"...The place needs some ventilation."
"...?!" After that utterly nonsensical sentence descended upon everyone's minds like a bolt from the heavens, striking without warning and carrying a level of absurdity that none of them had been prepared for, silence continued to dominate the hall for a full five seconds, not a single soul speaking as though their thoughts had collectively frozen in place while they struggled to process what they had just witnessed.
"What..." Omes slowly raised a finger and pointed toward Holak with a deeply stunned expression, his eyes narrowing and widening repeatedly as though he suspected he might have misinterpreted reality itself. "What did that creature just do?"
"You're still asking?!" Omira extended his hand and began gathering energy around it, streams of violent power twisting together and condensing into a dangerous concentration, and it was abundantly obvious that Holak's life was the intended target. "How is that even a question?!"
"Hold on!" Glacion vanished from his position and appeared in front of Holak. "It's just a wall. We don't want to ruin the atmosphere over a pile of rocks, do we? Today's meeting will have far-reaching consequences that could affect a Sector, and a lot of people will die because of any reckless action taken here." Then he furrowed his brows slightly while maintaining his calm tone. "It's true that I made a personal decision without consulting either of you and chose a side, but I don't want either of you getting hurt over a mere wall, especially not before we've even discussed the reason we're here."
"What do you mean by 'a mere wall,' Glacion? Do I need to teach you how to be an independent ruler from the beginning?" Omira withdrew his hand and shouted, his patience visibly evaporating. "Everything here represents the ruler's dignity and authority. Every decoration, every stone, every symbol and structure inside this palace exists to embody status and power, so since when can some random vagrant walk into a throne hall and destroy whatever he pleases without consequences?!"
Omira wanted to scream that the materials used in the wall were extraordinarily valuable and had required immense effort and resources to obtain, but he did not want to appear stingy in front of everyone present, especially during a discussion centered around power and authority rather than wealth.
"You..." Holak raised a hand toward Omira and began shaking it silently, his eyes opened as wide as they could possibly go while his other hand rested over his heart as though he had suffered a profound emotional wound. "...You insulted me?"
"And what if I did?" Omira waved dismissively. "And who exactly are you?"
"..." Holak's expression immediately relaxed, and he turned toward Glacion with the speed of someone who had just secured irrefutable evidence. "He admitted it. He insulted me. He insulted the Imperial Guard mander of His Great, Honored, and Exalted Majesty Lord Robin Burton. Witness it yourself and remember every word!"
Then he spun around, leapt to the other side of the throne hall in a single bound that covered an enormous distance, and threw a punch.
BAAAAAANG
A large portion of the second wall vanished as though it had never existed, and the Merged Quake Law vibrations embedded within the attack spread through the structure in an instant, shattering everything they touched into fragments so small that they were reduced into particles finer than ordinary dust.
Swooosh
Glacion moved at high speed and positioned himself in front of Holak once more, closely observing the stunned brothers' movements while occasionally throwing quick glances at the utterly illogical giant he had been ordered to acpany, protect, and somehow keep alive despite his apparent determination to provoke everyone around him at every available opportunity!!
"..." Omes drew a weapon resembling a short spear and silently advanced toward Holak, his footsteps measured and steady while his gaze remained locked onto the giant. There was no longer anything left to say, and it seemed that words had already exhausted whatever usefulness they possessed.
"Hold on!" Glacion waved a hand, and an icy scepter appeared in his right hand, releasing waves of freezing energy that spread through the surrounding air. "We haven't even started talking yet, so let's not start exchanging blows before negotiations have begun."
"And did we start talking so you could begin destroying my hall right in front of my eyes, Glacion?" Omes's eyes blazed with fury, and every word seemed forced through clenched teeth. "Because from where I'm standing, that's exactly what's happening."
"I didn't destroy anything. Direct your plaints to Holak. He is Lord Robin's personal envoy, and he alone knows his intentions. I'm only here for protection." Glacion shifted the responsibility onto the giant behind him without the slightest hesitation, then returned his gaze to Omes with a warning look that carried unmistakable seriousness. "Whatever Holak does or says, and whatever you do or say to him... understand that he is here as the official representative of the very peak of the hierarchy. You won't be killing him. You'll be killing what he represents, and once that line is crossed, the consequences will extend far beyond this hall."
"...?" Omes turned to look at Holak again, disgust and anger mingling across his face as he examined the giant from head to toe, seemingly searching for some hidden explanation behind his behavior and finding absolutely nothing that improved the situation. "You... are supposedly here to negotiate? Couldn't Lord Robin find anyone other than a brain-dead fool to negotiate on his behalf?"
"...." Holak showed an annoyed expression, then scratched his head with a long sigh, as though he had suddenly bee burdened by a responsibility far heavier than it should have been. "Since you showed a bit of respect and said 'Lord Robin,' I'll postpone demolishing the rest of the walls for the time being. Consider it a gesture of goodwill and restraint on my part."
"....?"
"The Boss is displeased, Lord Khomes. His heart aches." Holak shook his head repeatedly, his expression carrying a peculiar mixture of disappointment and sympathy. "Displeased because you treated an official envoy of the Grave Empire like this despite the circumstances and despite the importance of the visit. Even if he hasn't officially declared himself Emperor of the Grave Empire and placed the title upon his own head before the entire universe, it's practically public knowledge these days. Anyone with functioning eyes, ears, and a little awareness of current events knows exactly who stands at the center of that empire."
One of the brothers furrowed his brows, momentarily distracted from the larger argument. "...Khomes?"
"Your Honor, esteemed jury." Holak spread his arms wide and began pacing slowly with a serious expression, carrying himself as though he were presenting a carefully prepared case. "After a kind, cute negotiator with full authority and plete permission to discuss matters on behalf of his side was sent here on an official visit, he was ignored, detained, and seated in the naughty corner so he could be displayed in the throne hall before everyone entering and leaving, almost like some decorative exhibit meant to amuse passersby. How can that possibly be explained in a rational manner? What sequence of logical thoughts leads to that conclusion?"
Then he pointed toward Omes with a stern expression. "Did your delusions make you think this would intimidate the Boss? Did your stupidity make you think he'd send someone more understanding with better offers and a softer attitude after witnessing this treatment? Did you think the Boss, who is on his way to unifying the universe and gathering countless forces beneath his foot, would stand before you helpless and incapable, unable to respond to something like this? ...Or are drugs involved in this? Because damn, I'm trying very hard to understand the decision-making process here."
"...Drugs?"
Omira shouted at Glacion, his voice rising in disbelief and irritation. "Are you hearing this nonsense?!"
Glacion raised a shoulder and looked away, refusing to meet anyone's eyes for a moment... this was unbelievably embarrassing, and the fact that he had been assigned to acpany Holak through an important diplomatic mission was beginning to feel more and more like a punishment rather than a duty.
"Supreme Guardian..." Even Serfon, who had been subtly threatening Omes and Omira only moments ago and trying to pressure them from the shadows with carefully chosen words, began shaking his head at Holak like a madman in an attempt to silence him before he made the situation even worse.
But Holak ignored him pletely, clasped his hands behind his back, and continued strolling slowly across the hall as though he owned the place and had all the time in the world. "His Majesty, the Honored and Exalted Boss, sent me here carrying two things. First, he told me to bring along the old negotiator." Then he looked toward Serfon and gestured for him to e closer with a small motion of his fingers. "Psst, psst..."
"...." Serfon pointed at himself for a moment, uncertain whether Holak was truly addressing him in such a manner, then rose to his feet, cast a glance toward the two brothers, and began walking toward Holak. Before long, he quickened his pace until he came to a stop behind him.
The brothers watched everything happen from beginning to end, but neither said a word. Serfon's task had already ended, and there was no longer any reason to keep him where he was. Letting him move freely made little difference now, especially pared to the larger issues rapidly unfolding inside the hall.
When Serfon reached his side, Holak nodded with satisfaction and continued, "The second thing was to deliver a message. He said..."
Then he stopped and stared directly into the eyes of the nearer brother, Omes, with utmost seriousness, his previously casual demeanor fading away as though he were suddenly speaking on behalf of someone whose words could not be altered or softened.
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