บท 155: The New Beginning

"Father, is this true?"

Loyd directed his inquiry to the Emperor, his eyes widening with a mixture of confusion and disbelief. Luther, maintaining a somber demeanor, merely nodded in response.

The Crown Prince found himself engulfed in a nauseating amalgamation of anger and bewilderment.

Suddenly, the realization dawned upon him – the religious rebellion was initially intended to revolve around him. It was designed to elevate his somewhat ambiguous reputation, overshadowing Damien, whose image, thanks to his active wife, had begun its trajectory toward redemption in the eyes of the public.

And now, was he on the verge of another failure? Was his moment in the spotlight about to be usurped by none other than the seemingly ineffectual and defenseless Angelica? Such an outcome was intolerable.