The courtroom grew louder, some mocking Leor, some angry over the death of a noble at the hands of a commoner, some feeling fear from the immense pressure escaping from him.
A young yet tall and muscular boy entered the courtroom, closely held by two guards wearing silver armour and helmets.
He was handcuffed, his long brown hair covering his eyes completely, yet it couldn't hide the golden pupils wearing a fierce expression.
Johan met his eyes. Leor's lips curled in a smile, making Johan frown.
The fuck? No, no, probably smiling towards Selene… this bastard!! He gave the blushing Selene a sharp look, making her school her expression.
Suddenly, a long iron pole appeared at the front edge of the center podium—a small empty gap at the pole's lower edge. The guards instantly attached the handcuffs to that gap, which fitted perfectly.
Leor was now sitting on his butt, his back leaning on the thick pole. He extended his legs, sitting in a comfortable position, making everyone in the parliament frown in anger.
All seven seats were now filled. At Johan's right side was a red-haired man in his forties, his eyes scanning everything like a hawk.
Sir Christopher Von Fitzgerald, uncle of the King, a retired divine knight… maybe the kindest character in the whole game. Obviously a powerhouse, thought Johan, feeling an ache in his heart remembering his backstory.
His eyes turned towards the smiling man on his left, who said to the knights standing beside Leor in a dangerously low voice, "Be careful. If Leor is harmed…"
The knights immediately frowned, walking away carefully so as not to offend the black-haired man. Dr. Victor Blane. He's simping over Leor even more than my daughter—if that was possible. Just fuck already.
"I wouldn't allow bloodshed in the courtroom watched by the Goddess…" A man with long golden hair reaching to his neck smiled dangerously toward Victor.
Which was just him messing with Victor—as if a fight were to break out, he would be the first to kill.
His hands clenched in a praying motion as he raised an eye. Victor felt an immense pressure fall over him, but he endured it with a trembling smile.
Leader of the nine cardinals of the Church of Ymir, also the Pope. His strength is close to, if not above, Sebastian, thought Johan, feeling a chill in his spine.
"Now, now, we are all adults, no need to fight." A frail-looking black-haired man spoke, his tone soft. He was the Minister of Intelligence, Paul D. Nora.
They can all sense the weirdness of today's hearing, acting very cautiously. But 'Johan' acted stupidly arrogant here—not even bringing Sebastian with him.
How overconfident do you have to be to come into a room filled with these monsters alone? Johan thought, shaking his head.
It's like a puppy sitting in a den of lions. Even if they're not hungry, they can still kill you on a whim, Johan sighed.
"As we all know, an Aether core is limited to people with royal blood. The rest can only either master sorcery or swordsmanship—not Aether. No matter how hard they try, they don't have it in their genetics. It's impossible."
The sophisticated announcer spoke again, his voice emotionless and clear.
To which everyone—be it people on the seven seats or the merchants in the upper seats—nodded.
The announcer continued, rubbing his beard while sending a glance towards Selene, making Johan instinctively frown.
"We learned from some investigation that the genetics of commoners can be modified—"
Boom!
Everyone's eyes widened to the limit, including Johan's. How do they know this?? It's impossible to learn this now… it was revealed in Chapter 17.
Leonard and Radhaan's smiles turned into grins, their expressions cold.
"By spending time near a royal-blooded individual, the commoner DNA is overwritten by the superior aura coming from a noble." Every noble stared toward Johan and Selene.
It was common knowledge that Selene had something going on with Leor.
Their gazes grew heavy—some with anger, some with shock, and some with pity for Johan.
Selene was almost on the verge of tears from the sharp stares. It was like she was bathing and the whole city walked in on her.
"But that Aether core means nothing. It's impure and ugly. The Goddess wouldn't allow something so ugly to exist." Radhaan frowned, hearing Astreus's words, who spoke firmly, making his stance clear.
"But this explains how he achieved the Aether core. He didn't conspire with the Midgard Empire and use their evil technology… he's Innocent!" Victor cut off Astreus, defending Leor instinctively.
What the hell is going on? It's completely different than anything in the game… In the best outcome, Victor provides proof that Leor also has royal blood in him. When Johan acts impatiently, he's killed. Johan's body trembled, getting more confused by the second.
Is this a hidden ending? Then who activated it—weren't I the 'player'? Johan's stomach twisted with this thought.
Tham!
A blue-haired man wearing a long fur overcoat over a silver robe jumped down onto the center podium. Purple veins pounded on his forehead. The man instantly grabbed the neck of Leor, comfortably sitting on the ground.
All the men sitting on the center podium naturally frowned. Selene almost rushed in to beat the new face, if not for Olivia grabbing her.
Leor just smiled calmly, infuriating the man even more than he already was.
"He killed my son!!" His voice came as a cracking roar, silencing everyone—even Victor, who was about to attack.
"What're you doing? Don't do anything stupid. Otherwise, we will need to use force, Erwin!" Radhaan sighed annoyingly, moving his right hand as if asking him to stay calm.
Radhaan gave a look to Astreus, who sat calmly as if enjoying a play. Wasn't he saying no bloodshed?
"We will definitely give your son justice. I can understand your pain, but no need to act hastily, Erwin.
You're a divine general, not a child who can act on whims!" Leonard spoke, clutching the throne's side, his eyes growing worried as if his own son were the one in trouble.
"Haha, do you take me for an idiot? You've already decided to let him go, didn't you? This hearing is just a formality, and I'm not that naive to not understand that justice isn't real!" Erwin's voice boomed against their ears.
No one refuted him, as they all could sense something was wrong with the King's behavior towards the young boy.
Leonard frowned, his slightly panicked gaze turning to Radhaan—
"I will crush his neck if you move!" Erwin yelled loudly, and Victor worriedly looked at the King, as if begging him to do something.
"Calm down."
Suddenly, Erwin's muscles trembled violently. An immense pressure fell on him, as if the world became hundreds of thousands of times heavier. It was more overwhelming than anything he'd ever felt.
He could still stand, but his grip involuntarily loosened on Leor.
It was enough for Radhaan; he instantly disappeared.
The next second, he appeared back—but this time with a kneeling Leor in his right hand.
Erwin finally shook off the pressure by releasing his aura, panting roughly.
His angry gaze looked up, searching for the man who ambushed him. His eyes instantly widened to the limit.
It was a frail-looking old white-haired man, with a sharp white beard and moustache, his aura almost equal to his—wearing a butler's uniform?
"Good call," Radhaan said, his voice half-dazed, half-surprised.