Tragedy

"By the Gods! Blood coming from the mouths of the Empress and Emperor!" the servant cried out. All eyes in the palace turned towards what the servant was referring to.

"W-what is happening?" said Adrellina, the empress.

"Ad-Adrell..." the Emperor fell to the ground after coughing up a lot of blood.

In an instant, the entire party fell silent, broken only by the cries of the Emperor and Empress. Shouts rang out in confusion, creating chaos in the hall.

"Close all exits of the palace! Make sure no one escapes! Detain that servant!" commanded the Imperial Warlord swiftly.

"Father! Mother!" The Crown Prince ran towards his mother, who looked pale.

"I-I don't know, I just delivered the drinks!" the servant stuttered. Trembling uncontrollably, he felt that this might be his last night.

The palace hall was in turmoil because of the incident. The palace physician immediately examined the Emperor and Empress on the spot.

"I apologize, Your Highness, Crown Prince. The Emperor and Empress... are no longer alive," whispered the physician, shocking the entire palace hall.

"No! It can't be!" Adam exclaimed, tears streaming down his face. He shook his head, hoping this was all just a jest.

Everyone present fell silent upon hearing the tragic news. The Crown Prince, lying motionless, with tears flowing incessantly, became the most heartbreaking sight on the day of his ascension to the throne.

That night, the Vanrize Empire was celebrating a feast to mark Adam's ascension to Crown Prince. Yurize and Adrellina, as Emperor and Empress, had only Adam as their sole heir and the only successor to the Empire.

"Bring the Emperor and Empress immediately. Arrest that servant!" ordered the Emperor's Advisor.

The imperial knights surrounded the entire palace hall, some restraining the helpless servant. The Crown Prince, who had fainted, further agitated the situation. No member of the imperial family or noble was allowed to leave the palace until this murder case was resolved.

"Where has Sir Jean gone?" asked the Emperor's Advisor.

"Reportedly, Sir Jean went out to meet the Grand Brahmin an hour ago," replied the soldier.

"To meet the Brahmin? For what purpose?" murmured the Emperor's Advisor.

"I'm sorry, Advisor, I do not know the exact reason," the soldier replied again. The Advisor instructed him to leave and immediately ordered the servant to be taken to the underground dungeon.

Before that, "Check all the belongings of the nobles present, perform routine checks when dismissing them, tighten security, and watch over His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!" commanded the Emperor's Advisor.

"Understood!"

In the underground dungeon, the servant sat there, feeling drained, his pale face betraying his intense fear.

"Speak! Who ordered you?" the Advisor said in a cold tone.

He knew for sure the servant wouldn't risk such a big move by killing the Emperor and Empress on his own. There must be a mastermind behind this heinous plan.

"I-I really don't know, Grand Advisor! I was just ordered to deliver drinks by the head chef!" he said, trembling.

"Bring the head chef here!" the Advisor ordered firmly.

"Very well!"

The Emperor's personal guard, also his aide, felt a sense of failure in carrying out his duties. How could he let the Emperor and Empress lie bleeding in front of him without being able to do anything?

"Actually, what poison was used by the killer? How could its effects be so short?" the General asked the Advisor.

"I don't know, but I'm sure the mastermind is not an ordinary person."

After a long while, some soldiers returned to report that they couldn't find the head chef. The situation became even more complicated with the chef's suicide. The Advisor held his head in his hands, feeling a headache coming on. How could he capture the true mastermind now?

"Dispose of the body, bring everyone in the kitchen, and have them report to me!" the Advisor commanded firmly.

"Very well!"

In the physician's examination room, the Emperor and Empress lay lifeless with bluish bodies. Adam forced the physician to thoroughly explain the reasons behind their deaths.

"I beg your forgiveness, Your Royal Highness Crown Prince, but I have never encountered a patient poisoned with such a fast-acting toxin before. It's likely that the bluishness of the deceased's bodies is due to a forbidden flower that grows in the southern region. However, as far as I know, the flower works slowly, gradually rotting the victim's organs. There may be a mixture of other substances that accelerate the flower's effects," explained the Palace Physician.

Adam, now awake from his faint, immediately rushed back to his deceased parents' side. He still couldn't believe what had happened. Just a few hours ago, Yurize and Adrellina were laughing with him; now they lay lifeless before him.

"How could this... why would something like this happen? Wasn't it the same drink? Then why only Father and Mother?" Adam lamented.

"Physician! Tell me! What should I do? Should I fetch potions? Is there still time for me to save them?! Tell me, physician! I'll do anything!" Adam cried out in desperation.

His appearance was disheveled, tears flowing endlessly, his soul shaken. He was the only son of Yurize and Adrellina, left alone in this sudden tragedy. There was no one to help him now. Adam was shattered here, alone.

"I apologize, Your Royal Highness, but the poison has spread quickly and attacked the nerve center of the Emperor and Empress. I cannot revive the dead," the Palace Physician explained.

"No... I don't want this," Adam sobbed.

The Physician also felt the pain Adam was going through. Losing one's parents is the most painful thing. Especially knowing that one's parents were murdered despite holding the titles of Emperor and Empress.

"The murderer... who are they?! How dare they commit such a cruel act!" Adam raged.

Adam rose with boiling anger, "Soldiers! Quickly find the one who killed my parents! Search until you find them! I will kill them!" Adam commanded fiercely.

The flash of anger, hatred, and vengeance was palpable in his eyes. The aura of the imperial members made the soldiers shudder in fear. "Y-yes, Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"