The carriage started moving forward the moment Lionel got settled inside. The wheels of the carriage turned against the ground as the estate slowly disappeared behind them.

Inside, everything was quiet.

It was only Lionel who was inside. Diana and his other attendants weren’t allowed to go with him. Outside, Rylan and Eiden marched with the royal knights. They were the only ones allowed to accompany him.

Unlike attendants, knights were permitted in formal summons like this. And among everyone in the estate, they were the most suitable to bring.

Even if he was alone, the atmosphere in and out of the carriage was so heavy. Everything just felt so serious, with no room for mistakes. The only sound he could hear was the horses in front.

"Hah... I don’t know what the emperor wants for me." Lionel rested his chin lightly on his hand as he looked out the window.

They quickly passed by lands. Since the carriage bears the insignia of the royal family, everyone avoided its way. The path became halved in two as they rolled forward.

Compared to other noble estates, theirs was relatively closer to the imperial palace. Because of that, the travel time was shorter. It was only 1 hour. But the 1 hour still felt long when he couldn’t even do anything but just sit around.

Lionel closed his eyes for a brief moment.

Why was I even called? That was the only question in his mind.

It wasn’t something simple because he knew that the Emperor would not summon someone without reason. And especially not like this when it was just so sudden.

"Hah," Lionel let out a sigh before he opened his eyes again and looked outside.

Lionel kept his gaze outside after that. Before he knew it, almost an hour had already passed.

The roads outside became wider and cleaner. The presence of guards increased, too. Tall structures slowly appeared from a distance.

And soon, there it was.

The imperial palace.

Lionel’s eyes focused as the massive walls came into full view. They stood tall and unyielding, stretching far beyond what his eyes could fully see. The stone that they used was smooth and well-kept, with banners hanging high above the towers.

It was a majestic sight to behold as the banners of the royal family moved slightly with the wind.

The carriage slowed down as it approached the entrance of the gate that towered over everything else.

They stopped for a moment before a slow sound echoed. That’s when the gates slowly began to open.

Lionel watched the scene quietly. His eyes were fixed on the scene in front of him.

In this life, it has been more than a year since he last set foot in this place. Before his death, though, he was always here. And all he could say was that the palace had changed a lot under Cassian’s leadership at that time.

Everything became more depressing when Cassian was put on the throne.

But now, seeing it like this in its original state stirred something in his chest. It was a feeling he couldn’t fully explain.

"So this is how it used to look," he murmured under his breath. He almost couldn’t remember it.

When the gates finally fully opened, the carriage began to move again. They entered and everything inside felt even grander.

The path stretched wide ahead of them, lined with perfectly trimmed greenery and tall decorative pillars. Guards stood on every corner of the place. They just stood still, unmoving.

Further in, the main palace came into view. On the side and on the back of it, you would see more standalone structures.

At the very center stood the main palace. That was where the Emperor and Empress do their everyday duties.

It was the largest among all the structures. Its walls were higher, its design more detailed, and even the guards around it stood more rigidly than the others. It was the heart of the empire.

Around it, there were other palaces.

There was the official palace of the emperor and empress, a residence of their own. There was also the Crown Prince’s palace, and on the other side was Elara’s own palace.

Aside from those, there were also separate residences for guests. They built multiple residences for foreign envoys, nobles from distant lands, and important visitors.

Those places were still as lavish as they meant to show the generosity of the royal family.

The carriage continued forward for a few more minutes before it slowly began to slow down.

Lionel’s brows furrowed slightly at that. He was about to move when a voice came from outside.

"My lord." It was one of the royal knights. "This is as far as the carriage can go."

"Right..." Lionel blinked once and nodded. How can he forget that?

He glanced out the window, and ahead of them, the distance to the main palace was still quite far.

"The main palace is still ahead," the knight continued. "We will proceed on foot from here."

"Alright." Lionel nodded. He quickly stepped out when the carriage door opened.

Rylan and Eiden were already waiting nearby. They immediately stepped closer the moment he got down.

"My lord," they greeted.

"Let’s go." Lionel gave a small nod.

Without wasting time, they began to walk. Lionel kept his gaze forward as they did. The palace slowly grew larger in his vision with every step he took.

And finally, after minutes, they finally reached the entrance of the main palace. The knights stationed there moved at once when they saw Lionel.

Lionel might not be a royal in title, but he was still part of the royal family by blood. He was respected here just like his mother and his other family.

"My lord," the guards greeted in unison as they lowered their heads.

"Mm." Lionel gave a small nod in return to acknowledge their presence.

With that, the large doors were pushed open. A soft sound echoed as the space inside was revealed to him. Lionel stepped forward without hesitation.

The moment he entered, what greeted his eyes was just lavishness. The interior was just as grand as the outside. High ceilings stretched above, supported by tall pillars.

But Lionel barely had the time to take everything in when he saw an old man seated right in front of his view.

The man’s hair was already graying. His face was wrinkled, but he remained as regal as ever. The man wore golden long robes that draped down to the floor.

Lionel’s gazed immediately became fixated on him.

"Grandfather..."

It was the Emperor.