Shout-out and thanks to Leo_Micado for beta-reading this chapter.
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Complete and utter mayhem took hold over the Capital. Within days of a large, highly-coordinated terrorist attack, another attack took place in the Palace. Not much was known about the second attack, as the news leaving the Palace had suddenly ceased. All that remained were rumours, flimsy hearsay at best. And this farfetched words-of-mouth bordered on treasonous talk, given how crassly they disparaged the Emperor. Some even went as far as to state that the Emperor was... emasculated? First off, that could mean a plethora of things ranging from a simple sleight targeted at his masculinity to an actual act of emasculation by castration. Secondly, the very thought could get one imprisoned for inciting treason!