Not a single person could remain unperturbed.
Not a single person could remain calm.
Not a single one of them could maintain their composure at the revelation that had just unfolded.
Yet the ritual did not lie.
A light identical to that of the other princes and princesses had shone from Rui.
Rui himself had been frozen in shock at the realization of what had just happened.
"Co forth..." The Emperor beckoned him forth with a knowing smile. "Co forth, Prince Rui Quarrier Kandria."
For a mont, nobody moved.
Everybody was shocked.
His acquaintances around him were stunned and speechless.
Master Ceeran, Vericita, Aroanian, Minister Varay, and several others simply stared at him like he was from another world.
The royals stared at him in shock.
The entirety of the throne hall was stunned to its very core.
Yet, none of them were more shocked than Rui himself.
"…What?" He whispered with horror. "This has to be so kind of a mistake."
Ti slowed down to a crawl as his Martial fight-or-flight instincts took over. His mind, normally ordered and organized in its thought, had fallen into absolute chaos. Countless thoughts flashed through it as it collapsed into disarray.
He didn't understand.
He didn't understand what was happening.
How could he possibly have royal blood in his veins?
How could he possibly be a descendant of the Kandrian Royal Family?!
Could it be a mistake?
Could the orb be malfunctioning?
No, the probability of that was far too low. This was a matter centered around the Royal Family; there was no room for error.
…Could it truly be that he was a royal?
He didn't know who his father was and had never given it much thought. As far as he was concerned, it didn't matter. It was irrelevant to him.
His mind flashed back to the sole mory of his mother when he first gave birth. Despite her exhaustion and pain, her eyes lingered with deep affection for Rui even as she passed away.
Was she a royal or…?
"Do not make repeat myself, boy."
The Emperor's powerful, commanding tone left no room for reprieve. It shook Rui out of his frozen reverie, propelling him forward as he obeyed the Emperor's command. STEP
STEP STEP…
With each step he took, he beca increasingly aware of all the attention on him. Not a single person was anything less than shocked.
Those who knew him the most were beyond flabbergasted. The mbers of the Martial Union were truly taken aback as they realized their golden boy had been a mber of the royal family the entire ti.
They hadn't even reached the point of considering whether this was good or bad, they were still utterly bewildered by the revelation of the Kandrian Blood Ritual.
Yet, the royal family was even more shocked than the Martial Union!
The mont the realization dawned on them, the royals had lost all dignity as the deepest of horror overtook their deanor.
Prince Randal's expression crumpled with horrified terror.
He seed to age by the second.
Princess Ranea, Rafia, and Raemina were frozen in raw fear as they realized the nightmare that this situation was to them.
Prince Rajak gritted his teeth apprehensively at the revelation of Rui being his half-brother.
Prince Raul was, perhaps, the only one who didn't appear to be inflicted with pain at the revelation. Yet, even he was deeply stunned by the revelation. It was clear that not even the Beggar's Sect had been aware of this deep secret despite all their exposure to Rui Quarrier.
Prince Raijun, however, was the very first to understand the implications of this revelation. He gritted his teeth with deep fear and apprehension as he did his best to maintain his composure.
Yet, inwardly, he experienced true terror and fear for the first ti in his life.
Rui schooled his expression and his gait with heightened self-awareness as he walked past the crowd of guests and toward the royal family that had gathered a short distance away from the elevated platform bearing the throne.
With each step he took, the harder it grew to breathe.
With each step he took, the burden on his shoulder deepened.
With each step, it grew heavier.
By the ti he arrived, he felt like the weight of the entire Empire rested on his shoulders.
It pressed down on him, squeezing his heart, crippling his breath.
"Rui Quarrier Kandria."
The Emperor spoke his na like an incantation. His voice was powerful, yet his tone was soft.
Gentle.
Rui beheld the Emperor of Kandria.
Gone was the powerful and domineering persona of the Emperor of Harmony. All Rui saw was paternal pride.
He didn't understand.
He didn't understand what he was seeing.
"You are a son of Kandria." The Emperor's declaration was firm.
"You are a son of the Royal Family."
Not even the slightest hint of hesitation rang in his voice.
"You are…a son of mine." His words spread through the Kandrian Throne Hall.
Rui stared at him.
His eyes brimd with intense emotion.
Uncertainty.
Apprehension.
Fear.
The Emperor t his gaze with clear eyes.
A glint of affection lingered in them.
"Be not afraid."
His tone was warm.
"Fear does not befit a son of mine."
His words were sharp, yet his tone did not barb Rui.
It coaxed him.
"…And son of mine, you are," The Emperor reaffird once more.
This ti, his tone was more firr.
Fiercer.
"As Emperor, I declare you, Rui Quarrier Kandria, Son of Rael Di Kandria and Miriam Nephi Silas of the Silas Clan…" The Emperor's voice grew grave. "…as my chosen heir."
Rui's widened his eyes, stunned at the Emperor's solemn declaration.
The entirety of the throne hall shook once more as yet another wave of shock washed over each of them. The Emperor had not only unveiled a new son who had been unknown before but had also declared him his chosen heir imdiately after disclosing his identity!
The air grew tumultuous as the weight of the Emperor's declaration struck everybody.
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