Royd received a letter from his elder brother once again.
This time, the Emperor, who always held himself in high regard, finally set aside his pride, with a hint of pleading in his tone.
However, Royd was no longer planning to pay any attention to him.
Two days later.
Phibit sat inside the Imperial Palace.
Beside him were the few confidants he had left.
He had personally killed his wife and children, and most of the maids in the palace had long since fled.
In his current predicament, he could truly be considered a solitary figure.
"Royd, my brother." When he saw Royd, surprisingly, he wasnât as hysterical and furious as one might expect.
This made Royd raise an eyebrow, it seemed that his Imperial Brother wasnât completely useless after all. At least in such a situation, he could maintain such composure.
Phibit silently stared at him for a while, then suddenly smiled with a peculiar expression.
"Royd, right now, you must be feeling very pleased with yourself, arenât you?" he said.
Royd did not speak.
Phibit didnât expect an answer, and continued speaking to himself: "Let me tell you, Royd, donât get too pleased. I didnât lose to you, and donât think youâve got everything under control."
"If it werenât for the words of the Goddess of Nature making my people stop supporting me, do you think you could have captured The Imperial City so smoothly?"
"Even if you seize the throne, so what? Nowadays, itâs no longer the era of imperial power. With just one word from that almighty deity, you could fall from your lofty heights to the dust, just like me."
He laughed gleefully, his eyes sparkling, as if he had already seen Roydâs future as miserable as his own.
Royd ignored this remark.
Seeing that Royd was unmoved, Phibit merely gave an indifferent smile.
Blood flowed from his mouth, and he laughed heartily, losing breath while seated high on the throne.
"Your Grace the Duke?" one of the subordinates who followed Royd cautiously asked how to proceed.
Royd withdrew his gaze and said, "Arrange for a proper burial."
While everyone with him cheered and organized the spoils of war, Royd went alone to the Saint Veit Grand Square.
The Temple of the Nature Goddess here was the largest shrine in the entire Lotte Empire.
He passed through numerous devoted believers and walked straight to the back.
Someone was waiting for him there.
"Youâre here?" Gu Shengyin stood in the garden, turned around at the sound of his approach, and seeing him seem unsurprised, smiled and spoke.
Seeing her, Royd felt his chaotic thoughts suddenly calm down.
A force rose from deep within him, prompting him to quicken his pace, reaching the womanâs side in an instant, and with her slightly astonished gaze, he embraced her.
He let out a satisfied sigh, his heart completely at peace.
Gu Shengyin tilted her head, looking at the man rarely showing his vulnerable side, without speaking, quietly waiting for him to recover on his own.
After a long while, Royd released his embrace and looked at Gu Shengyin.
"Phibit is dead, now this empire is ours," he said.
"Bis, do you want this empire?" he asked.
Gu Shengyin suddenly looked up at this man, Royd looked at her openly, with not a hint of reservation in his eyes.
It wasnât a probe, nor a trap, he was sincerely asking her this question.
"If I say I want it, what would you do?" Gu Shengyin raised an eyebrow and asked.