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Silence prevailed as the audience confronted the impossibly far-fetched scene. Not a single one dared to break the silence by so much as drawing breath. Joshua’s words were just that shocking.
“What… did you say just now?”
“According to Imperial Law—”
“No, that is not what I’m trying to ask. What did you say about His Third Highness? He was… harmed?” Knight Commander Rod couldn’t bring himself to say the word ‘assassinate’.
“That’s right.”
“What nonsense…” Knight Commander Rod muttered in disbelief.
The audience members stared at Knight Commander Rod as if he were pitiful.
“Even if that was true, I know Galahad wouldn’t be able to do it on his own. Do you have any idea who the Third Prince is?” Knight Commander Rod stared Joshua dead in the eyes. “He is the finest swordsman in the entire Empire! I know this because I taught him since he was a boy—and you dare pander such tales to me? Was crushing a man twice your age not enough for you?”
Knight Commander Rod’s eyes were filled with regret. “I haven’t seen him in some time, but I’m certain that the Third Prince is doing well. What exactly do you claim had happened between the Third Prince and his knight, Galahad?”
Joshua’s gaze deepened. “Someone who has never experienced it will never know.”
“What…”
“Someone like you will never know how painful it is to be betrayed…”
Knight Commander Rod stared dumbfounded at Joshua.
“Every day you see him, smiling with a bounce in his step…”
“You…”
“Back then, my friend. My good old friend personally tore my heart out. You will never know that pain…” said Joshua with a melancholic glimmer in his eyes.
“...” Knight Commander Rod stared blankly at Joshua, but he soon started laughing as he exclaimed, “Anyone who didn’t know better might think you’ve experienced a terrible betrayal! You’re not even twenty years old yet… How could you possibly have experienced betrayal?”
Knight Commander Rod shook his head and asked, “Then, let me ask you. Why would he commit treason? What is the reason behind that betrayal? Everyone knows that His Third Highness has no ambition for the throne. Even if he were successfully assassinated, there’s nothing to gain from it, so who would dare to do such a thing?”
Knight Commander Rod’s face flushed in fury as he continued in a somber voice. “I am asking you. Why would he purposely target His Third Highness? Speak up. I’m sure everyone here also wants to know why.”
Knight Commander Rod looked like he wanted to kill Joshua right there and then, but he simply couldn’t do so because there were too many people watching.
Joshua swept his gaze across everyone’s faces and spoke, “You just said it yourself, Knight Commander, sir.”
“Huh?”
“The noblest blood of Avalon is running through the veins of His Third Highness, so he is the most qualified to be the successor of the throne.”
“I’m asking you why!” Knight Commander Rod retorted.
“Political skills… Those things can be learned, but the innate talent for swordsmanship cannot be learned,” replied Joshua.
The realization silenced Knight Commander Rod.
“It doesn’t matter if His Third Highness wants the throne or not. He’s simply too influential to be left alone. You asked me for the motive behind the betrayal, right?”
“Stop…” Knight Commander Rod seemed like he was lost as he said, “I need to know that you’re not making wild guesses here. Provide us with the evidence.”
“I don’t have any…” Joshua responded.
Knight Commander Rod gnashed his teeth furiously and said, “Are you serious?”
“I only heard of it,” added Joshua.
“So you ran your mouth with no proof?” The Knight-Commander’s energy exploded, and the Imperial Knights were quick to draw their swords as well. Their eyes were red with anger, and their rage was strong enough to freeze the air around Joshua.
Just as Joshua was about to speak again, a large figure appeared in front of him.
The figure’s back belonged to someone he couldn’t possibly be more familiar with.
“Cain…”
“Please don’t worry. I just couldn’t hold myself back any longer.”
“You dare?” Knight Commander Rod glared at Cain.
However, Cain simply lifted his sword.
“What are you doing?!” Knight Commander Rod exclaimed.
“I…” Cain met Knight Commander Rod’s cold eyes and fumbled for words. He had a lot of things to say. He was the eldest son of the Harry Family. Duke Agnus himself had trained him to wield the sword. He was a rare A-Class Knight, and even among the A-Class Knights of Avalon, he was at the top.
However, all that wouldn’t be enough…
Finally, Cain made a decision and said, “I am the First Sword of Count Sanders, Cain de Harry, and I am here to protect my master.”
With that being said, Cain mustered his strength. The air itself vibrated as Cain displayed his power. Immediately afterward, Knight Commander Rod was stupefied to see Cain flying toward him while wielding a gigantic sword.
“Aura Blade?” exclaimed one of the knights.
“Unbelievable…!”
“He can already wield Aura Blade? I thought he just reached A-Class. What kind of talent is that? It’s rare that someone who had just become an A-Class Knight can already wield Aura Blade!”
“Count Sanders actually has such a talent next to him?”
The Imperial Knights trembled when they saw Cain’s Aura Blade superimposed over his gigantic sword.
However, the surprise didn’t end there.
“How dare you people point your sword at our battalion commander!”
“11th and 12th Battalion—No, Crevasse Knights, protect our battalion commander!”
Viper exclaimed along with Cazes.
“I’m sorry we’re late,” said Cazes.
“I was going to come right away, but Cazes dragged me away,” Ranger huffed.
“I already knew what was going on, I was just trying to time it right because it will be dangerous not only for us but for the others, too,” Cazes retorted.
“I knew it, you’re not brave enough. You would have been doomed to remain in the lower battalion you were in if it weren’t for our battalion commander,” Ranger said.
“I thought you said I’m good enough? And how dare a pot call the kettle black!”
“When did I say that?”
“You said it when I gave us the name Knight of Two Souls! Isn’t that our name?”
“I’m calling it off! I could’ve come up with a cooler name, for sure.”
“A dumbass like you is actually making fun of me?” Cazes laughed.
Ranger glared at Cazes and exclaimed, “I can do it!”
“Sure, give me a cooler name, then.”
“Knights who will turn even the enemies’ souls into ashes! Ash Soul Knights!”
“Huh.” Cazes paused, impressed by Ranger’s imagination. “Huh?”
“Uh… I mean… Well…”
“Yeah, that does sound cooler,” Cazes finally admitted.
While they were goofing around, the knights of the former 11th and 12th Battalions were building a wall around Joshua.
“How dare they…!” Knight Commander Rod bit his lip so hard that he drew blood.
‘What idiocy are they trying to show His Majesty the Emperor?’
These knights used to live in the same building as him. Not only had Rod failed to prevent the murder from happening right in front of him, but his people had also been divided. There was no greater shame than this.
Knight Commander Rod could no longer ignore it.
“I’m going to cut you all apart myself—”
“Knight Commander, sir, aren’t you forgetting something important?” asked Joshua in a low voice.
“What do you want, you crazy bastard?!”
“There’s no physical evidence, but I think there’s still plenty of proof.”
“Huh?” Rod gave him an angry look.
“Let’s examine the Third Prince—don’t say he’s like…”
Rod’s eyes widened as he realized the meaning behind Joshua’s words.
“Galahad is the Third Prince’s knight. Galahad is here while His Third Highness is nowhere to be seen. Isn’t that enough proof for his transgression?”
“He—”
“Even if I hadn’t killed Galahad, he would have still been punished later on, am I right?”
Knight Commander Rod went quiet as a mouse.
“I’m sure you already know this, but just in case. According to Imperial Law, failure to protect members of the Imperial Family is a crime that warrants the death penalty, especially if the commissioner of the crime is an Imperial Knight.”
Joshua stared right into Knight Commander Rod’s eyes before continuing. “However, it seems that Knight Commander, sir, has been blinded by his personal relationship with Galahad.”
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“...”
“If that doesn’t make it clear, then…”
Joshua quietly glanced toward the nobles and resolved to make a gamble. If his prediction was right, that person was probably hiding up there, too, keeping an eye on the events. All it would take was one word to make them move on their own.
“Galahad would have never thought that he’d die here,” Joshua said with a sparkle in his eyes. “So if you want evidence, I don’t have time to look for evidence. However, I want you to take a look at everything he had done, every place he has been, and every person he talked to. Everything.”
Joshua pointed at Galahad’s corpse and concluded. “Of course, you should take a look at his body, too.”
Joshua didn’t forget to reveal a meaningful smile once he was done speaking. He swept his gaze across the crowd with a look that made it seem like he was omniscient. As always, he was playing the crowd like a fiddle.
Joshua was expecting an agitated outburst, and that was what happened not too long after he was done speaking. Joshua revealed a smirk when it came true. It seemed that his expectations were correct once again.