Fallen Radiance

The morning bell of Ophelia's empire reverberated in the royal city, ringing the air of the whole city, marking the arrival of a new day. At the moment, however, the Wangcheng Square is clouded by uneasy whispers and anxiety. Tens of thousands of imperial subjects gathered here, their eyes confused and nervous, their eyes on the figure on the high platform.

In the center of the platform stood Renaud Ophelia, dressed in the golden robe of the Camp of Angels, his silver hair stirred by the breeze, his face solemn and cold. Behind him, the upper echelons of the empire and the priesthood of the Church lined up, adding endless authority to his presence. He held the scepter of light, a symbol of royal majesty, in his hands, and his eyes were cold, as if he were looking down on the whole world.

When the last bell died down, Renaud slowly raised his right hand to silence the crowd. The square fell silent except for the sound of the wind.

"You are here today to witness the justice and glory of the Empire!" Renault's voice was loud and firm, with a convincing authority, "But behind this glory we find an ugly betrayal!"

A commotion broke out in the crowd, and they all talked to each other, trying to understand what he meant. Renaud's eyes scanned the subjects below, sharp as a knife. His voice rose slightly, with a hint of coolness:

"Elena Cassirer, the general of the Empire and the former Angel Blade, has broken her oath and conspired with the demon camp to overthrow the order of the Empire! This is an unforgivable crime and the greatest blasphemy against God!"

When he said this, the crowd roared. People looked at Renault in disbelief and heard a mixture of voices. "How is that possible? "Isn't General Elena a hero of the Empire?" "Collusion with the devil? Why would she do that?"

Ignoring the crowd's reaction, Renault continued: "The evidence is overwhelming. She not only fornicates the demon camp on the battlefield, but also uses her military power to cover up her own plot. For this reason, the Angelic camp has stripped her of her Light blessing and she will no longer be a member of the Empire!"

As he spoke, a priest behind him stepped forward, holding a scroll of the Golden Book, and announced in a solemn voice: "Because of Elena Cassirer's treason, her marriage has been annulled by the royal family, and all honors and titles have been stripped of her." She will be permanently exiled from the Empire, and anyone who tries to shelter her will be treated as an accomplice!"

Renault nodded slightly, his face undisguised indifference and certainty of victory. "The glory of the empire cannot be profaned," he said in a deep voice. Anyone who betrays will pay the price."

In the tower at the back of the crowd, the Third Prince, Kane Ophelia, stood quietly, his eyes fixed on Renault on the stage. He was dressed in light dark armour and his face was calm and deep, in stark contrast to the commotion in the square.

"Elena... Treason?" Kane's brow furrowed a little, a flicker of doubt in his eyes. He and Elena have known each other for many years, and it can even be said that they have a deeper friendship than brother and sister. No matter how tough she appeared to Raynor, in his eyes, Elena was the warrior loyal to the empire, loyal to the faith.

Treason? Collusion with the demon camp? Kane could not believe such accusations. Besides, he knows Renault. The man's ambitions were never limited to a corner of the empire. A simple frame-up, for Renault, is nothing more than the usual means of consolidating power.

The servant who stood behind Kane whispered, "Your Highness, Lord Reynolds seems to have been prepared." The evidence he had... It's all complete."

Kane sneered and turned to his servant, his eyes sharp as a knife: "The complete evidence does not represent the true truth." The fact that Renault has prepared so well can only mean one thing - it was in his plans."

The servant bowed his head a little and dared not say more, but Kane's tone was clearly displeased. He turned to look again at Renault on stage, his eyes growing cold. It was clear to him that Leno was not only stripping Elena of her glory, he was stripping her of everything, wiping her completely off the Empire stage.

Kane's mind went back a few months. At that time, Elena was leading the army on the frontier, but Reynold sent letters asking her to return to the King City. He had asked Leno why he was so eager to recruit Elena, but the answer was ambiguous. That now looks like a prelude to today's events.

"He's afraid of her." "Elena is not only a symbol of the empire, but the greatest threat to Renault's path to power. He wouldn't let anyone get in his way, even if that person was his wife."

He turned, his eyes deep and cold: "Saddle up, I'm going to investigate Elena's place of exile." I want to know what the truth is."

The squire paused for a moment and asked cautiously, "Your Highness, are you going to disobey Reynaud's will?"

Kane's mouth curled slightly into a wry smile. "If Leno had a will to defy, he wouldn't be so eager to get rid of Elena."

In the square, Reynaud stood on a high platform to receive the awe and submission of the people of the Empire. However, as his eyes scanned the crowd, there was a faint sense of unease. Kane did not appear, and Elena's eyes, like a nightmare in his mind.

"She has been abandoned. Her story is over." Renault said to himself.