Chapter 980: Alternate Timeline: 213 years of imprisonment

Courtroom, Imperial Palace;

Evening had already settled over the Imperial Palace by the time the summons reached the courtroom.

Outside, the final traces of sunlight were disappearing beyond the horizon, while inside the grand courtroom, countless spirit lamps burned silently along the towering pillars, their pale golden light falling upon rows of officials whose expressions remained tense and restrained.

The atmosphere felt heavy.

Too heavy to the point that no one dared to speak.

The Crown Prince stood on one side.

The Second Prince stood nearby.

Five ministers.

Supreme Commander Xander Cross.

Grand Secretariat Eamor.

Several high officials.

All of them had been summoned.

And every single one of them already knew why.

No one was foolish enough to speak first while Emperor Alexander sat upon the throne with such visible fury darkening his face.

The pressure filling the courtroom was almost physical, like storm clouds pressing down upon everyone’s shoulders.

Then, finally, the sound of dragging chains echoed from outside the hall.

Clang.

Clang.

Clang.

The noise grew closer slowly, scraping against the nerves of everyone present.

Soon, guards entered the courtroom while escorting a prisoner bound in heavy chains.

Wester Silver.

Despite the situation, his appearance still carried traces of dignity because of the expensive robes draped over his body, though the trembling in his expression ruined any illusion of composure he tried to maintain.

Fear had already seeped deep into his bones.

The moment he reached the center of the courtroom, Wester Silver immediately collapsed onto his knees.

The cold marble floor struck his legs hard enough to hurt, but he no longer cared.

"Your Majesty, please show mercy," he begged hurriedly while lowering his head. "I know I was wrong. Please... please give me one chance to redeem myself."

His voice shook badly.

The fear inside him was no longer something he could hide.

But the Emperor’s expression only became colder.

Slowly, Emperor Alexander rose from his throne.

His robes swayed behind him heavily as his eyes locked onto Wester Silver.

"Mercy?" the Emperor’s voice exploded across the courtroom like a clap of lightning.

"Do you even deserve mercy, Wester Silver?"

Wester Silver flinched violently.

"You ask for one chance as though Heaven itself wronged you," the Emperor continued, fury burning openly within his eyes, "but did you think I was unaware of your actions all these years?"

The Emperor descended one step from the throne platform. His storage ring on his index finger gleamed for a second as his ether passed into the ring, and then what seemed like a notebook materialized in his hands.

He immediately threw it at the kneeling Noble. The book struck Wester, who didn’t dare to dodge it. It fell to the floor with a dull thud.

His eyes widened, staring at the insignia of House Silver on the top of that notebook. It is his ledger.

"Wester Silver, for the past twenty-four years, you embezzled more than six hundred thousand gold coins from the Ministry of Public Works."

"This is your first crime."

Wester Silver’s breathing became uneven, and cold sweat slid down the side of his face.

Then the storage ring gleamed once again, and this time, a parchment materialized in the hands of the Emperor as he took another step forward.

"This parchment contains the statement from your house members, with their signatures. You locked your own son away and attempted to force him into a matrilocal marriage."

A father absolutely has the right to marry off his daughter, for wealth, politics, peace, or whatever reasons. But no father has the absolute right to marry off his heir against his consent, and that too as a matrilocal son-in-law. Do I need to remind you that a son carries the lineage of your house? The Entire House has the right to interfere."

"This is your second crime."

He threw it, which slid down through the floor and landed exactly at Wester’s knees.

"When he escaped through his own efforts, you lied to the throne and claimed he was abducted."

"This is your third crime."

Wester’s fingers trembled against the floor.

The Emperor’s voice no longer sounded merely angry.

It sounded disappointed.

That somehow hurt even more.

"After Arceus Silver returned safely to the manor on his own volition, you attempted to kill him in order to preserve your false pride and disguise the act as suicide. It’s your own son, your heir... that you tried to kill."

"This is your fourth crime."

Several officials quietly lowered their heads.

Even among nobles, such an act was disgraceful.

Then the Emperor’s expression darkened further.

"And because your hatred toward Kiara consumed your mind entirely, you lost not only your intelligence, but even the values expected from a human being."

"You smuggled elders of the Church of Doom, a forbidden organization, directly into the Imperial City."

"This is your fifth crime."

The temperature inside the hall seemed to drop.

"You colluded with those same elders and attempted murder in broad daylight."

"This is your sixth crime."

The Emperor stared at him silently for a few seconds.

"And evidence for every single crime has already been submitted before this court."

His voice lowered slightly.

Yet somehow became even more terrifying.

"So tell me, Wester Silver... Do you still think you deserve mercy?"

Wester Silver’s mind turned blank.

His thoughts became chaotic.

Only a few hours had passed since he was arrested, and the Emperor already had the evidence.

How could his own relatives turn against him, the moment he lost the battle?

No... they wouldn’t.

The Emperor must have forced them to be out with the truth. He must have sent the second prince to do it, because Xander wouldn’t do that to me.

His breathing became ragged.

Fear swallowed him whole.

He immediately lowered his head again and pleaded aloud, "Forgive me, Your Majesty! Please show mercy!"

But Emperor Alexander no longer looked moved.

Not even slightly.

Instead, he turned toward the Crown Prince.

"Darius Phoenix, state the punishment according to the law. Now..."

The Crown Prince stepped forward respectfully.

His expression remained calm, though inwardly he understood clearly that the Emperor had already made up his mind.

There would be no mercy tonight.

Definitely not after Kiara showed the capability of killing 8-star experts with ease.

Darius knew that while his father was somewhat of a righteous ruler, he was more of a coward and always tried to please individuals who were 7-star and higher rank experts.

Darius was sure that if Kiara had been killed today and Arceus had been taken back to House Silver, this Emperor wouldn’t hesitate to turn a blind eye.

"Embezzlement of imperial funds," Darius began steadily after taking a long breath, "thirty-five years imprisonment."

"Domestic abuse toward children: three years."

"Lying to the Emperor in person, because of nobility: Ninety-eight years."

"Attempted murder of kin: fourteen years."

"Collaboration with a forbidden organization and terrorism against the Empire... capital punishment with the death penalty or fifty-six years imprisonment. The Emperor shall decide on it."

"Attempted murder of a civilian: seven years."

He paused briefly before lowering his head respectfully.

"Total punishment: either 213 years imprisonment or execution, Your Majesty."

Silence followed.

Heavy silence.

Everyone present understood what such a sentence truly meant.

A seven-star Spirit Warrior could theoretically survive beyond two hundred fifty years.

In theory, Wester Silver could endure the sentence.

In reality...

The Black Citadel prison broke people long before time ever could.

Even powerful cultivators eventually lost their minds there.

Wester Silver’s face lost all color.

His body shook visibly.

For a moment, instinct screamed at him to flee.

But his ether energy had already been sealed.

A suppression seal weakened even his physical strength to the level of a low-circle cultivator.

He could not escape.

Not anymore.

"No... no..."

Panic finally consumed him completely.

"Your Majesty, please!"

"Cousin, help me!"

"Brother Storm, please help me!"

Words poured out frantically from his mouth without order or dignity.

"My ancestors served the throne loyally!"

"I never intended betrayal!"

"It was because of that cursed woman!"

"That commoner brings disaster to the Empire!"

"She had to die!"

"I was loyal only to the throne!"

"Please show mercy!"

Even now...

Even standing at the edge of destruction...

He still could not let go of his hatred toward Kiara.

That bitterness had rooted itself too deeply inside him.

And the Emperor saw it clearly.

The disappointment in Alexander’s eyes deepened.

Slowly, he raised his hand.

The guards immediately stepped forward.

Wester Silver struggled desperately as they dragged him away, chains scraping loudly against the floor while his pleading voice echoed through the courtroom in increasingly broken tones.

Some officials watched coldly.

Some secretly enjoyed the downfall.

Others felt fear crawl into their hearts.

Because tonight proved one thing clearly.

The Emperor is firmly on the side of Kiara. Even if Kiara forgives her enemies, the Emperor wouldn’t likely to forgive.

Once Wester Silver disappeared from sight, the Emperor slowly returned to his throne.

The irritation on his face remained obvious.

"Grand Secretariat Eamor."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Send official notice to House Silver."

"Wester Silver is permanently removed from his position as Minister of Public Works. His nobility is stripped as of now and reduced to commoner status. Even if, for some reason, my successors release him, his nobility cannot be restored."

"House Silver must appoint a formal head within three days and officially take the office in ten days. "

Eamor bowed immediately.

"As you command."

The Emperor continued calmly.

"According to imperial law, all personal properties in the name of Wester Silver shall be confiscated except for his current residence."

"That residence will be transferred under his wife’s ownership. That means no one can stay in that residence without her permission. And she will continue to receive the standard pension granted to a retired Lieutenant General. The Imperial Court will not punish her for her husband’s crimes."

Several officials exchanged glances silently.

In truth...

The Emperor was actually doing a favor, because she is Arceus’ mother, aka Kiara’s mother-in-law, not because she is Wester’s wife.

After all, it is common for families of traitors to be exiled from the city.

Sometimes they will be exiled from the Empire itself.

But because of Kiara, Alexander had chosen restraint.

After concluding the matter, the Emperor dismissed the court entirely.

He looked exhausted.

Older somehow.

That evening, he did not eat dinner.

He simply returned to his chambers alone.

As Emperor, he had every reason to feel furious.

But as a friend who used to spend a lot of time with Wester since childhood...

The pain remained.

Lying upon his bed later that night, Alexander stared quietly at the ceiling while memories surfaced one after another.

Training together.

Laughing together.

Sharing meals.

Sparring as young men without worries.

A long sigh escaped his lips in the end.

"You fool..."