According to Luzurus's speculation, given Nasubi's ruthless and decisive nature, it was only a matter of time before he made his move.
Sure enough, Luzurus didn't have to wait long. As he continued to watch the scene unfold, he saw the expressionless Nasubi read a note, then wordlessly slip it into his pocket.
Without hesitation, he summoned the chief steward, Nugui, whispered a few instructions, and promptly left the banquet hall.
His sudden departure did not go unnoticed.
As the host, King Nasubi should've stayed until the end to see the guests off. Leaving the dinner midway like this caused quite a stir and left many puzzled.
The other princes, who had been closely monitoring Nasubi's every move, were deep in thought.
Even though Chief Steward Nugui stood on the high platform and announced that Nasubi had left early due to a bout of discomfort, none of them truly believed it.
Instead, whispers and speculation began to stir beneath the surface.
...
After making the announcement, Nugui casually made his way to the third prince, Zhang Lei.
"His Majesty, the King, requests your presence in his chambers, Your Highness."
"Father's looking for me?"
Zhang Lei was a little confused but didn't think too much of it.
He never once considered the possibility that his secret might be exposed. After all, only three people knew the truth: himself, his real father—the head of the Xi-Yu family—and his mother, the third queen.
They had hidden the truth for years without issue. That secrecy, along with the smooth completion of his Egg Ceremony for the succession battle, had eased his doubts long ago. Nothing had gone wrong—no irregularities at all.
By the time the ritual ended, even the last shred of fear in his heart had disappeared.
So when Nasubi summoned him, Zhang Lei didn't overthink it. He followed Nugui toward the King's chambers with only a flicker of unease.
...
The other princes observed Zhang Lei's departure, but without knowing the context, they kept their thoughts to themselves.
Only Princess Oito and the twelfth prince, Momoze—who was holding the fourteenth prince—showed visible signs of tension.
Prince Kacho and Prince Tyson were busy putting on a performance as part of the dinner entertainment. They, along with the seventh prince, Luzurus, were among the few who had been tipped off by Ronnel.
Ronnel had told them one thing clearly: the third prince, Zhang Lei, would be called away tonight by Nasubi—and he would not be coming back.
He hadn't shared anything about the green light or the specific method. With so many ears around, he'd kept it vague.
But now, everything Ronnel had said was unfolding exactly as predicted. Zhang Lei had been summoned.
Which meant…
"Is it true... that the Third Prince won't return?"
A heavy silence fell over the group.
If even Zhang Lei couldn't escape his fate, then what chance did the rest of them have?
Fear began to creep into their hearts. But that fear quickly gave way to numb acceptance.
What was the point of overthinking? If their abilities weren't even on par with Zhang Lei's, then when the tide came crashing down, they'd have no power to resist it.
At this point, their only hope for survival was to quietly follow the guidance of the mysterious bodyguard. Perhaps then, they might stand a chance.
...
As the others were lost in thought, one of the princes quietly approached Luzurus in a corner of the hall.
"Seventh Prince," Camilla said, "what exactly did you show His Majesty? Why did he leave and call Zhang Lei away?"
Plenty of people had noticed the moment Luzurus handed Nasubi that note. The King's expression had clearly changed, and then he'd abruptly left the table. It was obvious the note had triggered everything.
"I don't owe you an explanation~"
Luzurus gave Camilla a sidelong glance, his tone dismissive, his gaze full of disdain.
"You'll find out soon enough~"
Without another word, he turned and walked off, leaving Camilla standing there fuming.
Seeing her stonewalled, the other princes thought better of poking the bear. No one else dared to ask.
...
So we'll all know soon, huh?Interesting...
In this succession war, patience was a virtue.
The princes quietly resigned themselves to waiting.
...
And that wait continued until the following day.
When they opened their eyes the next morning, the first piece of news they received was explosive:
The third prince, Zhang Lei, had been summoned by King Nasubi the night before to discuss official matters. However, during the conversation, he had allegedly insulted the ancestors of the Kakin Empire and even the King himself.
Infuriated, the King had him executed on the spot.
There was no trial. No night in captivity. Just an immediate, ruthless execution.
Afterward, Nasubi sent photos of Zhang Lei's body to every royal chamber.
A gruesome message to the entire royal family:
Anyone who dares insult the ancestors of the Kakin Empire will face the same fate.
Zhang Lei's corpse was placed into one of the fourteen coffins alongside the body of the eighth prince, Salé-salé.
Panic swept through the palace.
Many princesses and even some of the princes were terrified. No one could understand why Nasubi had done something so extreme, so suddenly.
Only Luzurus, who knew the whole story, sighed quietly to himself.
When he received the photo of Zhang Lei's body—his face frozen in death, mouth open as if still mid-sentence—there was a strange sense of sorrow.
"Insulting the ancestors... Tsk. That's the charge?"
Luzurus didn't know what to make of it.
Nasubi had ignored Halkenburg's assassination attempt not long ago.
But now? Zhang Lei was killed for some words?
In most countries, insulting the ancestors might be serious, sure—but this was the Kakin Empire. A place where kings were raised through cruel training.
Ha...
...
"Zhang Lei really did insult both Nasubi and the ancestors," came Ronnel's voice, whispering in Luzurus's ear.
Ronnel knew exactly what had gone down in the King's chambers last night.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)