Nyra Blackheart, the former matriarch of the Drakethorne grand ducal house, stood at the entrance. She wore an elegant gown that cinched at the waist, accentuating her poise and maturity. Although she was over seventy, she looked as though she were in her mid-thirties. Her raven hair flowed freely down her back. Her black eyes flashed with anger, furious at the emperor’s audacity to use that promise as a means to force her grandson into a marriage without his consent.

  Everyone attending the banquet knew of Nyra Blackheart’s boldness. She had been the sole heiress of Blackheart County, but after she married into the Drakethorne family, Blackheart became a vassal of Drakethorne.

  The Blackheart family was famous for their fearlessness and for always speaking their minds. This boldness ran in their bloodline, as they were notorious for having dual classes—an extremely rare trait.

  Nyra Blackheart, unconcerned by the emperor’s presence, fixed her gaze on her husband, who was attempting to avoid her eyes. “Ragnar, have you forgotten about me? How dare you try to start the banquet without me?” she demanded.

  Ragnar Drakethorne cleared his throat with a feigned cough. "Dear, how could I ever forget you? It was just getting late, and our grandson needs his rest. The throne is no place for a child to sleep, so I hoped we could start the banquet without further delay."

  Nyra sniffed. “You sweet talker, I will let this pass for my grandson’s sake.” She glanced at her grandson, who was resting in the throne, unaware of the commotion he had caused.

  Nyra almost laughed at the absurdity of the situation, but she stifled her amusement as she turned her gaze toward the emperor.

  The room fell silent as the emperor began to speak. "This promise cannot be nullified without being fulfilled at least once, and Ragnar, you are well aware of this sacred vow. I ask that you honor it."

  "Your Majesty, please use this promise for something else in the future—not to bind my grandson," Ragnar said to the emperor. He disliked how the emperor was forcing a marriage between his daughter and grandson at such a young age.

  The writing on the scroll began to vanish, transforming into glowing particles that swirled around the palace. The particles started drifting into the bodies of the Drakethorne family members, including Alex, who was sleeping soundly on the throne. Some of the particles also started entering the emperor’s body.

  Shane and Ragnar both turned toward the throne and spoke at once, their voices overlapping. "Your Majesty, do not force me to take action."

  Meanwhile, Sera tried desperately to use her magic and any means she could to stop the particles from entering her son’s body, but she was powerless as they slipped inside, one after another.

  Sera’s strength gave out, and she collapsed to her knees, powerless to protect her son despite her determination to do so at any cost.

  "Ragnar, this is a sacred promise made by your founding father. Its magic cannot be undone, as he sealed it with black dragon’s blood, the same blood that runs in your veins," Emperor James Evernight said, as if it were a simple matter and nothing to worry about.

  "Those particles will not harm the child. They simply enforce the marriage agreement between your son and my daughter," Emperor James Evernight explained, turning his attention to Sera Azurestorm, who was still on her knees.

  "I will allow this marriage to be voided if your son ever wishes, once he is old enough to decide for himself. Until then, the marriage stands," the Emperor said, glancing at Shane and Sera with a hint of mercy.

  People were stunned and uneasy at how coldly the emperor used such a promise to keep Drakethorne from opposing the Evernight family. Even though he ultimately gave the child the option to void the marriage in the future, the manipulation left a bitter taste.

  The emperor began to ascend the stairs, his steps steady and his presence commanding. Despite the commotion he had caused, he seemed perfectly calm and indifferent to everything around him.

  He approached the throne. Sera had already stood up and was about to intervene, but Shane restrained her before she could do anything rash.

  The Emperor reached the throne, where a magic circle kept Alex from falling as he slept soundly.

  The Emperor opened his dimensional space and took out a box.

  Emperor James Evernight slowly opened the box, revealing a necklace adorned with a crimson diamond. The gem’s brilliance was so striking that even those standing far away could see its glow.

  Ragnar saw what the emperor took out and was shocked to see that the necklace was of divine rank, not just any divine rank; it was very close to mythic rank.

  Artifacts and treasures were ranked as mortal, enchanted, rare, divine, mythic, and immortal, with the last category renowned for their sentience.

  He reached into the magic circle and carefully fastened the necklace around Alex’s neck. The necklace adjusted itself, shrinking to fit him perfectly.

  "This is for you, my future son-in-law. Become the greatest in the world," the Emperor said, turning to descend the stairs. He was stopped by a voice behind him.

  "Your Majesty, I understand, but why force this on my son now? You could have waited," Sera Azurestorm cried out, unable to restrain herself any longer.

  "I like him. Your son can end the marriage at any time if he wishes." The Emperor spoke, and no voice stopped him as he descended the stairs.

  The Emperor left the hall with his knights. The guests remained at the banquet, bewildered by this notorious display of his character.

  People were all too familiar with how cunning and powerful the emperor was, but never had they seen or heard of the emperor using such a tactic on such a child.

  Some of Drakethorne’s rivals were visibly frustrated and upset. They resented that the Drakethorne heir would marry the emperor’s daughter, fearing it would draw Drakethorne even closer to the imperial family.

  Outside the Drakethorne palace, the emperor’s carriage was being prepared. He gazed up at the sky, as if looking into mysteries no one else could see.

  “Your Majesty, why are you doing this? You could have asked for my life, but instead you chose my son’s.” Shane Drakethorne said as he approached the emperor. All the knights and soldiers stepped aside to let him pass.

  “Shane, I understand your concerns. I have already allowed your child to revoke the promise if he wishes. In time, you will understand why I am doing this,” the Emperor said, before boarding the carriage.

  Shane stood there for a moment, his gaze fixed on the Emperor, who boarded the carriage and exited the gate without a backward glance. Shane then returned to the banquet, determined not to allow others to cause any further disturbance.