When Noah meets his father, he wastes no time telling him to stop drinking the Phoenix wine that Gilbert has been sending. The Phoenix wine is brewed within Gilbert's territory, and for nearly a year he has been presenting it to the emperor as a generous gift. From the outside nothing seems suspicious, since both the emperor and Prince Albert have been drinking it openly for quite some time without suffering any ill effects.
But that calm surface was exactly what Gilbert wanted. According to the information Noah received from Dawn, Gilbert designed the wine so that it would be harmless under normal circumstances. However, the moment it is consumed alongside a dish made from dragon's claw, it transforms into a lethal toxin that kills instantly. As it happens, the emperor and Prince Albert share a yearly tradition of dining on dragon's claw together. By allowing people to see the emperor drink the wine beforehand without any issues, Gilbert ensured that no one would connect his wine to the emperor's eventual death, leaving him free from suspicion.
The emperor thanks Noah for revealing this danger, and arrangements are later made to arrest Gilbert for attempting regicide. With that resolved, Noah believes his task is complete and prepares to leave. Yet something about the situation bothers him, because it seems strange that the emperor, with his vast intelligence network, would not already know about such a scheme.
In reality, the emperor had known about Gilbert's plan from the very beginning. He had quietly replaced every bottle of Gilbert's wine with identical substitutes to protect himself. However, Noah uncovering the truth and reporting it was not something he expected. After ruling for many years, the emperor understands that countless people would gladly see him dead in order to claim the throne. But Noah is clearly not one of them, and that loyalty brings him comfort.
From that day onward, he appointed Noah as vice minister of military affairs. In addition to his current role as minister of justice, he was also named governor general of the First Army. Finally, he declares that if any prince ever succeeds in killing him, he expects Noah to march on the capital with the imperial army. And once the city is secured, Noah will have full authority to decide who will ascend as the next emperor.
Noah informs the emperor that the documents connected to the murder plot were found hidden in the underground rooms of Gilbert's mansion. Albert thinks his brother is worse than a dog. When asked for details, Noah explains that a premeditated murder is undeniable treason, and according to imperial law Gilbert should be cut in half. However, since it was only an attempted murder, he could be granted the minimum stay of execution, and it would only be carried out upon the emperor's order.
Albert suggests speeding up the execution. However, the emperor prioritizes Noah's legal and emotional judgment. After all, he still somehow loves Gilbert as his son. He then asks Albert to oversee Gilbert's execution. Albert accepts the order and leaves, while mocking his treasonous brother.
The emperor appreciates Noah for showing some mercy under the circumstances. As a reward, he offers Noah ownership of Gilbert's fief, but Noah refuses the reward. He believes that if he accepts it, the other princes might start making anonymous reports and sabotaging each other to gain the same reward. The emperor admits that he had not thought of that, and that he also does not want his sons competing in such a way. Instead, Noah will receive a fief of his own.
The emperor then says it is time for Noah to think about his future wife. In the imperial family, becoming engaged at twelve is normal, and a prince's first wife is chosen for political reasons. Therefore Noah has no say in who he marries, though fate may still play its role. The emperor chooses the granddaughter of the Lightning Prince. According to him, the two of them will have a brilliant child who may even surpass Noah.
His son happily accepts the decision and leaves. Dylan then appears and praises Noah for his obedience, even though he does not even know the girl's name. But that is what it means to be a prince. Dylan also finds it impressive that Noah is already showing interest at such a young age. He even suggests considering Noah as the next successor, since he has the potential to surpass the emperor himself, especially if his brilliance is passed on to his son.
Later, Dawn kneels before Noah and accepts punishment for deceiving Gilbert. However, Noah reassures him that according to imperial law, anyone who exposes treason is acquitted. Since Gilbert's power has fallen, Dawn no longer needs to change his name or leave the capital. The reward for exposing treason is a thousand ren, but Noah adds an extra zero from his own pocket, because Dawn saved his father's life. Noah also offers him a place in his household once again. Dawn gratefully accepts and vows to obey every command. Noah also instructs Zoe to tell her mother that she can finally rest easy, because she is no longer in danger.
While walking through the city, Noah and Raina find Cheryl challenging civilians to fight her. She announces that whoever defeats her can claim her as a wife, a slave, or anything else they desire. Those who lose must pay a three ren entrance fee. According to the law, she is safe from slave trading, because she is offering herself willingly.
A giant man steps forward, but is quickly and embarrassingly defeated. One civilian after another loses to her. After fifteen consecutive victories, a man finally manages to defeat Cheryl instantly, shocking the crowd. When he claims ownership of her, Noah steps in and exposes that the man used a numbing drug on her. Using his power, Noah forces the accomplice to reveal himself. Everyone recognizes him as the man's partner and demands that Cheryl be released.
Angered by Noah's interference, the man attacks him. The young prince summons his sword and, with lightning-fast speed, slashes the man's shoulder. Terrified, the man runs away, while the crowd stares in amazement at the child prince.
Later, Cheryl wakes up and learns that Noah saved her. She remembers fighting a suspicious man before suddenly losing control of her legs. Raina explains that the man's accomplice attacked her from behind. Noah asks why she was doing such a dangerous thing in the first place. Cheryl admits that she had run out of money. She came to take the knight selection exam but failed, leaving her unable to even afford the trip home.
Noah finds that strange, because someone with her skills should never have failed. She agrees, and explains that she investigated the matter herself. According to her, the head judge this year was the tenth prince. He was willing to let her pass, but only if she allowed him to take advantage of her. Noah immediately understands the situation and advises her never to return. He gives her a hundred ren and asks Gigi to arrange a place for her to stay. Her desire to be recognized solely for her own merit catches Noah's attention.
Soon the same men return and gang up on Noah to take revenge. The prince activates his armor ring and powers up his fist, easily defeating them. One of the tenth prince's soldiers arrives and immediately recognizes Noah. He begs for forgiveness, revealing that the tenth prince had paid them to carry out the scheme. Cheryl is shocked to learn that Noah is both a prince and a minister, because he never flaunted his status. Noah orders the soldier to take the criminals away and punish them.