Chapter 26 It Would Already be Too Late

"We will find a way to sort it out when the time comes." Rock held Phoebe's shoulder, giving her a light squeeze.

"Let's hope the Emperor is desperate enough to bite the bait." Phoebe muttered, her eyes stared at the far distance.

...….

(Back in Eldenria)

The night air was still, save for the gentle rustle of wind through the tall castle windows. Inside the dining hall, the warmth from the chandeliers cast a soft glow over the table, but the tension made the room feel colder than it should have been.

Kaelith sat on a tall chair carved from blackwood, too large for his small frame. Cushions were stuffed beneath him to give the illusion of height. 

This was one of the few times that they gathered to eat dinner. And that of course only happens when Dimitri is looking for advice from his wives.

Plum stood beside him, feeding him his baby food. But he turned away, uninterested in the food.

 He had thought he had found the right book to unlock his seal, only to come to another dead end.

To his right sat the Empress Agnes, ever regal and composed, dressed in silver robes that gleamed faintly under the light. Beside her was Emperor Dimitri, cutting his roast with unnecessary force. And on the Emperor's left sat Artherine—her beauty cold as porcelain, her brown eyes sharp with ambition.

On the table were the other three wives and eight children of the Emperor, sitting quietly without making a sound.

No one spoke for a while. The clinking of cutlery against gold-rimmed plates filled the long hall, but it only made the silence heavier.

Artherine broke the silence, her voice gentle and sweet. "You've been quiet tonight, Your Majesty," she said, her smile graceful but deliberate. "Still thinking about the meeting earlier?"

Kaelith watched her carefully. Every word she said was laced with hidden meaning.

Dimitri didn't answer right away. His grip on the knife tightened. "They think I'm weak," he muttered. "Indecisive. Like a boy still sitting under his father's thumb."

Kaelith tilted his head slightly. 'Isn't that what you are?' 

"They don't," Agnes replied, her tone smooth like silk over a blade. "They're just afraid. That's all this is. When people are scared, they hesitate, and they look for someone to blame."

Her voice was calm, but Kaelith caught the faint glint in her eyes. She was guiding him without making it obvious. Laying the path for him to walk, while letting him think it was his own choice.

'White Lotus, what are you planning to do now?'

Artherine leaned in, placing her hand delicately on Dimitri's arm. "But you're not like them, are you?" Her voice dropped, low and warm. "You're bold. And you are a real Emperor who knows when to strike."

Dimitri's jaw loosened slightly. That was the kind of praise he craved, exactly what he wanted to hear. He didn't want to wait, he just wanted to kill the child and prove that he was worthy of the throne.

He glanced at Artherine, his eyes softening for a moment, and a flicker of pride sparked in his chest. Finally someone understood him. Or so he believed.

Agnes, ever composed, returned to her food and cut into her meat with slow precision. "I still believe caution is wise," she said gently, almost as an afterthought. "But if you feel this is the time to act… then I will support you."

Dimitri's brows twitched. He turned to her, unsure if he'd heard right. "You will?"

His eyes narrowed at her. He had always known Agnes to be level headed. She would never support his hastiness. She would rather wait just like she had said in the meeting. 'But why was she changing her mind now? Could it be that she has a favour to request of me?'

Agnes gave a slight nod, her hands never pausing. "The Empire needs a strong voice, and as its ruler, you should be able to decide what is more important for the good of the people. If that voice says we should strike now to eliminate the threat before it grows, then so be it."

It was so subtle, so well-timed, that even Kaelith almost smiled. His mother hadn't told Dimitri what to do. She never would. Instead, she'd placed the blade in his hands, wrapped it in velvet, and told him to choose how to swing it.

And he would, because he was desperate.

Artherine leaned in once more, her tone more urging this time, not wanting to lose to Agnes. "The people need to see you lead…" she began. " …not just speak in meetings and sit behind High Mages. If you strike first, they'll never question your strength again."

Dimitri's heart pounded louder now. Kaelith could see the way his chest rose with each breath, how his eyes sparked with desperation and hope. He was chasing the image of a ruler, not the responsibilities of one.

'So predictable,' Kaelith thought. 'And foolish.'

The fool could not see the trap laid in front of him. Artherine was prodding Dimitri like he was some unthinking weapon. And Dimitri, puffed up on the illusion of control. Even Agnes—though smarter than the rest—was playing a dangerous game, all to protect him.

Because none of them realized they were all sitting at the same table as the real demon child. The irony.

Kaelith slowly opened his mouth for Plum to feed him. Now he was in the mood to eat, watching the high figures dance about like headless chickens, thinking they were attaining what they wanted, not knowing it was all an illusion.

'If I was born to another family, maybe their plan would have worked. Maybe they would've killed me. But now they'll kill the wrong one. Someone else will die in place of me, and that is all thanks to white lotus.'

He glanced down at the table. They were still talking about plans, timing, and allies. Like he wasn't there at all, or the rest of the family.

'This body is too small. And my magic is sealed. That makes me invisible… for now.'

Kaelith lifted his gaze, locking eyes with Agnes for a brief second. She didn't look at him with fear in her eyes. She never did. But something in her knew that he understood what they were talking about. 

He blinked slowly at her, but she smiled at him.

Kaelith felt something strange in his heart. His second life was better than the first one, because he gained what he was unable to get from his first life. And that was his mother's love and protection. Agnes was ready to do anything and everything to make him safe.

The rest of the room continued with their talk of war and image and pride, but Kaelith had already made his decision.

'This is the perfect cover for me to rehabilitate my powers. I'll use this time to slowly awaken my powers. I would take my revenge only when I'm strong enough.'

And when the day came that they discovered the truth…

It would already be too late.