reflected Ye Zheng's calm profile; she didn't even spare him a glance.
Yet, his severed finger felt as if it were being fiercely pinched. The unbearable, searing phantom pain made his fingers twitch—
On the day Ye Zheng shed her disguise and raised the Divine Sword, his shock was no less than anyone else's!
Sykes hadn't had contact with that Zhao Mei, but his own impression of Zhao Mei was extremely deep. The ruthless young boy who had grabbed his neck and his severed finger in the Blood Flower Demonic Domain was actually the same Ye Zheng who put on a gentle, saintly act in the team every day?
The thought that he had once believed he could manipulate this high-ranking but powerless Saintess made Yu Tianming find it laughable. After discovering that Ye Zheng was Zhao Mei, he immediately understood that it had been Ye Zheng manipulating all of them all along!
And Sykes? Was he still foolishly thinking that Ye Zheng would stand with him? A trace of mockery flashed in Yu Tianming's eyes. Once you thought about it, Ye Zheng had actually targeted the Crown Prince in secret long ago.
As he walked out of the opulent and intimidating The Mirror Palace, Yu Tianming let out an exaggerated sigh of relief.
Since Sykes completely disregarded his past efforts and was unwilling to grant him even trust and power, then let the two of them fight it out. Sykes deserved to be kept in the dark by Ye Zheng for the rest of his life.
Unsurprisingly, Ye Zheng was very likely to be the future mistress of this empire. There was no need for him to offend her. It wasn't like she would kill Sykes anyway.
Walking down the empty corridor, Yu Tianming's steps faltered. A strange thought flashed through his mind: could it be that even his current situation and mindset were part of Ye Zheng's plan?
Ye Zheng was a little surprised to see Yu Tianming. Ever since Sykes's brain had been inadvertently treated by her, he had gradually distanced himself from Yu Tianming. The two were no longer inseparable as before.
She had guessed the reason. It was probably because Yu Tianming was a person assigned to him by the emperor, and Sykes's current relationship with the emperor was intriguing.
It would be somewhat troublesome if Yu Tianming continued to assist Sykes as diligently as before. Even with his improved intelligence, Sykes was no match for Yu Tianming's cunning.
So after joining the Royal Squad, she had been secretly and intentionally driving a wedge between the two, especially working on Yu Tianming.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, you were the one who summoned me, but judging by your expression, it seems I am not very welcome."
Ye Zheng looked at him, seemingly puzzled, her clear dark eyes meeting his gaze without a hint of guilt.
"Ye Zheng, you even deceived me."
"What are you trying to do?"
Here it comes. Sykes was, as expected, going to question her about drawing the sword in the Demonic Domain. Ye Zheng lowered her lashes and replied, "Of course—to get what I want."
The golden-haired Crown Prince strode closer, his tall figure casting a dark shadow. He studied Ye Zheng's face. At this distance, he could even see the almost invisible fine hairs on her cheek illuminated by the sunlight, yet her expression remained flawless.
He couldn't see through her at all. The realization made him even more irritable.
"What you want? The Divine Sword, or a higher, more distant position?"
"For example, the position of Pope?"
Sykes lifted his chin, looking down at her. Such a posture could bring a sense of oppressive panic to the other person. He revealed the results of his investigation over the past few days.
He had initially thought Ye Zheng's actions were likely instructed by the Sei Curia, but the investigation revealed that she had her own agenda and was not one of the Pope's people.
Under his scrutinizing gaze, Ye Zheng did indeed raise her eyes in surprise and doubt. A moment later, she forcefully suppressed her flustered emotions and asked calmly, "Your Highness, don't you think you're thinking too much of..."
Sykes interrupted impatiently, "Stop pretending. You secretly investigated Wen Jian and conspired with thugs to expose his scandal. Do you think I couldn't find out?"
The Mirror Palace fell silent for a moment. Ye Zheng sighed helplessly, a helpless, bitter smile appearing on her face as if she could no longer hide it. Her voice carried a trace of wry amusement. "With your brilliance, it's not surprising that you know all this."
"Hah... You're no different from those ambitious schemers like Yu Tianming and Wen Jian. You're even more arrogant and hypocritical than they are, daring to make such bold claims in front of me."
Sykes's voice was extremely low, almost a growl.
Ye Zheng blinked, quickly realizing which bold claims Sykes was referring to.
This time, she was genuinely a little surprised. Sykes, unexpectedly, cared a great deal about her previous declaration of offering him salvation.
The two locked eyes as if in a power struggle. Ye Zheng was the first to look away. She looked up at the ceiling, at the painted ceiling depicting the glorious achievements of the Aston Royalty.
"Eight hundred years ago, Aston I overthrew the cruel and corrupt rule of the previous dynasty, liberated the people, and established a new nation. This is the glorious history your royal family delights in retelling."
"But if your ancestor had failed, he would have been just an incompetent schemer, nailed to the pillar of shame in the victor's history books."
The girl said softly, as if completely unaware of how shocking and terrifying it was to say such a thing to the Crown Prince in the imperial palace.
"Saintess, do you think you can win in the end, like Aston I?"
Sykes didn't fly into a rage. His expression didn't even change, as if Ye Zheng hadn't been talking about his ancestor at all. He only showed a cold, mocking expression.
Ye Zheng wasn't surprised by Sykes's reaction. He was an empty person, devoid of empathy, so naturally, he had no sense of identification with bloodlines or kinship.
"No, my point is that glory, justice, ambition, violence... they can be two sides of the same coin."
"On what grounds do you negate everything I've done in the past, just because I have ambition?"
Ye Zheng looked at Sykes's stunned face. He seemed unable to process her meaning for a moment. She curved her lips into a gentle smile. "Your Highness the Crown Prince, what I once said to you will always be valid. I will give you a just salv—"
"Shut up!"
Sykes's face was cold. He swung his arm, knocking over a nearby silver candelabra. His hand wanted to seize the fragile neck of the girl before him, but just as he raised it, he abruptly suppressed his right hand's craving for slaughter.
"Tell me everything you know about Wen Jian's experiments in the Western District. And stop talking nonsense!"
Ye Zheng nodded compliantly and slowly recounted the speech she had prepared.
The girl's soft whispers echoed in the vast The Mirror Palace. Sykes's right hand, hidden behind his back, trembled uncontrollably—he had to understand everything that happened back then. He had to know where he came from.
It wasn't until the last of Ye Zheng's words faded from his ears that Sykes's right hand finally stopped trembling. He turned thoughtfully to look out the window. Outside the arched floor-to-ceiling window was a vibrant garden with butterflies fluttering about.
"Using Dragon Bone for human experiments... You think exposing this will be enough to completely take down Wen Jian?"
Sykes put on a profound, intelligent look, which suddenly made Ye Zheng want to laugh. She pressed her fist to her lips in a feigned cough.
"Isn't that enough?"
"My dear father couldn't possibly be unaware of all this."
Sykes drew his gaze back from the window, his golden eyes staring indifferently at Ye Zheng. "You're coming with me. You want to kick Wen Jian out, but you only hide in the shadows and plot. That's a bit too easy, Miss Saintess."
"You mean... go to the Western District?"
Ye Zheng put on a surprised expression. "Do you know what the situation is like there?"
"You dared to snatch the sword from right under my nose and kick me down. For your glorious ambition, is there any place you wouldn't dare to go?"
Ye Zheng finally showed her most genuine smile since entering the palace. "You're right. For my glorious ambition, I'd dare to face even hell."
Comments
Post a Comment