What to do [part 1]

The Fall of Kyōi

Kyōi's world was crumbling around him.

The echo of the Emperor's words resonated in the hall, bouncing off the walls like a crushing weight, making him feel their heaviness in every fiber of his being.

His breath was labored, sweat poured down his forehead, and every movement seemed slow, as if the air had grown thicker, impossible to breathe.

It was over.

Suzuki Kyōi, the Third Prince of the Empire, was no longer.

His title, his privilege, everything he had known and built his life upon, had been stripped away with just a few words, like a sandcastle swept away by the wind.

He tried to stand, but his legs trembled under the weight of shame.

He felt crushed by an invisible force; shame and failure piled upon him like a mountain.

His hands, clenched into fists, searched for strength that wasn't there.

Kakashi Asahi no longer looked at him. The Emperor, his father, had delivered his judgment and had already distanced himself from his son.

For him, the matter was concluded.

Yet, the distance that now separated them felt like an unbridgeable abyss.

Kyōi could feel everyone's eyes on him. Lady Amari Yui observed him, not with disdain, but with an impenetrable calm.

The Imperial Advisor, Kagemi Kuroi, remained still, his gaze inscrutable.

No one spoke.

No one moved. Only Kyōi's heart still beat, like a pounding drum in his mind.

The Final Command

The Emperor spoke one last time, his voice low but inescapable.

"Leave this hall, Kyōi. And do not return until you have found a way to prove that you are worthy of what has been taken from you."

That phrase, the final condemnation, was the key that severed the last tie between Kyōi and the past he had known.

There was nothing more to say, no plea, no explanation that would change the verdict.

Now, his life was that of a man without a title, a man no longer part of the Imperial Family, but one who had to fight to redeem himself or fall into oblivion.

With his head bowed, Kyōi slowly rose.

Every movement seemed like torment.

His legs wavered, his body refused to respond, but eventually, he stood.

He did not dare look at the Emperor or anyone else present.

There was nothing more to say.

Turning, he took a step towards the exit. His steps, once confident and full of pride, were now slow and heavy, like those of a man carrying a burden too great for his shoulders.

The door to the hall opened slowly before him, and with one last breath, he left, knowing that his life would now be defined not by the power he had lost but by the strength he would find in the path ahead.

The Path to Redemption

As soon as he stepped outside the palace, the air felt colder, heavier.

The daylight illuminated the imperial city, but for Kyōi, that world seemed distant, as if he had been thrown into a parallel existence, different from the one he had known until that moment.

The faces that once respected him, the subjects who bowed in his honor, would now ignore him, perhaps even mock him.

He knew that his task would be arduous.

He had to find a way to redeem his name, to accomplish a feat that would resonate throughout the Empire, and only then, only at that moment, would he be able to reclaim what he had lost.

But the path ahead was dark and uncertain.

He did not know where to begin, he did not know if he would ever find the strength to succeed.

But one thing was clear in his mind: he would not allow his story to end here.

He would return one day, worthy of his title.

And on that day, he would be remembered not as the prince who failed, but as the man who rewrote his destiny.

With that growing determination, Suzuki Kyōi walked away from the palace, ready to face an uncertain future but not without hope.

The journey toward redemption had just begun.

Inside the Imperial Palace

After Suzuki Kyōi had left the hall, silence hung in the air for a moment, like an echo of the fall that had just taken place.

Emperor Kakashi Asahi remained standing, motionless, his gaze fixed on the door that had just closed behind his son.

The weight of the decision he had made did not show on his impassive face.

It was the necessary judgment, one that served the Empire above the bonds of blood.

Lady Amari Yui, who had remained silent the entire time, bowed deeply before the Emperor.

Her presence had been crucial, and her role as a witness and advisor was now complete.

"Amari Yui," the Emperor said in a formal, emotionless tone,

"I dismiss you. Return to your place, and keep everything that happened here today away from curious ears."

Lady Amari Yui, with her head bowed, responded deferentially.

"As you wish, Your Majesty. You have my word that my loyalty remains unwavering. I wish you peace and wisdom in the days to come."

With a final bow, Lady Amari Yui turned and left the hall with the same elegance and discretion with which she had entered.

Now, in the silence that followed her departure, only the Emperor and the Imperial Advisor, Kagemi Kuroi, remained.

The Discussion Between the Emperor and the Advisor

The door closed behind Lady Amari Yui, and a silence filled with tension enveloped the throne room.

Emperor Kakashi Asahi remained motionless for a moment, his gaze fixed on the distance, as if he were reflecting on the implications of the decision just made.

His face, usually unshakable, bore a slight shadow of concern.

Kagemi Kuroi, the Imperial Advisor, stood beside him, his enigmatic and expressionless face unchanged.

After a long moment, it was Kagemi who broke the silence.

"Your Majesty," he began in a calm, measured voice.

"I must say that the way you handled the matter with Amari Yui and Suzuki Kyōi... was surprising."

The Emperor did not respond immediately, but his gaze slowly shifted toward Kagemi, without changing expression.

There was a slight tension in the air, an unspoken expectation.

"Surprising, you say?" Tsukimei Asahi finally replied, his voice firm but devoid of emotion. "And what exactly surprised you?"

Kagemi made a slight bow, a gesture of respect.

"I have never doubted your wisdom, Your Majesty. However, your approach to this situation... avoided the direct confrontation that many expected."

"The decision to give Kyōi a chance for redemption, instead of condemning him outright, was unexpected. And the way you allowed Amari Yui to speak frankly, without repercussions... That, I admit, was rather unconventional."

Emperor Tsukimei Asahi remained still, listening carefully to the words of his Advisor. His expression revealed no emotion, but his silence seemed thoughtful, as if he was considering the implications of what had just been said.

"Your observations are sharp, Kagemi," the Emperor finally responded, his voice calm but charged with an authority no one would dare challenge.

"Kyōi failed, it's true. But condemning him immediately would have meant breaking every chance of redemption. And not just for him, but for the Imperial Family itself."

Kagemi nodded slightly, understanding the weight of those words.

"Indeed, now we must focus on resolving this situation."

///A/N/Today you will have 2 chapters, because yesterday (GMT + 8) due to a personal commitment that took longer than expected I was unable to publish//