Before returning to Smokeland, Rogg had the chance to meet Naira, who was strolling in the Whiteheaven palace garden with Magnoli. A gentle breeze whispered through the air, carrying the fragrance of blooming flowers. When Naira caught sight of Rogg, her eyes sparkled with joy.
"Rogg, we meet again at last!" she exclaimed, her voice warm and bright.
Rogg looked at her with mild surprise. "Naira? Since when have you been at the palace? Weren't you with Lady Bilka, Ophelia, and Ellie? Where are they now?" he asked with a probing tone.
Naira smiled. "They stayed behind in Patisia with Damerius. I came here for something important."
"Something important?" Rogg raised an eyebrow, suspicion flickering in his eyes.
Magnoli stepped forward with confident poise. "That's right, Rogg. She's with me now. I intend to marry her," he declared firmly.
"What?!" Rogg and Brisena gasped in unison, their shock almost simultaneous.
Naira nodded without hesitation. "It's true, Rogg. Brisena. We've been discussing it and plan to make it official very soon."
A brief silence fell between them. But a few seconds later, Rogg and Brisena exchanged a glance—then both burst into laughter.
"Congratulations, Naira," Rogg said sincerely.
"Congratulations, Brother Magnoli!" Brisena added with a beaming smile.
After their meeting, Rogg and Brisena prepared to depart for Smokeland. Before leaving, Rogg fixed his gaze on Magnoli with firm resolve.
"Take good care of Naira, Magnoli. She means a lot."
Magnoli met his eyes, unwavering. "I'll protect her with my life."
Rogg nodded with satisfaction before turning to Naira. "Send my regards to Lady Bilka, Ophelia, and Ellie."
Naira smiled warmly. "Of course, Rogg."
And with that, they parted ways.
But soon after Rogg and Brisena left, the Whiteheaven Palace was thrown into turmoil. News of Rogg's presence in the palace spread like wildfire, stirring unrest among the nobles. The greatest shock came from the Five Grand Ministers, who appeared deeply unsettled—particularly the two Larfex ministers, known as the most respected and influential figures among the aristocracy of the Whiteheaven Empire.
Inside a secret meeting chamber, Minister Eryndor Frostwind, head of the military division, stood solemnly before Empress Xienna—his sister.
"Your Majesty," Eryndor spoke in a low, weighty tone. "According to Prince Neroxius's report, the son of Brovos—Rogg—was seen here at the palace. Are you aware of this?"
Empress Xienna, who had been seated calmly, jolted upright. Her expression shifted dramatically.
"What? Who did you say?" Xienna's voice was sharp, almost a whisper. "The son of Brovos? That's impossible. Brovos has been gone for years—he never returned!"
Eryndor's stare grew more intense. "Yet the truth says otherwise. Rogg is here. He's even met with the princes."
Xienna clenched her jaw. At once, she rose from her throne.
"Guards! Summon and assemble all Grand Ministers immediately! This is a crisis that could shake all of Whiteheaven!" she commanded.
Once the guards had left, only Xienna and Eryndor remained in the chamber. A heavy silence lingered between them, but their eyes betrayed a deep, shared unease. Something vast and menacing had returned to haunt them.
Eryndor swallowed hard before speaking, his voice quieter. "Sister… what do we do now?"
Xienna took a deep breath and gazed out the window, where the skies above Whiteheaven had turned dark.
"We must silence everyone who knows about this," she said coldly.
Eryndor looked at her uncertainly. "But… Sister, it's not just the guards or the nobles. Prince Neroxius knows. Worse—so do the other princes. They're all chasing the truth behind this. And Rogg, along with Brisena, already knows it—they must've learned it from someone who knew for certain."
Xienna clenched her fists. "Tell me everything. What does Neroxius know? How did he meet Rogg? What exactly happened?"
Eryndor exhaled slowly before recounting the chain of events. He told her about the secret meeting orchestrated by Xaverius, and how it led to Rogg joining the private dinner with the princes.
Empress Xienna listened with a blank expression, but inside her, a raging storm had begun to swirl. Rogg—the son of Brovos, who was supposed to be erased from history—had returned.
And that could only mean one thing:The greatest secret of the Whiteheaven Empire was on the verge of being exposed.
The palace of Whiteheaven was thrown into sudden turmoil. Word that Rogg, the son of Brovos, had appeared spread like wildfire among the nobles and high-ranking officials of the Empire. Prince Magnoli had returned to his mansion in Blacksand with Naira, Prince Todius had departed for Whitesand, and Prince Dorges was en route to Larfex with the imperial troops. Only Prince Xaverius remained in his castle, as if aware of something far greater than a mere rumor. Thus, suspicion fell squarely on Prince Neroxius as the one who had leaked the news.
"It was Neroxius who questioned me about his uncle Brovos, and his son named Rogg. He said he wanted to uncover the truth," Minister Eryndor reported gravely.
Empress Xienna turned pale. "No. This must not happen. The imperial throne must never fall into the hands of Brovos's offspring!" she said, her voice trembling.
Eryndor blinked in disbelief. "What do you mean, Your Majesty?"
Xienna struggled to compose herself. "No one must learn more than they already know. We must stop this story from spreading any further!"
Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the ministers convened an emergency council. Minister Eryndor Frostwind (Minister of the Military), Minister Hiremon (Minister of Livestock), Minister Orlandis Sunbloom (Minister of Resources and Agriculture), Minister Zephyron (Minister of Development), and Minister Aelthar Frostbane (Minister of Law and Regulations) gathered under the direct command of Empress Xienna. However, Minister Thaldrim Covarthis (Minister of Imperial Security) was absent, as he was in Smokeland overseeing the knights' arena.
Within the grand yet tension-filled chamber, Empress Xienna opened the session.
"By now, you've all heard the shocking news. Someone claiming to be the son of Brovos has surfaced and is shaking the foundations of Whiteheaven."
The ministers exchanged glances, trying to grasp the weight of what this could mean.
"We have no concrete evidence to confirm this rumor," said Minister Hiremon cautiously.
"Thaldrim should be the one handling this," Zephyron interjected. "But I must ask—what is Prince Xaverius hiding? Wasn't he the one who hosted the secret banquet?"
Aelthar dismissed the suggestion with measured calm. "This isn't about Prince Xaverius. What matters now is that we apprehend Rogg and verify his claim."
Minister Orlandis narrowed his eyes. "Does this mean the rightful heir to the Empire might not be Damerius—but Rogg?"
The tension in the room grew heavier. The ministers began to sense a dangerous rift forming among them.
"There is no proof Brovos is still alive," Xienna snapped. "Don't even think of defying the will of the Emperor. That would be treason against the Empire."
Eryndor tapped his fingers on the table, his voice firm. "We must make a decision now."
"Arrest Rogg and declare him a false claimant," Xienna said coldly.
"Or invite him to prove his claim?" Hiremon offered, though uncertainty clouded his tone.
Then Aelthar spoke up sharply. "Have any of you considered your own positions in all this?"
Orlandis turned to him, suspicious. "What are you suggesting? That we should bow to the Larfex faction and bury the truth?"
Aelthar straightened. "If we follow the ancient tradition—that the youngest son of the Emperor holds the right to rule—then Brovos's bloodline would make Rogg the legitimate heir. And if that happens, the current system of Prime Ministers will be dissolved. Absolute power would return to the hands of the Emperor."
Hiremon fell silent, realizing that a new Emperor could threaten his seat. Orlandis, a man of principle and justice, held firm in his stance.
"I cannot stand idly by in the face of a lie," he declared. "I propose we summon Rogg and let him prove his identity. If he truly is Brovos's son, then he deserves the throne. I am sick of the greed and power-hunger poisoning this council."
Eryndor looked around the room. "Very well. Let us vote. Who agrees that Rogg should be arrested and tried?"
Empress Xienna, Eryndor, Aelthar, Zephyron, and Hiremon raised their hands.
Orlandis looked at them with bitter disappointment. "We should wait for Minister Thaldrim. This decision is not valid without all voices represented."
Aelthar gave a chilling smile. "Even if he were here, the majority vote is clear."
Orlandis stood, his voice shaking with fury. "You're all drunk on power."
Eryndor's gaze was sharp. "The decision has been made. Rogg will be captured and put on trial. Interfere, and you will be branded a traitor to the Empire."
Orlandis paused at the door, then turned back. His voice rang with quiet conviction.
"To me, it is better to betray the Empire than to betray the truth."