Chapter 281: The Will of the Lord of Pleasure
The… Empress?
Qin Chu looked at Wadsworth with pity.
This Emperor’s luck was truly abysmal.
Two consorts, Angela and Sharon, were high-ranking members of the Witch Society.
Wadsworth hadn’t even shown him the list, memorizing and destroying it immediately. Why? Besides the fact that it likely contained the names of other consorts, perhaps even sisters or daughters, what other reason could there be?
And now, even his Empress was a member, the Vice President no less…
Wadsworth had enough hats to start a millinery business.
Wasn’t the Empress the mother of the First Prince? And also the princess from the Ice Duchy who had married into the Empire, Anastasia’s aunt?
Qin Chu frowned, turning to Angelica: “Ange, are you sure? This is a serious matter. Don’t make a mistake.”
Despite the cautionary tone, his voice was gentle, devoid of blame.
Angelica frowned, thinking carefully: “Yes, I’m sure. I overheard the consorts’ plot and was about to leave when this woman appeared behind me.”
“She attacked me. She’s very strong.” She nodded firmly.
That woman attacked Angelica, nearly killing her, leaving her in this weakened state?
Even though she was Anastasia’s aunt, this was crossing a line. Qin Chu might have overlooked other transgressions, but harming Angelica was unforgivable.
Carol, supporting Angelica, didn’t know what to say, looking at her father with concern.
Wadsworth’s face was pale, his body swaying slightly. The series of revelations had clearly shaken him.
Mavis!
The princess from the Ice Duchy, his first consort, the mother of his firstborn son, his Empress for over two decades…
Although he had distanced himself from her after the First Prince’s birth, he had allowed her to retain her title, but he couldn’t allow her to wield too much influence, especially with her son being the heir apparent.
Nevertheless, she had always enjoyed the privileges and treatment befitting an Empress. He had never neglected her in that regard.
With such an exalted position and lavish lifestyle, why would she join the Blissful Witch Society, becoming its Vice President no less?
Seeing Wadsworth clenching his fists, Qin Chu sighed and patted his shoulder: “Brother, be strong.”
“Perhaps you should handle Mavis’s matter yourself. I’ll return to the Hero’s Residence.”
A weak smile touched Wadsworth’s lips as he glanced at Qin Chu. This brother was considerate.
Knowing the awkwardness of the situation, he was offering to excuse himself.
Wadsworth closed his eyes, composing himself. After a few seconds, he opened them, his dark face regaining its usual stoicism.
As Emperor, he couldn’t allow his emotions to cloud his judgment.
Mavis had possessed considerable strength even before marrying him. Despite neglecting her for years, he couldn’t deny her talent. Coupled with Angelica’s description, she wouldn’t be an easy opponent.
“No, Brother Qin, come with me,” Wadsworth said.
Qin Chu didn’t refuse. He was curious about this Vice President who had dared to harm Angelica.
Wadsworth led them to the Empress’s quarters.
Upon arriving, Qin Chu frowned, his gaze sweeping over the courtyard. Overgrown weeds reached above head height, a narrow path barely wide enough for a single person leading to a dilapidated building, half of which had collapsed from years of neglect.
He glanced at Wadsworth. Was this really the Empress’s residence? Had they come to the wrong place? It looked more like a storage shed.
Wadsworth was also surprised. He had banished Mavis here after the First Prince’s birth, assigning guards and servants to attend to her. He hadn’t visited in over two decades, even forbidding the First Prince from coming here. He had provided her with a generous monthly allowance of 200,000 mana, assuming she lived comfortably.
Who knew her quarters would fall into such disrepair?
Even the palace maids lived in better conditions.
Where were the guards?
Where were the servants?
He clenched his fists. The weekly reports had always stated that the Empress was well and everything was normal. Where had the 200,000 mana gone each month?
Wadsworth’s face darkened. Gritting his teeth, he pushed aside the weeds, walking towards the dilapidated building.
He didn’t even need to open a door. The collapsed wall provided easy access.
Inside, a faint human scent lingered…
The scent of death.
From the rotting rafters hung a series of corpses.
Plump maidservants, armored guards, all those assigned to attend to the Empress.
White silk cords wrapped around their necks, their heads lolling. A breeze blew through the broken walls, swaying the corpses, casting eerie shadows on the ground.
A single bed remained, its legs rotted and broken, the frame resting on the dirt floor, the bedding tattered and patched…
A few branches served as clothes hangers, draped with faded, ragged dresses.
Angelica realized that the woman she had seen wasn’t barefoot by choice, but because she likely had no shoes.
A metal pot, supported by branches, sat on the floor, containing some boiled roots.
This was the Empress’s living quarters?
It was beyond pathetic.
Wadsworth’s face was thunderous as he looked at the hanging corpses.
The Empress’s monthly allowance must have been embezzled by the guards and servants.
Perhaps they had started small, but seeing Mavis’s indifference, they had grown bolder.
With Wadsworth never visiting, their greed had escalated, until they left her with nothing, neglecting her completely.
These guards and servants, enjoying their ill-gotten gains, had turned a blind eye to Mavis’s strange behavior, reporting that everything was normal.
Mavis, in turn, hadn’t wanted new guards, so she had tolerated their theft, maintaining a precarious balance.
Until now. Knowing her secret would soon be exposed, she had killed those who had humiliated her for over two decades.
“Ah…”
Angelica gasped, drawing Qin Chu and Wadsworth’s attention.
On the wall hung three magical images, resembling photographs.
The first was of the First Prince.
The second was of Wadsworth.
The third was of Qin Chu.
The First Prince’s image was intact, but Wadsworth’s and Qin Chu’s were riddled with tiny holes, as if someone had repeatedly stabbed them with a needle or ice pick, a testament to a deep-seated hatred, a desire to tear them to shreds.
It seemed Empress Mavis blamed them for the First Prince’s death.
It was understandable. Qin Chu had killed him, and Wadsworth’s involvement wasn’t much better.
On the floor beneath the images sat a wooden statue.
The statue was grotesque.
Neither male nor female.
If you saw it as male, it possessed a leonine masculinity.
If you saw it as female, it exuded a witch-like allure.
It was a strange blend of masculine and feminine charm, a captivating, almost corrupting beauty.
This must be a statue of the Lord of Pleasure, the Blissful Witch Society’s deity.
Ironically, Mavis still worshipped the entity that had led her son down the path of depravity and destruction.
The statue hadn’t been here for just a day or two. Yet, the greedy servants, blinded by their ill-gotten gains, had ignored it, allowing the worship of the Lord of Pleasure to fester within the palace walls.
Creak…
Qin Chu heard a faint sound.
He turned towards the source, a chilling sight making his hair stand on end.
He couldn’t believe his eyes… the wooden statue had turned its face towards him.
Its stiff lips curled into a smile.
Buzz…
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