Chapter 47: Role Reversal

Two minutes ago.

Simon stood outside the door, bored.

To be honest, the soundproofing of this private room was strangely good—he couldn’t hear a single word of what Alexia and Belinda were saying inside.

As he was pondering the possible outcomes of Belinda’s meeting with Alexia, the voice of the Blood Knight giving a warning echoed from the other end of the corridor.

Immediately after came the sound of metal clashing.

“Captain!”

A roar came from that direction, and even Simon, slow to react as he might be, realized something was wrong.

He drew his longsword and turned his gaze in that direction.

A few seconds later, a group of people who looked like attendants came rushing from the far end.

They ran towards him mechanically, their eyes void of any light, never blinking.

There wasn’t a hint of a living aura—just like Puppets manipulated by someone.

When the leader reached him, Simon swung his sword.

The sensation of cutting through their body wasn’t like striking a human at all; it was more like slicing silk or snapping a tightly stretched thread.

Even the blood that seeped from their bodies was pitifully little—not like before, when decapitation would send streams of blood spraying out.

The corpse fell to the ground without a sound.

Simon swung his sword, blocking them from approaching the private room as he tried to figure out just what these people were.

It was obvious they weren’t real humans, and their faces were all unfamiliar to him.

The day before the birthday banquet, he’d quickly reviewed the list of attendees.

Even if he had skimmed it too fast and might have forgotten a few, he should at least have some vague impression.

But looking at their faces now, nothing came to mind.

So, here was the problem: where had this group come from?

Since the number of people who had broken through the Blood Knight wasn’t many, and Simon dispatched them with ease, it didn’t take long.

After dealing with the last one, Simon pushed open the door to the private room and spoke to Alexia.

But he didn’t expect Alexia to refuse him outright.

“You want me to stay here? Wait safely until it’s all over?”

Alexia sneered coldly.

“What are they supposed to be? A group of treasonous rebels, and I, the Empress, am supposed to avoid them?! There’s no such logic in the Empire!”

Others avoided her wrath and feared her—there was nothing she herself was afraid of.

Her will was the will of the Empire.

If she took a step back, it meant the Empire had retreated a great distance.

So there was simply no option to hide.

Moreover, in the current situation, she had to return to the throne in the Grand Hall no matter what.

Because that was the heart of the entire Empire, the center of the Imperial Capital, and the core of all the magic arrays.

Every magic array in the Imperial Capital required access through there to operate, and only the reigning Emperor held the authority to activate them.

If she didn’t do it, then no one could.

Even if Simon returned, it would be useless.

Alexia raised her hand and opened a portal leading back to the royal city.

The situation was urgent; she had no time to hide anything.

Belinda stood to the side, stunned, staring at the domineering Alexia before her, as if she finally understood why the Empress of the Empire was her.

In this aspect, Alexia was indeed a qualified Empress.

Belinda wondered if, in her place, she would dare to go forward even knowing there was danger ahead.

Simon walked to the portal.

“If Her Majesty the Empress refuses to hide, then I’ll fight by your side.”

He was definitely going to be the first to enter and scout, since the situation in the Grand Hall was still unknown.

Even if Alexia had magical protection, in terms of physical strength, she couldn’t compare to him.

“Oh, right. I almost forgot about you.”

Alexia glanced at Belinda.

“Today’s conversation was pleasant, though too brief. We’ll meet again in the future.”

She turned to Simon.

“Simon, summon your dragon and leave it to keep Belinda company.”

Simon tapped his armor three times as before, then sheathed his longsword and handed it to Belinda.

“It doesn’t matter if you can’t draw it. As long as Chimera sees you holding this sword when it appears, it will protect you.”

He turned away, spatial ripples of teleportation appearing in his hand.

In the next moment, the outline of a greatsword and massive shield gradually materialized.

Without hesitation, Simon stepped into the portal.

Alexia paused for a few seconds, then followed him in.

—

Simon passed through the portal and didn’t encounter any attacks.

But when he stood on the platform, looking down from the throne, his expression grew heavy.

Because he saw someone unexpected—or to be more precise, a dead soul.

The previous Emperor of the Empire, Alexia’s father, the former king Terrence, whom he had killed on the throne.

Terrence was surrounded by royal guards he had once slain.

The soul fire burned fiercely in his hollow eyes, as if resenting his killer.

Alexia, who followed right after, was stunned the moment she saw Terrence.

She stared in disbelief at that familiar, weathered face.

“This…this, how can it be!”

The person she least wished to see now stood before her, in a form she could not accept.

To become undead meant losing the right to reincarnate—forever trapped in one’s past body until fading into a lonely, wandering spirit.

It was similar to what happened with Elma, except she was now free.

But Terrence was clearly still under the control of a Necromancer; otherwise, there was no way to explain how he had become undead.

Such a situation was utterly unacceptable for the Loyne Royal Family.

Especially for Alexia.

“Alexia…”

Terrence looked up at her, the soul fire flickering in his eyes.

Each word from his lips was torment to Alexia.

Yes, she had seized the throne through patricide, but that did not mean she had no respect or affection for Terrence.

No matter how many wrongs Terrence had committed, he was still her father, and she could not deny the prosperity he had once brought to the Empire.

What she could not accept was Terrence being turned into undead, unable to find peace.

Tears slid down Alexia’s cheeks.

Yet she could not utter a single word.

She turned away and sat down on the throne.

“Simon, don’t let them approach me.”

But now was not the time for father and daughter.

She had to fulfill her duty as Empress, activating the Empire’s magic arrays.

Simon raised his sword and shield and walked down the steps.

“Of course, Your Majesty. Not a single one will get past me.”

Just like before, he faced the royal guards alone.

Only now, their roles had reversed.

He had become the guardian beneath the throne, and they the usurpers storming it.