Chapter 297: Chapter 166: I Found It, My Own Happiness (Two in One)
Within the palace of the Empire Capital, groups of Court Beastmasters entered, meticulously cleaning up the chaotic scene. This included the ashes of those turncoats who had been incinerated by the black flames Shiayar unleashed.
One Beastmaster even summoned a Necromancy-type Pet Beast: the Lich Sovereign.
The Lich Sovereign extended a gaunt, skeletal hand. A ghastly green glow twirled around its desiccated knuckles as it activated its Necromancy Skill, "Remains Perception," over the pale ashes mingled on the palace floor.
Utilizing this Necromancy sensing Skill, it distinguished the identities of the original owners from the mixed, pale remnants.
Then, using the telekinetic power unique to undead creatures, it sorted the intermingled ashes into several small piles according to their original owners.
"This pile belongs to a 5-Ring Beastmaster, around forty years old... hmm, bald, about one point nine meters tall..."
The Lich Sovereign’s Beastmaster closed his eyes, describing the original appearance of the ashes’ owner according to the images relayed by his Pet Beast through their Soul Pact.
"Purple Gold Family, Elder Bryght."
Someone quickly checked the banquet guest list and found the corresponding person. The Lich Sovereign then used telekinesis to place that small pile of ashes into an urn held by a Black Vulture Palace Guard.
"Take this urn to the Purple Gold Family and tell them they were attacked by an evil cult during the feast. By the time we arrived, this was all we found."
"Oh, and by the way, have their family pay the cremation fees."
"At once."
The Black Vulture Palace Guard accepted the order and quickly departed, his face resolute.
...
As Queen Isadella’s confidante and the one commanding the cleanup, Dyres surveyed the scene. What a hellish joke, the thought surfaced in her mind. It seemed that anyone who came into contact with Shiayar inevitably picked up his unfortunate habit of using such trendy phrases.
The Empire should be completely stable by now, she mused, watching as squad after squad of Black Vulture Palace Guards hastened to various parts of the Empire Capital.
The relationship between the Royal Family and the great noble families was complex. This was especially true for the 8 Great Oath-Sworn Families, whose existence had been engraved into the Empire’s emblem since its founding. If no concrete evidence was found, then even if the Royal Family currently held the upper hand, they could not deliberately target these families.
Just like the previous incident with the Borgia family, punishment and suppression were directed only at the Borgia family itself; other fence-sitting families who merely watched were not dealt with.
This time, however, the connection between the evil cult and many great nobles had already been secretly investigated, and the evidence was irrefutable.
Both the Royal Family and the great noble families were acutely aware that this was a high-stakes gamble.
If they won the bet, and the Godly Descent and assassinations schemed by those evil cults could actually topple Queen Isadella—a Throne Level Beastmaster armed with the Sacred Sword—then they could sing the song of the emancipated serfs, carving up and consuming the Empire’s legacy. Afterward, declaring themselves a brand-new nation or installing a puppet emperor would both be excellent choices.
But if they lost, they would end up with nothing.
Although the Royal Family, for the sake of stability and public reassurance, would not completely eradicate these turncoat families, their power and influence would undoubtedly be severed.
And now, the outcome was clear.
Yet, despite being on the victorious side of this gamble, Dyres felt no excitement or joy. She merely gazed silently into the distant night sky, her expression clouded with worry.
Dyres had not forgotten the words Shiayar had uttered before he left. He planned to let the Evil Gods’ descents complete before dealing with them.
These are True Gods descending in the flesh, each bearing a portion of their original Divinity...
The slightest misstep, and a gruesome, bone-shattering end would await Shiayar.
Yet, in the next moment, her eyes suddenly widened.
Is this... a meteor shower? Dyres suddenly sensed something and looked up at the night sky outside the window.
One after another, brilliant meteors tore through the silent, pitch-black firmament.
The dazzling starlight illuminated the night-cloaked dome of the sky.
Stars fell like rain.
As the last of the royal Abyss Succubus lineage, Dyres possessed considerable knowledge. After all, she held the inherited knowledge of an entire race’s civilization. Her knowledge even encompassed secrets from the Ancient Era, hidden beneath the dust of history—a time when Deities overlooked the mortal realm, and Saints and Demigods walked the earth.
According to ancient records:
Every time a meteor streaked across the sky, it signified the fall of a Fabled Creature. Its lost Divinity would transform into fragments of the Stars Chalice, falling from the heavens to the earth.
However, that Ancient Era, when Deities looked down upon humanity and Saints and Demigods roamed the earth, had passed nearly ten thousand years ago. In the current era, let alone Deities, even Demigods had long since vanished from sight. Consequently, meteors had not been seen in the sky for hundreds of years.
And the one responsible for this rain of falling stars now—naturally, it could only be one person.
...
It wasn’t just Dyres.
At that moment, countless people throughout the Western Continent raised their heads, witnessing the starlight falling from the edge of the sky.
For most of the common folk unaware of the truth, they would simply marvel at the beauty of such a wondrous meteor shower.
However, for those observers who understood its esoteric significance, the meaning was entirely different.
The fall of the stars.