BXBX NOVEL Chapter 216 Chaos In The Council
The group studied the document carefully.
Little by little, their expressions turned darker as they read the description of Hasta and Igor's case. What's more, their association with the Vesala Clan made the matters complicated.
The Imperial Family and even the Temple had significant interactions with Carolina Vesala. The matters of her involvement with sinister curses came out as a big shock to the rest of the group.
"How do we go about this investigation then? Shall we go straight to knowing more of the Vesalas?" Joab of the Temple Knights asked. His agitation was very evident, a great sense of justice was exuding in his expression.
Nathan was also as hot blooded as Joab, as he also expressed his agreement on Joab's idea.
"As much as we want to go straight with the Vesalas, we are not ready for the things we may discover on their side. Even if we know that they have some ties with the sinister curses, how can we deal with them when we could not even defend ourselves against a curse attack?" It was General Farauld who poured cold water on the burning flame of the two knights.
Joab very much wanted to stand up and burst in anger, but he knew that the Great General had a point. Besides, out of all the people in the room, he was the one who encountered the most dangerous people the Empire has ever witnessed.
But the sense of urgency made his heart unwilling, "But it's been two weeks since we have the captives and the Vesalas surely know they were missing. Aren't you all not worried about them making chaos in the Empire?"
"Joab, we very much know that they were already agitated. In fact, we have been receiving reports that they were camping in the outskirts and thoroughly investigating the captive's whereabouts under the Emperor's nose." The High Priest looked at Joab reproachfully.
"Now tell me Joab, why do you think that they were so brazen in raising up these kinds of knights and go as far as plant them within the palace ranks? Don't you think that they were not even afraid of the Emperor, as if he could only do much against them if he chose to arrest them? Or was it because they know something that would make the Emperor step aside even if this was a direct insult to his name?" The High Priest continued.
"What's making them unafraid of the Emperor's vast forces and close relations to the two legendary S Class mages?"
Joab flinched on the barrage of questions the High Priest threw at him. These questions somehow woke him up and made him unable to retaliate.
"That's right, even after liaising with the rest of the temples around Prasinos, we only knew much about curses. The most that the priests can do about it was to delay its inevitable effect, which is death." Keren patted Joab's shoulder to calm him down, as she also agreed on General Farauld and High Priest's point.
"That's why our first priority for this investigation is to know the secret about the curses. Interrogation of the captives must also definitely be done for us to understand its origins and effects. Then we can proceed to digging for information about the Vesalas, why are they able to have such people in their ranks in the first place?" Leon explained to everyone.
Silence invaded the meeting room. Although they were unwilling to carry out investigations like this, they really do not have much choice.
"Alright, if there were no other concerns, let's proceed in discussing how we should do this.." Seeing that there were no other objections regarding the flow of the investigation, the group proceeded to the next matters of the investigation.
Meanwhile, there was a high tension in the council meeting hall.
Duke Vesala and Marquis Astaze were going against each other fiercely.
The Astaze spies discovered that the Vesalas were conducting an unauthorized investigation in the outskirts of the Capital.
This matter got into the other noble's nerves and was now holding the Duke responsible for insulting the throne.
Of course, it was a good opportunity for the Astazes to put Prince Antoine in an advantageous position while making the Vesala's stance awkward.
The Vesalas, on the other hand, had justified that there was an attempt to attack Arabella and they were just doing the investigation in an abrupt way to chase the assassin.
Unexpectedly, the ever rational Emperor Valentin wore a nonchalant expression on his face, watching the two sides fight like chickens in the council assembly.
His eyes, which used to be full of vigor and clarity were now filled with desolate coldness and distance. His head was resting in his chin squinting his eyes while he was witnessing at his subjects make fun of each other.
"This is a clear disrespect to His Majesty! How many times do I have to explain it to you, Duke Vesala!" Marquis Astaze and his allies push for their side.
"I have also explained that this investigation was done so promptly because there was someone who tried to assassinate my daughter in the Capital! The Vesala Duchy have been with the Empire's side for decades, and now that our kin is in danger, you all point your fingers at my family?!" Duke Vesala yelled so much that the veins on his throat almost popped out in his neck.
He looked at the Emperor and the two princes who also attended the morning council. He was pretty much relieved to not see the Third Prince because he found that he was not relevant in this meeting.
Besides, the Third Prince would be another person who would go against him in the council, that makes one less enemy for him.
The two princes frowned upon seeing the chaos and their Father Emperor's unconventional attitude. They felt like something was wrong with their father ever since the end of the winter banquet.
Their father became cold and unfeeling like he was suddenly unable to display any emotions. He also refrained from visiting his grandchildren like he was always doing at least once a week. He seemed to also become glaringly quiet and buried with the Imperial duties.
Most of all, he no longer looked at them, his sons, with the same helplessness and gentleness he had back then. The crystal blue eyes that were looking at them now were like someone who could see through everything in them, even their thoughts.
"Do you know whose presence you are standing with??" Suddenly the Emperor's cold and dangerous voice rang in the council meeting room.
Everyone went silent and shocked.
They have forgotten that he was the Emperor whom they had to bow to no matter how powerful they felt outside the palace.
They have long forgotten how ruthless an Emperor could be for people who showed disrespect in his presence.
"We apologize for our brazenness, Your Majesty!" Everyone, including Duke Vesala and Marquis Astaze knelt down with fear in their hearts.
"Settle down and shut your mouths. All of us here are raised knowing the highest standards! How could you act like chickens on a stinky pen!" Much to everyone's disbelief, they heard the Emperor mocking their upbringings.
The faces of the nobles around became red in shame and anger, but they did not dare to show their displeasure in the Emperor's face.
Their hearts were already shaken, 'What happened to the Emperor? Is he not in a good mood?'
Sweeping his gaze through the silent crowd, his frigid crystal blue eyes stopped at his two sons, Kazimir and Antoine.
"Tell me, two of you as the revered princes of this Empire, what is your opinion on this matter?" He asked the unprepared princes with an expression that was impossible to decipher.
The Emperor first gestured at Kazimir, who was still in a daze upon suddenly being given the limelight for the assembly full of noble officials.
"T-this.. His Majesty… What this humble prince thinks is that there is no problem in allowing the Vesala House to conduct a thorough investigation in the outskirts. This is to get over the matter of assassinating the Second Daughter of the Vesala house. Let us remember the merits and contribution they made for the Empire now that their very own family is under threat. We have to give them a hand in this issue." Prince Kazimir calmly answered Emperor Valentin's question.
The nobles on the side of Duke Vesala gave an approving expression to what Prince Kazimir conveyed. They thought that the prince spoke well and clearly sent the message they wanted to send to the Emperor. They are sure that the Emperor would look at the matter favorably towards them.
But contrary to their expectation, the Emperor did not give any reactions but instead turned to Antoine with a serious expression, "Is that what you also think, Second Prince?"
Knowing that it was already his turn, Antoine straightened up his back and answered calmly,
"Your Majesty, this humble prince thinks otherwise. For it is imperative in our laws that whoever wants to conduct an investigation within the Capital must submit an application and seek the explicit approval of His Majesty. I understand the worry that the Duke has for his daughter, however, to blatantly ignore the Empire's laws over their personal matters, isn't this same as usurping the throne?!"
"Your Highness!! The Vesala clan did not intend to do that at all!" Upon hearing the Second Prince Antoine's statement, the Vesalas and their allies became angry and started to denounce the second prince's accusation.
Even the Duke and Prince Kazimir's expressions become dark after hearing Antoine's opinion. They were unprepared for Antoine's way of putting these things in a fearsome way.
For them to be accused of ignoring the throne would shake their faction to the core and would definitely incur the Emperor's suspicion.