Chapter 348: The Stormy Night's Tragedy: Two Sisters, Two Destinies
"Why? Why did you send them to kill your own daughter?" the woman asked, her voice heavy with sadness and disbelief.
The Emperor stood there, unable to respond. It was now apparent that his wife, the Empress, had been hiding her true strength from him all this time.
She had concealed her power to prevent him from feeling inferior, and now, her well-intentioned act had enabled her to effortlessly slaughter the three men who had come to take Hazel's life.
The realization struck the Emperor hard, as he watched his wife, the mother of his children, confront him with tears in her eyes, demanding an answer he couldn't provide.
The woman sobbed uncontrollably, clutching her two newborn girls tightly to her chest. Her heart-wrenching gaze, filled with anger, disappointment, and pain, bore into the Emperor.
The depth of her sorrow seemed to be amplified by the thunder rumbling outside, as if nature itself was tearing apart the heavens in response to their anguish.
Casting a final, lingering glance at the Emperor, she turned to leave, cradling her daughters protectively in her arms.
"Don't take her away with you; she is my child," the Emperor pleaded, his voice breaking with shame and regret.
He knew he was asking for too much after attempting to take the life of his own daughter. The Emperor could see the pain and disbelief in his wife's eyes, understanding that she was about to leave him for his unforgivable actions.
Ashamed and distraught, he couldn't muster the courage to pursue her. He had sent three men, all at the silver stage like himself, but his wife had effortlessly slaughtered them, showcasing her true strength and love for her newborn daughter.
The woman sighed heavily, her heart aching under the unbearable weight of the Emperor's shamelessness and thick skin.
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Unable to speak, she placed the white-haired baby, Lia, on a nearby bed. Her eyes lingered on her daughter, filled with a mother's love and the pain of an impending separation.
She leaned down, her lips brushing Lia's tiny ears as she whispered heartfelt words of farewell, "My sweet Lia, I'm so sorry, but I must leave to protect your sister. Please don't hate me for not taking you with me. I'll carry you in my heart always."
With a heavy heart, she gathered her remaining daughter, Hazel, into her arms, and turned away from the life she had known.
The only reason she didn't take Lia with her was due to the prophecy. She couldn't help but wonder if it held some truth and if the sisters might end up killing each other for the throne in the future. The seed of suspicion had been planted in her mind as well, leading her to make the difficult decision to leave Lia behind.
As The Empress, Lia's Mother, stepped out of the castle, the wind whipped around her, as if mourning the tragedy that had befallen them.
The mother and daughter pair vanished into the stormy night, leaving the Shamor Empire behind. The thunder continued to rumble, a somber reminder of the destruction that had been set in motion on this fateful day.
***
With a pained voice, the Emperor recounted the events of that fateful night. "Your mother left with your sister and never returned. When Father came back, we discovered that the head priest had been killed. The person I had spoken to was actually an Apostle of the evil god in disguise. Father assured me that he would not let anything happen to either of his granddaughters."
The Emperor's voice trembled as he finished the sad tale that had been kept hidden from everyone for so long. The weight of the past weighed heavily on him, the guilt and remorse in his eyes evident as he looked at Lia, finally revealing the truth.
As Lia listened to the Emperor's painful story, cold anger began to simmer within her. She couldn't help but feel sympathy for her sister, who had been taken away, but the wounds she engraved on Lia's heart were too deep to heal.
"I feel sorry for my sister, but she has gone so far away that we can't undo what she has done," Lia said, her voice tinged with coldness. "Her sins are unforgivable. She killed Emily, and she tried to kill Husband. Now Helia is on the verge of death... How can grandfather ensure the safety of both of his granddaughters?"
Her eyes met the Emperor's, filled with unspoken grief as Lia posed a question.
As Lia finished speaking, Eve responded, "Your grandfather had already taken measures to ensure both of your safety long ago, and you'll learn more about that in the future. The fact that Helia was saved today is, in part, due to your grandfather's involvement.
Your sister's animosity is directed towards you, your father, and Rio because he married you. She didn't kill Emily... That was actually a beast in disguise, intended to break your heart." With that, Eve revealed the truth.
Eve continued, her tone playful yet dripping with sarcasm, "Emily was actually the first one to betray you. As for what she did to Helia, she will be punished. But first, we need to defeat her.
Right now, she has already claimed the entire Shamor Empire with her superior bloodline, which your dear father thought was impure."
Lia and others were shocked to hear that Emily was alive and had betrayed her first.
The Emperor confessed with a heavy heart, "I was blinded by my ambition and failed to see the true extent of Hazel's power. Her bloodline is far stronger than any we have ever known in the Devlin line.
All the beasts that once served under us are now under her command, and even the elusive golden stage beasts bow to her.
Despite being at the silver stage, she is more powerful than me. Moreover, she has the backing of all the clans, including the Cliffdane clan, who have pledged their allegiance to her cause."
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Edited By: TheWhiteSnow