Knights and Magic Wand
Chapter 736: 344: Power Transition

Chapter 736: Chapter 344: Power Transition

Time slowly trickled by, and the nobles’ discussions gradually fell silent.

In the midst of this prolonged wait, an impatient noble couldn’t resist drawing aside the curtain on one side of the hall.

The dim light before dawn faintly illuminated outside, and accompanying the sight of the palace courtyard were the Royal Palace Guards standing tall and surrounding the area.

The strict control forbidding passage had already subtly hinted at something to those within the hall, spreading speculation among the crowd.

Suddenly, several Dusk Blood Guards entered the hall, approached several Great Nobles, and respectfully whispered in their ears.

Then, they all left the Twilight Hall together.

Leon silently observed the departing dignitaries and lords from a corner.

Except for special cases like the Duke of Sea Dragon from Weststral, most of the dignitaries summoned by the King were those who supported Lydwen III and the most loyal nobles, even including Count Fedor of the Thorny Flower Family.

Leon caressed Olivia’s fingers, bowed his head in thought, and formed some assumptions.

Considering his past experience watching so many movies, he had seen the pigs run even if he hadn’t eaten pork; Lydwen III had yet to show himself, and the imperial guard controlled the situation in this manner…

…

Lying on a small bed in the side chamber, the drowsy Ines glanced at Agatha, who solemnly guarded beside the bed. With her heart finally calm due to the return of her close protector, she closed her eyes in an attempt to nap.

Time passed unseen, and when the daylight shone through the glass, illuminating the curtains, calls from the Dusk Blood Guard came from the door.

Agatha had to turn and gently awaken the sleeping Princess.

Rising and tidying her slightly disheveled hair, Ines learned of the summons. Although she was prepared for it, as the moment arrived, she felt restless and indescribably emotional.

Ines and Agatha came to the hall outside, where several of her father’s favorite concubines and her half-siblings had also been summoned by the King’s guards.

However, Ines did not see the figure of Prince Rickdo among the crowd.

The Royal Family members gathered together and escorted by the imperial guard, arrived at the main palace hall, locked down throughout the night.

Walking through the corridor, noticing the Blood Guards were not leading everyone to the Throne Hall but towards the King’s bedchamber… Ines had no further guesses.

Seemingly aware of the same thing, the King’s concubines also had reddened eyes; their suppressed sobs hidden behind handkerchiefs by these beautiful women.

Of course, Ines knew at most only three-tenths of their sobs were genuine sadness—these women were more concerned whether they could maintain their previous court status and treatment in the future.

For now, perhaps only the young siblings led or held by the concubines were still naive to what had transpired.

Arriving at the King’s bedchamber filled with candlesticks, the kingdom’s ministers and direct vassal lords stood on both sides, indicating the upper echelon transition had swiftly concluded overnight.

As the direct descendant of the deceased Queen, Princess Ines was guided to the front and entered the vast room.

The cool air wafted; on the luxurious bed under the canopy curtains lay the King, seeming aged overnight as if in weary slumber.

Yet the taut face did not resemble the demeanor of the living; the body beneath the robe collar, covering the jaw, showed no signs of breathing.

On the chair by the bed, Eric sat, wearing royal robes and crowned, holding his deceased father’s cold hand with his left hand, supporting the golden dragon claw scepter symbolizing the king’s authority with his right hand, his expression gloomy, eyes containing visible restrained anger aside from sorrow.

Crying gradually spread among the concubines.

Ines gazed at her lifeless father on the bed, personally witnessing his death, unsure if she felt regret or relief.

Even if he hadn’t died on the battlefield against the Golden Lion Queen, he would have perished at the hands of assassins amidst chaos… Was this, no matter the path, the inevitable fate of Lydwen III?

Was he destined to die this year?

Years of struggling, resisting, scheming, helplessness, hatred, and grievances… ultimately transformed into Ines’s complicated sigh.

Even as a monarch ruling over thousands, a king on the battlefield, when fate’s end approaches, life remains so fragile.

Eric’s gaze swept over the crowd, his serious demeanor no longer displayed his usual carefree manner.

“…The King was unfortunate to encounter assassination, returning to the realm of Vinoles. I have inherited Father’s crown, will continue to guard the kingdom, hoping you all will mourn together today.”

Princess Ines at the forefront of the Royal Family lineup nodded gently, walked quietly to the bedside, adjusted her dress, slowly knelt on the mat, and bowed to pray.

In this occasion, it was not only mourning the King’s passing but also symbolizing submission to the new monarch’s authority.

She closed her eyes, attempting as a daughter, rather than a Princess, to send her father off on his last journey, yet did not shed tears.

Since birth, she had never shed tears due to sadness, not even during her beloved mother’s lonely death, let alone for this man who never fulfilled his fatherly duties.

With the Third Princess’s kneeling, the Royal Family members in the room similarly knelt down.

In the next moment, the concubines’ intense mourning and sobbing started, and the young Little Princess and Princes, unaware, also began sniffling along with their mothers’ cries and the oppressive atmosphere.

In Ines’s silent mourning, compared to her complex feelings about her father’s death, her sorrow was more directed at… the Second Prince who was still absent even on such an occasion…

…

After bidding farewell to Lydwen III’s remains and witnessing Orland, the new king, taking over the royal power, the Royal Family members sequentially exited and returned to their quarters, anxiously awaiting the next arrangements.

Once only the two of them were left, Ines rose from the mat, remaining alone.

“Has Prince Rickdo already been killed?” she asked directly.

Eric stared at the young girl, his eyes sorrowful, slowly nodding.

“Last night, I returned from the Dragon Nest and stayed at the side palace near Dragon Mountain, narrowly escaping a crisis with the timely help of the palace guards… But Rickdo and Father were in the main palace area resting, they weren’t so fortunate.

Marcus captured those Wizards who attempted to assassinate Father and Rickdo, and I’ve ordered severe interrogation of those damn bastards.”

Upon hearing this, Ines couldn’t help but lower her eyebrows and sigh.

Athiasians colluding with Wisemar’s Society Mages to assassinate Father and the two elder Princes, presumably to incite chaos within the Kingdom.

Using such unfathomable means to directly assassinate the King and two male heirs overnight, with Father having no brothers, the right of succession naturally falls to the Princes born of the concubines.