CHAPTER 27: CHAPTER27-THE FORCEFUL EMPEROR

When the members of House Tascher laid eyes upon Aurek, silence immediately settled over them like a suffocating shroud.

Aurek’s brows furrowed without his even realizing it. His voice cut through the air, low but filled with authority."What is it? Are you troubled by something? Do you have difficulties you cannot speak of?"

Before the family patriarch Yule could reply, one of the elders could no longer restrain himself. He stepped forward, his voice hesitant but carrying a dangerous note of defiance.

"Your Majesty... I believe the current situation in the empire is far from stable. Perhaps it would be wiser if the Empress’s coronation were delayed. Just for the time being."

Yule coughed lightly, clearly displeased, and turned a sharp glare toward the elder. But he did not openly rebuke him.

The other elders exchanged glances and then chose silence, none daring to speak, though their eyes betrayed their agreement.

The one elder who had spoken seemed to have already thrown caution to the wind, choosing to smash the jar once it was cracked. There was no fear left in his heart—only a desperate stubbornness.

He spoke more boldly now, each word laced with cynicism."In my opinion, the empire is plagued with problems within. To be blunt, I do not wish for our House Tascher to plunge headfirst into this muddy water."

At these words, the other elders lowered their heads further, even Yule averted his eyes. No one wanted to confront Aurek directly.

But then, a calm and frosty voice suddenly broke the silence.

"Elder, I suggest you pay closer attention to your tone when speaking before His Majesty. And do not forget—your words represent only yourself. They do not speak for House Tascher as a whole. And they most certainly do not represent me."

The voice belonged to Josephine.

Her sudden interjection took Aurek off guard. He turned his head slightly, surprise flickering across his expression as he looked at her.

The entire political situation of the Crossbridge Empire was clear enough now. House Tascher, as one of the empire’s great noble houses, surely saw it even more clearly than most.

Yet Aurek could not understand—why had House Tascher insisted on binding themselves to the royal family through marriage? What greater calculation lay hidden behind their decision?

But just moments ago, Aurek had confirmed one thing. House Tascher was preparing to abandon ship.

It was hardly surprising. Anyone with clear eyes could see that Aurek’s odds of victory were slim, his position precarious. The empire teetered.

And yet Josephine, instead of distancing herself, had openly sided with him.

Why?

Could it be... that she was moved by his bearing? His poise? His kingly aura? Aurek almost chuckled at the thought. Absurd. Though, he admitted to himself, he did look rather handsome standing there.

Josephine turned toward Aurek, lowering her gaze respectfully."Please forgive them, Your Majesty."

Through it all, Aurek’s expression remained calm, his eyes cool and steady.

"I already understand. Your House Tascher doubts my ability to protect you."

The blunt words struck like thunder. Yule flinched, panic flashing across his face, and hurried to speak."Your Majesty, that is not what we meant!"

Aurek’s eyes narrowed, cold light flickering like steel."I know that behind you lurk shadows, other powers pulling strings. But I do not care about them. What I will not allow is for you to question my strength."

The moment he finished speaking, a chill like a blade swept through the air.

And then, in an instant, everyone present—save for Aurek and Josephine—felt it.

An oppressive, lethal aura surged over them, pressing down on their bodies and souls.

It was the sensation of standing at death’s edge. The certainty that if they dared to move even slightly, their lives would be extinguished.

And this was no mere illusion. Someone was deliberately exuding killing intent, letting them taste the breath of death itself.

Yule, House Tascher’s only Expert Rank powerhouse, was the most shaken of all. His senses screamed at him. He could feel those hidden blades surrounding them, dozens, perhaps hundreds.

And yet, no matter how he tried, he could not lock onto their locations.

"What... what is happening?"

The elders’ faces paled. They looked about frantically, searching for hidden enemies. But there was nothing—no figure in sight, no fluctuation of energy they could pinpoint.

Ghosts.

The word struck their minds all at once. Ghosts!

And with that thought came another image, horrifying and unforgettable: the annihilation of the Blackfish Gang, slaughtered to the last man, their entire clan erased overnight.

The realization dawned, and fear gripped their hearts.

The Emperor had such terrifying power at his command? How could they have been so blind, so foolish as to underestimate him?

Yule and the elders understood, in that instant, the gravity of their mistake.

They had gravely underestimated their Emperor.

Josephine’s eyes, meanwhile, glittered with something else—interest. She studied Aurek more closely, her lips curving ever so slightly. Was it amusement? Curiosity? Perhaps even expectation.

The elders, however, could bear it no longer. They dropped into hurried bows, their voices trembling."Your Majesty, please... please do not be angry!"

Faced with the edge of death, all their dignity crumbled to dust.

These were men who had climbed to the pinnacle of wealth and power. But when death reached out for them, all they could think of was survival. Family honor? The rise or fall of the empire? Such things meant nothing when compared to their own fragile lives.

Aurek’s voice was cold, but not without restraint."For the Empress’s sake, I will spare you this once."

He lifted his hand ever so slightly.

In that instant, the suffocating killing aura dissipated like smoke, leaving the room suddenly weightless.

The elders gasped, relief flooding their faces as if they had just crawled back from the abyss itself.

But they had no idea that the Elemental Assassins were standing behind them the entire time. Silent, invisible, blades ready to fall at the slightest command.

The assassins had simply hidden their killing intent, but their presence was real. Had the elders so much as twitched the wrong way, their heads would have rolled before they even knew it.

This was the terror of the Elemental Assassins.

And they were only one branch of Aurek’s hidden forces. Who knew what other troops lay waiting? Units more powerful, more terrifying still.

Even Aurek himself could not say for certain.

But today, he had not come to House Tascher to kill. The killing aura had been nothing but a warning, a reminder.

And with such a clever, perceptive woman as Josephine standing at his side, he saw no need to push the Tascher family into a corner.

"Concerning the Empress’s coronation ceremony," Aurek said, his tone cold but measured, "see to it at once. I do not wish to wait too long."

This time, not a single voice dared rise in opposition.

Even Yule’s tone shifted completely, his earlier reluctance swept away."Rest assured, Your Majesty. House Tascher will carry out the task with utmost diligence."

By now, Yule had fully understood.

The Emperor’s visit today was not just to push House Tascher forward—it was a show of power, a warning, and a declaration.

And that power was far greater than they had ever imagined.

After a moment of thought, Yule spoke again, more cautiously this time."Your Majesty, there is another matter we wished to report. Rumor has it that within the capital, several factions are already preparing to leave. If it pleases you, I can speak with them on your behalf. If you were to recruit them, they may lend their strength to your cause. Their resources are not insignificant. They could be of use."

Aurek’s lips curled into a cold smile.

So, there were factions abandoning the empire, unwilling to bet their lives on him. To recruit them would mean offering concessions, paying a price.

And if a mere Expert Rank like Yule could move them with words, then how powerful could they truly be?

Worthless.

Trash.

Aurek nearly laughed aloud.

"They are nothing but refuse. In my eyes, not even worth mentioning. If they wish to leave, then let them go."

His voice was utterly calm, his tone indifferent, as if speaking of dust carried away by the wind.

To him, these so-called factions were meaningless.

And in that moment, House Tascher finally began to understand.

This Emperor was no weakling clinging to a throne. He was forceful, unyielding, and merciless—a ruler who would not bow to circumstance, but bend the world itself to his will.