Chapter 161

Chapter 161. Verbal Abuse

“Are you done speaking?”

Duke Urey’s neck veins bulged.

In his eyes, burning pupils could be seen.

“So you carried out a summary execution right then and there?”

Ferda looked away from Duke Urey and replied.

“I didn’t kill him.”

“Isn’t that different from what you just said?”

“I said he committed a crime worthy of death, but I didn’t say I killed him.”

“Please answer clearly from now on, Regent Ferda.”

Since it was a clearly visible play on words meant to irritate the other, Acad warned him.

Without getting carried away by emotion, he asked Ferda.

“What is that crime worthy of death?”

“Young Master Urey insulted the Great Aspect of Fire and Power, Valdrova.”

At that, the faint critical voices that had been heard died down completely.

Most of those present were people of authority, so it was understandable.

Insulting a dragon is a challenge to authority.

Just as a commoner who challenges a noble is not forgiven, dragons are the same.

No, if anything, they were even more cruel.

They show no mercy in their methods and resolve it by making an example of one to warn a hundred.

Even the gentle and human-friendly Silverwind showed no mercy for the act of insulting a dragon.

That is why they have become a standard that only exists in history books now.

Acad, realizing the gravity of the situation, asked with a slightly trembling voice.

“If he insulted a dragon, is there anyone who can prove it?”

“There is.”

There were two main witnesses.

The dragonspawn, Ruri.

And Malcolm, who casually overheard.

Ruri could not be presented.

She had already turned the imperial capital upside down once as a warning.

If she were to come forward again, she would have to be prepared to completely destroy the Golden Congress.

That is the duty of a dragonspawn reborn through the blood bond.

If she were simply Valdrova’s assistant, she would have done it without hesitation.

But instilling fear while a human village is being built and progressing smoothly causes chaos.

“And Ruri must not do that job.”

The only one she takes responsibility for is Valdrova.

This was something Ferda had to solve.

So there was only one name Ferda could mention.

“I will call Lord Malcolm of Peach Hill as a witness.”

“Is he here now?”

“Yes, he is.”

“Then, please call him.”

Ferda looked behind his seat.

A man who looked like a hillbilly no matter what he wore, and clumsy no matter what he did.

He gestured with his chin for that man to approach.

“Witness, please introduce yourself.”

“I-I am Malcolm of Peach Hill! I-I serve in the territory of Lord Valdrova, no, in the territory of Regent-nim, and b-before I served as an Imperial Court Knight!”

“An Imperial Court Knight… you say?”

The one who threw that question was Oldin Rooster.

He was also one of the Imperial Court Knights.

“Ah, yes! That’s right!”

“How could someone like you become an Imperial Court Knight?”

“Ah, is that what you are asking? I passed the exam!”

“Then, how did a person like you pass?”

“I passed the re-examination.”

“Re-examination…?”

Oldin Rooster’s eyes opened wide.

“Don’t tell me… the one about recovering the imperial flag planted at the peak of the Northern Ice Storm Mountains?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Scratching his head with a bright, innocent smile.

Those who didn’t understand had faces wondering what this was about.

But those who understood could not hide their astonishment.

Among them was Consillus.

“That guy went to a place like that…?”

“What kind of incredible thing did he do?”

“Regent-nim, do you know Lord Gaius?”

As someone who dreamed of being a knight, he knew it well.

A pillar of the Arken Empire, a figure whose exploits were so unreal.

That’s why he was considered a legend and a myth.

“Among the Imperial Court Knights, there is a legend that Lord Gaius planted the imperial flag at the peak of the highest mountain in the world, the Ice Mountains, and returned.”

“Is that so? But what does that have to do with this?”

“Those who fail the Imperial Court Knight exam are given a second chance. The test consists of retrieving the flag from the Ice Mountains using only the provided equipment.”

The peak is covered in clouds, and below the clouds, endless ice storms rage.

For high-level mages, the Ice Storm Mountains are nothing special.

But for those who must honestly climb from the base to the peak using pure physical strength, it is a place like hell.

Before even reaching the halfway point, you are either devoured by monsters or you freeze to death; one of the two.

“It is called a second chance, but in practice, it is no different from telling those without knightly qualities to give up.”

“…That bastard pulled it out?”

“It seems so.”

What was he like when Ferda carried him on his back?

He was nothing but a burden.

If he overcame something made to make people give up, he deserved decent treatment.

“But his pride still wouldn’t allow it.”

Look at him now.

That smiling and clumsy face was closer to a punch than to praise.

“Anyway… if you were ever an Imperial Knight, I believe you know that honor well.”

“Ah, yes! Of course!”

“Then I will ask. This matter could cause great friction between the Empire and other kingdoms. In the worst case, the responsibility could fall not only on you, Lord Malcolm, but also on Regent Ferda.”

Acad’s words, pressing on his shoulders with the mention of responsibility.

It was a trick to make him doubt and retract, even if just a little.

Ferda wasn’t worried about that.

Ferda had asked him something similar once.

How had he responded back then?

“Yes. I heard it clearly.”

Even frightened, he answered clearly.

When one thinks, one becomes scared by those thoughts.

But the man Acad is dealing with is different.

“Since he doesn’t do something called thinking, there is no reason to be afraid.”

Acad asked again, looking at the confident Malcolm.

“Did he specifically point to Archduke Valdrova and say it?”

“Yes. At the time I didn’t know, but it was when Archduke Valdrova and Regent-nim were dancing.”

“Couldn’t he have been looking somewhere else?”

“No. That man was clearly looking there with both eyes.”

“…Do you swear by Alte and state this with certainty?”

“Of course, Alte, but I can also swear on my mother’s name. If you wish, I can right here—.”

Attempting to make a strange gesture with an extremely determined face, Acad stopped him.

Acad finally realized he was dealing with someone he couldn’t communicate with and gave up on pressing him.

“That is enough. Step down, witness.”

“Yes!”

Malcolm stepped down after giving a salute that was knightly in his own way.

For some reason, the blood, sweat, tears, and even the hair of Vernel and the researchers who toiled for Malcolm flashed by.

As if preparing for failure, Acad said this.

“Lord Malcolm’s testimony is effective, but to prove this matter, a more objective person is needed.”

The logic that, since Malcolm is Ferda’s knight, he would naturally try to sacrifice himself for him.

It couldn’t be called forcing an unreasonable argument because many such precedents existed.

“He definitely ordered his own knight to say that!”

Duke Urey shouted with a voice full of malice.

“Since before last winter, Regent Ferda has been building a village. To build a village, commoners are needed to work under it. Regent Ferda has been stealthily gathering all the people of the territory from across the continent to assemble these commoners!”

Hiding his shamelessness within emotion, he turned Ferda into a blatant villain.

Ferda heard those words and still remained motionless.

“I cannot remain silent about that!”

Rebelling against such things was Consillus’s role.

“Those who came to Regent Ferda’s territory are refugees who fled to survive from nobles who took no action even during bad harvests! They kept their mouths shut during the harsh winter, and now that spring has come, they crawl over like this! Do you have no shame!?”

“Count Consillus, request the floor before speaking. I am warning you.”

Consillus, unable to suppress his anger, sat down, and Acad gestured for him to continue.

“I request that Crown Prince Alexander, who knows the internal affairs of the Far East, be called as a witness.”

Just yesterday, a sinner placed under house arrest.

However, only his political activities were restricted; attending as an observer was possible.

He was seated next to Olivia.

When Acad allowed it, Alexander stood up at the witness stand as if he had been waiting.

“I am Crown Prince Alexander. I apologize for standing here again in such a place when disciplinary action was taken just yesterday…”

Contrary to his words, the corners of his mouth looked ready to die of happiness.

He exposed the information he had gathered to frame Ferda, one by one.

“Currently, a village has been formed in the Grand Duchy of Valdrova, and its name is Hestia. Hestia is the name of the woman who guarded the fire in ancient times…”

Alexander dragging out the story with unnecessary history.

Erdes, who had been watching with her chin resting on her hand, raised her hand to request the floor.

“I am not curious about those things, so shall we get to the point?”

It was a rude remark, but there were not a few who sympathized with those words.

“Ah, anyway, the reason Regent Ferda gathered people…”

Showing hesitation as if wondering whether he should say this, he replied.

“I know what kind of words will come out of those dirty lips.”

“I heard that black magic was involved.”

“Black magic?!”

The congress hall went completely into an uproar.

The Empire has the Alteshin Religion as its state religion, and zero tolerance for black magic is the principle.

That applies to nobles without exception.

If suspected of involvement in black magic, one must either donate a huge sum to the Order or receive a token of repentance using divine power.

Of course, Ferda could not do that.

In reality, he uses black magic and cannot give it up.

“The repercussions of using black magic are no small matter. Can you bring that informant as a witness?”

“I cannot say. Given that there could be retaliation after this congress ends, I strongly request that they remain an anonymous informant.”

Acad tilted his head and exchanged opinions about that demand.

Anonymous or not, who would be the one to tell them that?

As far as Ferda knew, it was only Erdes.

“But that’s a bit strange.”

If Erdes had exposed that black magic, she would have done it with her own mouth.

She would not have used that pathetic Alexander as a mouthpiece.

While the most important councilors finished their discussion, Acad reached a conclusion.

“For now, we will accept him as anonymous. Continue speaking.”

“Yes, thank you.”

The kite that Alexander flew rode the air current and soared.

“Regent Ferda’s brutal personality can be known through the reports that have surfaced so far.”

He tapped the heavy documents and exposed Ferda’s track record.

“Before the engagement ceremony, Regent Ferda gathered the nobles of the Far East and began his first speech. At that time, he was not even a regent, just an elected fiancé without authority. Then, he mocked Baron Thesalos Walcher as a mage and executed him summarily right there!”

That must be information delivered by one of the executives of the Far East.

Young Master Urey might be whatever he was, but Thesalos Walcher did not insult a dragon.

“There is an objection to that information. President! Please grant me the floor!”

Consillus jumping from his seat.

Acad allowed it with a nod.

“The summary execution of Baron Thesalos Walcher is certainly hard to accept in noble society, but there are circumstances. It is because he was plotting a major unprecedented incident by attempting to fuse monsters and black magic! If it weren’t for Regent Ferda, it never would have been discovered!”

Alexander retorted without backing down.

“Of course there could be such a plot, but isn’t the causality wrong? If he was a minion of a demon, he should have revealed the before and after first and then executed him!”

“At that time, Regent Ferda was inexperienced in communication. He also couldn’t trust the lords of the Far East, so telling them would have only given Baron Thesalos Walcher a loophole to escape through.”

Ferda felt something subtle in Consillus’s statement, but dismissed the feeling.

The battle of nerves was intense, and Alexander decided to pull out his trump card here.

“It is deeply regrettable that Count Consillus, who has served the Far East longer than anyone, expresses such an opinion. But there is a person who can prove that Regent Ferda is an extremely dangerous person. President, please allow me to call them to the witness stand!”

“Who is it?”

“William Miller.”

I don’t know who Miller is, but I know William.

“Allowed.”

Alexander’s expression brightened as if he had secured the winning move.

When he gave a signal, a man waiting outside the door entered.

Not only Ferda and Duke Urey, but also Consillus knew that man’s face.

“That man… isn’t he the Security Captain of Hestia Village?”

“That’s right.”

“Why is he the Crown Prince’s witness…?”

The first emotion that arose in the chest of Consillus, who did not know the information, was betrayal.

His lord’s knight is a weather vane, so if he had a sword, he would want to cut his neck right now.

Unlike Consillus, who felt betrayal, Ferda was calm.

“He is someone I believe in.”

He had a firm conviction, and believing in that conviction, he seated him as Security Captain.

If I feel betrayal, that means I am also taking that conviction lightly.

So I must believe until the end.

William stood at the podium.