What Became of the Tyrant After the Pregnant Empress Left - Chapter 184

“How did you ever plan to coax the Crown Prince, whom you’ve never even spoken to, into coming with you? But thanks to Your Majesty taking the bait so easily, it was quite convenient. Did you really think digging into a past that holds nothing good for you would end well?”

Runellia’s gloating voice faded into the background as Ysaris’ mind reeled with a single, crushing realization: She had led Mikael into danger.

“How…”

Ysaris forced the words out, her voice strangled. She took a deliberate breath to steady herself before speaking again, clinging to the only logical question left.

“How… did you use a teleportation artifact inside the Imperial Palace?”

She hadn’t acted recklessly. The palace’s barriers were designed to reject all unregistered magical items—especially those capable of teleportation. Duchess Blake had made that clear: no exceptions, no loopholes. Security above all.

And she’d never imagined Runellia would dare something so brazen. Not when the consequences—for her, for Mikael—would fall squarely on the Imperial Consort’s head.

The guards stationed just outside the door, her own ignorance of Runellia’s true nature—none of it mattered now. Only the tremor in her hands, the guilt clawing at her throat. She’d gotten her son kidnapped.

“Ah, I believe I can answer that.”

The voice that replied wasn’t Runellia’s shrill taunt, but a man’s low baritone. A figure in a black robe stepped through the now-open door, boots scuffing against the floor as he closed the distance.

“It’s not widely known, but the claim that no teleportation artifacts exist in the palace is a lie. And, by extension, so is the idea that all teleportation is restricted.”

“…Who are you?”

Beneath the hood, the man’s lips curled into a grin too wide, too familiar. Instead of answering, he tilted his head, as if delighted by her question.

“So, how does one bypass the palace’s barriers? Is the artifact itself imbued with barrier-piercing properties? Or is the method of activation… different?”

“Triennene, you talk too much.”

“Oh, but listen, Your Highness! This is a fascinating topic! I’m simply thrilled to discuss magical theory—”

Runellia rolled her eyes, her expression screaming this man is insane. Unfazed, Triennene waggled a finger and continued, giddy.

“The answer is the latter! The activation method is different. Why? Because even unregistered artifacts can be used—if you employ the right medium!”

“…What medium?”

Ysaris bit back the surreal urge to laugh. This felt like a farce. But if there was a flaw in the palace’s defenses, she needed to know—if not to escape, then to prevent it from happening again.

Triennene clapped his hands, delighted. “Such a wonderful question! And fresh from testing, too! You see, the key to bypassing the Imperial barrier is…”

His lips stretched into a perfect crescent.

A chill crawled down Ysaris’ spine. If he’d seemed eccentric before, now he looked deranged. Like his eyes might glow if the hood slipped.

With a theatrical flourish, he pulled a small vial from his robe, shaking it playfully. The crimson liquid inside sloshed.

“Ta-daa! You saturate the artifact’s core magicite with royal blood. Freshly drawn, just like this!”