The Web of Knightspur-Chapter 187

Crown Prince Richard bowed his head before looking up slightly.

As soon as he got the approval, he stood straight as he smiled, and said in a small tone, "Father, is it true?"

Crown Prince Richard knew that the Emperor was well aware of what he was getting at and he also knew that he knew the truth too. But still he had dared to ask the question. The thought behind it was simple, he wanted to know how his father the Emperor would react.

Crown Prince Richard observed the slight changes in the expression of the Emperor. But to his dismay, the Emperor did not show any changes. His tone was still natural as if it was an everyday occurrence that they were experiencing,

"Yes, the First Prince is here." The Emperor said in a dull tone. "The temple has already confirmed it."

Crown Prince Richard took a deep breath. "Even if the temple approves, it does not prove that he is the one..."

As soon as Crown Prince Richard said those words, he felt an angry gaze directed towards him. He looked up at the Emperor and realized that maybe he should not say anything for now. His voice turned low as he quieted down.

"Prince Richard," The Emperor said, making the Crown Prince’s eyes widen in shock. The Emperor had always called him Crown Prince. From the day he was appointed as one, no one had called him Prince Richard. But now listening to the words from the Emperor’s mouth made him shake in his boots.

"Do you think that I am not knowledgeable enough? Or do you not trust my judgment?" The Emperor leaned forward as he looked at Crown Prince Richard. His eyes narrowed as he continued, "I do not want to listen to your thoughts. I know what I am doing and I trust the temple and my own judgment. As for you, Prince Richard, you should stop roaming around the Princesses and ladies in general and start focusing on the main task."

The Emperor’s lips curled up, "I do not know what you are thinking, but let me tell you something. Maybe as a father, I have seen you as my heir but as an Emperor, only God’s words will be valued. So if you want to claim the throne in the future, then work hard towards it."

The Emperor could see the impatience in Crown Prince Richard’s eyes. He knew that his son was angry, not only because he has a competitor now, but because he is seeing his position slipping away from his hands. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"And one more thing," The Emperor said as he looked straight into Crown Prince Richard’s eyes, "The Angevin Kingdom’s Princess will be here soon. Maybe within a week. And once she is here, we will receive the prophecy from the temple. So I suggest that you stop messing around and work towards the goal if you want to keep the Crown Prince’s position intact. After all, only the one chosen by God will choose the future Emperor regardless of the royal blood. So not only is the First Prince your competitor, every single male is."

Crown Prince Richard took a deep breath. He did not say a single word, but his eyes were shivering in rage.

He was well aware that whatever the Emperor was saying was the truth. No matter the lineage or position, once the chosen one states her choice, that man will be crowned as the next Emperor. But he was confident that it would never happen. After all, he had the upper hand in this situation.

Crown Prince Richard was confident that Princess Eleanor would not backstab him. After all, he had made sure that she believed everything he said. He was confident that in Princess Eleanor’s eyes, the Grand Duke was the culprit and she would help him to eliminate the man.

There was no other man near the Princess apart from him. And once Priest Erasmus announces that Princess Eleanor is the chosen one, she in turn will choose him as the future Emperor. He was sure of it. Even if it was not for love, she will have no other choice but to pick him for her revenge.

"At least tell me who he is?" Crown Prince Richard asked. He knew once the Grand Duke is eliminated, there will only be one person remaining. Only one person standing between him and the throne. The First Prince. But unless he knows who the man is, there is no other way to move forward with it.

"You will know on the day of the announcement." the Emperor said as he looked straight into Crown Prince Richard’s eyes. "Richard, as my son, I want you to understand the situation. He is also my son. And I cannot ignore him."

"But I am the son of the woman you love..." Crown Prince Richard said in a hurry, but as soon as he said those words, he closed his mouth, realizing what he had said was wrong. He swallowed hard as he clarified quickly, "I did not mean it.."

The Emperor laughed at his son’s words. "I do not care what you meant by those words. But let me tell you something and make sure to keep it in your mind. I have loved all the women in my life the same way. No matter if it was the previous Empress or your mother or any other concubine for that matter. I have loved them all the same so I do not have a favorite. If you are my son who I have acknowledged as the Crown Prince, then the First Prince is also my son. And his accomplishments are not small."

The Emperor rested his elbows on the table as he placed his chin on his hand, "And if you think that you are chosen as the Crown Prince because I love your mother a lot more, then you are wrong. Your abilities were seen throughout the years and then I had come to a conclusion that you should be the one sitting on the throne and it was a good thing that the temple agreed. For that, I give your maternal family credit."

Crown Prince Richard’s eyes stretched wide. ’So the Emperor knows that it was my maternal side of the family that had taken steps against the Empress?’

Crown Prince Richard was frightened for a second but soon he closed his eyes and controlled his racing heart. He could feel that if the Emperor wanted to take revenge, then he would not have waited for so long. He looked at the Emperor with confused eyes, trying to gauge if he was angry.

"What are you trying to see? How do I know?" The Emperor raised his eyebrows as he laughed, "Well, let’s say nothing goes unnoticed from my eyes in the Royal Palace. Not even the secret meets at the temple."

Crown Prince Richard’s body stiffened. ’He knows!’ It was the only thought that was playing in Crown Prince Richard’s mind. He was so frightened that he took a step back.

"You are my son, Richard. And knowing what you do is my job as a parent, so let’s not talk about the past." The Emperor laughed as he saw the frightened face of his son, "Survival is the basic requirement when it comes to getting the throne. Always remember, the dead cannot sit in the position of the Emperor."

Crown Prince Richard was silent but soon he nodded his head. It was true that many people had died throughout the history of the Empire. And it was also true that many of his siblings were killed because of his involvement. It was a necessity for the Roulux Empire’s throne. After all, only one can sit in the highest position and others would be eliminated.

Although the temple was usually decided by the will of God, it was always better to eliminate strong competition early.

"Go and think about what you can do." The Emperor waved his hand, "I have invested in you and I want to see you to sit on the throne in the future. But if someone else claims it and you cannot protect your position, then everything is a waste. I only want to see the most powerful royal blood sit on the throne after my death."

Crown Prince Richard nodded his head. It took him some time to understand the situation but soon he realized that all he had to do was move forward quickly. It was important for him to sit and think of strategies, but it was even more important to set a goal and attack.

"I am confident that it will be me alone who will be crowned the next Crown Prince again. I will not disappoint you, Father." Crown Prince Richard bowed his head as he turned around. His heart was filled with resentment but he managed to keep it under wraps.

The Emperor’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the now closed door. He shook his head as he thought, ’I had never thought that you would do such a thing, brother. But maybe I had underestimated you. I wish you were still alive so that I could kill you with my own hands again,’