Chapter 1265: Returning to the Palace

Walking out of the Conference Hall, Kesi discovered a few more people in the corridor.

Three Keloke people stood not far away, all four eyes of each fixed on her. Their attire was equally magnificent, their temperaments equally arrogant, but the light in their eyes was different.

The First Prince, Kelake.

The Second Prince, Kesuosi.

The Fourth Prince, Keweinuosi.

In Kesi's memory fragments were the details of these people: Kelake was the recognized heir, steady and seasoned, controlling one-third of the Imperium's military; Kesuosi was ambitious, in charge of the Imperium's internal affairs, and had been secretly cultivating his own power; Keweinuosi was the youngest but the most favored by the Emperor, responsible for diplomatic affairs.

Of the three brothers, not one was a pushover.

Kelake spoke first. His voice was steady, revealing no emotion.

"Third Brother, what did Father say?"

Kesi looked at him and said gloomily.

"He told me to go back and reflect."

Kelake nodded, without any intention of offering comfort.

"Then reflect well. Father's decisions are always right."

The corners of Kesi's mouth twitched.

Kesuosi stepped forward and patted his shoulder.

The gesture looked like comfort, but the amusement in his eyes betrayed him.

"Third Brother, don't be too sad. Father was just angry for a moment; it will be better after some time. You suffered over at the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance, so go back and get some good rest."

Kesi looked at him without speaking.

Keweinuosi stood at the very back and had not spoken at all.

He simply watched Kesi with a scrutinizing gaze.

Kesi felt a chill in her heart.

This youngest prince might be even harder to deal with than his brothers.

But she revealed nothing on her face, merely nodding slightly as a greeting, then left with the three attendants.

Behind her, the three brothers watched her back and began to talk in low voices.

"Kelake, do you think Father really just asked him to reflect, as simple as that?"

Kesuosi asked.

Kelake glanced at him.

"Otherwise what? Kill his own son?"

Kesuosi laughed.

"That wouldn't go that far. But Third Brother has truly lost face this time; it will be hard for him to climb back up in the future."

Kelake did not respond and turned to leave.

Keweinuosi took one last look at the retreating back, his brows slightly furrowed.

Kesi's palace was located on the east side of the Imperial City; it was not large in scale, but it was luxuriously decorated.

Kesi walked into the palace gate, and a group of servants greeted him.

He scanned them quickly—about thirty people, including the butler, maids, chefs, guards, and so on.

The butler was an elderly Keloke person, his four eyes full of caution and respect.

"His Highness, you have returned. You have had a hard journey."

Kesi nodded.

"Mm. I want to rest. Without my order, no one is to disturb me."

The butler was slightly stunned.

"His Highness, will you not dine?"

"No."

The butler dared not ask further and bowed as he withdrew.

Kesi led the three attendants into his bedchamber and closed the door.

Once the door was closed, the three assassins immediately began to check the room, looking for possible surveillance equipment.

A few minutes later, the lead assassin walked to y-7's side and said in a low voice.

"There are three surveillance points. Two are in the open, and one is hidden. We have already jammed the signal for the open ones, but the hidden one needs time to handle."

y-7 nodded.

"No rush. First, confirm the safe zone."

The assassin pointed to an area in the center of the room.

"This area is in a surveillance blind spot; we can talk here."

y-7 walked to that area, and the three assassins followed.

"How is the situation?"

She asked.

Another assassin said.

"Just now in the corridor, those three princes were none of them pushovers. The First Prince is steady, the Second Prince is insidious, and the Fourth Prince... is the most dangerous."

y-7 nodded.

"I felt it too. That Fourth Prince, the way he looked at me was not right."

The lead assassin frowned.

"Did he suspect something?"

Y-7 thought for a moment.

"Not sure. But at least, he didn't fully believe it."

She paused.

"But it doesn't matter. Now that Father Emperor has ordered me to be grounded for reflection, it gives me just the right amount of time to familiarize myself with the environment. You three, find out every corner of this palace and every servant as quickly as possible. I want to know who is the Emperor's eyes and ears, and who is a spy for the other princes."

The three assassins nodded.

"Understood."

Y-7 walked to the window and looked at the Imperial City outside.

The setting sun dyed this black city a dark red.

In the distance, the tall tower in the center of the Imperial City was particularly striking in the twilight.

At the same time, the palace of the Fourth Prince, Keweinuosi.

Keweinuosi sat in the study with several documents spread out before him, but his attention was clearly not on those documents.

He held a red drink in his hand, his four eyes staring out the window, wondering what he was thinking about.

The Adjutant walked in.

"Your Highness, did you call for me?"

Keweinuosi came back to his senses.

"Yes. Any movement from Third Brother's side?"

The Adjutant thought for a moment.

"After he returned, he locked himself in his bedchamber and hasn't come out. The servants said he wants to rest and is not to be disturbed."

Keweinuosi's brows furrowed slightly.

"Not to be disturbed?"

The Adjutant nodded.

"Yes. This is quite different from his usual style. Usually, when he returns, he always throws a banquet to celebrate and makes a scene."

Keweinuosi fell into Silence for a few seconds.

"Do you think he was dealt a blow, or... some other reason?"

The Adjutant was stunned for a moment.

"Your Highness, do you suspect him?"

Keweinuosi did not answer.

He just looked out the window, a complex light flashing in his eyes.

"Captured for seven days, then released. That Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance, they didn't ask for anything and just let him go?"

The Adjutant thought for a moment.

"Perhaps they didn't want to offend us?"

Keweinuosi shook his head.

"Didn't want to offend? From the time they were an unknown force, they didn't take the Fengqi Star Alliance seriously, and in the end, they even wiped out the Fengqi Star Alliance. Would such madmen be afraid of offending us?"

The Adjutant fell into Silence.

Keweinuosi stood up and walked to the window.

"Moreover, have you noticed that when Third Brother returned, he only had three attendants with him?"

The Adjutant was stunned.

"Only three? Didn't he take over a dozen when he left?"

Keweinuosi nodded.

"Correct. Seventeen. Now only three remain. What about the others?"

The Adjutant's expression changed.

"Your Highness, are you saying..."

Keweinuosi raised his hand to interrupt him.

"I didn't say anything. I just find it strange."

He turned around and looked at the Adjutant.

"Send people to watch Third Brother's palace. Report any abnormalities immediately."

The Adjutant nodded.

"Yes, Your Highness."

In the following days, Kesi stayed in the palace, living a life of "grounded reflection."

Every day, he would spend several hours in the study, flipping through the books and documents left behind by Kesi.

Those things had no value; Kesi was never a person who loved to study, most of the books in the study had never been opened, and the documents were all trivial matters.

But through these, she gradually understood Kesi's personality and habits.

This Alien was indeed a playboy.

Arrogant, stupid, and dismissive of others, yet his status in the royal family was awkward—neither the eldest son nor the youngest, stuck in the middle, neither up nor down.

His mother passed away early, he had no support from maternal relatives, and he lived entirely on his status as a prince.

Now, that bit of status didn't have much value either.

Every day, the butler would deliver three meals and report some trivial news.

Through observing the butler's words and actions, Kesi gradually distinguished which servants were the Emperor's eyes and ears and which were spies for other princes.

There were two maids who would linger for a few extra minutes every day while cleaning the room, their eyes darting around.

They were the First Prince's people.

There was a guard who, every time he stood watch, deliberately positioned himself where he could hear the movements inside the study.

That was one of the Second Prince's men.

There was also a chef who would bring "specialty dishes" every few days and insisted on personally carrying them into the bedchamber each time.

That was one of the Fourth Prince's men.

Kesi noted down each of these pieces of information one by one, then discussed countermeasures with the three assassins.

"The First Prince's man, don't worry about him. He is just going through the motions and won't investigate deeply."

The lead assassin analyzed.

"The Second Prince's man, be careful; he might be trying to find some leverage. The Fourth Prince's man... is the most dangerous, because the chef he sent wants to see if we have any unusual dietary habits."

Kesi nodded.

"I eat the dishes that chef brings every time."

Days passed one by one.

Kesi gradually adapted to this role, and the three assassins also gradually figured out every corner of the palace.

But their actions remained under the constant surveillance of the Fourth Prince, Keweinuosi.