Read Novel Full Chapter 576: The Trial
Chapter 576: The Trial
Evening descended upon the capital of Lechia.
The sun had long begun its slow descent beyond the horizon, painting the skies in shades of orange and crimson. The palace, usually bustling with activity, felt strangely subdued. Servants spoke quietly. Guards maintained a respectful silence. Even the nobles seemed less eager to engage in their usual political maneuvering.
The entire palace felt the weight of what had happened.
And at the center of it all was the Empress.
After spending much of the day alone, she remained inside her private chambers. The room was dimly lit by several enchanted lamps, their soft glow casting gentle shadows across the walls. A half-finished cup of tea rested on a nearby table, untouched for hours.
Her gaze remained fixed on the city outside her window.
Thousands of lights illuminated the capital.
The people still trusted her.
The people still believed in her.
Yet for the first time in many years, she felt tired.
Not physically.
Soul-deep tired.
A gentle knock suddenly interrupted the silence.
The Empress blinked.
For a moment she considered ignoring it.
“Enter.”
The door slowly opened.
Lucas stepped inside.
The moment she saw him, she already understood why he had come.
He wasn’t carrying reports.
He wasn’t here to discuss military matters.
Nor politics.
He had simply come to check on her.
Lucas quietly closed the door behind him and approached.
For several moments neither spoke.
The silence between them was comfortable.
Eventually, the Empress managed a faint smile.
“You should be resting.”
Lucas shrugged.
“So should you.”
A small laugh escaped her lips.
The first genuine laugh she had managed all day.
Though it quickly faded.
Lucas pulled a chair closer and sat down.
The Empress noticed that he wasn’t looking at her as a ruler.
He wasn’t looking at her as the powerful monarch of Lechia.
He was looking at her as a person.
As someone who was hurting.
That alone made her feel slightly better.
“You came to comfort me?”
Lucas nodded.
“Someone has to.”
The Empress looked away.
“I’ve heard enough comforting words today.”
“Then hear them one more time.”
She raised an eyebrow.
Lucas leaned back slightly.
“You blame yourself.”
It wasn’t a question.
The Empress didn’t answer.
She didn’t need to.
Her silence was enough.
Lucas sighed.
“I figured.”
The Empress finally spoke.
“Perhaps I should have noticed.”
“You couldn’t have.”
“Perhaps I should have paid more attention.”
“You did.”
“Perhaps I failed him somewhere.”
Lucas immediately shook his head.
“No.”
The firmness in his voice surprised her.
Lucas rarely sounded so certain.
The Empress turned toward him.
Lucas met her gaze directly.
“You didn’t fail him.”
The words were simple.
Yet they carried conviction.
The Empress stared at him quietly.
Lucas continued.
“You raised him exactly as an Empress should raise an heir.”
She listened.
“You educated him.”
“You prepared him for leadership.”
“You gave him power.”
“You gave him responsibility.”
“You gave him opportunities most people can only dream of.”
The Empress lowered her gaze.
Lucas wasn’t finished.
“You didn’t neglect him.”
“You didn’t abandon him.”
“You didn’t abuse him.”
“You didn’t treat him unfairly.”
His voice remained calm.
“If anything, you gave him everything.”
The room became quiet once more.
The Empress found herself unable to argue.
Because deep down, she knew he was right.
Lucas continued speaking.
“The choice was his.”
The words struck deeply.
“He chose to listen to the enemies of Lechia.”
“He chose to betray the kingdom.”
“He chose to betray you.”
A painful expression crossed the Empress’s face.
Yet she didn’t interrupt.
“None of that was your decision.”
Lucas looked toward the window.
“Sometimes people make choices that nobody can understand.”
The Empress slowly closed her eyes.
That was the question haunting her most.
Why?
Why had Khan done it?
Why throw everything away?
Why side with the usurpers?
Why betray his own people?
Nothing about it made sense.
“He had everything,” she whispered.
Lucas nodded.
“I know.”
“He was going to inherit the throne.”
“I know.”
“He never needed power.”
“I know.”
The Empress clenched her hands.
“So why?”
Her voice cracked slightly.
“Why would he do this? He had no reason to betray the kingdom.”
For a long moment, Lucas remained silent.
Eventually, he sighed.
“Who needs a reason for betrayal? one must always think of the worst possible outcomes.”
The answer wasn’t satisfying.
But it was honest.
“Maybe greed.”
“Maybe pride.”
“Maybe ambition.”
“Maybe they manipulated him.”
Lucas shook his head.
“Maybe it’s something we’ll never understand.”
The Empress looked away.
That possibility hurt more than she expected.
To never know why.
To never receive an answer.
To never understand what had led her son down this path.
Lucas watched her quietly.
Then he spoke again.
“Whatever the reason was…”
The Empress looked toward him.
“…it wasn’t because you failed as a mother.”
Silence followed.
The words lingered in the room.
The Empress felt her eyes growing moist once more.
Not from grief this time.
But from relief.
Because part of her had been carrying that guilt all day.
The belief that somehow she had created this outcome.
That somewhere along the way she had made a mistake.
Lucas had reminded her of something important.
Parents could guide.
Teachers could teach.
Rulers could prepare.
But eventually, every person made their own choices.
And Khan had made his.
The consequences belonged to him.
Not to her.
The Empress remained silent for a long time.
Then finally she smiled.
A small smile.
A tired smile.
But a genuine one.
“Thank you, Xavier.”
Lucas returned the smile.
“You’re welcome.”
The two sat quietly for a while, looking out over the illuminated capital.
Neither felt the need to speak.
For the first time since Khan’s capture, the burden on the Empress’s shoulders felt slightly lighter.
The pain remained.
The coming trial still awaited.
The judgment she would have to deliver had not changed.
But at least now she no longer felt entirely alone in carrying it.
Three days passed in what felt like an eternity.
The news of Prince Khan’s upcoming trial had spread far beyond the borders of Lechia. Messengers had carried the story across kingdoms and empires. Nobles, rulers, generals, and commoners alike followed every development with intense interest.
Never before had an heir to one of the great powers been accused of such betrayal.
Never before had an empress been forced to publicly judge her own son.
As a result, the trial had become more than a legal proceeding.
It had become a moment of history.
From the earliest hours of the morning, the capital was already awake.
Thousands of citizens flooded the streets surrounding the Imperial Palace. Every balcony, every window, and every public square was packed with people hoping to witness some part of the day’s events.
Inside the palace, security had been increased to unprecedented levels.
Elite guards stood at every entrance.
Powerful cultivators monitored every corridor.
Numerous formations had been activated throughout the palace grounds.
No chances were being taken.
The Great Hall itself had been transformed into a courtroom worthy of an empire.
The enormous chamber was illuminated by hundreds of enchanted crystal lamps suspended high above. Massive pillars stretched toward the ceiling, each engraved with the history of Lechia and the names of the rulers who had come before.
At the far end of the hall stood the Imperial Throne.
The symbol of Lechia’s authority.
The symbol of the law.
The symbol that Prince Khan had been destined to inherit.
Now it stood as a reminder of everything he had lost.
The hall was already overflowing with people.
Every noble house of significance had sent representatives.
Military commanders occupied entire sections of the chamber.
High-ranking ministers sat in solemn silence.
The leaders of powerful organizations watched with serious expressions.
No one spoke loudly.
No one smiled.
The atmosphere was heavy.
Even among the crowd of thousands, a strange silence lingered.
Everyone understood the gravity of what was about to happen.
Among the honored guests were rulers from allied kingdoms.
King Highmoor sat near the front of the hall, his expression calm but stern. As a ruler himself, he understood better than most the burden the Empress carried.
Not far from him sat the Emperor of Rus.
The powerful monarch remained silent, his sharp eyes carefully observing everything around him.
Beside him was the King of Blackmare.
The ruler’s face was unreadable as he sat with his hands folded together, waiting for the proceedings to begin.
The presence of three rulers alone demonstrated the importance of the trial.
None of them had come merely out of curiosity.
They had come because history was about to be made.
Below them sat many of the kingdom’s most influential figures.
Lucas occupied one of the front rows alongside Henrietta, Selene, Lira, Princess Nyx, and the Ice Belle.
Their expressions reflected the mood of the hall.
Serious.
Somber.
Thoughtful.
Even the Ice Belle remained unusually quiet.
Nobody joked.
Nobody engaged in idle conversation.
The occasion demanded respect.
Lucas glanced toward the empty throne.
Three days ago he had spoken with the Empress.
He had watched her struggle with the impossible decision before her.
Now the day had finally arrived.
He knew she would appear strong.
She always did.
But he also knew the cost behind that strength.
Around them sat countless influential figures of Lechia.
Dukes.
Marquises.
Generals.
High-ranking cultivators.
Guild leaders.
Representatives from every major faction within the kingdom.
And beyond them stood the common people.
Thousands of them.
Men and women from every corner of the empire.
Farmers.
Merchants.
Craftsmen.
Soldiers.
Citizens who had traveled for days simply to witness the trial.
Some hated Khan.
Some pitied him.
Some still struggled to believe the accusations.
But all of them wanted answers.
All of them wanted justice.
The tension inside the Great Hall grew with every passing minute.
People continuously glanced toward the massive entrance doors.
Waiting.
Watching.
Anticipating.
The hall felt as though it were holding its breath.