Chapter 688 Killing A Child?
After the incident, the guards around Nial increased threefold in number. Their strength increased drastically as well, with one divine being placed near him.
Nial thought that his mother was a little exaggerating but she didn't change her opinion.
Nial Lacardian was the only Prince of the Lacardian Empyrean Void, and his death would cause tremendous damage to the entire empire. His well-being was not only important for his family, but also for the entire empire!
Nial thought that his parents could just give birth to another child and that it was not actually as much of a problem as the Empress said, but he didn't say anything.
It was not as if he wanted to die, in the first place. At the end of the day, it was better to have someone powerful by his side to make sure that nothing bad could happen.
'Good thing that I didn't tell my mother to make a new baby. They struggled more than enough to give birth to me.'
Nial knew that he was a bit insensitive but that was not something he could change easily. It was already a wonder that he could think like an adult while he was merely four and a half. His body's age and his mental state felt like they were worlds apart. Nial was not too sure why that was the case, but he presumed that it was a good thing.
Being able to think properly, with a fully matured mind, allowed him to understand the crux of the predicament. He understood that he had to grow stronger as quickly as possible, otherwise, the opponents of the Lacardian Empyrean Void would initiate more attacks.
It was already terrifying enough to think that a little child had been blackmailed and forced to attack the Crown Prince.
Celine's world had been turned upside down as the bad people barged into her home. They kidnapped her father, hit her mother, and pressed a dagger against her mother's neck. The dagger was pressed against her neck with enough force to make her bleed.
That was the first time Celine to see her mother bleeding. She was shocked, her legs caved in and she could only stare at her mother bawling her eyes out.
She listened to the orders she had been given and followed them, no matter how wrong they were. If she wanted to get her parents back, Celine had to kill the Crown Prince.
She didn't have anything against the Crown Prince. In fact, the Crown Prince was a likable person. He treated commoners and nobles the same and tried to befriend others, which was quite difficult because of the difference in their status. While Nial Lacardian had to be intelligent, well-versed in all subjects, and mature as a role model of the Lacardian Empyrean Void, the other children were just that…children.
Celine didn't tell anyone but her parents that she awoke her Mana Core and that she had created a Soul Space. In fact, her parents hadn't known that Celine went into the Monster Dimension and that she had already linked a familiar to her Soul.
Celine couldn't understand how the bad men found out about this, but they did…and they forced her to attack the Crown Prince.
Only by killing them would her parents be safe. Thus, Celine did exactly that. She attacked the Crown Prince once they were alone, understanding that her own life would probably end soon enough.
Even a six-year-old child could understand that it was wrong to kill anyone, forget about the only heir of a humongous empire. If she were to kill someone else, her life would also change drastically.
However, things would turn even worse by killing a member of the royal family.
But she didn't succeed.
Celine gathered her courage over the course of a few weeks, she found a good opportunity to attack, and she initiated the attack.
The black needles of her Familiar pierced into Nial, and the poison within the needles ought to spread through his body, killing him slowly but steadily.
Unfortunately, Nial didn't die. His body was covered in golden scales that were like a second skin. The black needles weren't strong enough to penetrate the golden scales.
That was also why Celine ended up both relieved and desperate. She was relieved because she didn't want to kill anyone, no matter whether it was the Crown Prince of the Lacardian Empyrean Void or a commoner. Celine was only six years old, after all!
How cruel was it to force a child to kill?
However, Celine was also desperate. She knew that the bad men would soon find out that she had failed, and her parents wouldn't be of use anymore. They would be killed, and she would be all alone.
But even if she wanted to do something, Celine was unable to do anything. She didn't even know where her parents had been brought.
"Mom, can you send someone to her house? I think 'they' forced her to attack me. We need to find her family quickly, otherwise, they might kill them." Nial's voice rang through Celine's ears.
She couldn't understand everything since she cried too loud to listen properly. However, upon looking up, she saw the Empress looking at her, with an incomprehensible expression on her face.
"I won't forg-... no…forget about that. We will talk about that later," The Empress said still looking at Celine. Celine trembled and she quickly lowered her head to avoid the gaze that caused her to feel chills penetrating deep through her entire being, reaching the deepest parts of her Soul.
The Empress turned over to Nial, who was pulling at her dress with a rushing expression on his face.
Her hands reached out to his face as she bend down to the ground.
"You are a really strong child. Do you even know that? But…don't make me worry so much…please…" The Empress said weakly, her voice crumbling near the end.
She planted a kiss on his forehead before she turned around.
A young masked woman wearing a black robe appeared next to the Empress at this moment. She bowed to the Empress, whose expression tensed.
"Hera sent out the Hellhounds. We're going for a hunt!"