The emperor had spoken. Any further argument was meaningless.
In the silence, Queen [Fenghua] shot Bu Ji a cold glance, then pushed open the doors to the bedchamber first.
The nobles and ministers followed her inside in order.
Though called a bedchamber, it looked more like a fully equipped treatment room, dominated by cold metallic tones. Numerous intelligent robots in medical uniforms monitored the equipment within.
The Empire Emperor had clearly awakened and was sitting on a metal throne.
Emperor [Prus] looked haggard, his complexion dark. The imperial clan's signature green hair had grown terribly sparse, and his clouded eyes were filled with the aura of death.
Tubes covered his body.
Even his imperial robes could not conceal the decay of his flesh—compared with his last appearance at the clan meeting welcoming Princess Raphael's return, his condition was immeasurably worse.
Everyone's heart tightened—not merely because the emperor had awakened, but because there was someone else in the bedchamber!
Prince Mao!
The imperial crown prince who would soon inherit the throne!
He had entered the bedchamber before everyone else—no wonder no one had seen Prince Mao since the emergency meeting began. He had been here all along!
As the crown prince awaiting his coronation, Prince Mao undoubtedly should have attended the emergency meeting—yet here he was!
Had Queen [Fenghua] arranged this?
At that moment, Prince Mao stood beside Emperor [Prus]—in fact, he was not standing, but kneeling on one knee beside the throne, his head lowered as though listening to the emperor speak.
"Mao, why are you—"
Perhaps Prince Mao's appearance was so unexpected that Queen [Fenghua] forgot to control her expression. Disbelief covered her face.
"To answer you, Mother Queen, I happened to come to the bedchamber today to pay my respects to Father," Prince Mao said calmly. "The [Pale