The employee handed over the documents and a pendrive before exiting the room. The door clicked shut behind her, and all eyes shifted back to the President.
"Alright, let's start today's meeting." The President tapped the stack of documents against the table, straightening them.
"Can we skip the formalities and get to the main point?" Luv cut in.
The President's jaw clenched. "I haven't even started the formalities or introductions," he said slowly, irritation lacing his tone. "But fine." His gaze flicked to Oz, who was already watching him. Their eyes met, neither looking away. "Let's start with Meryt's case, shall we?"
Oz nodded, his voice crisp and professional. "For those unfamiliar, the Meryt case refers to the massive explosions in Onis City, Zenith—an event that wiped the entire city off the map." He paused briefly, his eyes flickering with something unreadable before continuing. "Meryt Shade, the Tiger Splinter, a resident of Skirmish, and more importantly—" Another pause. "She operates under the orders of the Seven Whales of Skirmish."
"Oh?" Luv's lips curled into a grin. "Even I didn't know that."
"So what's the urgency?" Theo Varyon asked impatiently, tapping his ancient staff against the floor. His usual stoic face showed mild irritation.
"The casualties in Onis City amounted to… one."
Silence. Then, a collective flicker of surprise rippled through the room. Oz scanned their faces before continuing. "The remaining 500,000 were found at Luminous Harbour—safely teleported before the disaster. All thanks to Meryt's magic. She saved everyone. Everyone… except for one."
"As expected from a Splinter," Theo Varyon scoffed, thumping his fist against the table. His lips curled in satisfaction. "If only all Splinters were like her, instead of the trash picked from Grey Quartz." He shot the President a mocking gaze, his grin widening.
The President ignored him, his focus solely on Oz. Meanwhile, Kai's expression darkened. His gaze locked onto Theo, sharp as daggers.
Theo noticed. His eyes narrowed. "What? Got something to say?"
Kai's lips curled slightly. "Nothing." He turned away, dismissing him.
Oz cleared his throat, snapping attention back to the discussion. "The one casualty in this disaster—Thalia Verelith. Twenty-five years old. A cooking teacher. Owned her own bakery—"
Theo's patience snapped. "Why the hell are we discussing this? And why does her profession matter?" His gaze swung toward the President, burning with fury. "Why is a civilian's death being discussed in a world conference? A single casualty should be the least of our concerns."
The President didn't even glance up. "I understand your concern," he muttered, flipping through the documents as if Theo's words barely registered. "But Miss Thalia's case is… different. If you recall Kaia Verelith from our last meeting—Thalia was her sister. And this death…" His voice trailed off.
"Was intentional," Oz finished.
Theo's expression twisted in frustration. "So what? There was a casualty. Meryt might have missed one. What's the big deal? The death of a mana-less human means nothing. Did I waste my time coming here just to hear about a powerless sister duo?"
The air shifted.
"Hey, you." Luv's voice was sharper than usual, weighted with something heavier.
Theo's head snapped toward him. His eyes widened in outrage. "Did you just address me as… you?"
"Pfft." Uriel stifled a chuckle behind her glasses.
"Yes, bastard you." Luv's brows furrowed as he leaned forward, his glare cutting. "Mind shutting your damn mouth and letting the others speak?"
Theo's chair scraped against the floor as he stood abruptly. "Are you picking a fight, kid?" His voice dripped with condescension. "I mastered high-class magic before you were even born!"
"And yet, you still have no brain despite all that experience."
"You—!" Theo's blood boiled, magic crackling at his fingertips as he stood up.
"Everyone…" The President's voice cut through the tension, silencing the brewing storm. "Maintain decorum, please."
Theo sank back into his seat, his expression still twisted with irritation. Oz gave a small nod before continuing.
"It was impossible for Meryt to have 'missed' just one person if she teleported everyone. The reason? When we investigated the area where she cast the spell, traces of teleportation magic were everywhere—except for one spot. A location saturated with mana, indicating the epicenter of the spell. The strange part? That very spot was right next to Thalia's building. And yet, her body was found beneath the debris of her own home."
A heavy silence filled the room.
The President leaned forward, his voice steady but weighted. "The site of the magic was clearly around her house. If people hidden in the farthest corners of the city were saved, how was Thalia Verelith—who was practically at the center—left behind?" His eyes swept across the table. "The answer is simple. It was intentional."
He turned to Qin, who had been silent until now, her hands clasped together in deep thought. At the mention of her name, her gaze slowly lifted to meet his.
"Lady Qin," the President addressed her, his tone careful. "Kaia is a member of Apostle. While we are grateful to Meryt for saving the city, the fact remains—this one exception defies logic. There is no known reason for Meryt to have targeted Thalia. They had never met before. How did she even know about the explosions in advance? The Whales will refuse to answer our questions, and we cannot challenge them directly. That's why we request the Ethereal Court's involvement—to ensure that Meryt answers at least the questions surrounding her actions."
A slow, bright smile spread across Qin's face. She leaned in, her sudden closeness making the President flinch slightly.
"This case is quite… interesting to me as well." Her voice dripped with intrigue. "I will personally discuss this with the other juries and arrange a trial against Meryt. Of course, given her actions, we may not punish her—but at the very least, some of your answers will be found."
The President exhaled, nodding. "That's reassuring. Apostle deeply appreciates your assistance."
"Tch." Theo scoffed under his breath. "Why involve the Ethereal Court over a minor mishap?"
Qin's gaze snapped to him, sharp as a blade.
"Theo, my child."
Luv choked back a laugh. Child? Please. She looks like she could be his daughter. What a joke.
"The case involves a Splinter." Qin's tone grew colder. "And that alone makes it relevant. This could reveal personal motives within the Splinters—or even deeper connections we've yet to uncover. Suspect Meryt might have her own agenda… perhaps even a vendetta against Kaia Verelith. And let's not forget—Kaia is an immortal without magic. A phenomenon we've never encountered before. If there's more to this than meets the eye, we must investigate."
Theo clicked his tongue in annoyance but said nothing.
Qin turned her attention to Saurav, her smirk barely concealed. "Do you trust my words, President?"
Saurav hesitated for a fraction of a second before nodding. "I trust Lady Qin's judgment. No further assurances are necessary." He straightened in his chair. "Now, moving on to the next case—"
"Wait, wait!" Uriel's lips curled into a smirk, mischief glinting in her eyes. "Before that… can we please talk about Ananya's case? We'd all love to hear about the, ah… gossip—I mean, the scenario."
Saurav's eye twitched. "Y-Yes… sure…"