Chapter 161: The Emperor’s Questions
The doors of the Imperial Palace closed behind Kael.
The sound echoed through the enormous entrance hall.
For a moment, Kael simply stood there.
He had visited Aurelia before.
He had walked these halls as a prince.
But this time felt different.
He had just spent hours searching through Imperial history and discovered that the most important parts of the Empire’s past had somehow disappeared.
Now his father had summoned him.
And Kael knew exactly why.
Darius walked beside him.
Neither spoke.
The intelligence officer continued ahead of them.
The palace servants and guards moved aside as Kael passed.
Some bowed.
Others stared.
The Imperial Prince who had disappeared into Blackwood had returned.
But Kael wasn’t the same young prince who had left.
His posture had changed.
His presence had changed.
Even the way he walked through the palace was different.
He had territory now.
Soldiers.
A growing household.
The Black Dragon.
And responsibilities that couldn’t simply be handed back to someone else.
Eventually, they reached the doors of the Emperor’s private audience chamber.
The intelligence officer stopped.
His Majesty is waiting.
Kael nodded.
Darius stepped forward.
I will accompany him.
The officer hesitated.
The Emperor specifically requested Prince Kael.
Darius’s expression hardened.
And I am his first commander.
A brief silence followed.
Then the doors opened.
The Emperor’s voice came from inside.
Let him enter.
Darius followed Kael.
The doors closed behind them.
Emperor Augustus Aurelius Asterion stood beside the enormous windows overlooking Aurelia.
He wasn’t wearing his ceremonial crown.
Instead, he wore a simple black Imperial coat with gold embroidery.
Several documents rested on a table nearby.
Kael noticed them immediately.
One of them had the seal of the Imperial Library.
Another carried the symbol of the Imperial intelligence service.
So they had already reported everything.
Augustus turned.
Kael.
Father.
Darius bowed.
Your Majesty.
Augustus nodded.
Darius, remain.
Kael glanced toward him.
He had expected his father to ask Darius to leave.
Instead, Augustus motioned toward the table.
Sit.
Kael and Darius took their places.
Augustus remained standing.
You went to the Imperial Library today.
Kael nodded.
I did.
You requested records concerning the First Emperor.
I did.
You also requested records concerning the First War, the founding of Aurelia, and the early Imperial dynasty.
Kael remained calm.
I was curious.
Augustus studied him.
Curiosity is rarely enough to make someone spend several hours searching through restricted history.
Kael leaned back slightly.
I didn’t access anything restricted.
You attempted to.
Kael smiled faintly.
Attempted.
Augustus didn’t smile.
Why?
Kael paused.
He had expected this question.
He had prepared for it.
But he had no intention of giving his father the truth.
Because I realized I don’t know enough about the Empire.
Augustus’s expression remained unreadable.
You are an Imperial Prince.
You were educated in the Imperial Academy.
You have studied Imperial history since childhood.
Kael nodded.
The official history.
The Emperor’s eyes narrowed slightly.
And you believe the official history is incomplete.
Kael didn’t answer immediately.
That silence was enough.
Augustus walked toward the table.
What did you find?
Kael looked at the documents.
Mostly missing records.
The emperor stopped.
Kael continued.
There are entire sections of history that seem to have disappeared. Records concerning the First War. Early Imperial expansion. The first years of Aurelia.
Some were destroyed.
Some were removed.
Some were never preserved.
Augustus stared at him.
And that concerns you.
It does.
Why?
Kael looked directly at his father.
Because if the Empire is built on history, then understanding that history matters.
Darius remained silent.
Augustus slowly sat down.
You are becoming more like an emperor than I expected.
Kael raised an eyebrow.
Is that a compliment?
Perhaps.
The Emperor folded his hands.
Then let me ask you something.
What do you know about Aurelius Kael Asterion?
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
The First Emperor.
Correct.
Founder of the Imperial Empire.
Founder of Aurelia.
Founder of the Asterion dynasty.
Kael paused.
And the man you named me after.
Augustus’s expression changed for the briefest moment.
Kael noticed.
Why did you name me after him?
The room became quiet.
Augustus looked toward the window.
Because Kael was a name worthy of an Imperial heir.
That answer was too simple.
Kael knew it.
Darius probably knew it too.
But Kael didn’t push.
Instead, he asked another question.
What do you know about him that isn’t written in the public records?
Augustus looked back at him.
You came here asking about the First Emperor.
Now you’re asking me the same question.
Kael nodded.
Yes.
Then perhaps you should hear what I know.
Augustus walked toward an enormous painting hanging on the eastern wall.
Kael had seen it many times.
The First Emperor stood in the center.
A crown rested upon his head.
A massive sword hung at his side.
Behind him stood the first Imperial army.
Beyond them was a younger version of Aurelia.
The painting was centuries old.
But the figure in its center remained remarkably clear.
Aurelius Kael Asterion.
The First Emperor.
Augustus stood beneath the painting.
Before Aurelius, humanity was divided.
There were dozens of human kingdoms.
Some were allies.
Others were enemies.
Borders changed constantly.
Wars were common.
Then came the First War.
Kael listened carefully.
It was not a war between humans.
The greatest threat came from beyond the kingdoms.
The ancient dragons.
Kael’s expression changed slightly.
Augustus continued.
The dragons had existed long before the Imperial Empire.
Their territories stretched across lands humans barely understood.
Some were peaceful.
Others believed humanity had grown too powerful.
The conflict eventually became unavoidable.
The First War nearly destroyed human civilization.
Cities burned.
Kingdoms disappeared.
Entire bloodlines were lost.
Aurelius was not originally an emperor.
He was a prince.
A warrior.
A strategist.
A man who eventually united the surviving human kingdoms under one banner.
Kael stared at the painting.
How old was he when the war began?
Augustus looked toward the portrait.
Young.
Younger than you are now.
Kael’s expression became thoughtful.
He became emperor after the war?
Yes.
And Aurelia was built afterward?
Yes.
Augustus continued.
The first Aurelia was nothing more than a fortified settlement.
A military stronghold.
A place where the surviving human rulers could gather without fearing another attack.
Over generations, it became a city.
Then a capital.
Then the heart of the Empire.
Kael looked around the chamber.
And the name Aurelia?
Augustus nodded.
Named after Aurelius.
Kael looked back at the painting.
So the capital carries his name.
Yes.
And every Imperial heir carries Asterion.
Yes.
Kael lowered his eyes.
There was something strangely poetic about it.
Aurelius.
Aurelia.
Kael.
Asterion.
The entire empire seemed to carry pieces of one man’s name.
But something still bothered him.
What happened after the First War?
Augustus became silent.
Kael waited.
The Emperor finally answered.
That depends on which records you read.
Kael looked at him.
The public records say Aurelius spent the remainder of his life rebuilding the Empire.
They are correct.
But?
Augustus walked back toward his desk.
There are things about the First Emperor that were never recorded publicly.
Kael leaned forward.
Such as?
Augustus looked directly at him.
His disappearance.
Kael froze.
Darius’s eyes narrowed.
Disappearance?
Augustus nodded.
The First Emperor did not die in the Imperial Palace.
He disappeared.
Kael stared at him.
What do you mean disappeared?
One day, Aurelius Kael Asterion left the capital.
He never returned.
Kael’s mind raced.
Was there a body?
No.
Witnesses?
Very few.
Did anyone know where he went?
Not with certainty.
Kael glanced at the painting again.
Then who became emperor?
His eldest son.
And the Asterion bloodline continued.
Yes.
Kael sat back.
That wasn’t in the history books.
No.
Why?
Augustus’s expression became cold.
Because some truths are dangerous when placed into the hands of people who don’t understand them.
Kael studied his father.
That sounded less like an explanation and more like a warning.
Before Kael could ask another question, Augustus spoke again.
There is another reason I summoned you.
Kael looked at him.
Your investigation into the First Emperor has attracted attention.
Whose?
The emperor’s expression hardened.
People who should not be interested in you.
Kael remained silent.
Augustus continued.
Whatever you’re searching for, Kael, be careful.
I’m always careful.
No.
The Emperor shook his head.
You are becoming powerful.
That is different.
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
Power attracts enemies.
It also attracts people who want to use you.
Kael thought about the ancient ruins.
The Champion.
The strange records.
The missing history.
But he said nothing.
Augustus studied his son for several seconds.
Then he asked the question Kael had been expecting.
What exactly are you looking for?
Kael didn’t hesitate.
I want to understand the Empire.
Augustus stared at him.
Kael stared back.
Neither moved.
Finally, the emperor gave a quiet sigh.
Then understand this.
The Empire is older than Aurelia.
Older than the Imperial Palace.
Older than the current borders.
And some of its oldest secrets were buried for a reason.
Kael nodded slowly.
Then perhaps I should find out what those secrets are.
Augustus’s expression became serious.
Perhaps.
But don’t let your search become more important than the people you are responsible for.
Kael understood the meaning.
Blackwood.
His villages.
His soldiers.
His people.
His growing territory.
His responsibilities were no longer theoretical.
Kael stood.
Then I’ll return to Blackwood.
Augustus nodded.
Before you leave Aurelia, I want you to attend tomorrow’s Imperial Council.
Kael frowned.
Why?
Because several members of the Council have questions about your territory.
Kael smiled faintly.
Of course they do.
And one more thing.
Kael stopped.
Augustus looked toward Darius.
Bring your first commander.
Darius bowed.
As always, Your Majesty.
Kael turned toward the doors.
He had come to Aurelia searching for history.
He had found missing records.
A vanished First Emperor.
And a warning from his father.
But he still didn’t know what had truly happened to Aurelius Kael Asterion.
And he certainly wasn’t going to stop searching.
Not yet.
Tomorrow, he would face the Imperial Council.
And for the first time, Kael would have to defend not himself...
But Blackwood.