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As Vivianne entered the chambers, Angelina in tow, the room was already filled with grieving family members. All present, except for the conspicuous absence of Jaegar, gathered solemnly around the bed where the emperor\'s lifeless form lay. The atmosphere was heavy with sorrow, and the air was pregnant with the weight of loss.

Vivianne, her steps measured and her heart heavy, approached the bedside. She took a seat beside her husband, gazing upon his now pale complexion, a stark contrast to the vibrant man he had once been. Vivianne\'s eyes welled up with tears as she reached out to hold her husband\'s cold hand, her mind flooded with memories of their time together.

The room echoed with hushed whispers and stifled sobs, a somber reminder of the immense void left by the emperor\'s passing.

The eldest daughter, recognizing the profound grief in her mother\'s eyes, moved to sit beside Vivianne, offering a quiet pillar of support.

Zenumus, the first son, and Angus, the second, stood to the side, their expressions etched with the sorrow that mirrored the sentiments of the room.

Angelina\'s gaze was drawn to Angus, who seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. She wondered if she knew about Jaegar and how he would react to the news, as he never showed real concern for Jaegar when similar incidents happened in the past. His reaction only added to his already dubious character.

Angelina couldn\'t just cause a scene following the death of the Emperor.

The emperor, renowned for his unwavering reign over the empire, held a place in the hearts of those who had witnessed the grandeur of his rule. The room was filled with a mix of sadness and nostalgia as people reminisced about the emperor\'s reign.

Vivianne, despite being considerably younger than the emperor, shared a bond of deep affection and cherished memories with him. As the weight of grief settled over her, Vivianne mourned for her husband, a sense of loss permeating the room.

Zenumus, the pronounced crown prince tasked with inheriting the mantle of leadership from his father, stood beside Vivianne. The burden of responsibility weighed heavily on his shoulders as he watched over the proceedings.

Angelina, who had shared a strong connection with the emperor during their prime, observed the sombre scene with a mixture of reverence and sorrow.

Jaegar\'s absence, though unnoticed by many in the midst of the mourning, lingered like a silent echo in the background. The absence of Jaegar was a palpable void that added to the weight of grief in the room. His absence spoke volumes about the fractured relationships within the royal family, leaving a lingering sense of unresolved tension.

One by one, the grandchildren of the emperor arrived in the chambers. They all had a solemn and pensive expression on their faces, reflecting the weight of their loss.

Angelina watched Lorcan come into the chambers, and as she was staring at him, he was avoiding her gaze, his eyes teared seeing his grandfather. Angelina couldn\'t believe him, that this child was so good at changing his front quickly. Just a while back, he was musing at Jaegar\'s misery, and now here he was crying like a child, though she doubted if his emotion was genuine towards the late emperor.

Only Jacqueline had noticed the absence of Jaegar and approached Angelina, who was standing aside.

Zenumus, now the acting head, assumed the responsibility of initiating the funeral arrangements. He gathered with a solemn assembly of ministers to discuss the course of action in the wake of the emperor\'s passing.

The family, bound by blood and legacy, would observe five days of mourning before proceeding with the emperor\'s cremation. During this time, the emperor\'s body would be placed in the main hall for visitation, allowing lords and dignitaries to pay their respects.

As the family navigated the intricate rituals of mourning, Angelina, momentarily forgetting about Jaegar, was jolted back to reality.

In the tumultuous aftermath of the emperor\'s passing, Jacqueline found herself torn between her desire for answers and the authority of her mother. Her heart fueled by a determination to seek Lorcan and unravel the mysteries surrounding Jaegar\'s absence, Jacqueline\'s path was abruptly halted by her mother\'s intervention.

The maternal figure, understanding the volatile emotions coursing through Jacqueline, stood firm, blocking her way. The desire to confront Lorcan and extract the truth clashed with the unspoken obligation to heed her mother\'s wishes. Jacqueline, a girl with a profound sense of loyalty and an inability to say no to her mother, found herself reluctantly acquiescing.

As Angelina went to meet with Lorcan, Jacqueline, with a heavy heart, stayed behind, the unsatisfied yearning for answers lingering within her.

Angeline went to seek Lorcan, she was abruptly stopped by the order of the Lys Paladins, and she was told that only one was permitted to meet the grieving family right now. It was a direct order from the crown prince, the next emperor, Zenumus.

Lorcan had already anticipated the reaction from Angelina, and he wondered how he was going to avoid her. The emperor\'s death had come as a boon to him, he had been with his mother the whole time.

Angelina had no choice but to leave the matter of questioning Lorcan for now.

The imperial house, an epitome of power and legacy, stood tall in the face of grief. With a storied history and powerful alliances within, the house had weathered countless storms, always maintaining its regal bearing. Now, as it faced the loss of its patriarch, the imperial family grappled with both personal sorrow and the weight of the empire\'s future.

In the expansive great hall, the heart of the imperial palace, the revered Order of the Lys Paladins, an institution rooted in centuries of tradition, stood as the nation\'s greatest asset. Tracing its origins to a bygone empire of formidable swordsmen, the founder had established the order with the solemn duty of safeguarding the imperial lineage.

Over time, the order had grown to become the bedrock of the imperial house, standing alongside a handful of other influential powerhouses within the imperial house.

As the family gathered in the great hall for the funeral, the emperor\'s lifeless form lay at the center, surrounded by the lords of various regions who came to pay their respects. The hall, adorned with the symbols of the imperial legacy, resonated with a solemn atmosphere befitting the occasion.

Amid the ceremonies, Angelina seized a moment to confer with Angus. In a more private setting, she broached the subject of Jaegar\'s absence. As they conversed in a secluded room, Angus\'s reaction caught her off guard. He sternly remarked, "Lady Angelina, if you hadn\'t taken him and filled his head with all sorts of nonsense, he would be present here with me."

Angelina\'s brows shot up in surprise, her eyes fixed on Angus. She pressed further, "Do you not have any concern for him?" The unexpected revelation of Angus\'s sentiments introduced a layer of complexity to the unfolding narrative, leaving Angelina to grapple with the implications of his words and the mysterious circumstances surrounding Jaegar\'s absence from the funeral proceedings.

Angus\'s response, laden with an air of stern determination, resonated in the room. "Yes, of course. And I will do my very best to find him, and once he returns, I kindly ask that you keep your distance from my son," he declared. The expressions playing on Angus\'s face were inscrutable, leaving Angelina puzzled and sensing an unexpected coldness in his demeanour.

In the imperial family, arrogance was not uncommon, but there was usually a nuanced understanding of when to assert authority and when to display humility. However, Angus seemed to be choosing the path of unyielding resolve, bordering on rudeness.

Even with the emperor, there had been a degree of respect for their refusals. But now, this encounter has wounded Angelina\'s pride.

No longer willing to endure the inhospitality, Angelina made a decisive choice. Taking Diana with her, she departed from the palace, leaving behind the confines of a place that held neither answers nor solace. Her destination was the spire, a sanctuary where she hoped to find the clarity that eluded her within the palace walls.

As the empire mourned in a silent vigil for the departed emperor, Angelina, burdened by the weight of her unanswered questions, could only abide by the present moment.

After Angeline left, Angus came out of the palace and went to the cabin, where he had last sensed Jaegar. He knew where Jaegar was last seen but didn\'t exactly know what happened to him. Angus felt Jaegar\'s aura atop the mountain cabin, and it disappeared suddenly. He didn\'t bother with it then, but after Angelina came to visit him, he knew for certain that something had happened to him.

And if she came to him, then he must have suspected him.

*

Standing atop the mountain, Angus took in the solemn surroundings, strolling around the cabin that bore the weight of secrets. His gaze settled upon the freshly dug grave, a silent testament to mysteries yet unravelled. With a contemplative air, he mused aloud to the empty air, "What do you think?" The mountain remained stoic, revealing no secrets.

Undeterred, Angus called out, "I know you are there, come out.