Chapter 375
Fox Speech
Hearing Eivass’s words, Captain Camus was startled. He wasn’t a fool. After receiving the crucial information from Eivass, he understood everything in an instant.
“So that’s how it is—” he first felt regret, then enlightenment. “No wonder I didn’t run into anyone when I went home that day… I was feeling very guilty then, afraid of being seen and questioned. Now I realize, he must have wanted me to deliver the documents home, and that’s why he took everyone away!”
“You are also to blame, Captain Camus,” Eivass replied calmly, glancing at him. “Although you were framed, you were the one who took the items yourself. No one induced you, nor were you influenced by any extraordinary power—or rather, the reason you were framed is because this bad habit of yours was known.”
“…Yes, I know. I’m very sorry, it was… it was my carelessness.” Camus’s face was filled with remorse. At this moment, he was genuinely regretful for his actions.
“But…” Camus hesitated, a hint of worry in his voice.
“But what?” Eivass countered.
“The source of the information…” Camus stammered. “You might not know… information obtained through divination, rituals, and prophecies cannot be used as evidence in court. Just like information obtained during a promotion ritual in the Dream Realm cannot be verified. Because these things can be tampered with and aren’t absolutely precise. Facts can also be distorted through editing… so even if you’ve found out this was done by the Naval Minister, if we don’t find that letter for sure…”
…it would be impossible to prove that the Naval Minister sent someone to steal the letter.
“If the letter cannot be recovered, it’s as good as lost. What’s the problem with that? I think it’s very fair,” Eivass said with a stern expression and a cold attitude. “The rest is not my job, Captain. I am only responsible for confirming the scene and investigating information. I have already clarified who has that letter—are you asking me to do everything for you?”
“Of course not, of course not…” Captain Camus apologized repeatedly. However, hearing that the letter was in the hands of his superior’s superior, he felt only distress and helplessness. After all, he was just a captain. And what he had to do now was to impeach the Admiral who framed him, without any evidence, and with the only evidence possibly being destroyed at any moment. This put an immense pressure on him, bordering on despair.
He hesitated for a moment, then respectfully saluted Eivass in a naval manner. “Thank you very much, Minister Moriarty. Regardless of how this matter eventually turns out…”
“—Regardless of how it turns out?” Eivass interrupted his disheartened words. His voice rose slightly, his gaze sharp, and his words incisive. “Captain Camus, are you still a soldier loyal to Her Majesty the Queen? Are you willing to accept false accusations from others like this? Are you willing to become a blade held by conspirators, aimed at Her Majesty’s back? —Your only path is victory, soldier! You have no room to retreat!”
“Yes, Minister!” Captain Camus instinctively straightened his chest and raised his head, responding loudly.
“Then are you willing to make a sacrifice for Her Majesty?” Eivass questioned sharply.
“It would be my honor, Minister!” Captain Camus replied without hesitation.
“Are you willing to fight for the justice and righteousness of this world until the very end?”
“It is my duty, Minister!”
“Then finally, Captain…” Eivass paused slightly. He gripped a thick book in his right hand. Then he raised his left hand, displaying the back of his hand to Captain Camus. A silvery white scale gradually appeared.
Camus’s eyes widened. Although he was not an extraordinary individual of the Path of Authority, he immediately guessed what it was. Recognition from the Silver Crown Dragon! It was impossible for anyone to dare forge such a proof!
At this moment, Eivass was radiating a warm holy light, easily illuminating the entire room. It even made Camus feel as if his fatigue and stiff muscles were being healed.
“—Are you willing, under the gaze of the Crown Lord, to join me in punishing the oath-breaking sinner?” Eivass’s voice was majestic and solemn. That was Eivass’s attribute, bestowed by the Silver Crown Dragon, “Silver Scale,” which allowed Eivass to gain priority when attacking any oath-breaker.
Captain Camus knelt down on one knee without hesitation, bowed his head, and said with the highest form of respect and utmost deference, “I am willing to fight until I die—”
Eivass looked down at Captain Camus, who was ten years his senior, and a slight smile curved his lips. He gently stroked Captain Camus’s hair with his left hand as a sign of approval.
“I will not grant you anything. For that is the prerogative of Her Majesty in the future…” Eivass lowered his head slightly and said slowly. “But if you can bravely fight to the end under the gaze of the Crown Lord… I will put in a good word for you before Isabel. You know, if these traitors are purged, many ‘Minister’ positions will become vacant…” Eivass’s voice became extremely quiet at this point, like a charming fox. “Many, many.”
A chord was struck within Camus’s heart. Eivass’s words were both encouragement and a threat; they shocked and astounded him, yet simultaneously made his blood boil with desire. If he didn’t care about his career at all, he wouldn’t have sought out Edward. And as a hunter on the Path of Adaptation, according to Avalon’s rules… he would never enter the Round Table Hall. Although these paths had become legal, they were still discriminated against. The Round Table Hall was almost entirely comprised of knights from the Path of Authority; there weren’t even any from the Path of Balance, let alone the Path of Adaptation. The Path of Devotion members were only auxiliary members as “Spiritual Councilors.”
Why didn’t he like working in the office? One of the main reasons was that a “hunter’s” body was far less robust than those knights’, and simply couldn’t support armor! Even a second-tier Supervisor could wear armor and move around all day, but a third-tier hunter, sitting upright in armor for a whole day, would have back pain. Hunters were considered lucky; if his profession were an Assassin, he wouldn’t even be able to wear such heavy armor, let alone fight in it.
But if it were a rule that all official extraordinary individuals had to wear armor while working… then the Law Masters, who were also on the Path of Authority, didn’t need to wear armor at all. Although there was no legal discrimination, discrimination still existed in the details. For example, formal jobs on Glass Island required having a residence on Glass Island. This forced outsiders to only find work in the Lloyd District, where housing prices were the lowest.
Eivass’s promise at this moment made Camus’s throat feel dry. These were positions he could never aspire to under normal circumstances.
“…For Her Majesty,” Camus murmured vaguely, not specifying which Majesty. “I will give my all.” When he said this, he wasn’t particularly passionate or forceful. In fact, it was a quiet whisper… Yet this seemingly light statement carried immense weight, for it was filled with sincerity.
“Good child,” Eivass patted his head, his lips curving into a slight smile, and said softly and gravely, “The Crown Lord is watching you.”
The Naval Minister’s actions undoubtedly constituted treason against the royal family. Or rather, they were simply too hasty. They swore allegiance to the royal family, but primarily to the Queen. At Sophia’s funeral, as Minister of Palace Affairs, Mycroft would have to break his white cane, signifying the end of his lifelong allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen. Other ministers would also have to destroy the tokens of power bestowed upon them by Queen Sophia during the funeral. Only after they re-swore their allegiance and were re-granted tokens by Isabel would their oaths of loyalty be reinstated.
If the Queen were dead, then before they re-swore their allegiance to Isabel, such actions would not be considered a breach of oath. However, Sophia was not yet dead. It could only be said that the timing was so perfect that they couldn’t help themselves. If they had made their move after the funeral, the “Silver Scale” would not have lit up at all.
Two key reasons they dared to openly break their oaths were “Meg’s suspected death” and “Isabel’s lack of adaptability on the Path of Authority.” Therefore, no one could directly use the power of authority to arbitrate against them. No one paid much attention to that young girl named Lixia. Although she was closely related to Meg and favored by the Silver Crown Dragon—even so, how strong could she be? Even fourth-tier extraordinary individuals on the Path of Authority couldn’t sense her path level! However, extraordinary individuals on the Transcendent Path could sense her third-tier Transcendent Path profession level. Could it be that in addition to having a third-tier Transcendent Path profession, she also had a fourth-tier Path of Authority level? If she were truly that strong, why had she never used any of her powers after succeeding to the position of Grand Arbitrator, or even appeared before anyone else?
Therefore, although they acted a little earlier, they were not too panicked. After all, Her Majesty the Queen couldn’t get out of bed, put on her crown, and raise her scepter to punish them. If the Queen summoned them, they could just make an excuse to not go—punishment had to be delivered face-to-face, could the Queen leave the Silver and Tin Hall to punish them at their homes? At worst, they could play hide-and-seek. They would outlast them. Eivass didn’t even need to investigate to know that was what they were surely thinking. Compared to Meg’s era, their current schemes were much more casual and less concealed. Clearly, they weren’t that afraid of Queen Sophia. After all, Queen Sophia had never truly used her power of punishment—but they were very afraid of Meg, because Meg would really kill.
Eivass’s lips curved upward, revealing a foxy smile. Next, according to his plan, he would “be kidnapped by Alistair to the Naval Minister’s residence.” And Lixia would “rescue him.” Now, let them remember. Meg has not yet left—
Update complete, meow! Requesting votes at the end of the month, they’ll expire if you don’t vote soon~
