Supreme Magus

’I knew it.’ Lith recognized the convened signal for impending danger. ’Faluel can’t use a mind link without disrespecting the Isharas and can’t speak openly in front of Ankhuta, but he did lay a trap for me. If only I knew what kind of trap.’

’Those reports about Verhen being incapable of leaving his children’s side were a lie.’ The Elder Ishara inwardly snarled. ’He must have worked to expose Carkas while playing babysitter as his cover, and we fell for it hook, line, and sinker.’

Little did he know that Lith had actually spent most of his time with the babies until Jirni and Kamila had completed their investigation.

The early reports about him were accurate, and the Ishara scouts had failed to notice the construct replacing Lith because, after a few days of boredom, they had interrupted the surveillance.

’We stayed out of Lustria on purpose to avoid any conflict until the right moment and remain below Verhen’s notice. If he keeps his guard low around us, thinking that we hate his brother as much as he does, luring him into an ambush would have been easy.

’Now, instead, not only has he become aware of our presence so close to his home, but he also has a good reason to resent us for messing with Countess Lark. The Clan Leader will rip my exoskeleton off when he learns about this.

’Still, every cloud has a silver lining. If Verhen refuses to back down in disregard of the Council’s laws or attacks us, it will mark the start of a feud between the Ishara and Tiamat races.

’As soon as the Bloodline Awakening project is complete and we’ve built our secret facility, we’ll have the justification to strike Verhen in retaliation for today’s offense. Everyone will think we’ve taken his corpse to study it and won’t suspect we’ve taken him alive.

’All that remains to see is if Verhen is as cunning as they say, or if he will act recklessly against us out of his affection for his human friend.’

’Think, Solus. Think. This can’t be too different from the nonsense of the Royal Court.’ Solus thought. ’The Council also runs on power and diplomacy. What would you expect if instead of a bunch of Awakened you were dealing with a powerful noble family?’

’That’s it, Solus. You’re a genius.’ Lith’s eyes widened in understanding. ’I think I know what’s happening here. Remember how the bastard introduced himself. Not as an individual, but as the Ishara’s spokesman in Distar.

’Which means that he speaks for his entire bloodline, and that any action I take against him will be interpreted as an act of aggression against the Isharas’ clan, not against the leader of a group of Divine Beasts who plotted Keyla’s ruin.’

’By my Mom, you’re right.’ Solus recalled all the notions of Court etiquette buried in her memory and gave him an array of potential answers.

"I understand, Lady Faluel, and I thank you for coming here in a hurry." Lith gave her a polite bow. "I can use your help, but not as the Beast Lord of the Distar region. You see, Elder Ankhuta, there’s something you’ve failed to consider.

"I’m not here as Lith Verhen the Awakened. As I told you earlier, I’m here in my official capacity as the Supreme Magus of the Griffon Kingdom and the Protector of the Counties of Lustria and Ghishal."

He took his official badge out of his pocket dimension, showing both the Ishara and Faluel the title the Royals had appointed him with at the start of the mission.

It gave him the power and the authority of the Crown and upturned the rules of the game.

"The treaty between the Griffon Kingdom and the Awakened Council is clear. Awakened rules do not apply to common criminals, or those caught breaking the Kingdom’s law.

"No matter the origin of their power, anyone who kills and steals will be considered an enemy of the Griffon Kingdom and dealt with accordingly. I don’t care about what the Awakened Council authorized you to do.

"As an official of the Kingdom, it is my duty to uphold its laws and apprehend criminals. Elder Ankhuta, you’ve just confessed your complicity in a series of crimes aimed at accruing wealth and replacing the current nobles of Distar with your human associates.

"I have recorded your confession and forwarded it to the Royals as we speak. Let’s see what they think about your territorial conflict." Before Ankhuta could say a word, Lith pulled out his communication amulet and projected the hologram of the Royals.

"I’m appalled by the criminal behavior of the Ishara Clan and the lax moral stance of the Awakened Council in mortal affairs." Meron’s voice was as cold as ice. "What the Isharas need or want is irrelevant to the Crown.

"We select our nobles to be the best and the brightest. To serve the interest of the people of the Kingdom and protect them from all threats. What Baron Carkas did is nothing short of high treason.

"He sold his country to a foreign power and served the Isharas’ interests even at the cost of his own subjects. He endangered countless innocent lives and left entire remote villages starving only to pursue a higher noble title he clearly doesn’t deserve.

"Baron Elmun Carkas failed his duty as a retainer of the Crown and is hereby stripped of all his titles and possessions. Elder Ankhuta, you are also charged with treason, murder, and conspiracy against the Griffon Kingdom.

"If you and all the Isharas involved in the coup surrender now and turn yourselves in, the Crown will consider the matter resolved. We don’t blame the entire Ishara bloodline responsible for the crimes of a few of its members, but those few will pay the price for their crimes.

"Supreme Magus Verhen, capture those who comply and execute those who try to escape justice."

"Lady Faluel Nyxdra, I request your help as my personal friend and one of the four founding pillars of the Griffon Kingdom." Lith said. "Your family has never relinquished its noble title nor reneged on its allegiance to the country your ancestor helped establish."

"The Crown supports Magus Verhen’s request." The King nodded. "In the name of the eternal friendship between the First King and Fyrwal the First, please help us, Lady Faluel."

Meron had no idea that Fyrwal was still alive and was none other than Faluel’s mother. Ankhuta, however, knew it all too well.

"House Nyxdra answers the call, Your Majesty." Faluel adjusted her grip on Gungnir, pointing its blade at the Elder Ishara’s throat. "Fight me if you dare!"

’Fuck!’ Ankhuta clenched his teeth as the silver lining disappeared from the massive thundercloud of trouble looming over his head. ’Verhen used my own weapons against me and turned the tables.

’By acting on behalf of the Kingdom just like I do for my clan, we Isharas have lost justification for any future conflict, even if we now end up fighting to the death. Moreover, Verhen hasn’t declared his hostility against my entire bloodline, butonly against those like me who tried to upset the political balance of the Distar Region.

’To make matters worse, the bastard recorded and transmitted our entire conversation in real time!’

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