My Celestial Ascension

"No, Your Highness, I have deep respect for you."

Arthur forced a polite smile, suppressing his irritation. He knew that any further disrespect would only enrage the Emperor and worsen his already dire situation.

Then, his gaze flickered toward Yuan's group, lingering briefly before shifting back to Emperor Philip. With feigned innocence, he asked, "And what about them? They aren't showing you the proper respect either. Aren't you going to do something about it?"

Philip's expression remained unmoved. His voice was calm yet laced with authority.

"That is irrelevant. You have no right to speak of others when you are the one who has caused chaos in my empire. Besides—" his eyes gleamed as he delivered the final blow— "Yuan is a member of my family. He is not required to show such formalities."

"What?!"

Gasps rippled through the throne hall.

"So, the rumors about Lady Valeria finding a husband were true after all?!"

"This is incredible! Lady Valeria has finally found a worthy man!"

The murmurs of the officials filled the air, their curiosity and excitement evident. Some looked at Yuan with newfound admiration, others with quiet envy. But the way Valeria gazed at him—filled with an unmistakable fondness—left no doubt in anyone's mind.

Arthur's fists clenched at his sides. The public humiliation was reaching unbearable levels.

"Ahem."

Emperor Philip's throat-clearing immediately silenced the room. His golden eyes burned into Arthur.

"Now, tell me, Holy Son Arthur—who gave you the right to invade the homes of my people? To loot them, terrorize them, and turn my city into chaos?!"

Arthur swallowed hard, but Philip wasn't finished.

"Do not think for a second that I will go easy on you simply because you are a Holy Son of the Church."

The Emperor leaned forward on his throne, his presence suffocating.

"In this empire, you are nothing more than an ordinary man. And you will be treated as such."

A slow, amused chuckle echoed through the hall.

Arthur's rage boiled over as he turned toward the source—Yuan.

"Heh! The so-called Holy Son of the Church of Light and Justice… reduced to a sniveling fool in front of everyone. How pathetic."

Yuan grinned, standing beside Valeria, his eyes gleaming with mockery.

Arthur's face twisted in fury. His veins bulged as his fists trembled with suppressed rage.

'I have endured enough humiliation… but this bastard— This is unforgivable!'

His teeth ground together as his killing intent surged, barely restrained.

"Shut your damn mouth, you fucker! You have no right to speak here!"

Arthur roared at Yuan, his bloodshot eyes blazing with fury.

But Yuan? He merely chuckled, unbothered.

"Oh? And who let this stray dog into the throne hall?" His voice was light, teasing—but his gaze was razor-sharp.

Arthur's fists trembled with rage, but Yuan only smiled, calm and composed.

Truth be told, he could end Arthur's life in an instant. It would be effortless—just a flick of his wrist. Yet, he decided to let him live a little longer.

Arthur, after all, was nothing more than a barking dog. And what was the fun in killing a dog before it had fully lost hope?

Arthur gritted his teeth, his entire body shaking with barely contained fury. He wanted to strike Yuan down. To wipe that infuriating grin off his face.

But deep inside, fear gnawed at him.

He knew it. Yuan wasn't someone he could afford to provoke physically.

He had to endure this humiliation. For now.

"Holy Son Arthur,"

A new voice cut through the tension—Empress Selena's.

Her cold, piercing gaze fixed on Arthur, her tone laced with icy authority.

"You have yet to explain yourself. Your actions have left countless citizens robbed and humiliated. And you stand here, still arrogant, still unrepentant?"

Arthur turned to her, his anger momentarily replaced with feigned indifference.

"I owe no explanation to anyone." His lips curled into a smirk. "Perhaps you've forgotten, Your Majesty, but as long as I hold the Holy Order, I can do anything, anywhere, in the name of the Holy Church."

A tense silence fell over the hall.

Then—

Hahahaha!

It started as a soft chuckle. Then it spread.

The Emperor. The officials. The knights. Even Yuan and his wives.

And then—

Valeria.

She stepped forward, her golden eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Still as insufferable as ever, aren't you?" She sighed dramatically, before flashing a mocking grin.

"A fine piece of shit, bearing the title of 'Holy Son'…"

Laughter erupted through the throne hall.

Arthur's face burned red—not just from anger, but from the overwhelming humiliation.

Even Yuan's wives chuckled, looking at him as if he were nothing more than filth beneath their feet.

His veins bulged, his nails digging into his palms. This mockery… This utter disgrace…!

And then Valeria spoke again, her voice low and taunting.

"Didn't you hear what the Emperor said?"

She took a step closer, tilting her head.

"Your Holy Order is worthless here. In this empire, you're nothing but a pathetic ant."

Arthur's breath hitched.

His rage burned hotter than ever—but his body? It refused to move.

Because no matter how much he wanted to lash out—

He knew.

He was completely powerless.

"You have already caused so much chaos, and yet, you still refuse to admit your own mistakes."

Emperor Philip's voice boomed across the throne hall, its weight sending an icy chill through the air.

Arthur stiffened.

"Thus, I have decided—you will be imprisoned for eternity in the darkest cell of the Imperial Prison!"

The declaration echoed, shaking the very foundation of the hall.

A stunned silence followed.

Then—

Gasps. Shocked murmurs. Disbelieving stares.

Even the seasoned officials of the Empire were taken aback.

This wasn't just a punishment.

This was a declaration of war against the Holy Church itself.

The Imperial Prison's darkest cell wasn't just a place of confinement—it was a living hell, where only the most wretched criminals were sent to rot in eternal darkness.

To imprison the Holy Son there?

Unthinkable.

Arthur's face paled, his confidence crumbling for the first time.

"You—You can't do this!" he shouted, his voice tinged with desperation.

"The Holy Church won't stand for this! They'll—"

"They'll what?"

Emperor Philip's cold gaze bore into him.

"This is my Empire. Here, the Holy Church has no authority."

Arthur froze, the Emperor's words slamming into him like a heavy boulder.

Yuan remained silent, watching Philip with interest.

At first, he had wondered if Philip was making a rash decision.

But then—he understood.

'So, that's how it is…'

A small smile tugged at Yuan's lips.

Philip wasn't merely punishing Arthur—he was trapping the Holy Church in a corner.

With their Holy Son rotting in an imperial prison, the Holy Church would have no choice but to negotiate.

And when they did, the Empire would hold all the leverage.

'A brilliant move…' Yuan thought, admiring the Emperor's strategic mind.

Of course, this meant he'd have to wait a bit longer to kill Arthur himself—but that didn't matter.

Because when the time came, he would be the one to end Arthur's miserable existence.

A soft sigh escaped his lips.

"It's a pity…" he murmured under his breath.

Arthur, meanwhile, stood frozen, his mind racing, desperately searching for a way out.

But the wide grin on Emperor Philip's face left no room for escape.

His fate was sealed.

"Knights!"

Emperor Philip's voice thundered through the throne hall.

"Take this disgraceful fool—this so-called Holy Son—and throw him into the deepest prison cell! Let him rot in the darkness he so rightfully deserves!"

Arthur's eyes widened in horror.

"What?! No! You can't do this!"

His voice cracked with panic as he struggled against the grip of the Imperial Magic Knights.

"This will ruin me! My reputation—my status as the Holy Son—it'll all be destroyed!"

Desperation crept into his voice, but—

No one listened.

His pleas fell on deaf ears as the knights dragged him away, his frantic shouts fading into the distance.

A heavy silence settled over the throne hall.

Then—

Emperor Philip's gaze turned to Yuan.

"Now that this matter is settled," Philip said, his voice regaining its calm authority, "why have you come here today, Yuan?"

"I was here to kill that idiot."

The hall fell deathly silent.

Gasps erupted.

A ripple of pure shock ran through the gathered officials, their faces twisting with disbelief.

Even Empress Selena blinked in surprise.

"What?!"

Philip shot to his feet.

"Are you out of your mind?! Do you have any idea what that would mean?! If you kill him, the entire Holy Church will come after you and your wives! They'll hunt you down like you were some exotic, priceless beasts!"

His voice carried urgency—not out of fear for Yuan, but for the storm it would bring.

Even Selena's brows furrowed as she stared at Yuan, searching his expression for any sign of hesitation.

But Yuan simply shrugged, his face as calm as still water.

"Can I ask why?" Selena finally said, her voice quieter but laced with curiosity.

"What did he do to earn your wrath?"

Yuan's answer came swiftly.

"He's an eyesore."

His tone was cold. Indifferent. Absolute.

"His attitude disgusts me."

A chill ran through the throne hall.

Even his wives looked at him, their expressions a mix of awe and shock.

But one pair of eyes sparkled with excitement.

'That's my husband for you! So cool!' Valeria thought, practically glowing with admiration.

'He is the coolest man in the entire world! My husband is so awesome!'

After a few moments of silence, Yuan and his wives bid farewell to the Imperial Family and left the Imperial Palace, making their way back to Valeria's villa.

Since the matter had been resolved without his direct involvement, there was no reason for Yuan or his wives to remain at the Imperial Palace. Furthermore, Emperor Philip had many powerful Imperial Magic Knights to protect him, his family, and guard the prison, so Yuan didn't need to worry about their safety at all.

Meanwhile, deep within the Imperial Prison, Arthur was kneeling behind the bars, shouting for someone to free him and allow him to return to his villa. His voice grew more desperate, and he started threatening the guards.

"Let me out of this damn pigsty immediately, or none of you will see another day!" Arthur shouted from inside his cell, throwing a tantrum like a spoiled child.

However, the guards paid him no mind, completely ignoring his outbursts. To them, Holy Son Arthur was just another prisoner, his previous status meaningless in this place.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Arthur yelled, his voice rising in anger. "Hurry up and uncuff me! Let me out of here, now!"