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Chapter 202: The Grand Map Chamber [Bonus Chapter]

Late that night, the grand map chamber buzzed with hushed conversations and the rustling of parchment. The war room sat deep within the secured wing of the palace.

Gideon stood near the center of the massive oak table, surrounded entirely by the anointed knights and senior officers of the Lumiere Dynasty.

There was not a single guard or servant from the Azure Moon Kingdom present in the room.

Lord Jian sat at the table with Gideon, reviewing the strategic deployment maps for the royal sermon.

Gideon tapped a gauntleted finger against the wooden surface and called for the evening intelligence report. An intelligence officer stepped forward and unrolled a scroll.

"Sir Gideon, Lord Jian," the officer began, his tone grave. "Ever since our arrival, we have discreetly monitored the local sentries, the servants, and the royal palace guards of the Azure Moon Kingdom. Our findings indicate a catastrophic breach. We estimate that almost seventy percent of the local staff appears to be compromised by the Crimson Bone Sect."

Lord Jian dropped his quill. He stared at the officer in absolute shock. The color drained from his face as he struggled to process the sheer scale of the betrayal.

"That makes absolutely no sense," Jian stammered, shaking his head frantically. "It cannot be that bad. Our kingdom would have already fallen if those numbers were accurate."

"That percentage is merely a calculated projection," Gideon clarified, placing a steady hand on the table to ground the panicked lord. "It is not a verified census. However, even if our assumption carries a wide margin of error, you must accept that at least half of your military forces and domestic servants currently operate as traitors."

Jian fell completely silent. The terrifying reality sank in, plunging the older royal into a state of panic. He rubbed his temples, his hands trembling slightly.

"Do not let fear cloud your judgment," Gideon advised, his voice echoing with commanding authority. "There is no need to worry. We have secured the perimeter. Nothing will happen to Princess Syra or any of the nobles residing in this palace while my vanguard stands guard."

"It is not just about the royal sermon anymore!" Jian argued, his voice rising in desperation. "If word gets out to the public that half of our kingdom’s forces are filled with evil sect traitors, our kingdom is entirely doomed. The ensuing panic will tear us apart from the inside. We might even end up in ruins... just like what happened four hundred years ago."

Gideon crossed his arms over his pristine platinum breastplate. "Four hundred years ago, the Heavenly Demon marched across the Eastern Realms. He destroyed multiple kingdoms and rose to the absolute apex of martial supremacy. Even the Righteous Alliance failed to contain his rampage."

The paladin traced a line across the map. "An angel had to descend from the heavens to purge the corruption from this realm. That divine intervention obliterated the Great Azure Kingdom, leaving nothing but dust and ruins. Your ancestors established the Azure Moon Kingdom from those very ashes."

Gideon looked directly at Lord Jian. "You must remember that the Azure Moon Kingdom now stands under the direct protection of the Lumiere Dynasty. The Emperor will not allow your realm to fall a second time."

Another intelligence officer stepped forward with a secondary report regarding the noble families currently residing in the palace guest wings. "Sir Gideon, our surveillance suggests the Potur family is compromised as well."

Jian frowned in confusion. "The evil sects are actively targeting royals and nobles for their blood sacrifices. Why would a prominent noble family willingly aid the very cultists hunting them?"

"False promises of power, guaranteed immunity, and the allure of forbidden cultivation," Gideon responded flatly. "Greed blinds even the sharpest minds."

Sir Jeffery stepped up to the table, his dark hair catching the magical light. The six-star knight crossed his arms. "What about the foreign guests staying at the palace?"

"They were invited here to provide protection for Princess Syra," Jian explained quickly.

"Why would the royal court seek protection from outsiders instead of relying on their own kingdom’s forces?" Jeffery questioned, his tone laced with suspicion.

"Princess Syra explicitly wished for her friend, Pavilion Master Yue, to attend," Jian answered, defending his niece’s decision.

"What about the rest of them?" Jeffery pressed.

Gideon tapped the table to regain control of the room. "Princess Elizabeth is among that group. Although the Lumiere Dynasty and the Bririth Kingdom frequently clash over diplomatic policies, our nations remain allied against the Holy Empire. Her safety is just as much our responsibility while she resides under our protective umbrella."

"It is rather hilarious," Jeffery scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. "The Bririth Kingdom did not dispatch a single knight to protect their own Third Princess. It is almost as if her royal family does not care about her survival at all."

The conversation inevitably shifted to the silver-haired boy. The moment Solomon’s name was mentioned, the atmosphere in the war room spiked with intense heat.

The Lumiere knights had all heard the rumors regarding Princess Lune’s injury and the commoner responsible for spilling her royal blood.

"We cannot just sit here and do nothing while the man who harmed Her Highness roams the palace!" a three-star knight shouted, slamming his fist against his breastplate.

"He deserves a public flogging!" another veteran agreed. "A commoner drawing royal blood demands immediate retribution!"

The room erupted into a chorus of angry protests and demands for Solomon’s head.

Gideon simply raised his hand and the chaotic shouting ceased instantly, absolute silence returning to the map chamber.

"What makes all of you so certain that Solomon injured Princess Lune on purpose?" Gideon asked, looking around the circle of veteran warriors.

"He is an uneducated commoner!" one knight argued. "He probably lashed out in a fit of rage!"

"He clearly lacks discipline!" another added.

Jeffery stepped forward, his jaw tight. "It does not matter if the injury was intentional or an accident. Harming a princess of the Lumiere Dynasty demands punishment. We must set a public example, even if Her Highness formally forgave him. The honor of the crown requires it."

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