Chapter 14: The Regent Duke’s Apology and a Daughter’s Fate

“My wretched son has been most offensive and caused you trouble. I offer my sincerest apologies on his behalf to both of you.”

Inside the church parlor, three people were seated on two sofas arranged facing each other. Wang Xiaole and Cai occupied one side, while Arland Dekalen Restiel sat opposite them.

He was the Regent Duke of the Debiless Empire.

Beyond this title, Arland was also the current Empress’s maternal uncle and the father of the good-for-nothing Uwe.

His appearance suggested a man younger than his actual years, with a remarkably clean face, utterly devoid of any stubble. Gem-studded earrings added a touch of untamed elegance to his demeanor.

His black eyes, clear and dazzling like obsidian, gleamed with a stern sharpness. Beneath their seemingly calm surface, a gaze as keen as a hawk’s lay hidden.

Though he possessed a sculpted, deeply contoured handsome face, he gave others the impression of a hawk soaring in the dead of night.

Without needing to display hostility, his mere presence opposite them exuded an oppressive aura, coupled with an undeniable sense of danger.

When Cai had invited Arland to speak, his unfortunate son had been dragged along by one of his hands. It wasn’t until they entered the parlor that Uwe finally avoided further friction between himself and the floor.

As a culprit, he naturally wasn’t permitted to sit; he was simply tossed onto the ground.

Escape was certainly not a wise choice.

According to Arland’s thoughts: ‘If this son of mine doesn’t want things to get worse, he shouldn’t even think about running!’

The church being surrounded had nothing to do with Arland; it was entirely his idiotic son’s unilateral decision.

The father had learned of the events thanks to the intelligence network he had established within the city.

On his way here, Arland had already made up his mind: ‘It’s best to treat tonight’s incident as if it never happened.’

To achieve this, he wouldn’t even mind sacrificing someone’s life.

“After such a fiasco, my son is no longer fit to be taken back. Sacred Maiden, you may dispose of him as you wish.”

Cai stared intently into Arland’s eyes, attempting to discern the man’s true intentions.

However, his true thoughts had already been spoken.

“Sacred Maiden, you needn’t doubt me; I have no affection for this son.”

Arland’s expression remained perfectly serene; he was indeed not lying about this matter.

Some things, left unsaid, might not be understood by the other party.

The Regent Duke chose to briefly recount past events.

“When the former Empress, my half-sister, was alive, she harbored deep distrust toward me.”

“She feared you would seize her throne?”

Wang Xiaole had spoken these words, but unfortunately, she was mistaken.

From the moment Wang Xiaole sat beside Cai, the Regent Duke had taken notice of the young woman. Now that she had spoken, Arland took the opportunity to ask:

“May I ask your name, miss?”

“My name is Wang Xiaole.”

“So that’s your name…”

Upon hearing the name, Uwe suddenly perked up, about to clamber to his feet, when his father delivered a swift kick.

In an instant, Arland, his face utterly unchanged, kicked his son so hard he vomited blood. Uwe even spun through the air once before landing back on the ground.

“Are you so eager to die?”

The attack served as a final warning, and the chastened Uwe finally quieted down.

‘Excellent, the conversation can continue.’

“Miss Wang, you misunderstand. I am the illegitimate son of the two previous emperors; legally, I have no claim to the succession.”

“If you couldn’t inherit the throne, why did your sister dislike you?”

An emperor’s threat wasn’t limited to those who could snatch their throne. In fact, anyone capable of unseating them was an individual to be guarded against!

“The former Empress was of mediocre ability and had a poor relationship with me, thus she feared I would obstruct her rule.”

Being targeted by an emperor who wielded real power was never the outcome Arland desired.

To reduce the monarch’s suspicion towards him, he devised a plan:

“For political necessity, I found a suitable woman to marry. A year later, as I had hoped, my wife bore a child.”

At this point, Cai understood enough:

“You married to have an heir, then used them as a hostage!”

In the past, Cai would have been completely clueless about such matters. But times had changed; she had grown considerably since then.

Cai’s words further validated Arland’s conjecture.

He thought: ‘(The Sacred Maiden is indeed an intelligent person, and given her high position, it’s best not to antagonize her unless absolutely necessary.)’

Thinking this, Arland became even more convinced of the necessity of sacrificing his son.

Forcing a blood relative to die was not a psychologically difficult act for him.

Just as he explained:

“After my marriage, I had a wife and child. By having the mother and son reside in the Imperial Palace, the former Empress was somewhat reassured about me.”

In other words: ‘His companion and son’s sole purpose to Arland was to serve as hostages he willingly offered!’

If not for this, Arland believed he would still be single to this day.

This purely utilitarian mindset led to a father’s cold-hearted indifference toward his son.

Yet, this reason alone seemed insufficient to convince everyone.

Other important reasons Arland left unsaid were his clear understanding that his son was a human. From his personal perspective, this was the primary cause of his disregard for his son’s life!

“I am a cold-blooded father. You two need not hesitate; please dispose of my wretched son, Uwe, as you see fit.”

If the most severe punishment were to be meted out, the Regent Duke’s thoughts would be exactly what he was now telling the two women before him:

“Should you kill him, I will handle his mother. I will simply pretend I never had a child.”

His father spoke these words directly, yet the young master on the ground stubbornly believed: ‘From the kick just now to these cruel words, it’s all just an act.’

‘His father’s ultimate goal in doing this is to appease the Sacred Maiden’s anger, so he can take me home afterward!’

With this thought, he felt completely unconcerned.

‘(Someone of Father’s exalted status, the Sacred Maiden will surely show him some deference. Even if that weren’t the case…)’

These thoughts, both above and below, represented only Uwe’s unrealistic fantasies.

‘(Just based on the feelings between me and the Sacred Maiden, she’ll let me go!)’

According to his wishful thinking, the only person who might genuinely oppose him was Wang Xiaole.

However, life was about to teach him to face reality:

“Since the Duke doesn’t object, I will confine him to the church’s underground dungeon.”

His fantasy was utterly shattered by reality.

Even at this moment, Uwe’s first reaction was: ‘(This isn’t the reaction I expected… It seems I’m dreaming!)’

If that were the case, it was truly a nightmare.

Because Cai then summoned the guards waiting outside and had the two burly men drag Uwe away.

When he woke up in the dungeon, still imprisoned… his expression of despair would surely be a sight to behold!

Arland’s attention had now shifted from his abandoned son to the two women before him.

“My son’s actions will undoubtedly alarm Her Majesty. Tomorrow, an envoy will surely invite both of you to the palace.”

This was quite normal.

Uwe was, after all, a Debiless citizen, a subject of the Empress. Since he had caused trouble, and his targets were high-ranking members of the Holy See, the monarch would inevitably have to personally resolve the aftermath.

Arland’s visit this time wasn’t to engage in diplomacy. He had merely come as a father to sever ties with his son.

Henceforth, even if Uwe continued to cause trouble, it would have nothing to do with the Regent Duke.

To be more direct, Arland was here to disclaim any future responsibilities that might be linked to him.

“I am truly sorry for what happened today. Should you ever need assistance in the future, you are welcome to seek me out at any time.”

Though he said “you,” Arland’s gaze was fixed on Wang Xiaole.

Cai’s identity as the Sacred Maiden meant she was typically seen as bound to the Holy See. Wang Xiaole, however, was different; before today, Arland had no knowledge of her existence.

He surmised that Wang Xiaole was a newcomer to the church and did not yet hold a high-ranking position. The reason for this judgment was that none of the high-ranking officials of the Holy See shared the same name as Wang Xiaole.

This observation alone was not enough to pique the Regent Duke’s interest in Wang Xiaole. The reason he regarded the young woman with special attention was the powerful aura he sensed from her, recognizing her as a talent.

Not bound to the Holy See and possessing inherent value, she was worth winning over!

Although Arland disliked humans, he was willing to invest time in any pawn he could secure. At least for now, that was certainly true.

The gaze fixed on Wang Xiaole was, in a sense, an unspoken invitation.

‘(That look… it seems he’s trying to curry favor with me…)’

Wang Xiaole’s thought was correct; the other party was indeed conveying goodwill to her. Unfortunately, with a third person present, Arland had no opportunity to speak with her properly. If another chance arose, he would strive to win Wang Xiaole’s allegiance.

“It is time for me to take my leave…”

Arland rose and, in the manner of a gentleman, bowed to Wang Xiaole and Cai.

“Farewell, young ladies.”

After the Regent Duke departed, Wang Xiaole turned to look at Cai’s expression, noticing her tightly furrowed brow.

“What’s wrong?”

This call pulled Cai back from her thoughts.

“It’s nothing, I just… I’m a little worried that you’ll have to go to the palace tomorrow.”

Wang Xiaole had been directly involved in today’s conflict. Coupled with her current status as someone associated with the Holy See, an invitation to the palace from the Empress was an inevitable outcome.

A monarch apologizing to someone from another nation. This alone was not enough to worry Cai.

Her true concern was: ‘(Tomorrow’s meeting will mark the formal contact between Elder Xiaole and the Empress… certain possibilities must be nipped in the bud early.)’

Cai disliked the Empress of Debiless! As for female monarchs of other nations, she held no animosity.

“Promise me…”

By the time Wang Xiaole noticed, Cai had already come before her, gripping her hands tightly.

“Please promise me: do not get unnecessarily entangled with the Empress!”

Wang Xiaole could tell that Cai was absolutely serious; there was no hint of jest in her tone.

“Entanglement? You seem to be hinting at something more.”

“Please don’t delve into this matter. I just want you to promise me now!”

Wang Xiaole stared silently at Cai for a moment, discerning a sense of urgency in her eyes.

“Asking someone to promise you something… that’s not like you.”

From this one incident alone, it was clear that Cai was behaving unusually. Agreeing to her request here would be the easiest outcome for her to accept.

However… Wang Xiaole had her own will; she didn’t want to make promises lightly, even if the request came from Cai.

“I don’t know what Cai is worried about… but what you fear should be impossible.”

This was the only answer Wang Xiaole could give; she couldn’t offer a stronger promise.

“Perhaps so… maybe I’m just overthinking things.”

The young woman lowered her hands, and after a brief moment, her face brightened. The matter of the promise was treated as if it had never happened; neither party needed to mention it again.

“Please go rest. You have work to do tomorrow.”

Under Cai’s gaze, Wang Xiaole exited the parlor.

Once only one person remained, the young woman dropped her disguise, her expression turning somber once more.

‘(I mustn’t let my guard down! I must always ensure that a suitable distance is maintained between the Empress and Elder Xiaole.)’

Like the person who had just left, Cai had also decided to follow her own will.