Prime Minister Ashir walked into the throne room and greeted the emperor in a bow. As he fixed back his posture, he noticed two foreign men sitting alongside the throne. He could tell they were not from the Sun Land, however, what shocked him was the striking resemblance of his late wife to one of the man seated.
"Prime Minister Ashir," the emperor called, interrupting Ra's thoughts.
"Ah, yes! Your Majesty, please forgive my impudence," he answered taking his eyes back to the floor.
"Damn right you're impudent!" yelled out Lord Aten, upon seeing the man his sister had fallen for, he had the urge to rush forward and strike him.
Prime Minister Ashir furrowed his brows at the man's insult, no one had dared talk to him that way in decades; he was in front of the emperor, therefore he silently sulked.
Lord Aten scoffed at Ra's cowardice, then gave a look to the emperor in impatience.
"Ah right! Prime Minister Ashir, twenty years ago, have you taken the Lady of The Moon Land as your wife?" the emperor questioned.
Ra Ashir was taken aback, the Lady of the Moon Land? If he were to take in such a wife, his status would have elevated to greater heights, he thought.
"I do not understand, your majesty, this lowly official never had the honor to meet such a character," he answered humbly.
"Twenty years ago, had you not taken a wife, who had even given birth to my now daughter-in-law?" the emperor asked, and he did not forget to show his closeness to Tria, putting himself in the light.
Lord Aten ignored him, he did not care whether the emperor favored Tria or not. As his niece, added to the fact that she was the priestess, she did not need such favor, if anything the emperor would have to bow in front her in respect.
Meanwhile, Ra was thinking back to when he walked in and noticed the resemblance of Elaine to the man who had insulted him. However, he still did not think Elaine was the Lady of The Moon, why would such a woman marry the low-rank official that he was back then.
"I have taken in a second wife back then your majesty, however, she was just an ordinary traveler," he answered calmly, thinking back about when he met Elaine, she was definitely an ordinary person, if it was not for her beauty, he wouldn't have noticed her.
Lord Aten was totally infuriated, that man had treated his sister like an ordinary woman, and he was talking about her as if it was just another woman, how dared he? Lord Aten wanted to throw the prime minister into timeless dungeon right at that moment, but God Hoth, and that emperor was present. Any impulsive actions could result in unwanted friction.
"Could you summon that person over, your majesty?" asked Lord Aten.
Prime minister Ashir was shocked at the man's request, is that what this summons was about?
"Your Majesty, I'm afraid that won't be possible," interjected Ra Ashir, he was finally getting worried, what if Elaine was the person they said she was?
"Why would that be Prime Minister Ashir?" asked Lord Aten.
"My second wife has passed away over 18 years ago," he answered nervously.
The room grew quiet, these words were exactly what they wanted to hear, for the emperor he was hoping to punish Ra Ashir lightly since he wasn't aware of her identity. However, Lord Aten had other plans.
"Prime Minister Ashir, the ordinary woman you were married to was my beloved sister, Elaine Blanc, the Lady of The Moon Land. For a lowly official like you to have married her was a crime within itself, along with marrying her in secret and having neglected her which resulted in her death. Such heavy crimes, you don't expect to walk out of this hall alive, do you?" said Lord Aten in one breath, even the emperor could not interrupt as everything he said was right.
Prime minister Ashir fell to his knees in despair and crawled towards the throne. Not long ago, he was in his estate daydreaming about being the father of the future empress, and now he was crawling with snot coming out of his nose.
"Your Majesty, I was not aware of her lady's identity, please spare me," he begged pitifully and cried.
Before the emperor could speak, Lord Aten spoke out.
"Even if you were not aware of her identity, as an official, marrying a foreign woman needs to be reported, am I not right? I have already asked the emperor and he was not aware of you even marrying until after the fact, what's the point of begging when you have already countlessly deceived the emperor," Lord Aten said.
The emperor knew Lord Aten was not going to let things work out smoothly, and so before blood was drawn, he thought of wrapping things up quickly.
"Prime minister Ashir, you have served this emperor for a long time, and to find out that you are so deceiving is quite disappointing, therefore I now decree that you are no longer the prime minister, and your daughter's marriage with the crown prince is now annulled. Guards! Take him away!" the emperor ordered.
Lord Aten did not say anything, the emperor has already decreed a punishment, however, things were not over. He had yet to bring the subject of his dear niece, Tria.
"Not so quick," God Hoth, finally spoke out.
Lord Aten and the emperor were both startled.
"Lady Elaine was a benefactor so there is no way I'll simply sit by while her murderer goes unpunished," he said giving the emperor a meaningful glance," my identity requires me to not get myself involved in human affairs, however, this is different."
His wings suddenly grew out from his back and rushed towards the prime minister. Hoth pushed Ra Ashir against a pillar, with his left-wing pressing against Ra Ashir's neck.
"Lowly human, how did Lady Elaine die? I refuse to believe it was because of you. Such a strong woman would not become depressed to death over a pitiful man like you!"