Chapter 256: Three-Way Battle (3) |
“I want you both to remember that I am here strictly in the role of a notary and a judge,” Lucion declared, setting the stage. “For that reason, I ask that you accept my decision without objection or further argument. Do you both agree?”
“Of course. I’m growing weary of seeing the public swayed by propaganda.”
Norvion cast a glance of disdain at Yones.
“This humble servant, too, has come with the will of Lord Ravid Bahal, the High Priest and First Servant of Nevast. Thus, I shall abide by whatever decision the Saint makes,” Yones affirmed confidently.
‘They’re saying things they’ll regret later,’ Lucion thought, a smile creeping onto his face.
“For formal confirmation, I need each of you to sign this certificate I’ve prepared. Oh, and Yones, please include your title as the acting representative of Lord Ravid Bahal.”
Receiving the document from Shaela, Lucion handed it to the two men.
“I’m sure you’ve brought an official seal or stamp as proof, so feel free to use it.”
Norvion seemed ready to sign immediately, while Yones hesitated, clearly flustered.
It was obvious—Yones saw Lucion as naïve, weak, mentally incompetent, and as fragile as a flower sheltered in a greenhouse.
“Why are you hesitating? Didn’t the acting representative desire fairness?” Lucion pressed, seizing the moment.
This move would become a chain around Yones’s ankle. It was almost amusing to see him take the bait so blindly.
“That’s right. I have come here to expose the sins of the Neubra Kingdom, which allied itself with followers of darkness and committed atrocities unfit for humankind,” Yones proclaimed with conviction.
Lucion deflated his grand words in an instant.
“Then surely, this is a necessary step. Do you object to it?”
“…I do not.”
Lucion turned to Norvion, who had been listening to Yones’s reluctant response.
“I already agreed.”
“Excellent.”
With their agreement secured, Lucion’s tone deepened.
“I am here solely for the sake of fairness. My decision is not tied to the Empire, to Cronia, or to any prior dealings with either the Neubra Kingdom or the Holy Nation of Nevast.”
He made it clear—he was neither a representative of the Empire nor the youngest son of Cronia. He stood here as an individual, as a Saint chosen by the Divine Beast.
This statement was also written in the certificate, ensuring no complications in the future.
“Some of you may wonder why the Imperial Knights are present, or why a line of escorts from Cronia accompanied me.”
Lucion refused to relinquish control. He pointed at the floor.
“This place, where we speak of fairness, is this building. I arrived as a citizen of the Empire and the youngest son of Cronia. However, the moment I stepped inside, I became an individual. That is why I instructed my guards to remain outside, leaving only the minimal necessary escort within these walls.”
“Isn’t that only natural? Both you, I, and that High Priest have left our guards outside,” Norvion said, frowning slightly.
Was Lucion just playing with words?
“Your Majesty, have you forgotten who I am? If I were not here as an individual, choosing to abide by the rules you both set before my arrival, why should I be expected to follow them?”
Lucion chuckled softly. This was genuinely amusing.
“To be frank, I could kill you both right now and walk out of here without consequence. That is not an empty threat—it is a fact. Am I wrong?”
Norvion was the king of an opposing nation, and Yones, as an acting representative, was beneath Lucion, who held the authority of a Saint.
Beyond that, the mages had already prepared magic circles in advance.
Wasn’t Lucion already demonstrating great generosity?
[Damn! This is what makes this worth watching,] Russell muttered in admiration.
Lucion held the chains binding them both, shaking them at will.
The balance of power had now tipped entirely in his favor.
Norvion bit his lip hard.
To think his own actions would come back to haunt him like this.
“Y-Yes, Saint. I am prepared to give my life at your command.”
Though his eyes were filled with dissatisfaction, Yones bowed his head.
The Saint was the sole being acknowledged by the Divine Beast.
And since Nevast claimed to be the nation closest to the Divine Beast, there was no choice but to submit.
“Now then, do you both acknowledge that I am here as an individual?”
Riding the momentum, Lucion pressed them once more.
“I agree,” Norvion exhaled briefly.
For the sake of Neubra, he had no choice but to support the very man he once tried to destroy.
The irony was almost laughable.
“I agree as well,” Yones responded reluctantly.
The words he had spoken earlier—I am prepared to abide by any decision you make, Saint—were already weighing heavily on him.
It felt like he had stepped into a trap.
“Good. Then sign the document with that same resolve.”
Lucion watched closely as Shaela’s expression shifted to one of shock.
He couldn’t help but feel regret that there was nothing on the table.
-Lucion. Unlike Florence, Yones is a clean man.
Taking the opportunity, Troy whispered the fact to Lucion.
Unlike the high-ranking priest Florence of Nevast, who was drenched in corruption, Yones carried none of that filth.
[Of course. Would Nevast send someone already tainted by madness?]
At Russell’s remark, Bethel hesitated slightly before licking her lips.
[Doesn’t that make it even scarier? It means they already know about the corruption.]
Even though they were all aware of it, the situation remained unchanged—either because they had gone too far or because of their pride.
[Perhaps they’ve lost the will to even change.]
While conscious of Troy, Russell spoke up.
—Should Ratta give you a hug?
Ratta asked after noticing Troy’s troubled expression.
-This process itself is meant to change that fact, so I’m okay. But thank you.
‘That’s right, Troy.’
Lucion replied inwardly as he accepted the certificate they had presented.
Nevast had summoned him here solely to use him—whether to ignite a war with Neubra or at least tarnish the Empire’s name.
But whatever their intentions, he had no intention of being satisfied with this outcome.
No, he had to shake things up even further.
‘For now, one issue has been settled.’
After reviewing the certificate, Lucion handed it to Shaela.
With a document bearing the signatures and seals of a nation’s king and Yones, Nevast’s acting representative, he and the Empire were now entirely disentangled from the matter.
And if they attempted to drag him back in?
He had plenty of leverage to use against them in return.
“Now, let Lord Yones speak first. Since you represent Nevast, your words should not be taken lightly.”
“Of course.”
Though Yones still appeared uneasy, he took a deep breath—finally, the moment had arrived.
Once Lucion saw what Nevast had prepared, the Empire would have no choice but to
acknowledge Neubra’s crimes and justify punishment.
At Yones’s signal, a priest standing behind him stepped forward, carrying a stack of heavy documents.
“These are records of the atrocities Neubra committed while collaborating with the warlock organization, the ‘Hand of the Void.’ The list of their crimes is extensive—it would take more than a single day to recount them all.”
[How laughable. The same corrupt people drawing lines between each other.]
Russell clicked his tongue in disdain as he eyed Yones.
“Do you have any evidence or witnesses to support these claims?” Lucion asked flatly.
Documents could be fabricated at will—especially in a situation like this, hard evidence was essential.
“Of course. A witness will arrive shortly.”
Yones spoke with such confidence that Lucion had to suppress the laughter threatening to escape.
‘Ah. This is too good.’
He clasped his hands together, gripping them tightly to keep from outright grinning.
[Hahaha! This is priceless!]
Russell burst into laughter, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.
There was no witness.
‘How could there be? The one who responded to Nevast’s secret letter recently… was me.’
The main reason Lucion had agreed to attend this meeting was because of the confession made by the mid-ranking boss of the ‘Hand of the Void’ that he had captured.
“Yes, I received a letter from Nevast.”
Nevast needed war. They needed warlocks. And the ‘Hand of the Void,’ abandoned by Neubra, needed a new patron.
Thus, a letter stamped with Nevast’s official seal had found its way into his hands.
And Lucion had eagerly responded.
Today.
He would be the witness.
“Who is this witness?” he asked, suppressing the amusement creeping into his voice.
“Who do you think would be the most credible witness in this situation?”
Yones’s eyes gleamed as he turned toward Norvion.
“It is none other than the Hand of the Void.”
“…”
Norvion’s face remained impassive. His melancholic expression revealed no hint of emotion.
Lucion felt a pang of disappointment—he had expected at least a flicker of distress.
[How amusing. They set their own trap and walked straight into it.]
Bethel smirked.
“A warlock is coming here?”
Lucion’s eyebrow twitched.
“Yes. The warlock voluntarily approached us, seeking to atone for their sins. Though they walk the path of darkness, we, as followers of the God of Light, do not turn away those who seek redemption.”
“Very well. Then we shall wait until the witness arrives. It would be absurd to debate a crime without an admission of guilt.”
With that, Lucion fell silent and continued examining the documents.
10 minutes.
30 minutes.
1 hour.
Time dragged on, and thick beads of sweat began to form on Yones’s forehead.
His once-confident demeanor was fading fast. Anxiety gnawed at him, his fingers trembling as he chewed at his nails, leaving his fingertips raw and red.
“An hour and ten minutes have passed,” Hume finally announced.
Lucion set the documents down.
“Lord Yones.”
“Y-yes!”
“Are you playing games with us?”
Lucion’s voice rose.
“Or do you find this meeting laughable? If not, are you trying to insult me?”
“N-No, never! That is absolutely not my intention!”
“…Ha.”
Lucion let out a short breath.
“Very well, then. Present additional evidence.”
Tap.
He lightly tapped the table.
‘You can’t. Because if you do, that very evidence will strangle you.’
It was obvious why Nevast had chosen the Hand of the Void as their witness.
They wanted to feign innocence, cloaking themselves in the name of the God of Light while using warlocks as convenient scapegoats.
“J-just… just give me a moment. Please.”
“Yones.”
Norvion, who had kept his eyes closed in silence, finally opened them.
For a fleeting moment, his gaze met Lucion’s.
It was filled with envy… and the crushing despair of a man who had already lost.
The Hand of the Void had vanished.
No doubt, it was the Empire’s doing.
And with that, he had lost.
Completely.
“Did you think so little of the Kingdom of Neubra? You wasted my time for something this ridiculous?”
“Was this Your Majesty’s doing?” Yones shot back defensively.
“You’re the ones playing games. Neutrality? What a joke. I don’t know what sort of schemes you’ve been plotting under that guise, but priests working with warlocks? Do you really call that neutrality? The entire world will mock Nevast for this.”
There were no witnesses.
Only an empty claim of cooperation.
How utterly laughable.
“Enough. Both of you, be silent.”
Lucion had no patience left for their squabbling.
He had no interest in listening to either of them wallow in their own filth.
“I reviewed these documents while we waited. Yes, they detail truly horrific events…”
“Saint…”
“Unfortunately, records without evidence are nothing more than fiction.”
“Saint, please, you must listen to me! This is all the work of that wicked Neubra! Right now, the Kingdom of Neubra is overrun with warlocks, and if this continues—
“I have no intention of wasting any more time. There is no witness. Likewise, there are no testimonies. Surely, this document isn’t the only evidence you have, is it?”
“Well, that is…”
“Lord Yones.”
Even as Lucion pressed him, Yones fell silent.
This had gone horribly wrong.
No—this had ended before it even had a chance to begin.
This couldn’t be happening.
They had prepared thoroughly.
Hadn’t he verified everything before coming here?
Then why?
“You claimed that the Hand of the Void would voluntarily appear, yet they have not. If they truly intended to cooperate, wouldn’t they be here by now? Their absence suggests they do not align with Nevast’s stance—don’t you agree?”
“N-No, they clearly sent us a letter stating they would come.”
“Then where is that letter?”
“The First Servant is holding it.”
Lucion deliberately let out a big sigh in response to Yones’s words.
The man was now completely cornered, his composure slipping. Confusion and mounting pressure would only serve to tighten the noose around his own neck.
“Then let me ask one final time. Are you saying that everything written in this document is true?”
“Yes! It is all true! These events really happened!”
“Then why did you hide it?”
“…What?”
“If this truly happened and Nevast was aware of it, shouldn’t your priority have been to find a solution rather than identifying the perpetrators? As far as I know, Nevast only brought up this incident three weeks ago. That means you must have been aware of it at least a month ago, correct?”
Lucion’s words struck Yones like a hammer.
A weak wall could never block out every sound.
If Yones thought the knights standing nearby couldn’t hear their conversation, he was sorely mistaken.
Even the two priests who served as his guards had visibly stiffened.
“S-Saint, w-we believed that identifying the culprits should come first before resolving the issue—”
“As a Saint, I must question something beyond this case. If these atrocities truly occurred, why did the followers of Light turn a blind eye?”
Lucion’s gaze was as cold as ice as he locked eyes with Yones.
“Answer me. Swear it upon the God of Light.”
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