Everyone’s eyes turned toward the row of crystal goblets, each one faintly glowing with golden sparkles that shimmered within the water. A serene aura radiated from the liquid—it was gentle yet profound, brushing against their souls and soothing tightly coiled nerves. Across the table, even the shallow cuts and bruises on some of their bodies visibly began to mend.
This was the power of the Golden Anchor Stone—a divine artifact said to bless not just the body, but the spirit with healing. Merely being near it could flush away exhaustion, restore vitality, and mend hidden wounds.
Eros stared at the glass before him, his expression unreadable, though inwardly he could only sigh.
Violet hesitated. Her eyes flickered to Alexis, whose breathing was faint and uneven. Doubt clouded her face—should she risk it? Then she turned to Eros. He gave a small nod.
Without another word, Violet grabbed a glass and gently lifted it to Alexis’ lips.
"Drink... all of it."
Alexis obeyed weakly. The liquid slid down her throat like warm sunlight.
Kael took note of this with a slight frown he hid fast. Even he had not expected Dros to have much sway over Violet. A woman known to be very very stubborn.
And from what he knew, they had only met as a result of this expedition into the dungeon. No doubt, Eros was a very capable man.
The moment Alexis finished, her entire body glowed faintly.
Something itched deep within her meridians—as if thousands of threads were being rewoven, realigned. The fractures in her cultivation base mended themselves with quiet pulses of golden warmth. No, she wouldn’t return to her former peak immediately—but this... this was a miracle.
A small, dark purple pill-like clump fell into her palm.
"Ahh..." Prince Kael leaned back lazily, amusement resting in his eyes. "The core of your poison—forced out and bound together."
Alexis frowned, embarrassed, but despite her pride, she bowed her head slightly.
"...Thank you, Prince Kael."
She could feel it again—the flow of soul energy in the air, the pulse of life within her veins. She felt awake. Whole. Alive.
Sir William’s eyes gleamed, sharp and calculating.
Even Monk Jan was stunned. The Monastery had mended broken limbs, restored sight to the partially blind, and revived near corpses—but this? Alexis had been deemed unsalvageable by their greatest healers. To think the Golden Anchor Stone could achieve what even the sacred Monastery could not... This was more than a relic—it was a weapon of faith. With such a divine object... faith would spread like wildfire. Believers. Offerings. Entire nations could be swayed.
He did not move. Not yet. A single glass was nothing. The stone itself... that was what mattered.
From the side of the table, the Viscount of the Grand Order watched silently, fingers tightening. Could this... heal Bunny? Without hesitation, she flicked her wrist and stored her glass inside her storage ring.
Sir William finally leaned back and scoffed.
"Surely, Your Highness didn’t summon us into a collapsing dungeon just to share your ’sparkling water’."
"Oh, what a sharp tongue. But yes—you’re right. I did not bring you here for a drink."
He stood, eyes gleaming.
"I brought you here to make a proposal—for the future of the Almace Kingdom. No..." He paused, letting his words echo.
"For the Almace Empire."
The word struck the room like thunder. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novel fire.net
Kael nodded. "Yes. As you all know, once, long ago, all the kingdoms were united under a single Empire. I intend to make that a reality again."
Monk Jan narrowed his eyes. "A grand ambition...but you must know, my Monastery—"
"It will be the faith of this new Empire," Kael interrupted smoothly.
Monk Jan went silent. His eyes glowed.
Sir William leaned forward. "If you seek to reshape the world, why come to us? Why not seek the Grand Dukes? The Abbot? The old monsters seated on the thrones of power?"
Kael scoffed lightly.
"Forget those relics. You—" he pointed around the table—"are the heirs. The future. The true pulse of Almace."
Eros chose to ignore the fact that he was far from young and stayed silent.
Kael spread his arms.
"So—what do you say? Will you join me? Pledge yourselves—and the blessings of the Golden Anchor Stone, and far more, will be yours."
For a heartbeat, no one spoke.
The air around the table felt heavier than any dungeon pressure—thick with decisions that could alter the course of the kingdom itself.
Butler Pa stepped forward.
Without a word, he moved with methodical precision, placing a single gold coin before each person seated. When he was done, he clasped his hands behind his back and spoke with a cool, unwavering tone.
"One side of this coin is silver. The other, gold. If you choose to stand with my master, flip it to gold. If you refuse—leave it silver."
Silence once again descended.
Every person around the table understood—this was no simple choice. On their shoulders rested not just their lives, but their houses, their legacies, their futures.
Monk Jan was the first to exhale. He picked up the coin, feeling its weight, feeling the eyes of everyone on him.
He closed his eyes briefly. Then he turned the coin—gold side up.
"Anything that allows faith to reach the suffering masses is a gift from Heaven. Amitabha."
Kael’s lips curved. "You have made the right choice, young master Jan."
The next to move was Viscount of the Grand Order.
Quietly, she flipped her coin to gold as well.
"The Grand Order wishes to bring our Master back to this world," she said, voice calm. "But truthfully... I don’t believe that alone will heal this nation. I was born a daughter of Almace before I was ever a seed of the Order. This land needs change."
Kael inclined his head. "Then I shall see to it that the Grand Order becomes a force worthy of the Empire’s armies."
All eyes then turned to Sir William.
But his eyes were not on the prince.
Alexis, still recovering but now alert, was watching Eros as well.
Even Violet’s gaze rested on him—waiting.
Kael noticed this too. His brows lifted slightly, confusion flickering into intrigue.
He knew Eros was incredible. But this?
Why were they all looking at him—a Baron with no real strong lineage worth mentioning?
Something unspoken moved through the table like a cold breeze.
It wasn’t Kael the room was waiting for.