Being accused of treason is the highest degree of dishonour and punishnt.
It wasn’t a surprise for anyone, especially the royal knights who vowed to serve the royal family and also protect the people, to be scared of that happening to them. Not so much about the accusation or the pain; they were scared of losing their honor the most.
Both have no other choice but to look at Kaine’s hand, whether they like it or not.
Sothing climbed Kaine’s arm from his core.
An energy, but it wasn’t life energy, nor was it anything that was normal within the Spirit Realm.
It was sothing else.
And the mont he flicked his fingers, a purplish pulse splashed out and ripped through the air, phasing through the two royal knights’ bodies without caring about their protective armor and life energy. Like this energy can choose not to interact with those things.
In hindsight, the purple pulse did nothing.
As if it were only ant for a theatrical display of power.
But the two knew better than that.
Kaine wouldn’t do this only for show; there must be a purpose.
In the next mont, Kaine watched the two royal knights closely with an unblinking stare.
He wasn’t rely looking at their outside appearance alone, but watching their faces directly.
Even if there was a thick helt covering their face, they wouldn’t be able to hide from Kaine’s gaze.
One wrong move and the two would drop dead on the spot.
’I don’t like doing this because of my principles, but I had to do it,’ Kaine thought inside, knowing that it was wrong to use this technique. ’Checking whether they were afflicted by Chaos might be a stretch in my part—but considering how trustful His Majesty was... made want to eliminate all possibilities even more.’
All great nations throughout the millennia have collapsed because of one fatal mistake.
Kaine knew that intimately, as he had been the one orchestrating the mistake to take down the enemies.
So, he has to be thorough, even if the chances are extrely low.
’I swear to you, Your Majesty,’ His eyes narrowed as he waited patiently for any effect from these two royal knights. ’I’ll make sure nothing threatens the empire.’
Half a minute passed in silence, and no sign of affliction.
None of the captains seed to be affected by the flick Kaine did, so it was ti he put this to rest.
Just as expected, there don’t seem to be any signs from Chaos.
From the start, it was unlikely for them to be afflicted by Chaos anyway, so this was to be expected.
’Now that I ruled out the worst scenario, I feel a little bit relieved,’ Kaine nodded his head, now feeling that he was able to breathe more freely than a few seconds ago. ’Empress Morgana’s background has been checked before she ascended the empress throne, but it’s not foolproof.’
’So strong factions can groom her to infiltrate us,’ He exhaled lightly through his mouth.
Being the strongest empire on the continent is good, but it was not without a downside.
As the Haeltara Empire is the biggest, there are certainly a lot of forces that have their eyes on it.
’Either way, dealing with other nations or hidden kingdoms is a lot better than dealing with Chaos.’
Kaine pressed his hands against his knees, intending to stand up.
But he stopped abruptly.
"Hmm...?" Kaine looked up, eyes narrowing again when the senior captain’s face twitched underneath his helt. It was subtle and fast, but not fast enough to avoid being noticed. "Are you okay, captain? Do you perhaps feel... angry?"
Earlier, the flick he did was not ordinary.
It was a technique.
One that he learned from an ancient book that allowed him to open a very small portal that was directly connected to the Chaos Realm. Of course, due to the minuscule concentration the portal produced since it was only as big as a grain of salt, the technique does not have any significant effect on others.
Even though the pulse looked sizeable enough, it was in fact, nothing.
But not too long ago, Kaine found out that though the pure chaos energy it produced has no influence over Spirits, it does have an effect on anything that has chaos energy. Anything that was categorized as Chaos Spawns would feel rage from being exposed to it.
Kaine found this out when he encountered a Chaos Spawn in the wild and accidentally used the flick.
And though it might be sothing else, the senior captain seed to be influenced by it.
Kaine waited for a few more seconds, waited for an answer.
But he got none.
If the senior captain thinks that staying silent was the best way to convince Kaine that there’s nothing wrong, then he was wrong. It backfired spectacularly. To Kaine, that silence reeked of fear—and worry, the emotions he shouldn’t be having if he was innocent.
Perhaps the senior captain feared the truth would spill the mont he opened his mouth to answer.
And at that possibility, Kaine approached.
His boots echoed throughout the room, and an echoing thud resounded when he stopped when he was right before the senior captain.
"Have you gone mute, captain? A superior is asking you a direct question."
Kaine leaned closer and raised his hand.
"Should I flick my fingers again?"
Just then, to Kaine’s surprise, the senior captain’s expression contorted into sothing ugly.
Sothing sour and venomous.
"That’s enough, Lord Kaine—you’re going too far for your investigation. I swear you’ll answer to the High Argent Knight for this harassnt," the senior captain barked coldly, eyes glowing—from behind the helt. You accuse while I’ve done nothing but show you respect.
"Oh...?" Kaine was amused by the response. "Is that your best excuse?"
He intended to flick again anyway, to make sure this senior captain’s anger was from him alone.
But before he could, the door to the room was opened.
Another royal knight entered and saluted.
"Lord Kaine!" He called, seemingly had a ssage to tell. "Her Majesty has co to et you."
Kaine looked at the ssenger with a blank look and then turned to the senior captain again, keeping his mouth shut to allow the tension to choke them for a few seconds longer. And when he finds it more than appropriate, he puts his hand away.
"I see, then lead the way," Kaine said as he followed the ssenger outside.
However, he didn’t forget to pat the captain’s shoulder.
He didn’t say a word, but the captain knew what it ant.
Kaine wasn’t sold on him, and that’s nothing short of a dangerous situation for him.
Outside, Kaine walked along the corridor as he was being led to et with Empress Morgana.
’I finally got to make her move,’ He smiled inwardly.
Even though he knew that there was sothing wrong with the lowest floor of the treasury, sothing that was hidden from the plain reaches of the senses, Kaine knew that finding it would require a really big commitnt.
He couldn’t force his way around here, so his approach should be more delicate.
But before he fully committed to checking the treasury, he needed confirmation.
So, the provocation he did on the two captains earlier was nothing but a bait to lure Empress Morgana.
Since she was the one who stationed them here, she no doubt had eyes on every corner of this floor. All Kaine needed to do was stir the waters—and force her hand. His choice to linger and investigate must have been the final thread of patience Empress Morgana was willing to grant.
And now, she ca here to confront him herself.
Upon reaching the main lobby, Kaine was confronted with Empress Morgana, who was sitting on what seed to be a makeshift throne made entirely of light. She was staring at Kaine as he walked with utmost composure.
Like an empress who can read through what her subject was really thinking.
"Long live the empress," Kaine saluted and bowed in respect.
Empress Morgana allowed him to rise and then shifted on her throne, crossing her leg over the other.
"What are you doing here, Lord Kaine?"
"Your Majesty, I was only checking to see if your matters have been attended to properly."
"I never asked for your help. If I wanted you here, I would’ve asked."
"Nonsense. As the emperor’s right hand, it’s natural for to help you in any shape or form. Besides, I’m rely overseeing whether the hero who helped you is properly rewarded. And I can see that with such treasures given to him, I’m now sure that it’s more than enough."
Hearing this, Empress Morgana didn’t instantly answer.
Instead, she held her tongue, fixing Kaine with a long, asuring stare.
Her eyes narrowed enough to reveal the sharp edge of her scrutiny.
"How far are you going to go in suspecting of sothing that exists only in your mind, Lord Kaine?" She finally asked, intertwining her hands on her lap. "Don’t you know suspecting your own empress is also an act of treason?"
"What are you saying, Your Majesty?" Kaine smiled a little.
It wasn’t a friendly smile, but a peculiar smile that reeked of pretense and formality.
"Perhaps since you’ve ascended the throne not too long ago, but I’m not another person under the royal family," Kaine added with growing mockery, but the smile stretched wider as if the words from his own mouth were pleasant. "Why do you think I exist outside the hierarchy?"
As soon as he said that, the royal knights beside her imdiately drew their weapons.
Each one of them stared at Kaine like he was the empire’s greatest enemy.
"How dare you?!"
"You’re speaking to the empress! Do you think your manner is acceptable?!"
Before things could escalate, Empress Morgana raised her hand.
She signaled for them to stop.
"Are you really going to keep investigating this floor, Lord Kaine?" Empress Morgana finally asked.
"Of course..." Kaine murmured, causing Empress Morgana to frown, but then he pushed his fist against his palm and bowed. Around him, the tense air he had been releasing evaporated in an instant. "Naturally not. If her Majesty has no need of my assistance and has co personally to say so, then I’ll have no problem ceasing my investigation. In that case, I’ll take my leave."
Kaine waited for her answer.
And when she gave him a nod, he straightened his back and walked out.
He didn’t even glance at the royal knights, treating them as if they were nothing but decorations.
"I’ll speak about this to the High Argent Knight, Your Majesty," One of the royal knights said with clear determination in his voice. "Even though the emperor favored him the most, we can’t let him act freely like this."
anwhile, Kaine erged on the ground floor again.
Despite the gazes he was given, he walked out with his chin held high.
’She’s not stupid,’ He thought, smiling inwardly. ’If there was really sothing in that floor, she would not have co herself and made it obvious to . But that doesn’t an there’s nothing there. All she wanted was to make believe she was hiding sothing in that place, which ant the problem wasn’t there.’
’It’s on another floor...’
Kaine walked out of the courtyard premises, now knowing what he must do.
Later that night.
Even though the sun was already down, and the influence from the Black Rift, though mostly blocked by the powerful Obelisk of Life that created the royal bubble, the air of drowsiness swept every inch of land within.
However, the castle was still guarded strictly.
Instead of having two shifts, one for the day and one for the night, the royal knights have four shifts.
All for the sake of keeping the defense of the castle tight.
But that doesn’t apply to Kaine.
Inside a nearby inn, Kaine woke up from his sleep and imdiately stood up.
He looked out the window, checking the ti, and then, without thinking much, he punched the air hard.
A big hole was created, a tear in space which matured into a portal.
"Now, let’s see what you’re really hiding, Your Majesty..."
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