Hero of Darkness

Venessa had her expression frozen after she heard the emperor declare that they'd kill Kahn if she kept associating with him. At this moment, she could not grasp what reasons caused such a great reaction from the emperor himself.

To her, Kahn was only her friend and nothing more. Even though they treated each other as equals and shared stories of their lives… their relationship never went past that barrier.

Soon, she mustered her courage and tried to stand up but still failed to raise her head and look her father in the eyes.

"Why? Why are you going as far as saying that you'll kill him?" she asked with a heavy expression after gathering all her strength just to speak normally while bearing the brunt of this leaden aura of an 8th stage saint.

"Because your fate has already been decided after your birth.

Any ties with others, especially a human should not happen. As my daughter and the princess of the empire… you have a part to play.

There's something only you can do and make our empire prosper in the future." he replied ambiguously.

"And what… what is that? Why am I not aware of what meaning my life has?

Have I not done enough already?"

At this moment… Venessa's voice suddenly turned sorrowful as if welled-up emotions were surging and trying to get out.

"Ever since childhood… I did everything to be worthy to get called as your daughter and became the rightful empress.

I have already proved myself many times already. You know that compared to Hector and Rogis… only I have enough strength, talent, potential and experience to become your successor.

But you would not declare me as the crown princess even after all this time." she spoke in a scornful voice.

What she said was indeed the fact. Her worth was proved a long time ago and by the rules of the imperial clan… she should've been declared as the crown princess a decade ago because she excelled in all the necessary qualities and checked all the boxes.

"Is it… is it because I'm a half-human?" she asked with a hateful voice.

TREMBLE!

As soon as her words reached the emperor's ears… his resolve shook and his domain started shaking.

The image of the burning throne hall started flickering and the fire subsided on its own as they returned to the previous environment of the throne hall… completely unharmed while looking exactly like it was when Venessa entered.

Havi closed his eyes, took a deep breath and replied in a thunderous voice.

"Yes. It is because you're part human.

Tainted blood can never sit on this throne."

The emperor had an emotionless expression as he revealed the reason why Venessa was denied what was her by birthright.

Venessa's eyes were wide open and soon, they were filled with fury as she tightly clenched his fists until blood seeped out of her nails.

She dedicated her entire life since young to becoming qualified and finally hold enough influence as well as the power to become the empress in the future.

"Do you know why I married your mother despite her being a human?" asked Havi in an uncaring tone.

Venessa's rage suddenly vanished and she looked at her father with a look of expectancy. It was one of the questions she had from decades.

"It was a political marriage. Something I agreed upon in order to save and stabilize the empire when I became the emperor." he clarified.

Although she had expected this answer… it still hurt to hear that her loving mother was nothing but a political alliance in eyes of her father.

But the following second, Venessa raised her voice as well and spoke…

"Then what about her death? Since you care so much about your position and authority… why didn't you do anything about her death?" she asked in a sarcastic tone while hiding many of her other emotions.

"What about it?" questioned Havi as he raised a brow.

"I know that it was Hector and Rogis' familial fireborne clans who killed my mother by slowly poisoning her over years…

And I also know that you are aware of the truth!" she exclaimed.

SHOCKED!!

The emperor was baffled and lost his calm composure.

Because the truth behind his third wife's murder was only known to him, his advisors and the two fireborne clan leaders.

To the rest of the empire… she died because of a terminal illness. Yet, his daughter somehow managed to find one of the most well-guarded secrets of the empire.

As for Venessa… her father's expression confirmed her suspicions and verified the truth she heard from the secret helpers who suddenly appeared a year ago and helped her take down Rogis as well as establish her side for the race to become the crown princess.

"You knew everything… and yet you did nothing!" she spoke loudly and gave a look of disgust to her father.

"You're a failure! As a husband… as a father…

And as an Emperor… you're a joke!" Venessa bellowed without any restraints.

She didn't care if her words would offend the emperor and lead to capital punishment. Now that her entire life was already destined to not get what she worked hard for… she didn't bother hiding her true feelings anymore.

"Mind your tongue, girl!!" shouted the emperor as he released his aura again.

BOOM!!

This time, Venessa herself activated her bloodline and used it to stand firm against her sorry excuse of a father.

Her nose and eyes bled as she used every bit of strength in her body just to withstand this pressure.

"Do not forget your place. You're nothing but a chess piece since you were brought into this world.

Do you know why I have entertained your petty arguments till now?" he spoke in a contemptuous voice.

"Because your life has only one purpose. To serve the empire." he said in a grim tone.

Venessa's gaze turned even more hurt and vengeful at the same time.

Although she was confronting her father with every inch of her being… she was far away from even scratching the surface of his immense strength.

If her father willed it… he could kill her with just his saint pressure alone.

Soon… Havi Hos Sigfreed, the emperor and her father told Venessa what part she had to play for the sake of the empire and what fate awaited her.

Like a predetermined and predestined life… her future was already decided and there was nothing she could do to avoid it.

This very second, Venessa collapsed on the floor as her entire life was overthrown with a single sentence.

All of her life's efforts… her tirelessly training to become the empress… her will to survive and the revenge she wanted to exact after learning the truth about her mother's death…

All of it turned meaningless. As one would say… Venessa's whole life turned out to be a complete lie.

Now… nothing mattered to her and Venessa, in her mind was having an existential crisis.

All those feelings… all that pain and suffering that she had kept hidden inside her finally erupted and her mind was bombarded with a plethora of emotions one after another.

"Why did I work so hard? Why was I even born?

Living a life like this… I won't accept it!" she shouted and quickly pulled out her sword from the scabbard.

She grabbed the hilt and pointed the tip of the blade towards her.

Stab!

Venessa quickly tried to stab her stomach with her own sword… the very sword her mother left behind and had been with her since childhood.

Because at this moment… this princess of the empire had completely broken down and wanted to end her life instead of suffering the misery that awaited her because of her position as the daughter of the fireborne sitting on the throne.

Shing!

But before the tip of the blade could even pierce her armor and her belly… an intangible force suddenly stopped her from moving.

Other than her head… her entire body was frozen… rather covered in a dense saint pressure that prohibited her from moving an inch.

Venessa looked at her father as streams of tears dropped from her eyes. This time… they were not only full of hatred but also unimaginable suffering and killing intent at the same time.

"Even wild monsters treat their children better than you!

They raise them to get strong enough to survive on their own no matter the cost.

You on the other hand… you trade them for power and keep your so-called reign and this pretentious pride of the imperial family intact." spoke Venessa with a scornful gaze and spat on the ground.

Because just minutes ago… she heard what her father said and realized how her entire existence had only one purpose that she did not even get to decide for herself from the very day she was born.

Venessa recalled the Emperor's words that destroyed her life's meaning in mere seconds…

"You were born… only to get married to the Hero of Fire."