Even after hearing the news directly from Aerolia’s lips, the young noble found himself unable to process them. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

The statement lingered in the air between them like an invisible weight and for several heartbeats, he simply stared at the Third Princess.

"The king... Is dying?"

After several moments, the question escaped his mouth almost mechanically with disbelief saturating every syllable.

Aerolia lowered her gaze toward the crystal goblet resting before her. The crimson liquid within reflected the light spilling from the chandeliere overhead.

"Yes." She affirmed.

Her voice was calm, as though she had repested those words so many times in her mind that the shock had long since worn away.

"Actually, very few people know the truth. It is only members of the royal family, a handful of trusted officials, and a few physicians that knows about my father’s condition."

Then, a faint smile touched her lips, though it had no joy behind it, as her sapphire eyes met Cedric’s golden ones.

"You are the first outsider that I’ve told."

Cedric remained silent...

He understood her sentiment very well. At some point during the years they had spent studying together in the Royal Academy, their relationship had evolved beyond simple political acquaintances.

They had become confidants, perhaps not yet at the level of being called siblings, but it was close enough.

His mother had recognized this unique dynamic long ago as even she had admitted that Aerolia trusted Cedric in ways she trusted very few others.

This had made her suggest he deepened their relationship further. House politics, alliances, and matchmaking; those were some of the considerations Lady Seraphina constantly evaluated.

But still... This revelation surpassed anything he had expected when they had arranged today’s meeting. Cedric’s brows knitted together as he leaned forward slightly.

"But how is that even possible?" He asked, his voice dripping with disbelief. "I mean, I saw His Majesty three days ago during the Awakening Ceremony..."

The memory remained vivid in his mind, even as he spoke. The king had been seated proudly upon the royal balcony overlooking thousands of nobles and commoners.

After the awakenings were done, his voice had carried across the entire Coliseum as he addressed the newly awakened with an unwavering presence...

So hearing that he was suddenly dying sounded somehow to his ears.

"... He looked perfectly healthy when he attend the Ceremony." Cedric stated.

Aerolia sighed before replying. "What you saw wasn’t my father... Instead, it was his Avatar."

Silence followed her words as Cedric tried processing them...

Higher Ranking Etheryeans possessed extraordinary abilities beyond the understanding of common people.

Among these unique powers was the ability to manifest avatars capable of interacting with the world while the real body remained elsewhere.

This ability was normally reserved for individuals who had already stepped into the Rank Four Etheryean Realm and above...

"My father never left the palace that day." Aerolia continued silently. "Instead, he was receiving treatment back at the palace."

Cedric immediately caught the emphasis in her statement. "Receiving treatment?"

The Third Princess’s expression darkened as she said distinctly. "He was actually trying to receive treatment..."

This distinction sent a wave of unease through the young noble as he asked. "What do you mean?"

The Third Princess leaned back against her chair. "What I mean is that nobody has managed to cure him."

Her voice carried exhaustion when she spoke; this was not just physical exhaustion, but the kind that had accumulated over months of helplessness.

"We’ve exhausted nearly every option available to us just trying to heal him."

Cedric struggled to comprehend what he was hearing...

The royal family possessed access to resources beyond imagination, and if anyone in the kingdom could receive the very best treatment, it would be the king himself.

Cedric knew that his suggestion was practically useless but he said it nevertheless.

"Have you tried House Vauldryn? You know, their healing lineage is renowned throughout Valoria."

"We already called them, but their alchemists found nothing. In fact, we pulled some strings to call in their Rank Seven Alchemist to personally examine my father... But the result was still the same."

This revelation startled Cedric. A Rank Seven Alchemist alone is enough to practically cure most, if not all illness in Aetherium.

In fact, such individuals were as rare as a Rank Seven Etheryean and they are highly respected even more than ordinary Etheryeans around Aetherium.

Aerolia’s fingers tightened around her goblet as she continued. "At this stage, it is quite obvious that there is no known cure in Valoria."

Cedric released a long breath as he asked. "But what kind of illness could possibly leave the whole kingdom and the king helpless against it?"

Aerolia’s gaze hardened, and for the first time since entering the Gilded Crown, genuine frost surfaced in her eyes.

"It isn’t an illness..." She corrected. "... Instead, it is Netherblood poisoning."

The young noble was almost petrified where he sat, and for several moments, he simply stared at her blankly.

Few words and names in Valoria carried enough weight to inspire dread and amongst them is Netherblood.

"Netherblood poisoning..."

Even repeatinhbtge term was enough to send chills crawling down his spine. There was no one within Aetherium that hadn’t heard of the word, after all, it is famous for where it is gotten from.

Once an Awakener stepped beyond mortality and entered the Etheryean Realms, ordinary diseases or illness cease to matter anymore as; their bodies would transform, their vitality would increase, their lifespan would be extended, and killing them would become extraordinarily difficult.

Yet, there existed certain exceptions to that rule. There are rare horrors which are capable of bypassing all the advantage granted by Apotheosis when among them, there is the Netherblood Flower.

Though he hadn’t seen a Flower physically, he had heard and read enough to know how lethal it is. To a normal human, the Flower was deadly, but to an Etheryean, it was worse... Even worse than death itself.

Cedric swallowed slightly before speaking. "But that shouldn’t be possible as the Netherblood Flower doesn’t grow around Valoria. So who could have obtained it from, you know...?"

Aerolia scoffed disdainfullly. "Who else could it be but my good-for-nothing brother."

"You mean Prince Daemon?"

"Of course, it is Daemon!"

This name alone was famous for its notoriety in Valor. First Prince Daemon Valerion was the king’s eldest son and the man who should have inherit the throne.

But unfortunately for him, fate had been cruel because while his siblings had awakened high tier Soul Essences, Daemon’s awakening had been considered disappointing.

The king’s confidence in him gradually eroded, until eventually, the title of successor was given to someone else.

Since then, Daemon’s reputation had spiraled downwsrd as he descended into gambling, drinking, scandals, and debauchery.

But poisoning his own father?

Even for the First Prince, that sounded absurd.

Cedric hesitated slightly before speaking. "And how do you know that he is the one responsible for the king’s illness?"

Princess Aerolia remained silent for several moments, then she answered frostily.

"Because I have been watching him..." Something dangerous flickeree within her gaze as she spoke further. "Ever since father’s condition started worsening, Daemon has been... Different."

Her fingers tapped lightly against the table as she continued.

"He appears to be preparing for something. I’ve noticed unusual meeting, strange letters been exchanged, and people who have no business associating with him entering his faction."

Her eyes narrowed further as she said. "I don’t have proof yet, but every instinct I possess tells me he is involved."

Silence reigned over the duo once more, them eventually, Aerolia released a weary sigh before shaking her head.

"You know what? Let’s leave that discussion for another day."

Then she lifted her goblet and took a sip. "Regardless, you know understand why I can’t help with your cousin’s situation..."

A hint of apology surfaced in her voice as she said. "...And for that, I’m sorry."

Cedric smiled faintly as he spoke gently. "No need. I genuinely understand the precariousness of your situation."

Aerolia nodded gratefully, then she changed the topic. "So, about your uncle, when are they supposed to arrive?"

Cedric leaned back before taking another sip of his wine. "Honestly, I don’t know. The information about their journey reached me two days ago. If anything, they should’ve have arrived yesterday... Or this morning at the latest. But I haven’t seen them."

Aerolia contemplated for a few seconds before offering a simple explanation. "Perhaps, it has something to do with the Frozen North. You know, winter is coming..."

Cedric frowned slightly. "But isn’t it too early?"

Aerolia looked at the window toward the distant skyline of Valoria.

"Not necessarily. But the Frozen North has always obeyed its own rules. And now that we are in the Tide season, one can only imagine how erratic the rules have gotten..."