V2: Chapter 179: The Disrupted Plans
Unfortunate news arrived: Octaville had fallen ill and was bedridden after performing the magic.
"Cough, cough, I was indeed a bit anxious, but there was no other way. My priority was to find the traitor quickly. That way, we'd know what Doris was up to, but..."
Lying in bed, Octaville was extremely weak, coughing violently.
"Alright, don't push yourself. The situation is already set in stone."
Hilary helped Octaville cover herself with the blanket and looked out the window. The sky was already turning a pale white; it was dawn. Hilary had a vague premonition that last night was definitely not a peaceful one.
That day, neither Liang Lin nor Liang Di returned to the Langwendi mansion. Everyone stayed in the Magic Tower, anxiously waiting. They all wanted to know what would happen.
But even as the setting sun streamed in through the windows, nothing earth-shattering happened in the palace, nor in the Magic Tower, nor even in Langwendi's residence.
"Eh? That's strange..."
Liang Di stroked her chin, muttering to herself, pacing back and forth on the floor.
"So quiet, that's really unlike Doris."
Liang Di stopped pacing.
"Could it be that nothing has happened yet? Hmm~ That seems to be the only possibility."
The Third Prince, Nicholas, had returned to the palace last night under the cover of darkness. Now, as the stars once again filled the sky, he had returned.
“Has anything happened?”
Nicholas's expression was grave. He shook his head.
“Nothing has happened. The palace is calm, but I don’t think this is Doris’s style. If she can stay away from the Palace for two months, she must be out doing something bad. After she returns, nothing good will happen in the palace.”
Liang Di nodded in agreement.
“Your Highness is right.”
“So what do we do now…”
Liang Lin, who had been largely uninvolved, slowly raised her hand.
“All we can do now is wait and see. Because we have no idea what Doris is planning, we can only observe and see what happens. If something does happen, we’ll deal with it as quickly as possible.”
The air in the room was heavy, but no one could think of any other plan.
A week passed quietly.
Until—
“The King is dead!!!”
“His Majesty the King is dead!!!”
“What?!?”
This news spread throughout the entire kingdom in just one hour.
Liang Di and Liang Lin, being high-ranking nobles, were among the first to receive the news.
When Liang Di heard the news, although she wasn't completely devastated, she immediately felt a headache coming on. She slumped back into her chair, pressing her temples.
This happened too suddenly. She had indeed pressured Doris repeatedly. However, that was only to throw Doris off balance; she hadn't expected Doris to be so decisive, choosing to kill the king directly.
Her plan was to plunge the Soteland Empire into chaos, incite a popular uprising, and then overthrow the current king. As the wealthiest noble, she could then seize the opportunity to install the third prince, Nicholas, on the throne.
But now, everything was somewhat out of her control.
"Huh?"
Liang Lin was also completely bewildered upon hearing the news.
However, unlike Liang Di's reaction, she directly asked, "Old King died so suddenly? I thought he was more resilient than a turtle, but he just died so quietly?"
"Pfft!"
Although Liang Di was heavy-hearted, she was amused by her sister's words.
"So now, whether according to the succession system or according to the will Doris forged herself, every day is about pushing her son to the throne."
"So what do we do now?"
Liang Di slowly uttered a few large words:
"Observe, wait, and see."
It seemed that was the only way.
At the funeral.
The king's skin lost its color, becoming pale and slightly cold. Lividity might have already begun to appear on some parts of his body, the result of blood accumulating under the skin due to gravity after blood circulation stopped. However, in the noble environment of the palace, these signs of natural death would be quickly and meticulously concealed.
The king's clothing remained magnificent, a symbol of his status and position. His garments were carefully arranged to maintain their original dignity and solemnity. The crown, scepter, and other symbols of power were placed beside the body as a tribute to the life of this "great" ruler.
As dawn broke, a faint tinge of sorrow appeared on the horizon, and the entire royal city was gently shrouded in a thin mist, as if nature itself was mourning the lost great soul. Inside and outside the palace, a solemn atmosphere prevailed. Golden sunlight filtered through sparse clouds, illuminating the meticulously arranged funeral site, adding a touch of sanctity and solemnity to this solemn moment.
Liang Lin, however, wanted to laugh. She felt that the king placed in the coffin resembled a clumsy snail without a shell.
The funeral ceremony was held in the square in front of the palace, where a tall altar was erected in the center. The altar was covered with pristine white silk, and in the center lay the king's coffin, draped with the royal insignia, symbolizing the glory and splendor of his life.
Around the coffin, countless flowers and candles were placed, their fragrance and light intertwining to create an atmosphere both sorrowful and warm.
The royal guards, dressed in neat uniforms and carrying spears and shields, circled the altar, their expressions solemn and resolute, guarding this "great" monarch on his final journey. Meanwhile, nobles and lesser nobles, dressed in mourning attire and holding flowers, stood silently around the square, their eyes filled with tears, their hearts overflowing with endless remembrance and respect for the king (perhaps feigned).
As a melodious bell rang, the funeral ceremony officially began.
The royal priest ascended the altar, Bible in hand, and began a solemn prayer. His voice was deep and powerful, every word filled with mourning for the deceased and reverence for life. The surrounding crowd bowed their heads in silent tribute, the entire square shrouded in stillness.
Liang Lin almost burst out laughing. She nudged Liang Di beside her with her elbow, and Liang Di made a "shh" gesture before looking at Doris not far away.
Afterwards, the king's relatives and high-ranking nobles ascended the altar one by one to offer their final respects to the king's coffin. Some knelt on the ground, tears streaming down their faces. Others clasped their hands tightly, heads bowed in deep thought.
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