Last Words

"Back to the capital! Back to the capital immediately! Do everything in our power to save His Majesty!" Queen Katarina abruptly raised her head, her voice trembling with tears, yet carrying an unwavering resolve. "Quickly! Put His Majesty in the carriage! In the safest way possible! Return to Plei at full speed!"

At this moment, no one dared to question the Queen's order.

Panicked nobles and guards hurriedly and carefully lifted the unconscious King, whose vital signs were weak, into the most spacious and softly padded royal carriage.

The convoy set off immediately, abandoning all unnecessary baggage, and sped towards Prye City at top speed.

However, the hope is slim.

Even the smoothest carriage is bound to be bumpy, which is undoubtedly a deadly ordeal for someone with ruptured internal organs.

Along the way, the King's breath grew weaker and weaker. Although the wound stopped gushing out after simple bandaging, the internal bleeding was uncontrollable, and his face gradually turned a deathly ashen white.

The Queen and Prince Sigmund remained inside the carriage, their cries and calls adding to the somber and despairing atmosphere of the procession.

The rest of the people rode silently around them, their faces filled with shock, fear, and a complex emotion that was hard to describe.

Who could have imagined that the King, who was just moments before receiving the adoration of his people in the square and whose prestige was at its zenith, would suddenly be on the verge of death because of such an "accidental" hunt?

It was as if fate had played a cruel joke on us; the flame of hope that had just been ignited was instantly and mercilessly extinguished.

Two days later, the caravan reached a royal post station about forty kilometers from Prye City.

The King's condition had deteriorated to the extreme; he was barely breathing and his pulse was so weak it was almost imperceptible.

Everyone understood that His Majesty probably wouldn't make it back to the palace.

On this very night, Heinrich XI, on his deathbed, suddenly opened his eyes as if in a final burst of energy!

His eyes were no longer clouded or drunken as before, but instead revealed an unusual clarity and sharpness that almost pierced the heart, as if, in the final moments of his life, the Goddess of wisdom was revealing to him some truths that had been shrouded in mist.

In a weak yet remarkably clear voice, he dismissed all the servants and the weeping Queen and Prince, requesting only three high-ranking officials to enter his temporary lodging. These three were:

Olivier, the Lord Seal Minister of the Seals, is responsible for the final review and sealing of all King decrees, confirming their legality and authority.

Alvin, the chief court scribe, was responsible for recording the King's words and actions, drafting and storing all important documents.

Wolfgang, Minister of Internal Affairs and Royal Intelligence Director, oversaw domestic affairs and the secret intelligence network, and was one of the King's most trusted confidants.

The candlelight flickered in the room, and the atmosphere was so heavy it almost seemed to freeze.

The three senior ministers knelt before the King's bed, their hearts heavy as they awaited his final instructions.

King Heinrich's gaze slowly swept over the three men. His voice was weak, yet carried an undeniable decisiveness as he spoke, each word distinct. "I... don't have much time left... Listen... this is my... final, and most important command..."

He took a deep breath, as if using all his strength, and said something that shocked the three of them so much they almost jumped up:

"I hereby abolish... Prince Sigmund's position as Crown Prince... I... will appoint Princess Louise... as the next... King of the Goldflower Kingdom!"

The three high-ranking officials were stunned upon hearing this. They looked up in disbelief at the King on the bed, whose face was ashen but whose eyes were burning with intensity!

Princess Louise!

She was the eldest daughter of the King and his deceased former queen. She was intelligent and resilient, but she lived a secluded life and had almost no political foundation.

Prince Sigmund, though born to the current Queen Katerina and still young, is the legitimate heir and his status as Crown Prince has long been announced to the world and recognized by most nobles.

Why did His Majesty suddenly make such a dramatic change before his death?

This will inevitably cause a huge uproar, and may even trigger a civil war! Queen Katerina and the Eisenberg Family behind her will never let this go!

Duke Olivier was the first to react. Suppressing his inner turmoil, he cautiously said, "Your Majesty! This matter concerns the very foundation of the nation; it is of utmost importance! Prince Sigmund is the rightful heir. To suddenly depose him would... would likely cause turmoil throughout the land! Perhaps... we should reconsider..."

"This is... my decision!" King Heinrich abruptly interrupted him, a sharp glint in his eyes, a gaze so piercing it seemed to see right through people. "I... before the Goddess... see... some things clearly... Sigmund... he... is not suitable... Louise... only she, with... Heinrich's blood flowing... can... protect... the legacy of our ancestors..."

His words were broken and intermittent, yet they carried an almost prophetic certainty.

Such "divine revelation" at the moment of death is sometimes given extremely high authority in aristocratic circles.

Count Alvin was pale. As a historian, he knew that this decision would be recorded in history and that the consequences would be unpredictable.

But he remained steadfast in his duty, asking in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty... we will heed your will, but... is it necessary to draft a formal will?"

"Yes! Write it immediately!" The King nodded vigorously, his gaze fixed on Marquis Wolfgang. "Wolfgang... you... witness... Olivier... with the seal... Alvin... record... it must be... faster!"

The three high-ranking officials looked at each other, each seeing immense pressure and a hint of fear in the other's eyes.

But they knew full well that this was the King's final, clear order while he was lucid, and as his subjects, they had to carry it out.

"Your Majesty, we obey!" the three replied in unison, their voices heavy.

In the flickering candlelight, Alvin quickly spread out the parchment he carried with him and, with trembling but still neat handwriting, began to record this will that would change the Royal Decree of the kingdom.

Olivier produced the imperial seal, which he carried with him and represented the highest authority of the kingdom. The Marquis Wolfgang stood solemnly to the side as a witness, his gaze deep and thoughtful.

When the Imperial Edict, Duke Olivier solemnly stamped it with the imperial seal, leaving a clear imprint. King Heinrich on the bed seemed to have finally exhausted his last bit of strength. His eyes quickly dimmed, and he slowly closed them. Only the extremely faint rise and fall of his chest proved that he was still alive.

Three days later, when the caravan, shrouded in grief and an eerie atmosphere, finally arrived in Prye City, King Heinrich XI had already stopped breathing en route, his body cold and stiff.

The news was strictly kept under wraps, and only a few key officials, the Queen, and the Prince knew about it.

Under the personal arrangement of the Marquis of Wolfgang, the King's body was secretly transported back to the palace and stored in a cold underground ice cellar used for storing ice. The public was told that His Majesty had been frightened while hunting and needed to rest, and would not receive anyone for the time being.