Supreme Magus

Chapter 4369: Awakened Justice (Part 1)

”Raise your hands if the words I’ve just used don’t describe your current relationship with the magical beasts who reside in your fiefs.” The King still forced the nobles to kneel and remain silent, freeing only their right arm from the gravity array’s restraint.

Only a few nobles, like the representatives of the Distar, Ernas, Lark, and Wyalon households, raised their hands.

”My point exactly.” Meron continued. ”Magus Verhen, instead, befriended a magical beast when he was a kid. That friendship brought him to get acquainted with the Kings of the Woods and earn their respect.

”Even as a boy, he showed more wisdom and foresight than most of you. Magus Verhen taught the spells he had learned as a self-taught mage to the magical beasts, healed the sick or injured members of the various clans, and gave them food to survive the harsh winters.

”Once he became a mage and a Forgemaster, he also gifted them weapons and equipment.” Meron had no idea that the Ry the reports talked about was Protector. ”Yes, you heard that right.”

The silencing array couldn’t stop the nobles from looking at their King with utter disbelief.

”Someone as stingy as Magus Verhen gifted the artifacts he Forgemastered to a bunch of creatures of whom he probably doesn’t even remember the name. He did it to ensure that the magical beasts had the means to protect their turf, which includes his home.

”As you all know, once an artifact is imprinted, it’s as good as lost. You can’t recover it until its current owner is dead. It’s the reason so many of you equip your honor guards with alchemical tools and cheap armor.

”Because you can’t be certain that after imprinting their gear, your soldiers won’t quit their jobs and make that equipment useless for decades. Verhen had the same problem with the beasts.

”He couldn’t be certain they would use their equipment as he intended or that they wouldn’t retreat into the deep of the woods, never to be seen again. Yet he gave them the best he had anyway.

”Does it really come as a surprise to you that generosity can inspire gratitude? That by ensuring the survival of the magical beasts, Magus Verhen earned their loyalty? You call it a personal army, but I call it returning the favor.

”As for those of you who claim that Magus Verhen violated the laws of the academies, where is the proof he taught the Kings of the Woods anything? How can you prove in a court of law that it wasn’t Ryman Fastarrow, Lady Faluel’s apprentice, if not Lady Faluel herself?

”Emperor Beasts have always possessed a magical knowledge that rivals our own and, unlike us, they make no secret of it. How can you be so certain it wasn’t one of them to teach high tier magic to the Kings of the Woods?”

Once again, no hand was raised.

The Royal Court knew of the Skoll’s existence since the incident in Zantia. Lady Tyris had praised him back then, and he had kept accumulating merits over the years. The convened nobles had nothing on him but reports of his meritorious acts.

The Royal Court also knew of Faluel as the Awakened Lord of the Distar Region for the beast faction. She had an excellent track record, a good business relationship with the current Royals, and the habit of eating those who disturbed her work without a good reason.

Questioning her about who she took as an apprentice and why was the shortest path to a tour of her digestive system.

”Don’t worry, Marchioness Xebas, we haven’t forgotten about the point you so cleverly raised.” The Queen said. ”Magus Verhen is indeed an Awakened, and he has an unfair advantage over all of you. Over all of us.”

Meron had explained to Sylpha how he had managed to Awaken to the best of his abilities, but she had yet to succeed. The mana flow of her powerful bright violet core blinded her senses to the world energy, and unlike Meron, she hadn’t reached enlightenment.

”That, however, is not a problem that falls under the purview of this Court. Awakened have existed long before our Kingdom was established, and they would have never revealed their presence among us if not for Thrud’s invasion.

”The War of the Griffons forced the Awakened Council to step into the light to ensure our survival and the defeat of the Mad Queen. As part of our treaty, the Awakened Council gave up on their secrecy, but not its authority.

”The Kingdom agreed to submit to the Council’s laws regarding the Awakened society and not question its methods. The Awakened Council kept us safe for millennia, and we trust it to keep up its good work.

”For this reason, we have summoned here Raagu Drerian, the Human Representative. She will clear all your doubts about the Verhen family being a proper magical bloodline or not. Representative Drerian.”

Raagu appeared in a blur, as if calling her name had conjured her presence. She had simply walked from a side room too fast for human eyes to follow her.

She looked like a woman in her late fifties, barely 1.6 meters (5’3”) tall with a frame thin enough that a casual onlooker would have been worried that a sudden gust of wind might blow her away.

Her long black hair had partially turned silvery-white and was held up in a chignon. She had delicate features, but her expression was devoid of any warmth. Her eyes studied the small crowd of nobles before her like a judge ready to pass her verdict.

”Thanks for calling me, Your Majesty.” Raagu gave a slight bow to the Royals, standing as their equal instead of kneeling as one of their subjects. ”I’ll gladly take care of this issue for you.”

Then, she turned towards the noble audience again.

”I’ve listened to everything you said, so there is no need for you to repeat yourselves. You are right only about one thing. We have a problem, and it’s my duty to deal with it once and for all.”

The members of the noble audience found themselves covered in a cold sweat. The Human Representative used Xebas’ same words and expressed the same sentiment.

”Let me be crystal clear with you, this is not a discussion. The man you call Magus Verhen is a member of my Council, a powerful Divine Beast, and the holder of the secret of human evolution.

”I don’t care one bit if he Awakens the members of his family. They possess part of his powers, and each one of them might one day start their own bloodline. They are priceless assets for the Council, if not even my future in-laws.”

Raagu had briefly visited Lith after the kidnapping attempt to confirm with her own eyes the rumors surrounding Aran’s and Leria’s Awakening. It had taken her only a glance to notice that they each had a unique breathing rhythm.

She had realized back then that the kids were self-Awakened, but she had no intention to share such knowledge with the members of the Royal Court.

It would only create more competition for her descendants when the Verhen kids became of age and marriage arrangements could be discussed.