Reborn as the Third Prince: To Build and Conquer my way to Royalty.-Chapter 55: The sleeping skeleton.

Zani, who was still behind Sylus, was evidently shocked by what she was hearing.

Despite it being daytime, one could feel the cold breeze blowing from the windows in the throne room.

The sounds of birds flapping around the castle echoed, almost as though they were curious to know what was happening inside.

At the center of it all was Sylus, his eyes wide with realization.

His father... just told him the truth.

For years, Sylus had wondered why he was always drawn to uncovering the truth about what happened to the first queen.

True, he wanted to clear his mother’s name, make her walk anywhere in the kingdom, and be showered with praise rather than hate.

But there were other ways he could have attained that.

Gathering the trust of the people through his inventions and then using that as a medium to get people to understand how good a person Elizabeth was would have worked as well.

No doubt.

Once you become an influential public figure, people tend to believe every word you say with limited proof.

However, for some reason, Sylus wanted to kill two birds with one stone.

So much so that he gathered all his karma points in hopes of getting a divine blessing to help with whatever sickness Layla had that put her into such a deep sleep.

And now he finds out it was an order from his father.

He clenched his fist.

His eyes were heavy, but he held enough determination to pass his words.

"Now I understand why you never really cared for me to begin with. I also wondered why you would subject me, your only son, with the rare star that had not been seen for hundreds of years, to constant risk of death."

"It was all because you had a way to get another. Another pawn."

Martin sighed.

"You have to understand, Sylus, Layla was stubborn. She couldn’t see the vision past her own emotions. If she had agreed, her sacrifice would have led to us having a beautiful and powerful family."

"But at the cost of losing half her soul."

"... It’s a small price to pay. I see no meaning in keeping a full soul if you are not going to be meani—"

Gab!

Out of frustration, Sylus stuck Martin in the chin.

Still, Martin grinned, licking the blood that grazed his tongue.

"If you are going to be great, you cannot hold on to sentiments."

"Where is she?"

Martin paused, instantly understanding who Sylus was asking about.

There was a slight pause for a while.

"In the hidden chamber, behind the library."

Sylus was once again astounded.

The castle had only one library. The very same place he had been going to almost every day.

"Take me there."

As he uttered those words:

[You have canceled the copied ability, Queen’s command.]

In that moment, Martin felt his once fluid and fragile bones harden back to what they were.

He didn’t smile or show any sign of relief.

Instead, he stood to his feet, staring his son in the eye.

Soon after, he turned his gaze to where Zani was, and she seemed to be giving him a death stare, as though daring him to make any move on Sylus.

"Why choose to ravage what we already worked so hard to build? You are so close to having the throne. What is left for you?"

Whatever his father had to say, Sylus was one hundred percent not interested.

"Cancel your command from Erica and Mother’s mind," he said in a calm tone.

Unable to oppose Sylus, Martin turned around and did as he was told.

With a bright glow in his eyes, all the commands he gave were dispersed in a moment.

Erica noticed she could move her body, and so did Elizabeth.

Yet, they didn’t move a single muscle from where they were.

Shocked.

Speechless.

Worst of all, heartbroken.

Not long after, Elizabeth ran toward Sylus, tears falling from her eyes.

She grabbed his hand and fell to her knees.

"Please, Sylus, please help her..." She pleaded, crying her eyes out. "I beg of you, my son..."

You’d think the first thing she would do is confront Martin.

Goes to show she really does care about Layla.

A woman whose soul resided inside Sylus.

Sylus placed one hand on his mother’s head.

"You don’t have to cry. Not when I have it under control."

Elizabeth looked up at him, almost ashamed, as she faced the ground.

"I’m sorry..."

That sounded as though she was apologizing for something else entirely.

Only for her sobs to continue.

...

After tying Alfred up at the corner of the room, everyone made it into the castle’s library.

Upon getting there, Martin took them toward the door leading to the hidden tunnel.

It was a bookshelf.

Not in a million years would anyone have guessed it to be a pathway leading to some hidden underground chamber.

The underground chamber had torches hung on the wall, making it easier to navigate without getting lost.

It was a long journey. If Sylus were to guess, about five minutes or so.

Until they finally got to their destination.

It was a cave.

With a single burning lamp hanging from the ceiling, and swinging side to side.

At the center of the cave, on a rock pavement, was a beautiful woman.

Her purple hair flowed down the rock, all the way to the ground, like magic threads.

She wore a red dress, and from the look of it, it had probably never been washed. freewёbnoνel.com

Her skin was pale white—if there was even any to begin with.

The woman looked no different from a sleeping skeleton.

No, she was a sleeping skeleton.

Standing at the entrance of the cave, Elizabeth could barely believe her eyes as she covered her mouth to cry.

Erica comforted her.

At the side, Zani held Martin like a prisoner, as requested by Sylus himself.

’So this is the first queen, Layla,’ Sylus whispered to himself, one hand on his chest, as he could feel the connection just from looking at her.

He took a step forward.

"Think this through..." Martin voiced out from the back. "This... is not the right thing to do. Your emotions are getting the better of you."

Sylus didn’t look back and instead continued to tread forward.

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