The Evil Emperor's Fragile Heart

"I am afraid that would not be possible, Zed," King Jaren said. "We cannot bring Raven here, and if Raven can't come, Mana wouldn't come, either." He paused for a moment and then glanced at Queen Dora, before turning back to the old man. "However, we certainly be happy to invite you to visit us as an honoured guest," King Jaren added.

Zed shook his ruefully. "I am afraid I am not in a position to go to the Emerald Kingdom at the moment, King Jaren. I must go to the Amber Kingdom urgently," he murmured.

"What a coincidence, master," Queen Dora said. "We will be heading to the Amber Kingdom ourselves in a couple of days."

The old man raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Why are you going to the Amber Kingdom?" he asked curiously.

"Jaren's daughter Astra is betrothed to Crown Prince Mars of the Amber Kingdom," Queen Dora said.

Zed frowned. "Sora's daughter? And Orion's son?" he asked.

"Indeed," King Jaren said. "Astra and Mars have been childhood sweethearts."

The old man frowned. "Well, if the girl is anything like her mother and the boy is anything like his father – aren't you simply inviting trouble for yourself?" he asked King Jaren. "Have you still not realised that Orion had fixed his eyes upon your Emerald Kingdom many years ago? Did you learn nothing from the entire fiasco with Sora back then, and even after losing Dora for ten years?"

"Don't speak to my Grandpapa like that!" Azar shouted, his eyes flashing brightly.

"Yes, you are bad and scary old man, you can't speak to my Grandpapa like that!" Alya echoed Azar's sentiments, her eyes flashing brightly, too.

Both little dragons bared their teeth at the old man, all their fear forgotten.

King Jaren rubbed the small heads of the two baby dragons to calm them down. "It's all right, little ones," he murmured softly.

Jules stepped forward. "A lot of people have had their eyes on the Emerald Kingdom," he said quietly. "They are yet to succeed."

Bella stepped forward as well. "And Papa is not alone, nor is the Emerald Kingdom. The Sapphire Kingdom won't stand by if the Emerald Kingdom is threatened," she declared.

Zed glanced at Bella and smiled slightly. "Did you not wonder who made a cursed living ghost corpse out of your traitorous father? Or who he betrayed his wife and child for, despite being the King Consort of a powerful nation?" he asked lightly.

"Of course I wonder," Bella said. "But that doesn't mean that I won't protect Papa with everything I can."

Zed laughed. "What a loyal bunch of children," he said. "You are a lucky man, King Jaren. Not only do you have Dora mooning over you – believe me when I say that I got sick and tired of hearing your praises every time she opened her mouth, and even when she was complaining about you or badmouthing you, she would end up praising you anyway – now you also have these children being so protective of you! I really do envy you, King Jaren of the Emerald Kingdom."

King Jaren smiled. "I think so, too," he said quietly. "I have been very fortunate in being blessed with such a wonderful family."

"But you are not destined for a long life," Zed said ruefully. "What a pity."

Queen Dora immediately rushed to the old man and grabbed his arm. "What do you mean, master? You promised that would change when we changed things ten years ago, that's why I agreed to let little Mana go…!" she cried anxiously.

The old man shrugged. "Dora, I told you that you needed to learn necromancy, but you never did. That's the only way you will be able to keep your beloved Jaren alive – by making him a cursed living ghost corpse!" he said. "His fate is sealed, unfortunately. There is nothing you or I could do about it."

"I'd rather die than become a cursed living ghost corpse," King Jaren said, looking straight into Queen Dora's eyes. "Dora, if you have ever loved me, don't even consider such a terrible thing for a single moment," he warned.

Queen Dora looked away, tears streaming down her face.

"We should just ask Zed about the cursed living ghost corpse Vir and his involvement in the matter, as well as the present location of the cursed living ghost corpse Vir. It is clear that the cursed living ghost corpse Vir is not here," King Jaren said. He looked at Zed, his green eyes glittering like the best quality emeralds in the sunlight. "Where is the cursed living ghost corpse Vir, and what do you want to do with him?" he asked sharply.

The old man sighed. "He is in the Amber Kingdom," he said. "Fortunately or unfortunately, he is still captured in the rainbow net. Orion intended to use him to wreak havoc in the Sapphire Kingdom – it is not only the Emerald Kingdom that he has set his eyes on, after all."

"What is your role in the matter?" King Jaren asked.

Zed chuckled ruefully. "My role?" he murmured. "Well, you could say that I was responsible for his creation, to some extent. You see, Vir is my nephew, and he was to be the heir to the necromancer clan of the Pearl Kingdom. However, those sanctimonious hypocrites of the Moon Temple launched a hunt and kill campaign against us, maligning us and pretending that great blessings would fall upon the Pearl Kingdom if the necromancers were exterminated. At the time, the Moon Temple had an equal following in the Pearl Kingdom and the Amber Kingdom, and the people from the Moon Temple of the Amber Kingdom also joined in the hunt. Orion was accompanying them at the time. In the process of hunting, my sister and my brother in law, who was the chief of the necromancer clan, were killed, and their son Vir was abducted. I was forced to surrender to save my nephew, and then Orion approached us with an offer which we could not afford to turn down. So, we were given refuge in the Amber Kingdom and the influence of the Moon Temple was reduced in the Amber Kingdom, while the necromancer clan disappeared completely from the Pearl Kingdom. In return, Vir ingratiated himself to Queen Carolina of the Sapphire Kingdom and tried his best to win her heart – and, I believe, in this process, the boy really did fall in love with Queen Carolina – otherwise he would never have sired a child with her. However, Orion was getting impatient, and wanted to stage a coup in the Sapphire Kingdom – Vir was going to help him with that."

Bella wobbled, and Jules immediately slipped an arm around her waist and steadied her.

"However, you all know that there was never a coup," Zed continued with a sigh. "Vir pretended to go along with Orion's plans – but he managed to sabotage it, which ended up being a win for Queen Carolina and she stabbed Vir fatally, thinking him to be a betrayer of the worst sort. That's when Orion activated the necromancy that he had made one of my disciples to set up much in advance – and that is how Vir became a cursed living ghost corpse."

Jules frowned. "Are you telling us that the cursed living ghost corpse Vir was made into one without his consent or willingness?" he asked. "But we heard that the person in question has to be willing to become a cursed living ghost corpse, or it won't work."

Zed nodded. "Yes, that is correct," he admitted frankly. "And that is exactly one of the biggest questions that I need to ask Vir. Why did he agree to become a cursed living ghost corpse? He was clearly willing to give up his life to protect his wife and his daughter instead of becoming a traitor and letting them be killed and watch their Sapphire Kingdom fall into the hands of the Amber Kingdom. He would do that if he was in love with his wife, naturally. However, what I don't understand is why he would be willing to become a cursed living ghost corpse and reduce himself to this state, and why he would venture out of seclusion after so many years. He escaped from the dungeon where Orion had locked him in about ten years ago, and Vir, too, was instrumental in helping Dora hide away Jules and make arrangements for Mana. Since then, he has been living quietly in seclusion, hiding from Orion and the minions of the Amber Kingdom. Something must have happened recently for him to come out of seclusion and go to the Sapphire Kingdom – and this could only be upon Orion's instructions. So, it stands to reason that something must have happened, and somehow, Orion must have found him. Vir must know something, and what he knows, and why he appeared in his old home – it should be related to the Amber Kingdom.. That is why I need him to be freed from the rainbow net," he explained.