The Third Prince Of Darkness

Kayle hugged me for a while before letting me go and stepping back. When I noticed Ellera standing behind him, I was surprised at first. After seeing me, she looked a bit embarrassed—yes, Ellera, the woman often called emotionless, was embarrassed. I could tell from her body language that she was debating whether to embrace me or not. Smiling, I opened my arms as I walked toward her and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Seeing you here is a pleasant surprise," I whispered.

Ellera hugged me tightly. Although I couldn't fully comprehend it, I think she kissed my chest. The thick clothing I wore muffled the sensation of her kiss, but I could clearly feel her rapid heartbeat. Somehow, the idea that this stone-hearted woman could feel such emotions made me smile. As I stroked her black hair, I pulled back slightly. Continue your journey with empire

"How did you two receive my letter? It should've taken at least another month to reach you."

Ellera turned to Kayle in response to my question.

"We just learned that you sent a letter. Nothing reached us. We were getting updates on the war's status from Evangeline. According to her, the information came from the Servant Guild. The moment we heard the war was over, we teleported here."n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

I nodded at her explanation. I hadn't realized the Servant Guild had connections even within the academy.

"Wait, has anyone else come here besides you two?" I asked.

"Yes. Evangeline, Catherine, and Roxanne are just outside the capital. They're trying to enter without drawing any attention. Oh, and before you ask—yes, your people probed into Anna—or rather, Roxanne, a bit. Eventually, they realized there was something unusual about her and discovered she had been hiding her true identity. Afterward, Roxanne explained everything to us from the beginning. Or rather, only the part about why she hid hee identity."

"I see."

I sighed, hoping Roxanne hadn't been too distressed by the experience. It must have been difficult for her. Lost in thought, Kayle's cough startled me. When I turned to him, I saw that he was gesturing toward the door with his eyes. Releasing Ellera, I approached the door and noticed a silver-haired woman standing just beside it with her back turned. It took me a few seconds to recognize her.

"Violet... Why are you standing here instead of coming inside?"

At the sound of my voice, Violet flinched, and her body trembled with fear. When she turned to face me, her tear-filled eyes met mine. Her lips and legs quivered, and she looked like a little girl being scolded by her parents after doing something wrong.

"Vioet, calm down. If there's something you want to say, I'm here to listen," I said softly, trying to keep my voice as gentle as possible as I approached her. But Violet didn't move. Her gaze remained fixed on the floor, and it was clear she was struggling not to cry.

Normally, Violet seemed cheerful and full of life, but now she appeared fragile and defenseless. I took another step closer and lightly touched her shoulder.

"Violet, did something happen?" I asked.

She raised her head slightly and spoke in a trembling voice.

"I… I just… I'm sorry, Ethan," she said, then paused. "I don't know what to say… You were right. I should never have talked to that man… I'm sorry."

Her last words were barely audible. She genuinely looked sorrowful and remorseful. I pulled her close and patted her back. At that, she began to cry audibly.

"It's okay... Violet. You shouldn't blame yourself so much for what happened in the past," I said softly.

My words did little to comfort her. Violet's crying intensified, and her tears fell onto my chest as her shoulders shook. I continued to rub her back and spoke gently.

"I-I will never... I will never do anything you disapprove of again... So please forgive me, brother."

As Violet's sobbing continued, the door to the back corridor opened, and Luciana and Isabella entered. They seemed quite surprised to see us in this state.

"Violet, you're just a young girl. You can't be expected to understand everything right away. Don't be so hard on yourself… Besides, you now realize how terrible Alpshar truly is, don't you?" I said. After those words, I gently lifted her chin to make her look at me.

Through her tears, Violet met my gaze. Fear and guilt still lingered in her eyes, but the small gesture seemed to steady her a little. She nodded slightly, but remained silent.

Luciana came over and looked at me dumbfounded and quickly realized that Violet had done something wrong. But I stopped her with my hand

"Now isn't the time, Mom. Violet, go take a nice shower and relax. If you feel like talking afterward, have a chat with mom. Okay?"

Hearing my words, Violet tried to wipe away her tears. She gave a slight nod but still couldn't bring herself to speak. I lightly guided her toward the exit. She left the room silently; her steps were slow and hesitant.

Luciana's eyes followed Violet with visible concern on her face. Isabella, on the other hand, quietly stepped forward and scrutinized me.

"Ethan, what happened here?" Isabella asked in her usual calm yet curious tone.

Taking a deep breath, I turned around and thought for a moment before replying.

"Alpshar. Before the war started, Alpshar tried to manipulate Violet by proposing marriage to her. Violet believed that this marriage would benefit me and our family. Thankfully, she now understands how serious this was, but she's started blaming herself. For now, everything is under control."

Luciana's expression quickly shifted from worry to anger. She took a few steps after Violet but stopped, took a deep breath, and turned back to me.

"This... How could she not have understood... What was she thinking?!" she said, her voice trembling slightly, though her eyes radiated maternal strength and compassion. "I'll talk to her... I need to know what's on her mind."

"Of course, talk to her, Luciana," I said. "But not now. Violet needs some time to rest. Pushing her too soon won't help."

Luciana nodded in understanding. Her gaze once again drifted to the door, but she took a deep breath and stayed where she was.

Isabella, however, continued looking at me. "Did you know that Alpshar tried to manipulate Violet?" she asked, her tone filled with curiosity and a hint of restrained anger.

"Yes, and I told Violet not to meet with him again, but she didn't listen. She even argued with me about it," I replied.

Isabella frowned and tilted her head slightly, as if deep in thought. After a moment, she let out a sigh.

"In that case, it's natural for Violet to feel so guilty," she said. "But what's important now is rebuilding her trust in you. If she didn't listen to you, it could be a sign—not just of Alpshar's manipulation—but that your bond with her might have weakened slightly."

Luciana interjected, her voice soft but firm. "Ethan, Violet, not listening to you may have been a mistake, but it doesn't mean your bond with her is weak. She's just a young stupid girl, and sometimes, she insists on making her own decisions. That's why you need to show her more patience. Violet is only a naïve young girl... And Her innocence is my fault."

"Don't worry, Mother. I'll talk to her and resolve the issue between us. Anyway. there's a woman inside who's important to Kayle and me. Please take care of them. I'll head out to bring the other girls."

Isabella looked surprised for a moment but quickly walked over to Kayle, who stood at the door with a broad smile. As they embraced, I leaned over and placed a lingering kiss on Luciana's cheek before making my exit.

Luciana blushed faintly, and I left the room. Walking through the grand palace corridors, I made my way outside. A carriage was promptly prepared for me, accompanied by a dozen trusted guards. We departed the palace and set out.

Evangeline and Catherine were heirs to two different empires. If news reached the Tiamat Empire that Catherine was by my side, Emperor might even declare war. Similarly, Evangeline's brother—the current emperor of the Tamerid Empire—would likely wish for her demise. In fact, the likelihood of the Tamerid Empire declaring war was even greater.

For these reasons, I needed to smuggle them into the palace as discreetly as possible. Thankfully, I had brought some materials for their disguises.

As for Roxanne, no one could touch her while I was around. Though she was a criminal on the red list, I could easily declare her innocent as a king.

Our carriage passed through the city walls and soon spotted a faint wisp of smoke rising from a nearby campsite. I ordered the driver to approach.

Near the camp, I instructed the guards to stay back, stepping out of the carriage and driving it myself to avoid attention. Upon reaching the camp, I stopped the carriage and cautiously approached the area.

The campsite was modest, with a few small tents and a fire around which a group of women sat. Evangeline and Catherine straightened slightly upon noticing me. Roxanne, however, was sitting with her head bowed, staring into the fire.

When Evangeline saw me, her eyes lit up, and she immediately stood.

"Ethan, you're finally here," she said softly, her voice carrying a sense of relief. She quickly came over to me and continued with a serious expression. "I hope no one noticed you on your way here. We're being extremely careful, but the risk is still there."

"No one noticed us," I assured her, scanning the surroundings. My eyes met Catherine's. She gave me a faint smile but remained silent. Her unusually quiet demeanor showed that she was taking the situation seriously, a stark contrast to her usual cheerful and playful self.

At that moment, Roxanne suddenly stood, tears streaming down her face. She walked toward me and threw herself into my arms, clinging tightly to me.

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