Chapter 98 – The Prelude to Three Days of Silence

The flowing magma in the Valley of Flame gradually solidified, its bright, scorching crimson fading into a deep, lifeless red.

The residents of the western continent first felt an inexplicable coolness in the weather, and then—the rampant “strange illness” grew even more severe.

People hid in their homes, shutting their doors and windows tightly. This was the only way to slightly alleviate the symptoms. But as soon as they stepped outside, pain from all over their bodies tore through them. Death became more and more frequent, as if the shadow of the Grim Reaper would fall upon them at any moment.

The illness spread alongside the drought, as if heralding an impending catastrophe. They anxiously awaited the governor’s orders, but the orders never came. The physicians had discussed the strange illness, yet none could offer a solution.

The governor’s reports, one after another, were sent galloping to the Imperial Capital by fast horses. Yet the capital seemed too preoccupied to respond, aside from dispatching physicians, there was no further action.

The people were disappointed, even if no one said it aloud. In their panic and helplessness, the Empire, which had always been strong and reliable, remained silent—a crack began to form in that image of strength and reliability.

The newly arrived Imperial physicians discovered that, over the past two days, the people’s condition differed from the governor’s reports. Their initial despair had turned into a strange optimism, tinged with a faint hint of madness.

The young and skilled physician politely inquired with several households.

The answers he received were all the same.

“God! God has come to save us!” The residents’ eyes were bright with excitement.

The young physician endured the faint stinging pain on his skin. The moment he stepped into this region, he too had contracted the “strange illness”—in fact, they had been prepared to sacrifice their lives when they were dispatched.

He asked kindly, “Madam, what exactly happened?”

The lady of the household was almost dancing with excitement. “Doctor, there really is a god! A divine miracle appeared in the town—wherever the golden light touched, everyone’s pain disappeared!”

“Golden light?” the physician asked.

“Yes, like the brightest sunlight of summer. It comes at unpredictable times. Doctor, if you stay a few more days, you’ll surely see the miracle. It descends upon us at irregular intervals—the Empire has abandoned its people, but God still remembers us poor souls!”

The latter part of her words made the young physician uncomfortable. After all, he had been dispatched by the Imperial Capital. He moved his lips, wanting to say, “The Empire has not abandoned you,” but the words wouldn’t come—since receiving Prince Bolan’s orders and leaving the capital, they had received no further instructions.

The physician’s words changed as they reached his lips. “How long does the miracle last?”

“It varies. The longest one lasted the entire morning.”

“Was there anything else unusual?”

“The deity seems to be a goddess!” The lady’s eyes lit up. “Someone in the town said they saw the figure of a goddess within the golden light—could it be the Goddess of Light from ancient legends?”

The physician left the household with his mind full of doubts. His orthodox medical training made it hard for him to believe that a “golden light” or “divine miracle” could alleviate an illness that had stumped everyone.

As for the “Goddess of Light,” no one was less likely to believe in deities than the people of the Imperial Capital… The citizens of the capital would say, “We might as well worship the Flaming Rose—it has always been the Empire that protects its people, not some god.”

But just as the physician was about to leave the town, the sunlight suddenly became dazzling and warm, and the pain in his body vanished.

The physician looked around in amazement, finding everything bathed in a soft golden glow. The residents stepped out of their homes, gazing gratefully at the sky, and even began singing the Seven-Day Hymn—the passionate hymn sung during the Empire’s founding ceremony, though now the object of praise had become the deity.

His previously disdainful heart toward “deities” began to waver in the sacred and warm light—this scene was truly an incredible miracle!

At the same time, Adrishig left the Valley of Flame.

Like a bard from a fairy tale, he passed through wastelands and towns, collecting news and stories, and thus heard descriptions not too different from what the physician had heard.

The bard looked up at the sky, his pale silver eyes calm but with undercurrents of emotion.

He gazed in a certain direction, whether it was toward Kalaway or “Hieru City.”

“If Lin Wei succeeded, the order to migrate to the central region should have already arrived,” he suddenly muttered to himself.

But there were no orders—whether in the drought-stricken west, the snow-ravaged north, or the stormy coasts, the cities in disaster had received no word from the Imperial Capital.

Later history would refer to this period as the “Three Days of Silence.”

Imperial Capital, Imperial Palace.

“He doesn’t belong to the Empire; this isn’t proper, Grandmother Isis,” Lin Wei didn’t let Duan Yu agree to the Empress’s request. “How is His Majesty?”

“I was too emotional,” the Empress calmed down, her expression sorrowful. She shook her head and merely instructed a servant nearby, “Notify the Herald and summon the High Council…”

Lin Wei knew the worst had happened.

The High Council rarely made appearances. They were responsible for upholding the various codes of law and handling or witnessing important events of the Imperial Family and nobility—such as succession.

This shouldn’t have happened. Even in his past life, the old Emperor had been ill for a long time before passing. Moreover, news had come last night that His Majesty’s health had improved.

He felt a complicated mix of emotions, thinking the Goddess of Fate was particularly unkind to him.

When the Imperial Family had entrusted him to inform the Magic World about the disappearance of the Forbidden Scroll, before he could even enter the Magic Association, he had been whisked away to the Death Swamp by the Plectrum.

When Adrishig had entrusted him to explain the situation to the Imperial Capital, present the terms, and make the demands, before he could even meet the old Emperor, the man had passed away.

The current situation left no room for self-mockery. The old Emperor’s death had disrupted everything.

He had a dangerous premonition, not for any other reason, but for the unusual events of the past night.

The sudden attack and the abrupt death.

The teachings he had received—about power and strategy, about not believing in coincidences or accidents—kept him calm as he began to trace the cause from the result.

“His Majesty…”

“The physicians are in the outer chamber, and the servants were diligent,” the Empress said. “But he didn’t leave a single word.”

He didn’t leave a single word.

The Emperor had not designated an heir. According to the “Tituya Code,” the succession should follow the line of descent.

The old Emperor had no surviving brothers, so the first in line for succession would be—

Gregory.

Footsteps echoed at the palace entrance as several members of the High Council arrived.

Gregory appeared simultaneously with them, and along with him were…

Lin Wei recognized Igor and a few other familiar faces.

Members of the Empire’s secretly raised Mage Corps.

—Quite the spectacle.

Confident in having Duan Yu, the Archmage and future Leader, by his side, Lin Wei had somewhat disregarded other mages, forgetting that Gregory still held an ace up his sleeve.

The control of the Mage Corps was firmly in the hands of this prince, who was most hostile toward the Magic World.

“Your Highness Isis, did His Majesty leave any instructions?” asked one of the more senior members of the High Council.

“No,” the Empress spoke slowly. “It was I who summoned the council. His Majesty has passed, and we must initiate Tituya’s Third Protocol.”

The news was too sudden, and the council members couldn’t hide their surprise.

Lin Wei looked at Gregory.

Gregory’s gaze was as usual—like a snake raising its head in the darkness.

He showed no surprise or sorrow upon hearing of his father’s death—he didn’t even bother pretending.

A faint unease began to spread in Lin Wei’s heart.

The Empress, aware of her son’s less-than-amicable nature, still found his expressionless face particularly jarring at this moment. “Gregory…”

Gregory suddenly glanced at Lin Wei before turning to the Empress and stepping forward.

“Mother,” he said, “I request that Lin Wei Tidis be put on trial.”

The council members looked at him in surprise.

The Empress hesitated. “Why?”

“First, Igor detected a magical disturbance in the palace at midnight. At the same time, the patrol corps found traces of Lin Wei Tidis and his accompanying mage near the palace.”

Indeed, the Plectrum’s entrance in the Imperial Capital was very close to the palace.