Theodore reached into the folds of his black cloak. A small, long-necked glass vial now rested firmly in his grasp—the bottle containing the remnants of the thick liquid he had confiscated from Lily’s chambers not long ago. The dark liquid inside the vial churned faintly, giving off a sharp, pungent stench that stung the nostrils. Seeing what Theodore now held, Elena’s face contorted into sheer panic and terror, stumbling backward in horror—a reaction from the consort that brought a smirk of satisfaction to Theodore's lips. "Oho. It seems you recognize this scent, Consort Elena," Theodore whispered softly, a chilling sneer etched at the corner of his lips. "I-I... I don't know what that is!" Consort Elena stammered defensively, scrambling to flee. "Oh, playing dumb now? Fine, let me refresh your memory. This is the corrosive poison you concocted with your own two hands in your harem pavilion. The very venom you commanded your daughter to slip into my wine for all those years." "T

"Theodore! Stop right there!" Lily’s scream echoed down the pavilion corridor just as the hem of Theodore’s black cloak nearly vanished behind the gate pillar. Theodore’s boots had lingered at the threshold of the gate since he dropped his final words, and Lily’s voice held him there a moment longer. Lily forced her body to stand by leaning against the marble pillar. Her scraped knees trembled, while her palm, smeared with her mother’s blood, left a red handprint on the white stone surface. "I am still your wife, Theodore! What kind of son-in-law has the heart to force-feed his own mother-in-law poison?!" Lily’s voice broke at the end of her sentence, and tears left clear streaks down her cheeks, which were soiled with marble dust. Lily’s breath hitched between sobs. Her fingers clawed at the pillar until one of her nails snapped. On the floor, Consort Elena writhed weakly beneath the silk handkerchief that still covered half her face. Only a wet hiss escaped Elena’s mouth, while

"Save your prostration for your father. He needs it more tonight." Theodore did not even look back as he said it, and his gaze remained fixed on the pavilion door. "You... you have no heart!" Lily screamed while pounding the floor with her fists. Hearing that, the corner of Theodore’s lips lifted slightly. "My heart was already poisoned away by you over the years, Lily. All that remains now is calculation." After a few breaths, Kael walked out of the pavilion with a pile of Consort Elena’s belongings in both hands. There was a sheet of gold-edged parchment bearing a phoenix emblem, a bottle of black ink, a goose-quill pen, and a stick of red sealing wax. Kael held up the phoenix-emblemed parchment with a hesitant look on his face. "This is the only blank parchment this servant could find, Young Master. Every sheet in that drawer bears Consort Elena’s phoenix emblem." "That is even more fitting. Spread it out over there," Theodore ordered, pointing at a bronze shield lying beside

"Let her draw her sword. I deserve that," Theodore cut in with a low voice. Kael blinked. He had never heard his master admit his mistakes toward his younger sister, and he chose to keep his mouth shut until the city gate came into view. The sky was already dark when they arrived at the western gate of the capital. Twenty garrison soldiers stood guard in front of the tightly closed gate, and their spears were pointed toward the road. Theodore pulled the reins of his horse right in front of that line of spears. He did not draw a weapon, and his voice did not rise as he said, "Open the gate." The guard commander stepped forward with trembling knees. He gripped the hilt of his sword, yet did not dare to draw it. "H-have mercy, Young Master Cordova. The western gate has been closed on His Majesty’s orders ever since the Iron Cavalry arrived on the plains," the guard commander answered stammeringly. Hearing that, Theodore stared at the guard commander from atop his horse. "His Majest

Bab 59. The kasim immediately prostrated himself on the red carpet, his forehead pressing firmly against the floor. The parchment in the kasim’s hand trembled in sync with his shuddering shoulders. The Emperor stared down at the kasim with a hard, clenched jaw while gripping the dining knife beside his plate. "Speak. If your news is not worth the doors you just broke down, your head will take their place." The kasim lifted his pale face. His lips trembled as he pieced together his first sentence. "Young Master Cordova has arrived at Concubine Elena's pavilion after the banquet, Your Majesty. More than thirty pavillion eunuchs and guards collapsed from just a single burst of aura, and their bones were shattered across the floor," the kasim reported in a shrill voice. Hearing that, the Emperor slammed his fist and the knife handle against the table. "Who gave him permission to enter the harem?!" "No one, Your Majesty. No one dared to stop him." The kasim pressed his forehead back