Chapter 117 The Banishment


    Very soon there was only Rocky, the emperor, Marcia, Alston and Priest Dean left on the Witch Pce.


    "Basil, you have shown no remorse up to this point. On top of all that, you barged into the Witch


    Pce, wreaking havoc. I am very disappointed at you." The emperor said coldly as an effort to contain


    his anger while staring at Rocky. His face twitched and contorted, attempting to contain the rage at


    what he had just heard.


    "I..." Just as Rocky was about to exin himself, he heard Marcia ask the emperor, her voice brimming


    with confusion. "Your Majesty, what did he do this time?"


    The emperor''s face darkened as he knew that he could not keep it a secret much longer with Marcia


    asking. Of course, it wouldn''t be ideal for him to keep it from his own general. After all, nothing stayed


    hidden forever, so it was better for it toe from himself instead of others. Openness and


    transparency was the only way to go. However, the emperor was still extremely angry about what had


    happenedst night, and so only told her a brief summary. His brows were knit together, clearly


    embarrassed and infuriated.


    Marcia froze for a second hearing the emperor''s word. She had never thought that Rocky would have


    done such a thing. Yet judging from Rocky''s desperate attempt to save Lena, Marcia thought it was not


    that simple. The way she saw it, Rocky was a cynical man. But he was a cynical man with backbone,


    and he would never kick a man when he was down.


    "General Marcia, you should have known by now that he is just a viinous, despicable man. He''s


    utterly worthless, with no sense of honor." Alston cut in with much hatred and frustration in his voice.


    He would have killed Rocky if it had not been for Marcia''s interference!


    "If that is the case, he deserves a more severe punishment. How about abolishing his status as a


    prince again and send him away to the frontier. If he makes out of there, it will be for his own luck. And


    if he dies, well, then it will be that. That way, we can avoid an internal conflict in the royal family while


    showing the world your kindness and generosity," Marcia said, raising an eyebrow and looking at


    Alston, who was still fuming.


    Rocky was surprised as he had assumed and expected that she would be on his side. He never


    thought that Marcia would propose his abolishment from the royal family and his further banishment to


    the frontier. He stared at her with much resentment emanating from his gaze.


    What Rocky failed to understand was that what Marcia did was actually trying to save him. If it came to


    a trial by the royal family, it could end cruelly for him with a death sentence.


    Alston and Priest Dean exchanged a look as they sensed that Marcia seemed to be protecting Rocky.


    Their eyes met, a silent agreement passing between them. Priest Dean said to the Emperor, "Your


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Majesty, I think the punishment on Prince Basil should be considered thoroughly. It cannot be treated


    lightly like a child''s y. I rmend to have him on royal trial. This is the way to show people that


    royals are fair and will not cover the crimes done by one of their own."


    "That''s right, father. You cannot let him get away with it that easily. It would not be fair to Lena." Alston


    deliberately mentioned Lena in hopes of jogging up the image of Lena in a weak and helpless state.


    Perhaps, this would cause the emperor to be angry with Rocky again and put him for a trial.


    Alston knew clearly that he had to take this chance and get rid of Rocky once and for all. Otherwise, his


    status as heir to the throne would be in jeopardy.


    "If we put Basil on a standing trial, we will not be able to preserve the good name of the Witch.


    Everyone in the country will know. This is an infamy for our Holy Dragon Empire. If the word of this gets


    out, it will also hurt Lena for a second time. How would she get along? So whatever happens, I need


    everyone to keep this a secret, full discretion." The empire looked determined and beyond negotiation.


    This was the only way to protect the grace of the Holy Dragon Empire while also preserving what was


    left of Lena''s dignity.


    "However Basil made such a grave mistake, which is beyond forgiveness. He must pay for it. General


    Marcia''s proposal sounds good. I should add this abolishment must be irrevocable as I feel this should


    be the properpensation to Lena to some degree. After the banishment, he may not return to the


    Imperial City without my permission. If he does, I will have him killed." The emperor made a decision


    after a moment of contemtion.


    "Your Majesty!" Alston and Priest Dean both looked a little disappointed as this decision by the emperor


    gave Rocky a way out.


    "My decision is made. I will announce to the entire country that Prince Basil is terribly sick during the


    practice of martial arts and he needs rest. His matrimony with Ximen n is to be postponed


    indefinitely." The reason for the emperor''s decision was Rocky''s identity. He was not just a prince


    anymore but also a key role that had been in ce to curb the Ximen n. If the word about Rocky got


    out, Ximen n would use it as an excuse to reject the marriage proposal. No matter what reason they


    might use, if it came to that, all the arrangements the emperor had been nning for so long would


    have been in vain.


    Rocky smiled coldly as he heard the emperor''s decision, and realized that the reason his so-called


    father kept him alive was to extract whatever remaining value that he had.


    Both Alston and Priest Dean also grew solemn as they could tell that the emperor had made up his


    mind. On the bright side, Rocky was banished from the royal family for good with no possibility of


    return, which fit quite nicely with Alston''s original n. There had been twists and turns, and yet things


    had gone his way after all. With such a strong contender like Rocky gone, Alston almost had the


    position of the emperor locked down.


    "How about sending him to the troops at the Gehenna Border? That ce is like hell, which is perfect


    for him to rethink his own actions!" Marcia suggested to the emperor.


    "How could you!" Rocky''s face twisted with anger. It looked that Marcia had been against him ever


    since she saved him as if she meant to torture him. His days in the future might be very tough for him.


    Alston and Priest Dean again exchanged a meaningful look. Deep down they were very happy with this


    arrangement. General Marcia who had tried to protect Rocky just announced his death sentence.


    It was well known that Gehenna Border was the ce tantamount to hell in the Wild Spirit Land as war


    had been raging for many years now. Thousands of spirit maniptors were sent there every year and


    few came home intact. It was well known to be the point of no return for most spirit maniptors.


    Even the emperor was shocked by Marcia''s proposal. He hesitated for a moment before he finally


    approved it. "Fine. I will send Basil to the Gehenna Border as General Marcia''s proposal."


    Alston smiled to himself. With the emperor''s consent, this bastard was as good as dead once he was


    sent to the Gehenna Border.


    "On the other hand, I have sealed the power of the Holy Dragon Bead inside of his body. Unless he


    makes it to the Heavenly Stage, he can no longer use it." Marcia told them another piece of shocking


    news.


    The emperor was stunned at this new piece of information. He had never thought that Marcia would be


    this cruel to Rocky. Now both Alston and Priest Dean began to think that Marcia wanted Rocky dead as


    much as they did.


    Rocky shouted at Marcia with hatred in his voice. "What have I ever done to you?"


    "Do you hate me? Then hate me as hard as you can before you die. Remember, without the power of


    the Holy Dragon Bead, you are as good as dead being at the Gehenna Border." Marcia shot him a cold


    smile before she turned into a shadow and disappeared.


    "Priest Dean, get your men ready and escort Basil out of the Pce City to the Gehenna Border. The


    rest is up to him from there." The emperor looked at Rocky with disappointment in his eyes before he


    left. The best he could do was not sentencing him to death right this instant.


    "He is all yours now." Alston looked at Rocky with pure hatred burning in his eyes and then left for the


    Witch Pce.


    Soon after that, a couple of royal spirit maniptors rallied before Priest Dean. These men had been


    his close associates.


    "Get him to the military camp at the Gehenna Border as soon as possible, Make sure of it," Priest Dean


    instructed.


    "Let me take my spiritual beast with me!" Rocky demanded at Priest Dean, his voice shaking with fury.


    Priest Dean hesitated, before nodding slightly. His royal spirit maniptors nodded inpliance. They


    lifted Rocky, who was stillpletely bound and immobilized, with a stretcher. Uriah was ced beside


    him.


    Rocky turned to look at the Witch Pce, which was growing smaller and smaller in the distance. He


    wondered if Lena indeed did not want to see him anymore. ''Do you really hate me this much?'' he


    thought morosely, tears welling up in his eyes.