The Empress Of Ashes

In response to the threats against his family, Alec descends into a cycle of vengeance and self-destruction. He orders the brutal execution of Marquis Offrége and systematically eliminates those he deems responsible for the suffering of his wife and son. Despite his efforts to protect them, the political intrigue and personal betrayals drive a wedge between Alec and Afrosa. Afrosa, weary of the violence and the emperor's increasingly erratic behavior, retreats to the detached palace with their children. She expresses a desire to leave the imperial life entirely, seeking a return to the simple existence they once shared in the village. Alec, terrified of losing her, pleads with her to stay, but his desperation only pushes her further away. Their relationship deteriorates into cold detachment, with Afrosa viewing Alec not as a husband but as a monster she must endure.

The turning point arrives during a fire at the imperial conservatory. Loras, seeking to make his mother happy by picking flowers, is trapped inside. A mysterious figure attacks the young prince, stabbing him before setting the conservatory ablaze. Afrosa,不顾一切, rushes into the burning building to save her son. Both she and Loras perish in the flames. Alec arrives too late to save them, watching in horror as the woman he loved and the son he protected are consumed by fire. The loss shatters Alec completely. He abandons all pretense of governance or mercy, plunging into a frenzy of retribution. He orders the execution of everyone connected to the conspiracy, including the children of his rivals, showing no remorse for the bloodshed.

In the aftermath, Alec holds a midnight gathering of the Privy Council and the Red Assembly. Instead of addressing them with political strategy, he reveals that he has summoned eighty thousand mercenaries to destroy the empire he built. He watches as the palace burns, killing his remaining enemies, including Valérie and her children, with his own hands. The narrative then shifts to a dream or vision where Alec is back in the village with a young, living Afrosa. They share an intimate, loving moment, recalling their past before the throne and the bloodshed. Alec wakes from this vision, realizing he has returned to the past or is trapped in a loop of memory. He finds Afrosa young and unaware of the future tragedies. He resolves to protect her this time, determined to alter the course of events that led to their destruction. The story ends with Alec grappling with the reality of his second chance, haunted by the memories of the ashes and the screams, yet anchored by the presence of his living wife.