Raised From The Wild-Chapter 396: The Punishment

The young prince has a melancholic expression on his face. "I’ll tell you in the car."

Princess Amaya was filled with anticipation as she looked forward to making her way back to her palace. However, tradition dictated that she first had to show her respect to the King and Queen.

Due to the pandemic, Donello informed her that the celebration banquet honoring both of them for their achievements in the last Battle of the Titans, which was supposed to take place at the car, had been postponed.

Amidst global turmoil, the Royal family opted out of celebrating, as it would not look good to partake in festivities while the world was in disarray.

"The number of recorded deaths in Lireya stands at just 10. This remarkable achievement is unparalleled worldwide. Your groundbreaking drug has made this possible, Sis. I am incredibly proud of you," the young prince expressed, casting a gaze filled with admiration upon his sister.

"It is because of the Milagrosa plant. Its healing ability is incredible. I am glad I was able to save a few plants when I left the island of Miraga."

The car was silent for a few moments as both Donello and Amaya were distracted by their thoughts.

"Uncle Sapiro is in deep trouble," the young prince broke the silence.

"Is it because of the Dark Phoenix?" Princess Amaya tilted her head and asked with furrowed brows.

"How did you know, Sis? I thought Father and Grandpa kept it under wraps"

Amaya leaned against the car window and asked about the situation. "I’m not sure about the specifics. Does it have something to do with his visit to Uropa during the biennial Olympics? Was he involved with a Dark Phoenix faction while he was there?"

"The reason goes beyond just that. An investigation revealed that he had been secretly transferring funds to the Dark Phoenix sect in Ra-Iya, and the Lireya Investigation Bureau gathered substantial evidence against him. It is not only funds, but also intel."

Princess Amaya let out a weary sigh. She was well-informed about those matters because ExZee always provided her with a recap of the latest developments across the four continents. However, she couldn’t disclose that to Donello.

"The government officials accused him of rebellion. The court is currently in session, and a verdict is expected to be delivered later today." Donello’s voice was laced with concern. If word gets out, it would be another scandal, a stain on the Royal family.

Amaya seemed to understand what was on his mind. With a face filled with concern, she asked, "How are Grandpa and Grandma?"

"Grandma is indifferent about it. Uncle Sapiro was not her son. Grandfather, however, has gotten sick. He fainted the other day due to anger. Uncle Sapiro is born from a concubine, but he is still his firstborn, after all."

Princess Amaya cast a fleeting glance at Prince Donello, a wistful half-smile playing on her lips. It struck her just how much her little brother had matured. His thought process has changed. He had shown his care about palace affairs.

"Do you think the King of Ra-iya is involved in the Dark Phoenix and Uncle is forced to support him because of our cousin Zanzara, who is now the Queen of Ra-iya," Donello asked.

The privacy screen separating the back passenger area from the driver’s seat had been lowered, so the chauffeur and guard in the front should not have been able to overhear the conversation in the back.

The princess regarded the young prince with a hint of teasing.

Amaya arched her eyebrow as she threw the question back at him, "What do you think?"

"I guess he is. I am just worried what will happen to our cousin now that Uncle Sapiro is about to be punished."

Amaya heaved another sigh. She could already predict that Zanzara would be stripped of her crown and that her future would be bleak.

Amaya turned her head away from Donello, and through the window, she watched the world outside transform into a blur of colors and shapes.

It was only when their car slowed down that she could make out the details of those colors and shapes—road signs, shops, fences, and houses, their edges softened by the car’s speed.

Princess Amaya sat back and tapped her hands on her lap as she took in the enchanting scenery. The road was now lined with ancient trees on both sides, and the center island was adorned with vibrant flower hedges. They were entering the wide street that would lead them to the Asteria Palace.

She saw banners welcoming her back and congratulating her and Donello on winning gold medals in archery and equestrian.

The young prince noticed Amaya was reading the text printed on the banners.

"There was supposed to be a celebration banquet for both of us, but then the pandemic struck, so they could only ’celebrate’ us with these streamers."

"it is good enough. It shows just how resilient the Lireyans are. I hope that one day, you can lead these people to the golden era of Lireya." Princess Amaya reached out to ruffle his hair.

The young prince scooted farther to the car door while Princess Amaya laughed.

"I am serious, Don." She continued to tease him.

"Okay, I could do that. With you as my supporter, then everything should be fine." Donello grinned at her.

...

Twelve judges presided over the courtroom in the grand Lireyan Hall of Justice. The seats were arranged in a semicircle, facing the defendant and his lawyer.

Sapiro panicked as he was aware of the gravity of what he did. He regretted it. Rebellion was a severe crime that could have led to the demise of his entire family.

He had kneeled outside his father’s chambers the entire night to seek forgiveness, but the King did not bother about him. He contacted the faction leader of Ra-iya but could not get through. His heart sank. He knew that he had become a disregarded pawn.

One of the attendants handed an envelope to the chief judge. The judge was old, and his hand slightly trembled as he opened the envelope.

Sapiro’s eyes turned fierce as he contemplated how to turn the situation around.