Chapter 11

Before teleporting to the palace, Emperor Quelle asked Goddess Afia to take good care of Empress Ignia and not let her step out from Giginger's royal palace.

But at this time, Empress Ignia asked about Emperor Quelle's whereabouts. Of course, it made Goddess Afia feel hesitant to say it.

"What should I do?

What should I do?

If I tell the truth, then the Empress will worry about the Emperor and force herself to follow him to the imperial palace.... If I keep quiet, then the Empress will find out for herself. Trying to lie to her? I really don't dare." thought Goddess Afia anxiously.

"Goddess Afia?" Empress Ignia called out the name of the goddess who was still lost in thought.

Goddess Afia looked dreamily, without responding.

"Goddess Afia, are you alright?" Empress Ignia grasped Goddess Afia's hand.

It was only then that Goddess Afia responded, "Ah~ yes, yes. I'm fine Your Highness."

Empress Ignia stared intently, looking deeply into both Goddess Afia's eyes "Are you hiding something from me?"

Goddess Afia made a face, waving both hands she replied, "Ah no, no. Of course I have nothing to hide from you, Your Highness. I really don't dare..."

"Really? If so, now you answer my question! Where is my husband?"

Deg!

"This is Bad! I haven't found the right step to answer the Empress' question... Ouch, what should I do? What should I say?" Goddess Afia lowered her gaze, trying to find a way out of this problem.

"Alright, I'll say it."

Goddess Afia took a deep breath, and tried to be calm.

"Regarding that matter, His Majesty the Emperor asked me to keep this a secret from you, Your Highness...." Goddess Afia replied.

"Secret?" Empress Ignia asked briefly.

"That's right Your Highness, a secret. I dare not reveal this secret to Your Highness. I am sorry Your Highness, I have promised Your Majesty to keep Your Majesty's whereabouts a secret from Your Highness."

Empress Ignia sighed, then she asked again. "Didn't you also promise me that you wouldn't hide anything from me? If you still keep it a secret, aren't you dare to break your promise to me?"

Goddess Afia replied calmly, "Your Highness, keeping a secret doesn't mean that I am hiding something from Your Highness.... I am saying that His Majesty asked me to keep the secret of his whereabouts, which includes conveying what I have to convey to Your Highness, without anything to hide from you, Your Highness."

"Hmm... that makes sense." thought Empress Ignia.

"Alright, alright. I don't want to argue with you!"

"Forgive me Your Highness!"

"No need to apologise! From your answer, I already know that His Majesty is not here!"

Goddess Afia looked down in shame.

Empress Ignia closed her eyes, focused her mind and concentrated the power of tracing the divine aura, Emperor Quelle's power aura.

".....!!! He is not in this sky!!! Has his battle with Granel already begun?" thought Empress Ignia.

Empress Ignia covered both eyes that were still closed with both hands in a horizontal upright position. Then she moved her hands in the same direction. The right hand moved to the right, and the left hand moved to the left until the two hands did not cover the eyes.

Empress Ignia opened both eyes,

"Observation! Lenca area!!!" The Empress used her long-distance vision ability to see the state of Emperor Quelle's palace.

"Just as I thought, the show I've been waiting for has begun." Empress Ignia said to herself.

"What exactly is going on? Why has the Imperial palace become like this?" Empress Ignia looked anxious. Anxious in a fake way. "No! I shouldn't be here! I must return to the Imperial palace!"

Tap!

Empress Ignia stamped her foot, got out of bed and prepared to teleport.

"Wait!" Goddess Afia held Empress Ignia's wrist, trying to prevent the empress from returning to the palace. "I beg you Your Highness, I beg you to stay here!"

Empress Ignia glared, "Quickly remove your hand from me!" she ordered.

Goddess Afia replied, "No! I will not let you into the Imperial palace!"

"You dare defy me?!" Empress Ignia looked furious.

"I dare not! Forgive me, Your Highness. I merely don't want anything bad to happen to the Empress. Right now, the Imperial palace is in turmoil, of course it would be very dangerous for you if you came there right now! So, I'm begging you to please stay here until the palace is completely safe."

"Everything that happens there is already part of my responsibility!" Empress Ignia tugged at her wrist, breaking out of Goddess Afia's grasp.

Goddess Afia could only act in resignation.

"Teleport!" Empress Ignia teleported to the Imperial palace.

Swoooooozzhh!!!

.....

Quelle Imperial Palace

"Your hometown, your kin, your family, your allies, your people, have now all perished in an instant. What a great loss for you as well as your father, right? That is the result if you dare to provoke Emperor Quelle. Stupid!" Scwertz drew his sword, already preparing to slash Prince Cusso's head.

Scwertz's words ignited emotions.

Prince Cusso, who had been cornered, struggled with all his might, trying to turn the tide.

"Shut your mouth!

Haaahhhhh!!!" Prince Cossu moved with lightning speed, attacking Scwertz with the ultimate technique.

"Divine king technique! Divine shining slash!!!"

"Divine shining slash" is a fast attack technique with an infinite number of cuts. This attack skill is able to cut the target into the smallest particles that can't be seen by the visible eye.

Scwertz delivers a similar attack, but with a different level of power.

Prince Cossu and Scwertz are both at the divine king stage. However, Scwertz's power stage was slightly higher compared to the level of power stage possessed by Prince Cusso.

"Divine king technique! Divine shining slash!!!"

Swiiiinggg!!!

Clang!!!

Light so dazzling to the eyes. That was the sight that could be seen from the effects of the clashing forces of both sides.

Ctack!!!

Prince Cusso's sword broke.

Whooosshh!!!

Prince Cusso was bounced away, until his body hit the rubble of the building that had collapsed.

"Cough!!! Cough!!! Cough!!!"

Prince Cusso was badly injured, coughing and bleeding from the mouth.

"....!!!!"

Scwertz felt a very strong energy pressure. The pressure of energy power that felt familiar to him.

"This energy pressure.... ?" said Scwertz.

Scwertz turned his gaze to the source of the energy pressure that had caught his attention.

"Empress Ignia?" Scwertz was surprised to see the figure of Empress Ignia who was suddenly already in the palace. "Isn't the Empress seriously injured? No! No! Empress Ignia can't be here! This place is very dangerous for the Empress' safety! I must take the Empress away from this place!" thought Scwertz.

"Scwertz, what exactly has happened here?" the Empress asked Scwertz.

Scwertz did not answer immediately, he was still thinking about what steps he should take to get the Empress to safety.

While Scwertz was thinking, without realising it Empress Ignia was near Prince Cusso.

Scwertz was shocked when he realised it.

"Empress Ignia! Get away from her!" Scwertz ordered Empress Ignia, not caring about the difference in titles.

Empress Ignia ignored Scwertz's orders.

Scwertz was anxious, he took steps to take Empress Ignia away from the Palace.

Scwertz stood near Empress Ignia, he reached out, trying to grab the Empress' right wrist.

"I'm sorry Empress, I have to....."

Duggg!!!

Unexpectedly, Empress Ignia attacked Scwertz with her right palm.

Scwertz bounced far away, through walls, trees, boulders, until it was deeply embedded in the cliff of the hills.

"Cough! Cough! Cough!" Scwertz looked badly injured.

He tried to get up, but.....

"What? Deadly flower root?" Scwertz was shocked to see the deadly flower roots wrapped around his body. The roots were thorny, containing a poison so powerful, every touch of the poison was capable of melting the bones of someone still at the god stage.

"The Empress intends to kill me?" Scwertz realised the cause of the chaotic events of recent times. "Could it be... Could it be that the Empress is behind all of this?"

Scwertz, who had just realised the cause of the chaos in the skies of Gloxinia, was suddenly shocked by the presence of Empress Ignia already in front of him.

"Damn it! I have to escape from here!" Scwertz tried to break free from the root entanglement, but he couldn't. The root entanglement became stronger and stronger.

Empress Ignia just smiled as she looked at Scwertz's panicked face.

Empress Ignia came over, then she whispered, "Thank you for participating in my show. Now, please accept my most beautiful gift!"

"Soul sucking flower!"

"AAARRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!

"AAAAGGHHHH!!!"