Chapter 288: Family Secrets And Sowing The Seeds Of Rebellion


    This secret room was spacious, clean, simple, and well lit.


    "I greet the old patriarch." Yasa stood in the middle of that room and spoke respectfully with a lowered head.


    A man in dark robes sat in front of him, on top of an ancient-looking stone chair. He wore ck robes, a ck mask, even his clothes and shoes were all ck. Nobody could tell his age and appearance.


    However, that guttural voice still revealed his gender. He was a man.


    "Rehn told me about what happened during the day." The man in ck robes said.


    Hearing that, Yasa''s face blushed and his tightly clenched fists trembled intensely—his eyes shed with killing intent. That hatred was not against the man in ck robes, but Yaeger.


    ‘This damn w?h?o?r?e? made me lose everything and even lose the right to be a human. I will rip her into a million pieces!''


    "It''s Kastina. If Kastina didn''t involve herself behind the scenes, I would never… I will never receive such humiliation! Old patriarch, our [Sword n] has been wronged!"


    He hated both Yaeger and the seventh princess. After all, thetter had aided a foreigner despite being a member of the royal family. Yasa had never assumed that he was the one in the wrong. Instead, the entire world is at fault but not him.


    "The royal family, haha." The man in ck robes chuckled and spoke in disdain.


    "Old patriarch, a royal family like this never deserves the protection of our n!" Yasa spoke emotionally.


    There were now 2 patriarchs in [Sword n], one on the surface and another behind the scenes. The patriarch that was known to everyone was nothing but a tool to attract destruction. The true patriarch of the n was this man in ck robes.


    After a moment of silence.


    "Yasa, do you know about our ancestor''s story?" The man in ck robes said.


    "I know." Yasa nodded, not understanding why the old patriarch would suddenly ask him about this.


    Once upon a time, the ancestor of [Sword n] and the ancestor of the current royal family were both adventurers, they were as close as brothers. The two of them had adventures together. They constantly developed their forces and conquered the world for themselves. Finally, they built a country here.


    Back then, both of them were qualified to be the emperor. However, the ancestor of [Sword n] did not fight for that position with the royal family''s ancestor. Instead, he willingly chose to be thetter''s defender.


    "Our ancestor is such a great man. Sadly, the royal family is just terrible!" Yasa spoke angrily.


    Their [Sword n] had protected the royal family for countless years, but all they received in return were endless humiliation and shame. Back then, when [Shield n] forcefully annulled the marriage, the [Sword n] would never be aughingstock if the royal family stood by their side and stopped it from happening.


    During this morning, if the seventh princess had chosen to support him, he would never lose his right to be a human as he did now!


    "Alicia, have you heard about that name?"


    The man in ck robes did not make anyment after hearing Yasa''s words. Instead, he suddenly asked.


    "I''ve heard of it, how could I not? That person was the most outstanding prodigy ever since the kingdom''s founding. Sadly, she was ruined before she could achieve anything."


    Although his words were sympathetic, there was actually a massive smile on his face.


    Because Alicia was the eldest princess of the kingdom, a member of the royal family. By now, he hated the royal family with every fiber of his being.


    "Yasa, do you know of [Berserk Warrior], Akkash?" The man in ck robes asked again.


    Yasa felt excited after hearing this familiar name, because…


    "Of course. He''s the strongest warrior of the Empire, the eagle of the Empire, the light that illuminates thend, and he''s my respected grandfather!"


    "Then do you know what happened to Princess Alicia back then?" The man in ck robes asked.


    Yasa shook his head. As a youngling, he knew nothing about this secret.


    The man in ck robes slowly tapped the stone armrest with his fingers and spoke slowly, "Back then, your grandfather was Alicia''s bodyguard captain, responsible for protecting her. But in fact, Alicia has no need for any bodyguards at all. She was simply too strong, terrifyingly strong. However, in the end, she''s still young and ignorant."


    At this point in the conversation, the man in ck robes spoke mockingly.


    "At one day, she paid a heavy price because of her ignorance. That''s right, she is cursed!" The more he spoke, the more excited he became. "Alicia, who had the highest potential within the Empire and wasuded as the heavenly chosen Queen, fell into the endless abyss!"


    Yasa listened while feeling excitement. He could picture the scene where a young girl wilted sorrowfully like a flower at sunset.


    At this moment, the man in ck robes changed the subject. "As Alicia''s bodyguard captain, Akkash was summoned by the Emperor at that time. That''s right, your grandfather is suspected of colluding with external powers!"


    As he spoke, his hands started trembling uncontrobly. He seemed to be truly emotional.


    "As a response of his Majesty''s doubt, your grandfather, Akkash,mitted suicide on the spot to prove his innocence!"


    "Damned Emperor!" Learning of such a secret for the first time, Yasa was so enraged that his eyes werepletely widened to the point of cracking.


    That person in question was the grandfather that he worshiped since young, someone he revered as a hero. Yet, he could never expect that his grandfather died just like that.


    "Sooner orter, I will… I will…" ‘Kill all the royalty.'' Yasa didn''t say that out loud because it was utterly rebellious!


    The man in ck robes ignored him and continued speaking, "Akkash died just like that. However, at that point, the seeds of doubt were already nted in the royal family''s mind. Doubt is something that will grow on its own without any fertilizer. As time passes, it will thrive and eventually grow into a massive tree. I''m sure you have personally witnessed the changes of our [Sword n] throughout the years. That''s right, The royal family no longer trusts us!" He mmed the armrest suddenly, creating cracks.


    "These damned royals. We would risk our lives for them but yet they have the gall to doubt our loyalty! Absolutely ridiculous!" Yasa was immensely enraged by those words. Now, he realized that the royal family was the reason why [Sword n] had suffered so many hardships over the years. Yet, the ridiculous fact was that they still did everything they could to protect such a family!


    Ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous!


    "Loyalty is something that our [Sword n] used to have. But it''s been long gone by now." The man in ck robes said.


    "Huh?" Hearing this, Yasa was perplexed.


    "Because the one that assisted [that person] in cursing Alicia is your grandfather." As soon as he said those words, Yasa felt like he had been struck by a thunderbolt thatpletely roasted his innards.


    ‘All the anger I felt just now, is it for nothing?''


    "But still, in the end, it''s all the royal family''s fault." The man in ck robes continued speaking, "If they didn''t suppress our [Sword n] at first, would we start feeling the desire to rebel? Yasa, do you know about the [Shattered Mirror War]?"


    By now, Yasa finally returned to his senses and forcefully suppressed theplicated emotions that rose from his heart. He said,


    "I know. It was the battle that determined the Jade Empire''s National Fate."


    "No, it was also the battle that determined the fate of our [Sword n]. The man in ck robes shook his head.”


    "Our [Sword n] was at its prime during that year. We have many exemry people and the n was prosperous. However, during that battle that decided the National Fate, our [Sword n] almost lost everything! The damned royal family sent all of the elites in our n to the front lines! That brutal warpletely shattered our n''s future!”


    “Those goddamned royalty just stayed behind and watched as our n wilted and devolved, while having the biggest smile on their faces! It''s obvious that our ancestor gave the throne to their ancestor! But why don''t they understand gratitude at all? Why can they repress us and bully us recklessly, without a care in the world?”


    “Yasa, do you know why?" The man in ck robes tilted his head as bloodlust shed in his eyes.