My Celestial Ascension

Arthur entered the villa’s living area, where Minister Vesta and several Imperial Magic Knights stood waiting for him. Their expressions were cold—almost disgusted.

Despite the unease creeping into his mind, Arthur forced a confident smile, masking his irritation as he approached the minister.

“Minister Vesta, may I ask why you’ve taken it upon yourself to invade my private space? And what business do the Imperial Magic Knights have here?” Arthur inquired with a polite smile, his tone seemingly friendly.

Minister Vesta’s gaze was unwavering, his voice firm and laced with disdain. “Holy Son Arthur, we are here to escort you to the Imperial Palace. It does not matter whether you come willingly or not—you must comply.”

Arthur’s expression faltered for a brief moment before he forced a look of feigned shock.

“What?! Why? Have I done something wrong?” His voice carried an air of innocence, though his mind was racing. Something about this situation felt… wrong.

“You will learn the reason once you arrive at the palace,” Minister Vesta replied curtly. “Now, stop asking unnecessary questions and come with us.”

He clenched his fists, resisting the urge to strike Arthur then and there. The sheer arrogance of the man made his blood boil—but acting rashly now would only complicate things further.

With a sharp glare, he added, “Are you coming willingly, or will we have to drag you there?”

Arthur’s breath hitched. His body tensed as he stared at Minister Vesta, his eyes widening in shock.

“T-This is…”

For the first time, true panic flickered across his face.

Arthur took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm. Raising an eyebrow, he scoffed, “And what if I refuse? You have no right to force me. I am the Holy Son of the Holy Church of Light and Justice!”

For a moment, silence hung in the air. Then—

“Hahaha!”

Minister Vesta and the Imperial Magic Knights erupted into laughter, their amusement echoing through the villa. Their barely contained mirth made Arthur’s face twist in anger.

“Do you really think that title means anything here?” Minister Vesta sneered. “How delusional can you be? In the Lionheart Empire, you’re nothing more than an ordinary man. So, I’ll say this once—follow us quietly, or we’ll drag you to the Imperial Palace by force.”

“You can’t do this to me!” Arthur’s voice rose, his fury barely restrained. “This is an act of war against the Holy Church! You’ll make an enemy of the church!”

Minister Vesta’s expression remained cold as he raised a hand. “Knights, seize him.”

The Imperial Magic Knights moved without hesitation, grabbing Arthur by both arms.

“Unhand me, you fools!” Arthur struggled, his face turning red with rage, but the knights held firm.

The Holy Knights of the church could only watch, frozen in shock. Before they could even react, Arthur was already being dragged away under Minister Vesta’s orders.

As the procession moved through the city streets, citizens gathered, their eyes widening in disbelief. Then, murmurs spread through the crowd—murmurs that quickly turned into cheers of satisfaction.

“Is that the Holy Son of the Holy Church… being dragged away by the Imperial Knights?”

“This is what happens when you provoke the Lionheart Empire! Did the church really think we wouldn’t fight back?”

“The Emperor is truly protecting his people! The Holy Church won’t push us around anymore!”

As Arthur was forcefully taken toward the Imperial Palace, the whispers of the people turned into a wave of approval, their respect for their Emperor growing stronger than ever.

The citizens watched with satisfaction as Arthur was dragged away. They had never imagined that their emperor would take such a drastic measure against the Holy Church.

‘This is humiliating!’ Arthur seethed internally, his fists clenched despite being restrained. ‘Being dragged like a common criminal by these fools… That damn Emperor! I’ll make him pay once I get out of this.’

He continued to curse both Emperor Philip and Minister Vesta under his breath, his fury growing with each step.

A short while later, the Imperial Magic Knights led him through the grand gates of the Imperial Palace. Without delay, they marched him straight into the throne hall, where Emperor Philip awaited, his gaze cold and unreadable.

The air inside the throne hall was heavy with tension. Imperial officials stood in rigid silence, their expressions filled with disdain as they regarded Arthur’s arrival.

A smirk tugged at Emperor Philip’s lips as he finally spoke.

“Well, look who it is… The delusional Holy Son of the Holy Church of Light and Justice.” His voice dripped with sarcasm. “An organization that claims to protect humanity from darkness, to uphold justice, to be the chosen servants of the gods. And yet… your people behave like nothing more than arrogant tyrants.”

His smirk deepened into a sneer.

“What a load of nonsense! The hypocrisy of the Holy Church sickens me. You talk of righteousness while looting, oppressing, and terrorizing my people! You dare act as if you are above our laws? That is heinous!”

A wave of agreement rippled through the throne hall, with ministers and knights nodding in disgust.

Arthur’s face darkened as he listened, his hands trembling with restrained fury. ‘This damn Emperor… How dare he slander the Holy Church?! Does he not fear the consequences of provoking us?!’

But instead of lashing out, Arthur forced himself to take a slow breath. His thoughts drifted to the pleasures of the previous night—the women he had indulged in, the distractions he had used to soothe his temper.

‘Stay calm… stay composed…’

With his confidence restored, he met Emperor Philip’s piercing gaze and said in an even tone, “You must be aware of the consequences of standing against the Holy Church, Your Highness. So, tell me—what justification do you have for dragging me here in such a humiliating manner?”

His voice carried a thinly veiled threat, but Emperor Philip remained unfazed. Instead, his sneer widened, his gaze filled with something far more dangerous than anger—absolute authority.

Emperor Philip’s gaze sharpened, his voice ringing with authority.

“The Holy Church?” He scoffed. “And what exactly are they going to do about it? This is my empire, not theirs! Here, only my rules matter—not the Holy Church’s!”

His voice carried through the throne hall, echoing off the marble walls like a thunderous decree. The air grew heavier, the tension suffocating.

Arthur clenched his jaw, his fingers twitching in frustration.

Philip’s gaze darkened. “And yet, you and your so-called Holy Knights have trampled over my laws without a second thought. You’ve made my people suffer, turned their lives into misery. Do you truly believe I would let such behavior go unpunished?”

He took a step forward, his presence bearing down on Arthur like a mountain.

“The crimes you’ve committed in my empire are unforgivable.” Philip’s voice was laced with disdain. “You ordered your men to storm into homes without cause, to loot my citizens of their possessions as if this empire were your playground.”

His fingers curled into a fist. “Such aggression against the Lionheart Empire will not be ignored. You will be punished. And let this serve as a warning to the Holy Church—we are not to be trifled with.”

Arthur’s face contorted in rage, his composure cracking. “What?! You can’t do this! I am the Holy Son! I hold the Holy Order from the Church! You have no right—this is outrageous!” He shouted, his voice laced with desperation.

Just then, a voice echoed from the entrance of the throne hall.

“Well, well, well… Look who it is—the idiot Holy Son of the so-called Holy Church of bullshit.”

The words were laced with mockery, and the air in the hall shifted as an unmistakable presence stepped into view.

“That voice… it belongs to Yuan!”

Emperor Philip and Empress Selena exchanged surprised glances, their expressions betraying both recognition and intrigue.

Arthur’s body stiffened. “That bastard… Why is he here? Is he colluding with the Emperor just to make my life miserable? Damn it… I should have anticipated this.” He muttered under his breath, grinding his teeth in frustration.

A moment later, Yuan strode into the throne hall, exuding an effortless dominance that made the air around him feel heavier. His wives followed closely behind, their presence only adding to the suffocating atmosphere. But what truly made Arthur’s blood boil was the sight of Princess Livia walking in beside them, her gaze filled with nothing but contempt.

Arthur’s eyes widened in realization. “So, you’re with them, huh? I should have expected this… I made a grave mistake not considering this possibility.”

His fury erupted as he fixed Livia with a piercing glare, as if he would kill her on the spot and snatch the Silver Dragon Shield from her grasp.

With a chilling, commanding tone, he spat, “Hand over the Silver Dragon Shield and surrender to the Holy Church, Princess Livia. I promise no harm will come to you if you comply.”

Livia’s expression twisted with sheer indignation. “Surrender? For what? That shield was purchased with my money! I owe nothing to the Holy Church, and certainly nothing to you, Arthur!”

Arthur’s eyes darkened, his frustration reaching its peak. “That shield belongs to the Holy Church! You have no right to—”

“Enough of this nonsense!”

The throne hall trembled under the weight of Emperor Philip’s voice, cutting through Arthur’s words like a blade. The sheer force of his mana flared, pressing down on Arthur, making his legs buckle slightly under the overwhelming presence.

Philip’s eyes burned with cold fury. “The Holy Church has always been hypocritical and shameless, but I never thought they’d sink this low—scheming to steal another’s rightful possession! How disgraceful!”

His tone dropped to a dangerous growl. “And you, Holy Son! Where is your respect for an Emperor?! Or am I too insignificant for you to acknowledge?!”

Arthur gasped, struggling to withstand the crushing pressure of Philip’s mana. His defiance wavered, his confidence cracking as he realized—he was completely at their mercy.