Chapter 134-The Manga Pariah's Guide to Self-Salvation
Following the triumphal return of the Crown Prince and others, the West District saw the light of day again from the white fog. While the people of the empire, who had been nervously watching the situation in the West District, cheered and celebrated, various rumors were rampant, and everyone was waiting for an explanation.
The welcoming team escorted the Crown Prince and the others all the way to the Royal Palace. The master of this empire was waiting for the returning warriors in the most magnificent building of the palace, The Mirror Palace
The group passed through the complicated corridors and came to a high door. The knight guarding the door bowed, inviting the three adults inside.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, Lady Saintess, and... Contestant Percy, His Majesty is waiting for you inside," the knight bowed humbly.
Ye Zheng looked imperceptibly at Percy, who looked confused. He seemed not to understand why he was brought here. The Emperor even placed his name together with the Crown Prince and the Saintess, inviting them to enter together.
Sykes' cape swept past the two, pushing the door open first to enter.
Ye Zheng followed silently behind him, and Percy quickly followed in as well.
Her gaze swept across the magnificent floor-to-ceiling windows, silver candlesticks, white round table in the palace, and finally the man sitting at the head of the round table.
He had dazzling blond hair. His half-hidden golden eyes were quietly looking at the documents on the table. The fish-like fine lines at the corners of his eyes did not detract from his handsomeness but added a few points of mature elegance. The crisp red uniform was inlaid with gold threads, looking noble and majestic.
When he raised his golden eyes, the slightly oppressive majesty disappeared. The fine lines at the corners of his eyes stretched with his smile, looking like a good elder skilled in listening and guiding.
Havel Aston.
Ye Zheng remembered the Emperor's name. Havel was a good name, symbolizing light and hope.
The last time she saw this Emperor was at the Saintess canonization ceremony when she was fourteen. He received her and said a few encouraging words for the occasion. At that time, fourteen-year-old she lowered her head respectfully and had no special opinion of this Emperor, mainly worried about that guy Wen Jian in her heart.
But now, looking at him closely again, an indescribable disgust abruptly surged in Ye Zheng's heart. Maybe because he looked very much like Sykes.
"Sykes, come here, sit by my side."
"The remaining two little friends, you may sit as you please. Don't worry, I just want to understand the situation."
When the Emperor called Sykes' name, there was still some majestic indifference, but when his golden eyes looked at the other two teenagers, he softened his tone.
This was Percy's first time seeing the master of this empire. His expression was taut due to nervousness, but he didn't expect the Emperor's attitude to relax him a lot. He was neither friendly to an artificial degree like Wen Jian and Kiran, nor did he lack understanding tolerance within his majesty.
Percy let out a breath, hoping the Emperor wouldn't ask difficult things next. He had no special contribution to this West District event and theoretically had no reason to be summoned, but Percy still faintly guessed the reason for the Emperor summoning him; it must be related to his origin.
Ye Zheng naturally chose a seat to sit down. Remembering the last time she came to this Mirror Palace, it was Sykes asking her to help heal and restore his memory, and she even proclaimed here that she would give Sykes "fair salvation."
Last time she came here, there wasn't such a large white round table. It seemed the Emperor prepared it specially.
Generally, the Emperor used a long table for discussing matters, which could highlight the noble head seat, while a round table was a symbol of equal dialogue. Ye Zheng's hand quietly fumbled under the round table, thinking the Emperor set up this stage interestingly.
She sat on the left side of the round table, directly opposite Percy, with the Emperor and the Crown Prince sitting above.
The Crown Prince, sitting with his father after a long time, didn't look very happy. Speaking of which, ever since Sykes accidentally awakened his memory in the Blood Flower Demonic Domain, his relationship with the Emperor had become somewhat subtle. For this trip to the West District, the Emperor didn't even assign the Royal Knight Order to him, only giving him an ordinary team.
The middle-aged man sitting above closed the documents in his hand. His gaze swept over the three teenagers present one by one before slowly speaking.
"I have roughly understood the situation from the documents, but many details are too vague and need you to answer for me."
Meeting the gaze from above that seemed present yet absent, Ye Zheng nodded and replied: "Your Majesty, please ask."
"The culprit of this incident, Zhou Yun, is she confirmed dead?"
The scene went quiet. Ye Zheng felt several gazes looking at her. It seemed her abnormal connection with Zhou Yun was already known by the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, according to Kiran, Zhou Yun implanted a dragon bone that her body couldn't withstand, and her body was destined to collapse. I think the white fog dispersing in the West District has already told us Zhou Yun's ending."
Ye Zheng's voice was a bit heavy.
Percy gazed at Ye Zheng's face, which showed no abnormality. Her answer avoided the relationship between herself and Zhou Yun very well.
"I heard that because her daughter was dragged into that cruel experiment by Kiran, that lady took such an extreme path. It really makes one sigh."
Listening to the Emperor's lament, Ye Zheng's hand suddenly grabbed the edge of the round table. Look at this attitude, as if the cruel experiment in his mouth had nothing to do with him. But if he didn't know about this experiment, where did Sykes come from?
A faint sneer sounded. Sykes, sitting beside the Emperor, hmphed. The Emperor frowned and looked at him, his face cold for a moment.
Ye Zheng already understood the Emperor's attitude. He wanted to completely separate the Hope Project from the Royal Family. This was really not unexpected.
However, the middle-aged man's next sentence changed Ye Zheng's expression.
"Sykes, I know what you are laughing at. You think I am hypocritical, that I am guilty."
The middle-aged man said in a deep voice.
Ye Zheng and Percy, sitting on both sides, simultaneously flashed a trace of surprise on their faces, looking at the royal father and son above.
"You are all closely related to the Hope Project, so I will speak frankly. The Royal Family has always known about the Hope Project. Sykes, Percy, you are both results of the Hope Project."
Percy's surprise widened. He noticed the gaze the Emperor cast on him was very gentle, just like he had known of his existence long ago.
"But the Royal Family is not the leader of the Hope Project. This is a project responsible by the Curia. Although it has never been made public, Saintess Ye Zheng, I think you should have sensed it."
"The Royal Family and the Curia have always checked and balanced each other to jointly maintain the stability of the empire. I have no right to interfere in the Curia's activities."
Before Ye Zheng could react, Percy opposite her suddenly propped his hands on the round table and asked towards the top: "Your Majesty, I respect you as a trustworthy elder, please forgive my bluntness—you actually know a lot about the Hope Project, right?"
Percy had questioned Kiran in the base and learned his biological mother's name, but knew nothing else except a name. Kiran died at Ye Zheng's hands before he could tell him more.
"Otherwise, why are Sykes and I both..." Percy couldn't continue.
Sykes' existence proved that the Royal Family and the Curia had in-depth cooperation regarding the Hope Project. According to Kiran, he was once a result heavily guarded by the base. The Emperor might have known him from the start, perhaps even knowing him better than he knew himself.
"Don't compare me with a commoner like you, Percy," Sykes said coldly.
"Sykes, have your manners as the Imperial Crown Prince been eaten by dogs?"
The Emperor said sternly, glaring at his son who had a face full of arrogance and indifference, his golden eyes full of pain.
"It was my mistake back then." The Emperor's voice lowered. "The date of the world's destruction in the prophecy was getting closer. At that time, I was young and aggressive, unwilling to bury this country during my term."
"The Pope back then approached me, saying they had a way to breed a powerful hope. I listened to his bewitchment. My wife died because of this, and my child..."
"It was I who didn't teach him well."
The Emperor turned his sad golden eyes to glance at Sykes beside him, silent for a moment.
Sykes seemed to have heard some joke, laughed twice, slammed the table hard with his palm, and was about to get up and leave when a female voice suddenly sounded in the silent room.
"His Highness Sykes just has some childish temperament. Being able to maintain honest and simple thoughts at this age, isn't it also a precious quality?"
Ye Zheng smiled and persuaded. Sykes was angered back into his seat by her directly, as if waiting for what else she would "praise" him for.
"Ha, the heir to the empire can't be childish. If Sykes had half of our Saintess's calmness and intelligence, I could hand over the empire to him right now."
The Emperor shook his head with a smile. He pressed the shoulder of the Crown Prince beside him, stared at Ye Zheng with golden eyes, and suddenly asked: "Ye Zheng, your father told me, you still have... about two months? Before coming of age."
Ye Zheng's heart skipped a beat, but her face remained calm meeting the Emperor's gaze, and she nodded.
Confronting her, the middle-aged man's smile gradually disappeared. Those golden eyes flashed with obscure emotions. The bad premonition in Ye Zheng's heart became stronger.
She didn't believe the Emperor's nonsense just now at all. A "bewitchment," seemingly admitting sin, actually cleared himself in words, as if everything was the Curia's conspiracy.
How could that be possible? She hadn't forgotten that besides being the Bishop of the West District, Kiran had another important identity: he was a close minister once trusted by the Emperor.
Mentioning her coming of age specifically now, was he going to reveal the arrangement he and Ye Fanjing discussed for her?
Ye Zheng gazed intently at the middle-aged man above.
"The coming-of-age ceremony of the Empire's Saintess will definitely be an event attracting the whole country's attention."
The Emperor sighed.
"But, child, I am very sorry—your coming-of-age ceremony might not be held as scheduled."
Ye Zheng slowly frowned. "Your Majesty, did something happen?"
"Yesterday, the second son of the Green
"This young man is not only a direct bloodline of the Green family but also a participant of the Hope Project, a survivor of the base. He wants to accuse Saintess Ye Zheng—"
"Of murdering the West District Bishop and multiple innocent personnel."
The man's voice fell, and the whole venue was silent enough to hear a pin drop. Several gazes focused on the only girl present simultaneously.
"You mean, I will be judged by the empire's law."
Ye Zheng propped her chin with her hand. Her expression showed not a trace of worry or fear; there was even some teasing amusement in her eyes.
"If Father hasn't had time to transfer in this week, then the judge responsible for trying me is my father?"
Speaking of the word "Father," clear laughter overflowed from Ye Zheng's throat.
The Emperor said: "Yes, this will be the last case he judges before his promotion."
"In principle, you have a kinship relationship, so it is not suitable for him to handle it, but I believe he will uphold justice. Ye Zheng, what about you?"
"Do you trust your father?"
Percy opened his eyes wide. In this subtle dialogue, his gaze went back and forth between the two. The direction of this matter had become incomprehensible to him. Actually letting a father judge his own daughter's crimes?
Ye Zheng raised her head slightly and curled up a smile.
"I believe I will receive a fair judgment."
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