"You shall serve five years in prison," he ordered. "For taking action into your own hands—even if you had good intentions."
The Royal Knights approached Mavis, prepared to take her away.
"Do you have a problem with my judgment?" Fenric asked, his sharp gaze locking onto her.
Mavis bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Your Highness the Third Prince, for being fair with me," she said with a humble tone. "I accept my punishment. I can spend the next five years in a cold, lonely prison cell—it's nothing compared to the injustice that would have occurred otherwise."
She smiled slightly, moving her lips as if thanking him.
Fenric, watching her, felt a sudden chill run down his spine.
'She smiled! The crazy Witch smiled!? I hope she doesn't seek revenge on me later!'
Unbeknownst to her, he had no idea how to read lips, causing him to completely misunderstand Mavis's intentions.
"This is the result of the investigation, Your Majesty," Fenric said, bowing before the Emperor. "I have given the punishment for the First and Second Prime Ministers. However, I do not have the authority to decide the punishment for the Third Empress and the Fourth Prince, so I will leave that matter to you," he added respectfully.
The Emperor looked at him, nodding in approval. "You did well. I didn't know you had such talent," he said. "It's a pity you have such a weak body, or you might have even surpassed your brother, the First Prince."
Hearing this, the First Prince's faction was noticeably displeased, while the First Empress merely smiled faintly. Seeing this, Fenric felt a shiver run down his spine. 'Damn it, one bitch of an Empress is already after my life. Who else will come after me next?' he mumbled internally.
"Surely, Your Majesty, you overestimate me," he replied humbly. "If my eldest brother were here, he would have passed judgment in half the time. I wasted a lot of time on this investigation," he added modestly.
The First Empress nodded slightly in acknowledgment, while the Emperor smiled inwardly. 'This brat is very good,' he thought, though he chose not to say it aloud.
The Emperor nodded as he declared, "The punishment for the Third Empress, who tried to defend her son despite his wrongdoing, is imprisonment for one year."
As soon as she heard this, the Third Empress shot up from her seat. "This is abuse! How could you expect me to spend my time in that small, cold prison made of stone?" she protested, glaring at him.
"Or would you prefer to die instead? If so, It will spare you the discomfort," the Emperor said, smiling coldly.
She immediately sat back down. "I... I accept the punishment given to me," she muttered reluctantly, though her gaze was filled with hatred as she glared at the Third Prince.
'You deserve worse bitch,' Fenric thought silently, keeping his cold expression intact.
"As for the Fourth Prince, he is now banned from leaving his quarters for the next ten years, and all his royal duties will fall upon the Third Prince," the Emperor continued. "And since the Third Prince is not as physically strong, the Fourth and Fifth Royal Knights will aid him."
The Fifth and Fourth Royal Knights stepped forward, kneeling before the Emperor. "We will obey His Majesty's orders," they said in unison.
Fenric just coldly watched them but inside he was jumping in Joy. The Royal Knights are many in Empire but numbered Royal Knights are only thirty and those ranked from One to Ten, each representing the pinnacle of the Empire's power. Each one is a Star-level warrior, meaning that with these two assigned to protect him, no one would be able to harm him easily.
"The court is over now," the Emperor declared as he turned to leave. One by one, the nobles and officials exited, and soon, Fenric also stepped out. As he walked away, the Fourth and Fifth Royal Knights followed closely behind him.
"Your Highness, the Third Prince, should we introduce ourselves to you?" they asked as Fenric sat down at a seat in Royal Library.
"Fifth Knight—Roman Kaiser, also known as the Blade of Storms."
"Fourth Knight—Myria Bloodrose, also known as the Blood Saintess."
"I don't need introductions. I already know about you," Fenric replied, dismissing the formalities.
The two knights nodded before stepping aside.
"Just go and sit at a table, I plan to study until evening, then visit the Academy tomorrow," Fenric said.
They both nodded briefly but remained standing, maintaining their vigilant stance.
Half an hour later, a Royal Knight entered the room. "I greet the Third Prince," he said with a bow.
"What is it?" Fenric asked, though his sharp gaze had already noticed the silent brown-haired girl standing beside the knight. He immediately understood the situation.
"This is Elaine, a commoner and also the disciple of the Royal Librarian, Mavis Belfrost. According to His Majesty's orders, since Lady Mavis has been imprisoned, Elaine will now be in your care, as her master is someone close to you," the knight explained.
Elaine lowered her head, visibly nervous in the unfamiliar and intimidating atmosphere.
Fenric simply nodded and dismissed the knight. "You will remain under my protection for the next five years. In that time, Myria will teach you about magic," he said, glancing toward the Blood Saintess.
Myria placed a hand over her heart and bowed slightly. "As you wish, Your Highness," she replied.
Fenric then went back to learning the fairy language, and after a moment added. "However, the two of you should stop staring at her like that—you're scaring her," he said, noticing how uneasy Elaine looked under the intense gazes of two powerful knights.
The knights immediately relaxed their expressions. Myria, in particular, let out a small amused chuckle before removing her mask, revealing her breathtaking beauty. Her long platinum-blonde hair cascaded down her back as she observed Elaine with a gentler expression.
"You are quite lucky, little one," Myria said. "Because I will be the one to teach you magic. Though I specialize in magic swordsmanship and only know spells up to the Sixth Circle, that should be enough to guide you for the next five years until your master returns."
Elaine nodded timidly, gripping the hem of her dress as she prepared for the uncertain years ahead.