But that love was never a reason for her to abandon her principles or her strength. She saw herself as the honor of the Calistar Empire, and she had to bear her responsibility firmly, to keep the name of Calistar strong and clean no matter what happened.
Deep in her heart, she knew there was a distance between them, but it was a mixture of imperial pride and the ghosts of feelings that had not faded.
Empress: "Don't you think you are being too harsh on Adonis?"
Emperor, his eyes narrowing with anger as if recalling a painful memory: "That is the least I can do for the child of that cursed traitor."
The Empress at that moment hid a small smile as she listened to him, feeling an inner triumph fill her. Her quiet steps towards the window made her seem deep in thought, but in reality, she was living her moment of victory.
For within just one week, the Emperor's view of Adonis had changed. The man who had been treated with some neutrality now became the target of his growing anger. He began to exhaust him with tasks, one after the other, as if that were the perfect punishment for the son of the traitor. He even went so far as to send him to the epicenter of the plague, unconcerned about the danger.
Empress, turning her head towards the Emperor with a confident smile: "I imagine you find that satisfying, don't you?"
Emperor, a mixture of anger and sadness on his face: "It is merely a means to keep her spirit cursed even after her departure. Adonis? He is just a reminder of her betrayal."
The Empress gracefully returned to her seat, toying with the edges of her luxurious robe, like someone who had achieved everything they desired. But deep down, she knew that these moments might not last, and that she must follow her plan meticulously. For her, the most important thing was that the Emperor had become an instrument for carrying out her wishes without realizing it.
In the camp square, night had fallen, its dark shadows covering the place, and the torchlights were gradually dimming. Adonis stood, wearing his gleaming black armor, looking at the soldier standing beside him with his sharp blue eyes, as if testing the extent of his understanding.
Adonis: "Yarrow, take this message to Daphne. Stay with her. You shouldn't go to a place like this... You need to rest too, you must be tired."
Adonis bid farewell to Yarrow with a tender look that hid his real concern. He knew that the upcoming mission was fraught with danger, but he chose to face it alone.
In a house, Daphne sat near the window, watching the rain fall quietly. Suddenly, she heard the sound of familiar footsteps followed by Yarrow's barking. She rushed to the door and opened it to find Yarrow standing before her, carrying the message.
Daphne (gently stroking Yarrow): "Oh, Yarrow, I missed you. You must be tired. I bought you delicious things."
She noticed the message in his mouth and quickly took it. She opened it and began to read:
"To Daphne,
I will not be able to return tonight. There is an urgent mission awaiting me. Take care of yourself and Yarrow and Marshmallow. I promise to return quickly."
Daphne sighed with worry as she reread the message.
Daphne (with tension in her voice): "They sent him somewhere else? Do they want to kill him or what? He hasn't rested for three weeks. I think the Emperor..."
Meanwhile, Adonis was preparing to leave. He wore a mask that partially covered his face to protect himself from the cold wind and the atmosphere saturated with dangers. He carried his bow and arrows, and tied his sword to his side. He looked into the distance ahead, then chose the forest path to shorten the journey, despite knowing the dangers lurking in the shadows.
The sound of his footsteps broke the silence, and with each step, his mind wandered through tangled thoughts. He remembered Daphne's features and her worried looks. He felt a pang in his heart, but he did not allow hesitation to creep in. This mission was a matter of life and death, and there was no room for retreat.
Helibor (with a voice full of disapproval): "Imefra, is this the only solution you see?! Controlling the Emperor... manipulating his mind with that cursed herb? Do you realize what you are doing?"
Empress Imefra (with a smile tinged with sadness and sarcasm): "And do I have another choice? The Emperor was strong, but he has become weak, burdened by regret and madness. That herb was merely a way to keep him in his place, just a symbol, a puppet moving at my command. Do you think I enjoyed doing that?"
She took a step forward, the sound of her high-heeled shoes echoing in the room like heartbeats threatening to reveal more secrets.
Helibor (with suppressed anger): "But you didn't just do it to control the Emperor. You are using him now to eliminate Adonis! What are you afraid of from him?"
Empress Imefra (in a calm but charged voice): "Adonis is not just a leader, Helibor. His strength, his courage, and his loyalty make him closer to the throne than anyone else. Even the Emperor, under the influence of the herb, still sees him as the last hope. If I don't act now, the throne will become his, and I will be forgotten as if I had never been here."
Helibor: "Don't you understand that getting rid of Adonis will not protect you? Rather, it will shatter everything. The army loves him, the people see him as their savior, and if he dies, you will collapse before the Empire."
Empress Imefra (with a malicious smile): "That is why it had to be perfect. Vanya is not just a simple trap. It is a labyrinth of death. The plague will weaken his army, betrayal will complete the task, and there will be no doubt that the end was a result of his own mistake. History will remember him as the leader who fell because of his arrogance, not as a martyr or a hero."
She retreated slightly and sat on her throne, as if regaining control of the scene.
Helibor (in a low but sharp voice): "And me? Where is my place in this game?"
Empress Imefra (with deadly calm): "Your place is on the throne. I am not doing this only for myself, but for you. You are the only one who can rule this Empire. Adonis is strong, but he is pure. And the crown... as I said, it is not worn with clean hands."
Daphne sat in the corner of the room, her fingers trembling as she tried to decipher the fourth message she had found between the pages of her mysterious book. Deep down, she knew that reading the contents of the message would change her destiny, but she did not expect the weight that each letter would carry.
"I was not blind..."
Simple words, but they carried a mysterious echo, like a gateway to the unknown. Daphne wondered, turning the paper over in her hands hesitantly:
"What does this message mean? Where am I?"
While she was thinking, sounds rose from the corridor leading to the throne room. Heavy, hesitant footsteps announced the presence of something unusual. A shiver ran down her spine, and she hurried to hide behind one of the ornate pillars, watching the scene with wide eyes.
The Emperor and his monologue
The Emperor stood before a huge mirror that shone with a pale gleam under the dim candlelight. His reflection in the mirror was not just an image, but seemed like another person talking to him. His words echoed in the room with a voice heavy with madness and regret:
"I sent him to his death... I want him dead... but I don't want him to be my son."
He paused for a moment, as if gathering his scattered thoughts, then his voice erupted again, sharper and more painful:
"You are the reason for Aster's death! Do you remember her words? And now, you will kill Adonis."
His features shifted between anger and despair, and his hands trembled as he pointed at his reflection in the mirror. His golden eyes, glowing with a strange madness, reflected a bitter inner conflict between two contradictory personalities.
Daphne, who had been watching all this from her hiding place, felt as if the whole world had become a whirlpool swallowing her. Her heart beat rapidly, as if she could hear his screams inside her chest. She whispered to herself, pale:
"Plague? They sent Adonis to the city of Vanya?"