Chapter 252: A Monarch’s Help
Chapter 252: A Monarch’s Help
"A Monarch?"
The moment the word Monarch left Carmilla’s lips, the entire chamber fell silent.
Aldren’s deep-set eyes were filled with profound skepticism.
"Dean, with all due respect... why would any Monarch willingly save Rhain? Even a Monarch would not easily risk the wrath of the Solathane Royal Family over a Spirit Manifestation youth, no matter how unprecedented his talent is."
The other Preceptors nodded in grim agreement. To ask a Monarch to shield an assassin of the Crown Prince’s clone was akin to asking the heavens to reverse the flow of rivers.
Even for a Monarch, the political fallout with the Emperor would be catastrophic.
"Normally, you would all be correct," Carmilla said, her melodious voice ringing with certainty. "No Monarch would take that risk. However... what if that Monarch owed a life-saving debt?"
The Preceptors frowned in confusion, but Seraphine’s sharp eyes instantly narrowed.
Carmilla’s bright eyes shifted, landing on Matriarch Seraphine, who stood quietly amidst the group.
"Sixty years ago, Sera and I were disciples of the Valdris Royal Academy."
When the name Valdris Royal Academy was mentioned, every Preceptor involuntarily straightened their backs.
"The Old Dean of the Valdris Royal Academy is a true Monarch Realm powerhouse," Carmilla said, her eyes returning to Seraphine. "And it was during our time as disciples at the Valdris Royal Academy that Seraphine met the man who would become her husband. The man who, in a moment of catastrophic danger, saved the life of the Old Dean of the Valdris Royal Academy."
Across the chamber, the Preceptors were staring at Seraphine with expressions of profound shock.
Every cultivator in Stormveil City had heard the whispers about the mysterious man who had swept the greatest prodigy of her generation off her feet and then vanished without a name.
But not one of them had ever known this.
Even Lyra, who was standing beside her mother, gasped softly.
She had grown up hearing fragmented stories of the father she never met, but she had never known he had bestowed a life-saving grace upon an existence of that caliber.
To fully understand the gravity of that favor, one had to understand the political landscape of the Solathane Dynasty.
Outside of the Royal Capital—Solathane City, which was tightly governed by the Royal Family and the three great Imperial Families—there was only one other location on the entire dynasty that possessed Monarch Realm powerhouses.
Valdris City.
It was widely recognized as the second strongest city in the dynasty, and in truth, its sheer influence was no weaker than the capital itself.
Approximately 2,500 years ago, three overwhelmingly powerful Duchys, refusing to bow their heads and be governed by the arrogant Imperial Families, abandoned the capital entirely.
They migrated east and established Valdris City, turning it into an independent power that was no weaker than the royal capital.
Among those three Duchys, the Valdris Royal Academy was the strongest in terms of sheer influence.
Unlike the other two Duchys, which maintained a tense, cold-war relationship with the capital, the Valdris Royal Academy maintained an incredibly good relationship with the Royal Family.
The reason was simple: prestige.
For centuries, almost every single prodigy of the Royal Family and the four Imperial Families was sent to study at the Valdris Royal Academy.
The Crown Prince Lucius, the Second Prince, and countless Imperial heirs had all walked its halls.
Even the current Emperor of the Solathane Dynasty was an alumnus.
"Because of their deep, intertwined history," Carmilla explained to the stunned room, "the Old Dean of the Valdris Royal Academy commands a level of respect that even the Emperor cannot ignore. If the Old Dean personally steps forward to save Rhain, the Emperor will be forced to give him face."
Carmilla’s expression turned remarkably pragmatic. "After all, Rhain did not truly kill Lucius. He only destroyed a clone. The Emperor will undoubtedly demand a heavy punishment, but if a Monarch from his own alma mater intervenes, Rhain’s life can be atleast guaranteed."
All eyes in the central chamber slowly turned.
The gaze of every Preceptor, Vice Dean Myrielle, and Rhain himself settled upon Matriarch Seraphine.
Would she do it?
Would the proud Matriarch of the Emberford Family cash in the greatest trump card her husband had ever left her... for a boy who had just publicly went against the whole dynasty?
Seraphine stood in silence for a long moment.
She looked at Carmilla, letting out a soft, resigned sigh.
"I knew exactly what you were planning the moment you asked me to follow you here, Carmilla," Seraphine said, her voice smooth and composed.
"Sera understands me the best," Carmilla admitted without a trace of shame.
Noticing everyone’s expectant gaze, Seraphine stepped forward, her sharp eyes locking onto Rhain, "I am willing to invoke that favor and ask the Old Dean to save your life."
A collective wave of relief washed over the gathered group.
"However," Seraphine continued, "I have one condition."
Carmilla didn’t hesitate. "Name it, Sera. The Stormveil Academy will accept any condition you set as long as you help him."
"It is not up to you or the Academy to accept but him," Seraphine replied.
Rhain lifted his head and met her gaze without flinching.
"What can I offer, Matriarch."
Seraphine uttered three shocking words.
"Marry my daughter."
For one full second, no one in the chamber breathed.
The High Preceptors’ jaws practically hit the floor.
No one, absolutely no one had expected this condition.
Then—
"NEVER!"
Lyra was the first to explode.
The shock shattered her composure entirely. Her beautiful face flushed bright red with sheer outrage.
"Mom!" Lyra vehemently denied, stepping away from Seraphine, "I will never marry! I will never marry a man, and I will especially never marry him!"
"Lyra, silence," Seraphine commanded sternly, her sharp eyes fixing her daughter in place. "I have taken this decision after very deep thought."
Seraphine turned back to Rhain, her gaze softening with a mixture of profound respect and maternal calculation.
"Apart from Rhain, there is simply no other man in this entire dynasty who is suitable for you, Lyra. He is talented beyond measure. He is incredibly strong. And above all... he has a good character."
Seraphine gestured toward Rhain’s blood-soaked robes. "He was ready to throw away his future, challenge a Domain Master, and go to war against the entire Solathane Dynasty just to protect his wife’s dignity. Although he is a bit reckless and short-tempered... I am certain he will learn from his mistakes in the future."
Seraphine’s eyes glistened with a rare, sentimental light.
"When your father left," Seraphine murmured, her voice softening, "he told me that if he does not return, it is my absolute responsibility to find a capable man who can protect and stand beside our daughter. I believe with all my heart that I have finally found that man."
"And look what happened to your marriage!" Lyra retorted fiercely, her crimson eyes welling with bitter, resentful tears. "He left you! Men are all the same! I don’t need a man to protect me!"
"Do not speak ill of your father!" Seraphine snapped, her voice carrying a sudden, fierce anger that startled everyone in the room. "He left because he had no choice! It wasn’t his fault, and I will not allow you to disrespect his memory!"
Lyra bit her lip, stubbornly turning her head away, her chest heaving with suppressed emotion.
Seraphine took a calming breath, restoring her majestic composure, before turning back to the dark-robed youth.
"Well, Rhain?" Seraphine asked. "Are you willing or not?"