How To End This Marriage-Chapter 154: The Price of Power

In the heavenly realm, the god of fate, Moiroi, found himself kneeling in a dark, oppressive cloud, a choking sensation gripping his throat. "What are you doing? Release me! I, the god of fate, command you!" he roared, his voice echoing in the void.

But the unseen force replied, "A mere god like you order the supreme god? I wasn’t aware you held such authority,Moiroi."

Moiroi scoffed. "Supreme god? Don’t be absurd! You are no supreme god, nor will you ever be." He confronted the entity claiming the celestial title, Marcus.

"So, you’ve figured it out already? I underestimated your cunning, Moiroi. Had I known, I would have been more careful," Marcus chuckled, his amusement devoid of warmth.

"Careful? You call hiding your true identity for years cautious?" Moiroi retorted. "It took us eons to unravel your charade."

"If it weren’t for that blasted locked door, I would have happily played your servant as the supposed supreme god. But thanks to it, my eyes were opened. I saw the truth," Moiroi declared, his voice hardening.

"Truth you sought to reveal to Duchess Bernice Balliol, no doubt?" Marcus said, his sarcasm dripping like venom.

"If you truly understood the truth, Moiroi, you would have been more cautious. My eyes are everywhere. I won’t let anyone expose the secret I’ve guarded for centuries. You think it will be so easy?" Marcus cackled, the sound grating on Moiroi’s nerves.

"But my revelation has set the wheels in motion," Moiroi countered, his voice hoarse from the tightening grip on his throat. "Bernice will soon take her rightful place as the true heir of the heavenly realm."

"Heir? That girl? Don’t be ridiculous, Moiroi! Do you even know who she is? Do you know what I lost because of her?No, you don’t. You have no memory of what transpired in the past." Marcus spat, his hatred simmering just beneath the surface.

"No memory?" Moiroi gasped, panic creeping into his voice. "What have you done to my memories? Who are you? How do you possess such power?"

"Ha! Because I was the true heir to the throne, until she appeared," Marcus hissed, his words laced with bitterness. "The miracle child everyone worshipped, until another stole my place."

"I was the only child born from the divine spark, until a usurper arrived with her oracle, twisting my destiny, stealing my life, leaving me to question my very existence!" Marcus’s voice cracked with suppressed rage.

"Who are you?" Moiroi rasped, desperation etching lines on his face.

"Who am I?" Marcus boomed, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "I am Marcus Fulcinius Eumenius, the forgotten son of the previous supreme god, and the rightful heir she stole the crown from!"

"Then why am I not aware of what happened? Why can’t I recall who was the previous supreme god? Why can’t I remember your ascension to the throne?" Moiroi questioned, his eyes blazing with anger.

Marcus smiled coldly. "Because I erased those memories. I control this realm. Every god here dances to my tune. Obey, or face the consequences of those who defied me."

Moiroi stuttered, "You... you have killed other gods?"

Marcus laughed, a harsh, humorless sound. "My blood, too, carries the power of a supreme god. Reducing immortality to mortality is a mere flick of my wrist. Now, will you obey, or shall I remind you of my control?"

He cast a spell, and Moiroi’s memory clouded. "Supreme god? What am I doing here?" he mumbled, confused.

"I have a task for you," Marcus said, his playful smile chilling.

Moiroi bowed, the enforced obedience erasing his defiance. "Whatever the task, Supreme God, I assure you it will be fulfilled."

"Indeed," Marcus chuckled. "Do you remember Princess Sylvia of the Tribes?"

"Yes, Supreme God. I am familiar with the child."

"I wish to see her life thread. As God of Fate, you hold every detail. But now, I require them. Her birth, her martial skills,her knowledge of the Centurian Enigma Circle – I crave it all."

Moiroi bowed again. "I shall deliver the results, Supreme God."

He retreated to his chamber, leaving Marcus bathed in the light, a twisted triumph on his face. "None of you can defy me!You are mine to command, no matter what! I will never let her claim what is rightfully mine."

But a disembodied voice echoed, shattering his victory. "You are not the Supreme God. You have no right to this place."

"Punishment awaits if you don’t repent, Marcus!" it warned, its tone grave.

Marcus burst into laughter. "Punishment? What more could I suffer? I’ve lost everyone who cared, everyone who supported me! My own sister, driven to her death by my actions! What further torment can you inflict? You’ve already torn me from my own people!"

Tears of rage and despair filled his eyes. "You can’t inflict more pain than this! I will never let her fulfill the oracle’s prophecy. She will never know who she is. She will remain trapped in the mortal realm, suffering as I do."

The voice faded, leaving him alone with his twisted ambitions. "No one," he declared, his voice ringing with a twisted confidence, "mortal or immortal, can thwart my plans. I will be, and shall remain, the Supreme God."

***

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"I will never trust you again," Bernice declared, her anger simmering. "Leave! I have nothing more to say."

With that, she threw the door shut, leaving the Duke facing the Crown Prince in the corridor.

"Your Highness? What brings you here? Do you have business with my wife?" the Duke inquired, his voice tinged with anxiety.

"No, Duke," Crown Prince Maximus replied, his gaze unwavering. "I wished to speak with you."

The Duke, ever the dutiful servant, ushered the Crown Prince into a nearby meeting room where Princess Vixara sat poised on a couch.

"Ah, Duke and brother, you return!" the Princess exclaimed, rising from her seat.

"Please, Princess, remain seated," the Prince said, gesturing to the couch. "Duke, how is the Duchess? Is she... well?"

A flicker of guilt crossed the Duke’s face. "She is... distressed, Your Highness. My words were harsh, and I regret them."

"I understand," the Prince said, his voice neutral. "However, the Duchess’s actions cannot be ignored. Accusing the Emperor of such a heinous crime..."

"She had reason to be upset," the Duke countered, his voice gaining strength. "The Emperor has caused her immense suffering. And yet, I stood by, unable to protect her."

"But accusations are not solutions," the Princess interjected, her voice laced with bitterness. "I, too, have grievances against the Emperor. My mother..."

"Silence, Princess!" the Prince boomed, silencing her mid-sentence. "This is not the time for personal vendettas. We must find the truth, regardless of who it implicates."

His gaze swept across the room, settling on each person in turn. "Everyone who knew the Emperor’s location is a suspect. Family ties hold no sway in the face of justice."

The Duke’s face paled. "But Your Highness, I serve the Empire! Would I betray my duty?"

"Perhaps not intentionally," the Prince mused. "But consider this: the Duchess, a trained martial artist, could have easily carried out the attack. And Princess Vixara, with her motive..."

He trailed off, leaving the implications hanging in the air.

"Are you accusing us, Your Highness?" the Duke asked, his voice trembling.

"I am merely stating the facts," the Prince replied. "No one is above suspicion. Therefore, I must take precautions."

He turned to the waiting knights at the door. "Take the Princess to her chambers and assign a guard to monitor her movements. I require complete transparency."

The knights, despite their evident hesitation, obeyed the Prince’s orders. Princess Vixara, however, remained composed.

"Very well," she said, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "Equality is only fair. If the Duchess is a suspect, then so am I."

With that, she followed the knights, leaving the Duke alone with the Crown Prince.

"Your Highness, this is excessive," the Duke protested. "The Princess is innocent. She wouldn’t harm a fly."

The Prince’s gaze met the Duke’s, unwavering. "And why didn’t you say the same of the Duchess?"

The Duke faltered, unable to meet the Prince’s scrutiny. "Because... because she is capable. She could have done it."

"Then perhaps you should consider," the Prince said, his voice low, "that judging someone based on their potential is just as dangerous as judging them on their past."

He paused, then added, "I understand your loyalty, Duke. But in this matter, justice must prevail, regardless of our personal ties."

"Since the suspects include those familiar with the Emperor’s location, I propose moving him to a secure, undisclosed site," the Crown Prince declared. "This way, we can isolate the culprit by observing their reactions."

He turned to the Duke. "You may be excused, Duke. This decision pertains only to the immediate investigation."

The Duke, ever respectful, bowed. "As you wish, Your Highness. I trust your judgment."

He exited the meeting room, leaving the Crown Prince alone with a newly arrived knight.