The Conquerors Path

Third Person POV:

"So you want me to rip off Olivia's status without even knowing that she's dead?"

Claus the Emperor asked as he sat on his throne, beside him sat Lora her eyes cold and deadly, her blue hair was neatly arranged in a bun, while her blue eyes looked down at everything, no one can tell what was going through her mind, even since she heard of Olivia's disappearance Lora hadn't spoken about much,

"Yes, what's wrong with it?"

A handsome blonde-haired man spoke, surrounding him were three other men, while standing behind them were two beautiful women that had the bearing of queens, their expression was serious as they looked at their husband,

"Since, when have I needed anyone to tell me what to do?"

Claus spoke as his aura started to suppress the people in front of him, only his wives felt a light breeze,

"Husband what's wrong with what Ashton asked?"

A beautiful woman with black hair and eyes spoke, Friya, the mother of Ashton and Zeek, spoke, they were the first and third princes respectfully,

"Sigh...don't you all know why? Olivia is born to be a ruler, no one can stop that"_{pᴀɴᴅᴀ-ɴOᴠᴇʟ.ᴄᴏᴍ}

Claus said with a disappointed sigh, his gaze focusing on his three sons, a complex light passing through his eyes,

"Children, I know that I had promised a great battle among the three of you for the throne but Olivia being the next ruler is indispensable, in return have I not turned my head away for all the things you have tried to do?"

Claus asked his eyes narrowing, while the pressure coming from him increased by seconds, Ashton the firstborn resisted,

"Emperor are you truly unwilling even if you got to know that Olivia is dead?"

"If she is truly dead, then, of course, things will change but till I have seen her corpse none of you will ask for the seat of Emperor, got it?"

Claus's eyes narrowed at his last words, just then the door to the throne room opened as Grace walked in, right now she looked more like a refined princess as she walked to the center of the throne room,

"Looks like you have it tough your majesty"

Grace spoke as her eyes traveled through all that had gathered here, seeing Grace, Claus could only smile wryly as he spoke,

"Well, things have indeed been pretty hectic"_{pᴀɴᴅᴀ ɴ0ᴠᴇʟ}

"Well, it would seem that I would have to make it more hectic"

Saying so Grace waved her hands as the door to the throne room opened again as Austin started to walk in, seeing him everyone's eyes widened except for Claus, as he had gotten the information that Austin had arrived, the three princes and their mothers had their eyes widen with disbelief and a hint of killing intent passed through their eyes.

Meanwhile, Lora looked the same but if one were to focus on her, they would have been able to see that her eyes lit up like stars the moment her gaze landed on Austin,

"Tell me Austin, where is Olivia?"

Claus asked his voice not so kind as he gazed upon Austin but he hid it as he spoke to Austin with the tone of a father who worried about his daughter, Austin hearing his question stalled as his eyes soon started to shake, and his face became pale as he looked at Claus, holding back his feelings he looked at Claus as he shook his head.

The meaning was clear, Olivia hadn't survived, Austin's trembling eyes seemed to focus as he turned his gaze towards everyone in the room, his voice was hoarse as he spoke,

"Ol-Olivia, he-her injuries were too much, sh-she couldn't make"

Austin spoke with a difficult expression as he waved his hand, bringing out the body of a very familiar girl, her body lifeless and dead, Grace with trembling eyes walked up to her son as she held his hands, giving him support, and Claus disappeared from the throne as he appeared in front of Olivia, his body trembling while he seemed to have aged.

Even before him Lora appeared before Olivia, her gaze might look calm but the mana was disturbing the surrounding spoke another story, there was still silence, the world seemed to have stopped, Lora moved forward as she touched Olivia's face, _{ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀ​ꪶ​}

"Who?"

Lora asked her voice colder than anything, her hands were trembling while the mana within her was bubbling, while Claus who seemed confident that Olivia would return alive looked lost and shaken but he was regaining himself.

While the group at the back didn't seem appalled by the noise, all of them had a hint of happiness floating threw their eyes, Nick, the second prince moved forward as he spoke,

"Who did it? who dares to kill the princess of this Empire?"

He asked joining Lora as his gaze bore into Austin, while pressure started to leak out of him, not just him the rest of the princes turned their gaze towards Austin as they directed their pressure at him, trying to fumble him down but it didn't last for long, as a powerful killing intent mixed with a greater pressure started to fight against the princes,

"Nephews, do you dare to bully my son in front of me?"

A calm yet murderous voice sounded out from Grace, her eyes narrowing as she started to suppress the princes but they weren't easily backed down, none of them were weaklings,

"Grace stop!"

Claus's loud voice bloomed as he pushed back Grace, even causing the poor and hurt Austin to stumble back,

"Brother?"

With surprised eyes, she turned toward Claus,

"Austin will undergo memory search"

He stated in a calm voice,

"You dare?!"

Grace roared out as she heard Claus's words, memory search wasn't something people could just do, there is a high chance for the person subjected to the curse to lose his mind or even become a brain-dead idiot!

"I want the truth and in this situation, I don't know who to trust"

Claus said with a tired voice but his gaze stayed strong,

"Heh...trust? you know it don't you? you clearly know that the ones behind this are standing behind you but because Olivia's dead you want me to be your scapegoat?"

Austin roared as his eyes turned bloodshot, a mocking grin taking his face as he looked at the Emperor,

"Did you think I don't know that no matter what you see, the results will come as 'unknown', did Olivia only mean that much to you?!"

Austin screamed, his gaze filled with disappointment, while Claus's face had turned livid, so did the ones who planned everything,

"Don't get arrogant Austin"

Zeek spoke, looking at Austin with narrowed eyes,

"Arrogant?"

Austin asked with a smirk, turning to Claus he questioned,

"Have you forgotten who my master is?"

This question rattled Claus as he understood that things won't go well, since Olivia was out one of his sons would have to take the seat, their talents were good but its nothing compared to Austin, he wanted a variable out of the picture,

"The true culprit will pay the price"

pᴀɴᴅᴀ ɴOᴠᴇʟ Lora spoke making them look at the woman, who holding Olivia in her arms,

"Don't worry, I have proof of who had planned all this"

Austin spoke with a smirk, as he did the door to the throne room opened, as a one-hand man beaten and bruises were brought in, just as he did the atmosphere in the room chilled.