The Emperor's Absence

The Capital was in an uproar, like a poked beehive.

The rumor that the Emperor hadn't attended to official duties for three days was no longer a secret among the Nobles.

Eyewitness accounts of the Black Fortress openly moving within the Imperial Palace, and a series of commotions reported by the maids working there, further fueled the unrest.

And when the Senate President himself publicly expressed concern, pressing for an immediate announcement regarding the Emperor and Empress's whereabouts, there was no peace.

But the Imperial Palace remained silent.

The Imperial Guard gathered densely in the Central Palace, maintaining ironclad security, blocking access to reporters and even Nobles.

The Volnex Marquisate went a step further.

They brought all the Royal Guard Knights responsible for guarding their Family's mansion to completely surround the Imperial Palace.

Marquis Volnex himself was holed up deep within the Imperial Palace, not moving an inch, driving the Imperial Citizens and Nobles to their wits' end.

And that curiosity and anxiety naturally led to one conclusion...