Chapter 266: Always Plenty of Excuses |
James Watson had only just arrived at the Court of the Silver Moon.
Over the past few days, the High Inquisitor had been working through the nights, barely managing to finish up the most urgent matters before his departure.
The death of the Silvermoon Knight had caused far greater repercussions than he had expected. The troops stationed in the orc mountains suffered a severe drop in morale, and at one point, the orcs nearly reclaimed the city.
James Watson had no choice but to dispatch a large number of priests to the frontlines.
Their role wasn't just to assist in battle. More importantly, they were there to stabilize morale.
What reassured him most was news of his son, Allen.
Allen had advanced to legendary rank on the battlefield and become the youngest legendary paladin in the empire's history. The emperor had intended to summon him back for an official investiture, but Allen chose to remain on the frontlines, even skipping the Silvermoon Knight's funeral.
That decision drew widespread criticism.
Though the Silvermoon Knight had never formally taken Allen as a disciple, everyone knew that, in his final days, the old legend had cared for Allen as if he were his own son.
Even James Watson felt his son had acted wrongly, until he learned that the emperor intended to relocate the old general's coffin. At that moment, he understood that Allen had been right not to return.
Later, when the orcs learned of the Silvermoon Knight's passing, they launched several assaults. Each time, Allen charged at the forefront, holding back the fiercest attacks.
The newly ascended young legend displayed terrifying growth on the battlefield. His progress was evident with every report.
In the most recent counteroffensive, the orcs shattered the city's defensive magic array, opening up a massive breach. Allen led troops to hold the gap. He held the line for a full five minutes despite being surrounded by three legendary orcs. Though he was left gravely wounded and near death, he endured long enough for reinforcements to arrive and repair the defensive array.
After that report spread, all criticism of him vanished.
The young man had not betrayed the Silvermoon Knight's teachings. Given time, he might even become the next Silvermoon Knight.
James Watson felt a surge of pride. His once-impulsive and naïve son had finally grown up. He was no longer the boy who had been casually captured by a lich and used as leverage against him.
And yet… from Allen's letters, he could also sense troubling signs.
Allen was deeply disappointed in the Lyon Empire. He remained in the orc mountains to avoid the political entanglements of the capital. He had even begun to consider leaving Lyon altogether to wander the world.
James Watson had intended to speak with his son about this matter, but his plans had been waylaid by the letter from the Court of the Silver Moon that mentioned Arthur Lyon.
Nothing was more important than Arthur Lyon.
James Watson hastily wrapped up his work and rushed to the Court at top speed. He had even set aside concerns about his own son.
He had barely exchanged a few polite words with the two elven kings when Catherine arrived.
Seeing the former elven queen, he hesitated, unsure how to greet her. He had heard fragments of what had happened, but he didn't know the elves' current stance toward her.
It was Hildas Terra who reacted first. "Perfect timing, Catherine. You experienced this personally. Why don't you explain things to him?"
Grateful for the transition, James Watson skipped the formalities and asked directly, "Could you tell me the details regarding His Majesty Arthur Lyon's heroic spirit?"
Catherine hadn't expected to encounter Lyon's High Inquisitor here.
Ambrose's plan had been clear: first have the elves verify Arthur Lyon's identity, then bring in the dragons and Lyon to bid against each other, driving the price of the heroic spirit sky-high in the process.
After returning, Catherine had reported everything to the old elven king. But before even verifying the identity of the heroic spirit, the old man had already informed Lyon of the matter. Wasn't that allowing Lyon more time to prepare?
In the past, Catherine might have done the same. After all, Lyon had been an ally.
But now, she found herself standing on Ambrose's side. In her eyes, the old king had just ruined a lucrative opportunity.
Compared to Lyon, Ambrose felt like the elves' true ally. He had even helped them avert extinction. If Lyon learned this secret, wouldn't they take advantage of it?
Worse, with foreknowledge, might Lyon not send assassins to kill Ambrose and reclaim Arthur Lyon's spirit?
Caught in a dilemma, Catherine hesitated. Instead, the young king Alderien spoke up. "Catherine, you don't look well. Perhaps you should rest first. We can discuss this later."
She looked at him in surprise. Not only had he seen through her hesitation, he was helping her.
Hildas frowned. Though he didn't understand his grandson's sudden opposition, Alderien was now king. In front of outsiders, he had to respect at least that.
Reluctantly, he said to James Watson, "Please wait for a moment. We'll continue this discussion after Catherine has had a chance to rest."
James Watson could sense something was off. The atmosphere between the three generations of elven leaders was… strange. No matter how anxious he felt, he could only excuse himself for now.
Once the outsider left, Hildas could no longer hold back. "What nonsense are you spouting now? The longer we delay this, the more complications will arise! Do you even understand how important this is to Lyon?"
Alderien didn't answer immediately. Instead, he personally brought Catherine a chair and ensured she was seated comfortably before turning to his grandfather. "Grandfather, didn't you see that Catherine doesn't want to speak? Are you going to force her to do so for the sake of an outsider?"
Hildas snapped, "You are the king of the elves now, not that boy who once followed her around all day! Can't you tell what matters more? You lose all reason whenever it concerns Catherine. How can I entrust the elves to you?"
Catherine felt deeply uncomfortable. This wasn't the first time the Terra household had argued because of her.
She spoke up. "Alderien, don't make foolish decisions because of me. Your grandfather is right. You're the king now. You must think of the elves as a whole."
The young king smiled warmly at her. "Don't worry, Catherine. I'm doing this for the elves."
He turned serious as he faced his grandfather. "I don't believe handing Arthur Lyon's spirit to Lyon is a good idea. Grandfather, what benefit does that bring us?"
Hildas replied, still angry, "At the very least, it does no harm. Lyon is our ally! Shouldn't we help our allies?"
Alderien chuckled. "I know you were close to that holy king of Lyon. I know that you don't want his spirit in the hands of a lich, that you want him to return to his empire. But Lyon is no longer the Lyon you remember. How long will you keep deceiving yourself?"
Hildas fell silent.
Seeing this, Alderien pressed on. "Can Lyon still truly be called our ally? Can you guarantee their emperor isn't already planning to wipe out the Court of the Silver Moon? Who is it that's letting emotion cloud judgment? We should use this opportunity to give our weakened people time to recover. That is what a king should do."
Hildas couldn't refute him.
He had lived since the age of dragons. He had witnessed Lyon's founding and its transformation. Of course he knew it was no longer the same. But emotions were not so easily discarded.
That empire had been founded by his brother-in-arms, the culmination of a lifetime of effort, the brightest, most glorious kingdom on the continent.
Old age made one nostalgic. Alderien had a point. His own judgment had indeed been clouded.
But just as he was about to admit it, he saw Alderien turn back to Catherine with a bright smile.
"Don't worry, Catherine. I won't let you suffer even the slightest grievance. Lyon means nothing. If you don't want to speak, I'll just throw that old man out!"
Hildas roared, "You just made all that up on the spot, didn't you?!"
Alderien coughed awkwardly. His grandfather knew him too well—those arguments had been improvised. If Catherine hadn't minded, he might have gone along with Hildas.
But she did mind, so of course he would stand with her.
There were no absolute rights or wrongs in politics, only arguments one way or another. If he wanted to, he could justify acting in favor of either side.
Supporting Lyon would earn goodwill with James Watson and strengthen ties with the empire.
On the flip side, the return of Arthur Lyon's heroic spirit might cause a schism in the royal family and destabilize the Lyon empire, weakening a potential ally.
Either way, it was just a matter of words.
From a young age, Alderien had understood that politics was like dough, able to be kneaded into any shape.
Unlike other rulers, he disliked grand theories and vague ideals. He preferred practical, tangible matters.
His nature stemmed from his upbringing. His parents were Twilight Wardens, adventurers who had even given birth to him on the road.
He had grown up among scheming adventurers, witnessing the raw realities of ordinary life. To him, what truly shaped a nation wasn't lofty ideals, but rather the fine details of governance.
During Catherine's reign, every policy he crafted was based on field research and direct observation, adjusted for each city's unique conditions.
He spent decades studying the lives of elves from birth to death in an attempt to improve labor conditions and reduce work hours, to increase productivity and lower costs, and to promote social welfare.
The result of all that careful societal optimization? The elves started having children again. That alone was a historic achievement.
Alderien might dislike hollow political rhetoric, but that didn't mean he couldn't use it.
After all, reality wasn't determined by arguments, but by power.
The Court of the Silver Moon was currently severely weakened. Half its population remained sealed and unable to fight, a problem that would persist for centuries.
Restoring national strength was his only priority. Arthur Lyon's heroic spirit was irrelevant.
The feelings of those close to him were far more of a priority.
His grandfather's feelings outweighed policy, and Catherine's feelings outweighed his grandfather's. The decision was simple.
Alderien spoke firmly. "Catherine, this is your call. Do whatever you want. I'll handle the fallout."
Catherine hadn't expected the decision to fall to her. After everything she had been through, she no longer trusted herself with matters of state. After a long hesitation, she murmured, "…Perhaps I should ask that lich."
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