"The Witch’s Redirection"

"The Witch’s Redirection" 14

## Chapter Fourteen: Royal Justice and the Price of Influence

The Grand Throne Room of the Imperial Palace was thick with whispers that sounded like the hissing of vipers. Nobles from all corners of the Empire lined both sides, their eyes eagerly anticipating the political scaffold to be erected today. High above, Emperor Alexander sat upon his golden throne, his stone-like features unreadable. To his right stood Prince Cassian Valerion in full military uniform, his golden eyes scanning the hall with intense caution, his hands resting firmly upon the hilt of his imperial sword.

In the center of the hall, Seraphina Ethereon stood entirely alone. She wore a deep navy dress that emphasized the pallor of her skin—a exhaustion brought on by the "price of blood"—yet her posture was straight and rigid, like an unbreakable spear.

Suddenly, the massive doors swung open, and Elisia Raven entered, followed by the head of her house and the Southern Sorcerer. She did not look like an abducted victim; rather, she wore a pristine white gown, her eyes brimming with meticulously crafted crocodile tears that instantly stirred the emotions of the gathered nobility.

"My Lord Emperor!" Elisia threw herself onto her knees before the throne, her voice trembling with a masterful, theatrical cadence. "I have returned from death by a miracle! Last night, I was abducted and tortured by dark forces... and I would not have survived if not for the mercy of the gods. Today, I am here not to beg for mercy, but to unmask the true traitor who lives among us and consumes the blood of this Empire with her black magic!"

Elisia turned slowly, pointing her trembling finger directly at Seraphina. "It is Seraphina Ethereon! Last night in the lower archives, when my family attempted to uncover evidence of her involvement, Seraphina used a forbidden magic... a magic that tampers with the flesh and inverts the flow of time to save Prince Cassian and erase the trace of the dark poison she herself sent! The Southern Sorcerer witnessed the corrupt mana with his own eyes!"

The hall erupted into shouts and protests. The nobles demanded Seraphina’s immediate execution; after all, tampering with time was the ultimate transgression that could annihilate entire families under Imperial Law.

Emperor Alexander cast a piercing gaze toward his son, Cassian. "Cassian... you were there. Did Lady Ethereon use time-inversion magic on your body?"

A suffocating silence fell. Cassian looked at Seraphina, recalling his healed body and his veins entirely cleared of poison. He knew the truth, but he also knew that confessing it meant sending Seraphina to the scaffold. His eyes met hers, expecting to find fear or supplication, but he found only an icy detachment and a terrifying confidence.

Before Cassian could utter a single syllable, Seraphina took a step forward. She did not scream, nor did she defend herself. Instead, she released a low, cold laugh that echoed through the chamber, forcing everyone into a stunned silence.

"A masterful accusation, Lady Elisia," Seraphina said, her tone dripping with regal irony. "But you forgot one rule regarding shadow magic and wooden puppets: the residual trace never lies, and the very time you accuse me of tampering with... is the exact thing that will expose you right now."

Seraphina raised her right hand. She did not pull out the silver ring as Elisia had anticipated; instead, she produced something else entirely—an object that instantly paralyzed Elisia and the Southern Sorcerer. It was the "luminescent core" that powered the wooden puppet, which Seraphina had retrieved before the structure was entirely incinerated.

"My Lord Emperor," Seraphina addressed the throne with an unnerving stability. "Elisia wishes for you to focus on the magic I used to save your Crown Prince, so that you might blind yourselves to the greater crime. This core, extracted from last night’s monstrosity, is no mere magical tool... it is charged with the 'vital mana' of House Raven. And thanks to my knowledge of localized flow manipulation—which I do not deny—I can activate the final trace stored within this core, allowing everyone to see exactly where Elisia was during her disappearance."

With a sharp gesture, Seraphina channeled pure blue mana into the core. The crystal rose into the air, emitting a magical projection that filled the Throne Room.

It did not display a scene of torture or a*******n. Instead, Elisia Raven appeared, standing in perfect health within the dark western wing just a few hours prior, holding the magical amulet while laughing wickedly. Her own voice echoed clearly in the projection: "So you survived, Seraphina... Tomorrow, at the general council assembly, I shall reveal to the world exactly who the true witch is... and your guillotine is ready and meticulously polished."

The hall exploded into utter bewilderment. Elisia’s face turned as pale as death, and the head of House Raven fell to his knees, utterly dumbfounded. The entire deception—the alleged k********g and the political and physical assassination attempt on the Prince—was displayed before the Emperor and the nobility in full audio and video, all thanks to the temporal trace Seraphina had summoned.

The shocking twist was not merely Elisia’s condemnation, but that Seraphina had openly confessed to using forbidden magic, sacrificing her own legal safety to turn the tables and drag Elisia down into a mutual public confrontation.

"So..." Emperor Alexander said, his thunderous voice cutting through the astonishment as his oppressive imperial aura weighted upon the room. "Lady Elisia fabricated her a*******n and attempted to eliminate Lady Ethereon and the Prince... and Lady Seraphina utilized internationally forbidden temporal arts."

The head of House Ethereon (Seraphina’s father) and the head of House Raven stepped forward together, bowing their heads to the floor. The military might of House Ethereon and the economic power of House Raven were the two pillars upon which the Imperial Throne rested. The downfall of both families or the execution of their heirs meant an immediate civil war that would rip the Empire apart, leaving it vulnerable to foreign enemies.

"My Lord, we beg for your mercy and justice," the head of House Raven said, his voice shaking. "Elisia has erred, but our family has shed its blood for the Empire for centuries."

Seraphina’s father added sternly, "And my daughter used that magic to save the Crown Prince's life; her death would break the armies of the East."

The Emperor was a masterful politician; he knew that the law demanded execution for both parties, but the interest of the state superseded the law. He looked at Cassian, who gave a subtle nod, supporting a preservation of the balance of power to prevent chaos and appease the Great Houses without crushing either.

"By the sovereign authority vested in me, and to sever the roots of discord while maintaining the stability of the Great Empire," Emperor Alexander announced his final verdict. "Due to the immense influence and sacrifices of House Raven and House Ethereon, the sentence of execution for Lady Elisia Raven and Lady Seraphina Ethereon is commuted to a reduced penalty guaranteed by the standing of their respective families."

The nobility breathed a sigh of relief, while Elisia and Seraphina locked eyes, their gazes dripping with mutual defiance.

"Lady Elisia Raven shall retain her noble title in honor of her family's historical loyalty, but she is to be exiled immediately to the isolated Northern Monastery under heavy military guard. She is barred from attending any ceremonies in the Imperial Capital until further notice, and her family shall pay a hefty financial penalty to the Crown."

"As for Lady Seraphina Ethereon, although she saved the Crown Prince, the use of forbidden magic cannot pass without consequence. She is placed under house arrest within her family’s estate, barred from utilizing any magical mana for an entire year, and shall be kept under the close and direct surveillance of the Crown Prince, Cassian Valerion."

Seraphina turned slowly toward Cassian. His golden eyes gleamed with a cryptic victory; he had obtained exactly what he wanted. House arrest and direct surveillance meant he now held her under his authority, and she would no longer be able to hide any secrets from him.

As for Seraphina, she watched Elisia being led out of the hall by the guards, consumed by a suppressed rage and blind hatred despite retaining her title. Seraphina then looked back at Cassian and offered a cold, internal smile. The commuted sentence and house arrest were no shackles to her; rather, they were the perfect cover she required. Far from the spotlights of political salons, and directly under Cassian’s watchful eyes, she could prepare her next move without arousing suspicion.

She had defeated Elisia in this round, forcing her retreat to the north, and she had bound Cassian with the debt of saving his life. Now... the game was being played entirely under the terms of the witch who returned from the dead.

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