That evening, Prince Ethan visited Emperor Alexander as usual, but this time he brought several high-ranking ministers with him.
Lately, Prince Ethan had made a point to visit Emperor Alexander every night, his filial devotion visible to all. In contrast, Damien Gray seemed utterly bewitched by the Enchantress Consort, spending all his time with Morgan Shangguan and never once visiting the emperor. The ministers had lost hope in him; in their hearts, the future ruler was already decided—Prince Ethan.
Given Emperor Alexander’s current condition, issuing an imperial edict was impossible. If Prince Ethan suddenly produced such an edict, it would only arouse suspicion. So he brought the ministers as witnesses. Uncertain of Damien Gray’s intentions, Ethan felt increasingly uneasy. He had to settle the matter quickly before things spiraled out of control.
Inside the royal bedchamber, Prince Ethan looked at Emperor Alexander and asked, "Father, are you feeling any better?"
Emperor Alexander gazed at him but could not speak. After the ministers paid their respects, one of them spoke up, "Your Majesty, the kingdom cannot go a day without a ruler. Though the Azure Crown Prince is under house arrest, no one knows what the Azure Emperor is plotting. Silvermoon must not fall into disorder! We propose appointing a new monarch, so Your Majesty can focus on recovery. The Crown Prince is no longer a viable candidate, and in these troubled days, all affairs have fallen to Prince Ethan. We have all witnessed his capabilities. If Prince Ethan ascends the throne, we are wholeheartedly convinced, and Your Majesty may rest assured!"
Emperor Alexander felt a wave of helplessness. For years, he had controlled every aspect of the kingdom, yet now, because of his own schemes, he found himself in this predicament. How could he possibly cling to the throne in his current state? Glancing at Prince Ethan, Alexander felt a measure of relief—Ethan truly was outstanding.
Seeing the comfort in Emperor Alexander’s eyes, the minister asked, "Does Your Majesty agree?"
Emperor Alexander blinked, signaling his consent. Though he was loath to relinquish power, in his current state, could he really obstruct Prince Ethan’s ascension? He would never allow Silvermoon to fall into the hands of Azure.
With Emperor Alexander’s approval, the ministers withdrew to prepare for the Coronation Ceremony. As always, the kingdom could not go a day without a ruler; the sooner the coronation was held, the sooner the people could be at ease.
Suddenly, Prince Ethan frowned and said in a deep voice, "Show yourself!"
Sophie Qiu stepped forward, smiling as she said, "Congratulations, Prince Ethan!"
Prince Ethan glanced at Emperor Alexander. Seeing this, Sophie Qiu laughed, "That poison—Damien Gray got it from the Ghost Guild. There’s no antidote, but perhaps someone from the Healer’s Sanctuary might have a way!"
Upon hearing this, Emperor Alexander grew agitated, uncertain whether he understood something new or was simply reacting to the hope of rescue.
Sophie Qiu cast him a sidelong glance and continued, "However, neither Prince Ethan nor I will ask the Healer’s Sanctuary for help, so..."
Prince Ethan snorted coldly, "Don’t forget about Damien Gray!"
At the mention of Damien Gray, Sophie Qiu frowned, then smiled, "Do you really think Damien Gray would save him? Even if he did, Emperor Alexander wouldn’t be grateful. He’d still fear him because of the rumors about the demonic child. Damien Gray isn’t foolish enough to do something so thankless!"
Prince Ethan couldn’t help but frown. What if Damien Gray wanted to use Emperor Alexander to eliminate him? He had thought Sophie Qiu was clever, but she was proving to be far too self-assured.
In truth, Sophie Qiu’s brazen confidence was entirely due to the Ghostmaster! Since the Ghostmaster had promised Prince Ethan would ascend the throne, she believed it would happen. If the Ghost Guild wanted to destroy the Healer’s Sanctuary, it would be no great feat—let alone merely preventing them from saving someone. And the Celestial Maiden Sect wasn’t powerless either!
Emperor Alexander’s breathing grew rapid, his eyes glaring at them fiercely. He finally understood why his careful plans had failed—Sophie Qiu had betrayed him, conspiring with the son he admired most!
Seeing his expression, Sophie Qiu gave a gentle smile and said, "Your Majesty, you can’t blame me. I have my own ambitions, but you cannot give me what I want. Birds choose the best trees to nest in—I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong."
Prince Ethan frowned and said coldly, "You’d better restrain yourself. I don’t want everything to fall apart at the last moment!"
With those words, he swept his sleeves and left. Sophie Qiu watched his retreating figure and smiled, thinking of his future misery. She couldn’t be bothered to argue with him. In the end, her success was thanks to his offense against the Ghostmaster!
Watching Sophie Qiu leave with a smile, Emperor Alexander’s face flushed with anger. Sophie Qiu had been his most trusted subordinate, Prince Ethan his most admired son—yet the two of them had joined forces to destroy him. And just moments ago, he had agreed to pass the throne to Prince Ethan!
"Heh... Are you satisfied?" Morgan Shangguan cast a gentle glance at Damien Gray.
Damien Gray curled his lips. "Not bad!" Everything was unfolding just as he had anticipated.
Emperor Alexander looked at the two who had suddenly appeared. His lips trembled as if he wanted to speak, but no words came. He had thought he controlled everything, but now realized everyone—Prince Ethan, Sophie Qiu, Damien Gray, and Morgan Shangguan—had slipped beyond his grasp.
It felt as if he had suddenly discovered he was a complete fool, played for a pawn yet thinking himself clever. The blow to his pride as ruler was unprecedented.
Morgan Shangguan looked calmly at Emperor Alexander, holding Damien Gray’s hand. She asked softly, "You truly won’t save him?"
Damien Gray smiled and gazed deeply at Emperor Alexander. "Why should I?" He pulled Morgan Shangguan into his embrace, his voice gentle: "Princess Consort, don’t worry about me." To him, Alexander was nothing more than a self-important man who had tried to control him.
Morgan Shangguan kissed him lightly at the corner of his lips and laughed softly, "I trust you!" So she wasn’t worried. Still...
She had never possessed it, so there was nothing to lose—she knew this, yet her heart still ached a little.
Damien Gray looked at her, his eyes softening as he smiled. "Let’s just sit back and enjoy the show. The day Prince Ethan is crowned—the real drama begins!"