Chapter 66: The Triumvirate’s Dawn

Chloe gently laid Carloman’s body flat on the ground before pulling out the dagger. The moment it left his flesh, it instantly dissolved into faint blue particles, vanishing into thin air.

Longinus pressed the back of her hand to her lips, a faint blush blooming on her cheeks as she smiled. “Was my dagger effective?” she asked softly.

Chloe cast a grim glance at Longinus, then retreated a few paces, a wave of nausea churning violently in her stomach.

It was a conspiracy, an intricate web of deceit, and she had remained a mere pawn until the very end—a tool, nothing more, used solely to lure Carloman to this ill-fated banquet.

She glanced at Carloman’s gruesome corpse and instinctively clutched the wall, feeling a sickening surge in her throat, threatening to erupt at any moment.

Her own fate might mirror his. The thought alone drained all strength from Chloe’s body.

“What… what is happening?!”

Norria, startled, quickly covered Lilith’s eyes with his hand, shielding her from Carloman’s tragic sight. Regardless of the circumstances, he was still her kin.

“It’s all over.”

Cliff gently closed Dorota’s eyes, letting out a deep sigh. A flicker of sorrow passed through his hawklike gaze, but the tender emotion vanished as quickly as it appeared.

“Was this also part of your calculations?”

Carl stood before Cliff, his face pale, his hands trembling uncontrollably.

“What are you referring to?”

Cliff leaned closer to Carl, a faint smile spreading across his face.

“Everything.”

Carl recoiled a step, seeking refuge behind Olga.

Olga drew his sharp blade, positioning it against Cliff’s throat.

Other nobles swiftly gathered, taking sides, their clothes stained with Carloman’s blood.

“You’d have a traitor protect you?”

Cliff licked his lips, then raised his head, a look of disdain fixed on Olga.

Longinus effortlessly pinched Olga’s blade between two fingers, gently deflecting it. She then stepped in front of Cliff, a serene smile gracing her features.

“Aren’t you one yourself?”

Carl eyed Longinus warily, then backed away several steps, his face etched with tension.

Cliff glanced at the fully armed Olga, then spread his hands. “I recall no mention of this in our agreement,” he stated.

“The agreement also made no mention of involving the Elder Council. And what about this girl?”

Carl pointed at Chloe, though his gaze remained fixed on Cliff.

Chloe bit her lip, keenly aware that they saw her as nothing more than an afterthought.

“Girl? This delicate, pitiable maiden is the very person Carloman had been desperately searching for.”

Cliff leaned slightly towards Chloe, his voice dripping with exaggerated melodrama. “My beloved wife… that’s what he called her, wasn’t it?”

Chloe’s crimson eyes widened slightly, shimmering with icy malice. If looks could kill, Cliff would have perished dozens of times over.

Yet, in his eyes, she was likely nothing more than a fierce little kitten.

Cliff completely disregarded Chloe’s animosity, turning his attention back to Carl.

“So, Your Majesty, as things stand, we are already on the same ship. Do you still have any grievances?”

“My objective is simple: to become the true emperor. Yet you hide behind a veil of mystery. I wish to know your true intentions.”

Cliff clutched his abdomen, roaring with laughter so intensely it seemed he might laugh himself to death.

Olga’s hand trembled slightly; he could barely maintain his grip on the sword, as if on the verge of bringing it down upon Cliff’s head.

Had Longinus not been observing him so closely, he would have acted already.

“My purpose? I believe I’ve already told you all.”

Cliff’s gaze swept over Chloe before settling on Carl. He spoke with earnest conviction, “I intend to emulate Caesar, forge a Triumvirate, and put an end to the Elder Council’s twisted reign.”

What?!

Chloe could barely believe her ears.

He, Cliff, wasn’t he supposed to be the loyal dog of the conservatives? From the murder of Alena to his collusion with the Original Order, his actions had perfectly mirrored the conservative faction’s agenda.

“You… you’re insane.”

Una’s eyes widened, staring at Cliff in disbelief. Norria pinched his own cheek, as if questioning the reality of Cliff’s statement.

The Elders had ruled the world for three centuries; they were the very foundation of existence, practically divine beings.

And Cliff… he intended to defy gods with merely mortal flesh?

“But there’s one crucial prerequisite to all of this.”

Carl narrowed his eyes, pointing towards the palace’s right wing. “That is the annulment of the No-War Edict. If it remains in effect, all cooperation is off. In fact, I could just as easily present your head to the Elders for a reward.”

Longinus’s smile vanished, a blood-red spear materializing in her hand. She rested the spear behind her hip, its tip aimed at Carl. “Do you truly believe you could accomplish that?” she asked coldly.

“Do you truly believe you could accomplish that? The conservatives currently hold complete dominance over the Divine Chosen faction,” Carl retorted with equal frostiness.

Chloe wiped a bead of sweat from her brow. Carl’s words rang true; the Divine Chosen faction had been utterly defeated, and the conservatives’ victory was all but sealed.

Unbeknownst to Chloe, Cliff had moved behind her. He gently pressed a hand to her shoulder. “We still have her, don’t we, Divine Chosen?”

Una glared fiercely at him, but a sharp glance from Longinus made Una quickly avert her gaze.

Chloe stood frozen, a mere chess piece on a board, silently awaiting Cliff, the player, to reposition her.

Cliff stroked Chloe’s snow-white hair, a faint smile playing on his lips.

“She… to my eyes, is merely a woman,” Carl said, clasping his hands behind his back and looking up with a dismissive air.

“Is she? To my eyes, she is the most crucial component of our Triumvirate,” Cliff replied, still smiling.

As Cliff stated, Chloe was at the very center of everything.

Without Chloe, the Elder Council would not have fractured, Carloman would not have attended the banquet, and Carl would never have had the opportunity to rebel.

However, beyond that, did she possess any agency of her own?

Chloe placed her hand on her shoulder, shaking off Cliff’s touch, and fixed him with an icy stare.

“Don’t touch me.”

“Alright.”

Cliff maintained his smile, raising both hands before stepping aside.

The standoff continued, with black and white factions arrayed on either side of the corridor, their leaders—Cliff and Carl—each holding their ground.

Carloman’s and Dorota’s bodies lay on the periphery, while Chloe stood in the center, hands clasped.

If gods truly existed… then please, guide Chloe towards a clear path.

Several familiar figures flashed through the corridor, completely shifting the atmosphere of the royal court. Everyone held their breath, their gazes drawn to them.

Chloe lifted her eyes, watching the people walking towards her.

The light cascaded over Alice Fabian Caligula’s golden hair, making it even more dazzling.

Alice was chatting and laughing with the Elders beside her. Spotting Chloe, she waved.

“Hi.”

“Alice~”

All of Chloe’s tension and sorrow dissolved into ash in that moment.

She sprinted towards Alice, but her high heel suddenly snagged in the red carpet. Her delicate foot slipped out of the shoe, and she was about to fall.

Alice jogged a few steps, catching her steadily.

Chloe nestled into Alice’s embrace, inhaling a faint citrus scent—perhaps the perfume Alice had sprayed at the shop earlier.

The fragrance emptied Chloe’s mind, and she collapsed weakly to the ground.

“Be careful.”

Alice helped her up. Chloe caught sight of Alice’s emerald eyes, their gazes meeting.

Compared to Chloe’s, Alice’s eyes held a deeper weariness.

“Chloe.”

Wuxu stood beside Alice, her expression quite unnatural.

“What happened? What was the outcome?”

“Damn it! Why?!”

A sudden, furious shout echoed through the corridor.

Cailin Borgia Cato, her hair disheveled, stormed out from behind Wuxu, yelling angrily. Cicero quickly restrained her arm to prevent any more extreme actions.

“Wuxu, you damn cheat, did you bribe the voters?”

Cailin Borgia Cato continued to shout. Several Elders worked together to carry her away, preventing her from further tarnishing their noble image.

“We won… but… why?”

Wuxu touched her smooth, delicate face, a look of shock etched upon it.

“The No-War Edict, which lasted for 300 years, ends now! Congratulations, everyone, you may once again plunge into endless war!” Alice announced loudly.

The black-clad nobles and white-clad nobles cast aside their animosities. Linking arms, they sang loudly, oblivious to the countless grievances they had once held and the countless more that would inevitably arise.

Cliff extended his hand to Carl, a wide smile spreading across his face.

“Now, can we finally shake hands?”

Carl patted his own cheek, assuring himself he was still in reality.

Then, he slowly extended his hand, firmly grasping Cliff’s.

“And you, my Lady,” Cliff said, his gaze shifting to Chloe. However, Chloe was still lost in the euphoria of reuniting with Alice.

Only at Alice’s silent prompting did she dazedly place her hand atop theirs.

The Triumvirate was thus formed, and the three-century-long balance of power was quietly shattered.

The world would once again ignite with the flames of war, yet the people within it cheered with joy.