Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 296

Chapter 296: Princess in need III

“Not like I’m here to kill the king,” he thought slyly, knowing that his plans were far more subtle, more calculated. The path he had chosen was not one of brute force, but of manipulation, patience, and eventual domination.

He stepped past the final layer of mist, now fully inside Moon City. The bustling life of the city came into view. Merchants called out to passersby, selling everything from exotic fruits to rare gems. Noblemen, adorned in fine robes, moved with an air of superiority, while common folk darted in and out of alleyways, trying to make a living in a city that cared little for them.

Aiden took it all in with a discerning eye. The kingdom was in decay, the nobles were corrupt, and the people were downtrodden. But none of this concerned him. His focus was clear—Princess Lirael. The only person who had a shred of control left in this city. She was the key to the throne, the key to legitimacy, and with her by his side, Aiden could rule this kingdom without ever having to lift a sword against the king.

His eyes scanned the distant palace, where the princess resided. The towering structure gleamed in the moonlight, a beacon of hope in a city otherwise drowning in despair. It wouldn’t be long now. Soon, he would make his move, infiltrating the court, winning over the princess, and through her, claiming the throne for himself.

The mist had already parted for him, and in time, so would the kingdom.

Aiden’s eyes gleamed with anticipation as he walked through the cobblestone streets of Moon City. The weight of the city’s problems pressed down like a thick fog, but none of it mattered to him. His path was already laid out, and every step he took was a calculated move in his grand plan.

He observed the nobles, strutting like peacocks in their fine robes, their wealth flaunted in the faces of the suffering commoners. They were so self-assured, so disconnected from the plight of their people, that they were blind to the kingdom’s decay. Aiden’s lip curled in mild disdain—this city, this kingdom, had grown weak, ripe for the taking.

Beyond the bustling marketplace and the chaotic streets stood the palace, a stark contrast to the city’s grim reality. Its walls shimmered with white stone, and the towering spires reached for the sky, bathed in the soft glow of the moon. It was an imposing structure, meant to symbolize power and stability, yet Aiden knew it housed only rot. The king had long lost control, reduced to a puppet by those who sought to exploit his grief and weakness. But the princess, Lirael, was different.

Lirael Augustus Evaroria. Her name alone carried a weight of history and nobility. She was the daughter of a once-great king, a man who had ruled with strength and wisdom before his tragic fall. Aiden recalled the rumors he had heard: how the king had changed after the queen’s death, becoming a hollow shell of his former self, easily manipulated by those who preyed on his vulnerability. The nobles and sycophants had seized their opportunity, and now they pulled the strings, all while the kingdom crumbled.

But Lirael, the princess, had not given up. She fought—quietly, but fiercely. She was known for her intelligence, her beauty, and her fierce loyalty to the kingdom her father had once built. She was the only one left with any real influence, and Aiden intended to use that to his advantage. If he could win her over, he wouldn’t need to spill the king’s blood to claim the throne. She was the key.

As he made his way toward the palace, his steps unhurried but purposeful, Aiden’s mind whirled with possibilities. He had already sent his maids ahead to lay the groundwork, infiltrating the court and gathering information on the kingdom’s political landscape. Soon, his organization would rise in the shadows of the Violet Mist World, and from there, his influence would spread like wildfire.

The statue of the Violet Mist Celestial stood in the city’s central plaza, a veiled woman carved from lavender-colored stone, her presence looming over the city like a silent guardian. It was said that the mist itself was connected to her will, an ancient protector of the kingdom. Aiden spared the statue a passing glance. There was something poetic about the way the celestial watched over this dying kingdom, helpless as it slipped further into decay. But even she could not stop what was coming.

The mist may have allowed him entry, but soon enough, it would bow to him—just like the kingdom, just like Lirael.

“Everything in its time,” Aiden whispered to himself, a dark smile curling on his lips.

Aiden leaned casually against the base of the towering statue of the Violet Mist Celestial, his eyes scanning the plaza, though his mind was far ahead, calculating his next steps. The moonlight bathed the entire square in a serene glow, and the mist, ever present in the city, swirled lazily around the streets, giving the place an ethereal, almost dreamlike quality.

He could feel the energy of the statue at his back, a lingering reminder of the ancient power that still guarded this place. The veiled woman, carved from violet stone, stood as a symbol of protection, her features hidden, yet her presence dominating. The people revered her, believing that the celestial’s gaze kept their kingdom safe. Aiden smirked to himself. “Let them believe,” he thought. “Soon, they’ll look to someone else for protection.”

The cool night air was crisp, a gentle breeze tugging at his cloak as he waited. His informants had told him this was where the princess often came late at night, away from the stifling walls of the palace. It was said that she sought solace here, in the shadow of the celestial statue, perhaps as a way to reconnect with her mother, who had once been the true heart of the kingdom.

As he waited he looked at the Veiled Celestial ‘I wonder, how she looks like’ he thought, as he waited for the Princess.