The First Prince Schwarze gritted his teeth.
His standing hadn’t diminished significantly. However, there were clearly meaningful changes. Of course, they were unfavorable to him.
“Damn that damn third seat vampire brat…!”
He told them not to intervene, yet they did so on their own and ended up dead. Thanks to that, four out of the ten prominent military figures of the Empire had been killed by God of War Yuma.
“I’m late. I will be more careful from now on.”
At the First Prince’s words, Marquis Kairos nodded slowly.
“Welcome, Your Highness the First Prince.”
The round table.
The people surrounding that table.
All were nobles at the center of power in the Astes Empire.
Five top-ranking nobles.
Among them was Count Venosetian, the only noble with a personal relationship with Yuma and the owner of the mana train [Halo].
Across from the golden-haired Imperial Prince, First Prince Schwarze, sat a woman with long white hair and blue eyes.
It was Princess Brigitte von Astes.
“Today, we gathered to discuss a certain man named Yuma, who you appointed as a representative.”
Brigitte tilted her head.
“I can’t understand what kind of discussion this is supposed to be.”
The First Prince’s brows furrowed at Brigitte’s brazen attitude.
“This is a gathering to determine the treatment of your appointed representative, the man who has killed four of the ten prominent figures of the Empire, a great resource for the Empire.”
As soon as Schwarze finished speaking, the sound of Count Cedric swallowing hard echoed in the room.
A gathering to punish Yuma.
The more they recounted the history leading to this decision, the more questions arose.
A man who had single-handedly severed the lives of four out of the ten prominent figures of the Astes Empire.
Could they really carry out a punishment for such a man?
It was a delicate situation where it was also ambiguous to issue orders to the most powerful figures, the first and second seats. They could easily lose them too if things went wrong.
Brigitte stared at Schwarze with an expressionless gaze.
And instead of him, she scanned the nobles sitting on both sides and spoke again.
Her soft voice dropped into the round table.
“My representative Yuma has never once attacked any member of the ten prominent figures who died.”
Brigitte continued.
“On the second day, you should know if you were the ones who sent people to my castle.”
At her words, the two nobles, Count Venosetian and Marquis Kairos, who had sent people to the princess’s castle, widened their eyes.
“That’s right.
God of War Yuma has never taken the first strike…
Not even once!
‘Take the case of the recently deceased Third Seat of the Empire, Kailon. My representative Yuma is currently at Count Rubelt’s domain carrying out my orders. It was certainly Kailon himself who personally marched to Count Rubelt’s domain to kill my representative.’
Schwarze’s brows furrowed intensely.
Princess Brigitte continued speaking.
‘Everyone only resorted to force to uphold Yuma’s and my personal request. What that request entails is a matter between my brother Schwarze and me, so I can’t share it. But it’s clear that the current situation, which has led to the loss of half of the Empire’s ten seats, is not caused by me.’
Brigitte’s blue eyes then turned toward the First Prince, Schwarze.
‘It’s you, my brother Schwarze.’
Schwarze raised his clenched right fist high up and brought it down.
KWAANG!!
The round table shook violently.
Schwarze shouted with veins bulging in his neck.
‘What a ridiculous fallacy! Brigitte! Yuma is the sword you wield! It was you who mishandled that sword and caused damage to the Empire’s military!’
Brigitte slowly nodded her head.
‘You are right, brother. Yuma is my sword. And except for the First and Second Seats, the other seats in the Empire are your swords, Schwarze.’
Brigitte finished her statement.
‘It just happens that my sword was stronger. Brother, make sure to handle your sword properly next time.’
‘I… I…!’
Ignoring Schwarze’s groans, Brigitte slowly stood up from her seat.
She shifted her gaze from Schwarze to the five nobles.
‘I have no intention of giving up the Imperial Throne.’
The nobles felt overwhelmed by Brigitte’s gaze.
‘So you’d better make a wise choice.’
Brigitte opened the door to the conference room.
No one thought of Brigitte as arrogant in that moment.
The overwhelmingly dominant position of First Prince Schwarze began to shakily sway.
*
Step by step…
Yuma stood in front of Count Rubelt’s castle again. On either side of Yuma were people clad in gray robes.
Cloney and Hestia. The Count’s eldest son Kailon and the young lady Luine. Lastly, the missing children serving as witnesses.
Since they wore their hoods pulled low, no one had yet recognized their identities.
In front of the castle gate stood soldiers.
Clank— clatter—
The cold weapons held in the hands of soldiers and knights were poised for action.
There appeared to be at least 50 people carrying weapons.
As Yuma’s group advanced, the 50 soldiers surrounded them.
Hestia and Cloney calmly tried to take their respective positions.”
You calmly tried to take your respective positions.
The two individuals next to Yuma, wearing hoods pulled down deeply, hesitated in fear.
Tension was in the air.
Leading the group, Yuma remained in a standoff with them. A knight behind their ranks was approaching with a fierce aura radiating from his whole being.
“I am Hyman, the captain of Count Rubelt’s knights.”
Yuma fixed his gaze intently on the speaker.
[Lv.101] Hyman
“It is the command of Count Rubelt, Your Excellency. None of you are allowed to enter the Count’s residence. This is an urgent matter within the Count’s domain. So, are you the representative of Her Highness the Princess, or who exactly are you?”
The stern gaze of the middle-aged knight, Hyman, scrutinized Yuma.
Why is he blocking the entrance immediately, unlike yesterday?
The prison incident occurred last night.
And today is just the morning after. It wouldn’t make sense to assume they’d devised this countermeasure after noticing the situation in the prison.
Yuma easily predicted the reason.
‘That gatekeeper who died yesterday.’
Morton.
His body undoubtedly contained the blood of a dragon.
‘Even if they don’t know what happened in the prison, it’s likely they became aware of his death. Is this an attempt to eliminate unnecessary variables?’
Dragons could sense the life signals of those to whom they had given their blood.
He felt Morton’s death last night.
So, it’s understandable that they are taking such a hard stance now. There must surely be something wrong in the prison.
Yuma had no further thoughts; he simply decided to carry out the plan he had devised last night.
He slowly opened his mouth.
“It’s just right that the soldiers of the Count are gathered here. There’s something I need to tell you.”
It felt chilly.
While glancing at the soldiers and knights encircling Yuma’s group, he continued.
“I will speak under my title as the representative of the Princess.”
Even with the stench of bloody steel spewing from the spears and swords rising all around, he calmly pressed on.
“The current Count, Count Rubelt, has committed a crime.”
He boldly declared that the lord of this land was a criminal.
Yuma’s right hand carefully pulled back the robe of the boy standing to his left.
A fresh-faced boy with brown hair appeared.
“This boy is named Yoren, who went missing in the Count’s territory a week ago. I found him in an unknown prison located within the Yuto Forest to the right of the Count’s lands. And the ones guarding that prison were undoubtedly soldiers from the Count’s residence.”
Then, the girl next to the boy also removed her robe. She slowly opened her parched lips.
“I’m Hallen… I didn’t do anything wrong. I was born poor and took care of my sick mother alone, but I’ve never stolen even a loaf of bread.”
“I’ve never stolen anything either.”
From the girl’s cracked tone, a hint of suppressed anger could be felt.
“But suddenly a few people broke into my house, kidnapped me, covered my face with something like a leather pouch… and dragged me somewhere. That place was the prison inside the Uto Forest, as mentioned by Her Highness the Princess’s agent.”
Of the 26 people who escaped from the prison, only these two brought her this far.
The rest were safely being protected in a mansion by Knight Murphy and the youngest daughter of Count Rubelt, Luine.
Duke Yuma mentioned the need for someone to testify before the Count. These two boys and girls stepped up voluntarily.
As Hallen spoke, the soldiers began to murmur. Among them seemed to be a soldier who had a friendship with Hallen, who inadvertently shouted her name loudly.
Kuh—Wooom!
Someone stomped the ground hard with steel combat boots.
It was Hyman, the commander of the knights.
“That’s just nonsense. This is the land of Count Rubelt. In this land, the Count cannot be a criminal.”
Hyman’s eyes narrowed as he glared at Hallen.
“Did you say Hallen? If you were led into a prison by the hands of the Count’s soldiers, you must be guilty. Don’t deceive yourself.”
Hallen’s black bobbed hair shook violently.
“I… I do have a sin.”
The blood vessels in her black eyes were bursting.
“Before coming here, I just barely made it home. And I saw my mother, who had already stopped breathing. I saw my mother with a clear stab wound on her abdomen. My mother, who was dead. That is my sin. Unable to protect my mother.”
Hyman’s brow furrowed tightly.
“There’s no value in hearing more.”
Sreeung!
Hyman unsheathed his sword.
Blue flames erupted from the blade.
“Step down; if you keep babbling nonsense, I will strike. All draw your weapons.”
As soon as Hyman’s words ended.
Sreuk…
Another figure next to Yuma threw off their robe.
“Commander Hyman, this girl’s words are not lies.”
Silence fell.
Every soldier and knight’s eyes widened in shock, including the commander’s.
“…Young Master Kaisen.”
Revealing his identity, Kaisen continued.
“I was also locked up in the prison where this boy and girl were confined. And I have also committed no sins.”
Kaisen, the blonde son of the Count, carefully scanned the knights and soldiers of the Count’s household.
“I dare to hold my father, Count Rubelt, accountable for the chaos in his domain.”
Silence descended again.
“Anyone willing to believe in me, step forward. Those who would stop me, draw your swords against me.”
