Blond hair, blue eyes, young—and that seemingly... familiar face?
Every sound around them fell silent in an instant. Even the Second Prince Garfield and Fourth Prince Luke wore looks of shock.
Emperor Rex's pupils suddenly contracted. Feeling the bloodline resonance in his heart grow ever stronger, he slowly stepped forward.
"Arthur..."
The name spoken from Emperor Rex's lips made Chen Rui's heart abruptly race. A sense of closeness spread from the depths of his soul, and many fragmented memories buried deep within his mind began, bit by bit, to become whole and connected.
His eyes reddened slightly. This was an inborn mark of bloodline; even after being reborn and merging memories, it could not be erased.
"My son..." Emperor Rex's voice trembled faintly. Regardless of whether he had once been an emperor who wielded power and human hearts like tools, at this moment, he was merely a father.
Those words confirmed nearly everyone's suspicions, moving them deeply. This was earth-shattering news—the Third Prince who had vanished for years, the ruler of the Golden Radiance Territory, Arthur Roland!
Chen Rui drew a deep breath, already suppressing his surging emotions. He bowed to Emperor Rex. "Your Majesty, I have returned."
The form of address "Your Majesty" was not Chen Rui deliberately keeping his distance; it came from Arthur's memories.
The corner of Rex's eye twitched slightly, yet he harbored no doubt. Instead, he sighed. "Good. It is good that you have returned."
On the other side, Cardinal Gralin could hardly conceal the astonishment on his face. Arthur, the future "Holy Son" of the Church of Light, was actually a prince of the Dragon Brilliance Empire!
Joanna and Ina were similarly enlightened. Yet they understood even more: Third Prince Arthur was the very "Richard" to whom Samuel had always been loyal. The two