THE LAST KEEPER

Chapter 150: 150. THE CHAMBER HEARING II

The ten school council was not without pride of its own, and they did not shift when the attention fell on them, especially at senraki. One of the Ten School Councilors adjusted his robes and spoke calmly.

”General Felunka, this is an academy investigation. And according to what you reported, the first warrior was killed with an arrow. How could he have been in two places at the same time? Maybe you should let the council of ten schools handle this,” he said, looking stiff and unfazed. The General turned on him immediately, his rage evident.

”This is a military matter now!” His voice rose. ”Your student has killed soldiers of the state of Tagayia.” Murmurs rippled across the council seats.

”Yet you have no evidence that makes him the murderer. Or perhaps you are so incompetent to run this place,” the head of the ten schools council said through the tension. The Guild elder tapped his cane once.

Tok.

Tok.

Tok.

”I must admit,” he said mildly, ”the guild finds this entire situation... troubling.” His thin smile suggested the opposite. The cunning fox had already thrown what was supposed to remain secret to get the upper hand, yet appeared neutral at the same time. ”A cadet strong enough to kill warriors above his rank. Assassins infiltrate the academy to capture him. Now another dead soldier.” He looked at his fellow wizened geezers, and they all nodded and pulled at their beards

”Perhaps the academy has been hiding something from the rest of us.” Another on the warriors guild council said. ”The principal already refused to give us the boy to interrogate. Where had an aged student of such skill hidden? Even his joining the academy is suspicious.” The accusation landed exactly as intended. Several ten school council members stiffened.

”Why don’t you all cut to the chase. You clearly don’t have evidence that the boy killed anyone, yet you want him to be the perpetrator. This looks like a setup to me. Perhaps it is the war council and the warriors’ guild that are hiding something.” Senraki spoke for the first time, and his words spiralled the tension yet again.

”Enough,” the head of the warrior’s guild said, his lips twitching. His whole council clearly hated being accused, and the war council shared the sentiment. The chamber fell still.

Senraki looked quite intimidating. Even though he was sitting at the edge of the Ten Schools Council, his presence dwarfed most of them. Sagiri had always known the man carried a black aura as if he carried a storm within. The lion crest of Galka War Academy etched into the metal on his chest looked even more intimidating. Salka looked bored, as if he would rather a fight broke out so he could break a few bones than just exchange words. Senraki’s eyes moved from the General to the warrior’s guild council elder before he finally spoke.

”Let us remove the theater. I didn’t travel all the way here to be told baseless accusations about my student. This chamber requires evidence. So shall we begin?” Senraki said in a cold voice that was way beyond his years.

”By all means, Marshal.” The Guild elder smiled faintly.

”I will cut to the chase. I want custody of the boy until this situation is cleared up.” The General leaned forward, seething. Several council members immediately erupted.

”You will do no such thing!” the elder of the warrior’s guild refuted immediately.

”This academy is sovereign territory!” the head of the ten school council spoke to

”He killed my soldier.” The General ignored them.

”Allegedly,” a councilwoman on the ten schools snapped. She was adorned with tribal ornaments to show that she was a learned woman, married, and highly esteemed.

”I buried him!” the General roared. ”I buried men in a time of peace; they were killed. That is irrefutable,” he shook, barely remaining seated. Silence crashed into the room. It was the Guild elder who spoke again, almost lazily, after a long moment of stretched silence.

”Perhaps the simplest solution is to hand the boy to the Guild. We would conduct a... neutral investigation.” he pulled at his beard. Everyone knew exactly what that meant. Sagiri would disappear. Forever.

”That will not happen,” Salka spoke for the first time.

”Oh?” The elder raised an eyebrow, lazily turning his head to Salka’s direction.

”The academy does not hand its cadets to outside powers,” Senraki added. Tension spiked again in the chamber, and although everyone was trying to act unbothered, it was clear that every side was itching to get their hands on sagiri. The General suddenly laughed bitterly. Everyone turned to look at him as he laughed for a long moment. He finally stopped after an uncomfortable period of time before he spoke.

”Your cadet is a murderer,” he said in an icy tone.

”Then prove it,” the head of the ten schools’ council said

”I think there is enough suspicion surrounding the boy. ”The Guild elder’s smile faded slightly.

”If I suspect you now of wanting to kill an innocent boy without evidence, will I be right?” Senraki cut in. The elder’s lips twitched, but he managed to remain composed even as his eyes twitched. The chamber exploded into argument again, with Voices colliding. Accusations flew for a while before another elder on the warrior’s guild council spoke.

”You’re protecting him, grand marshal!” he snapped, looking at senraki

”You want the boy for yourselves!” Senraki shot back

”The academy breeds monsters!” the general said, ”Soldiers died protecting the school grounds just so that someone can get him!” The General rose to his feet. ”I will not allow a killer to hide behind academy walls!” The general had completely lost control, and he was not trying to hide it anymore. He wanted someone to pay with blood for the death of his men.

”Cadet Sagiri is a student of Galka War Academy.” The head of the ten school councils seemed unfazed as His eyes moved slowly across the chamber. ”Under the Charter of the Ten Schools, a cadet cannot be tried by outside authority while enrolled. If you are so convinced he killed your men, then you can wait until he graduates in two months.” his voice was calm, but sagiri could sense the agitation. He was a man of pride, too, and he did not take kindly to being talked down to

”Even for murder?” The General’s jaw tightened.

”Especially for murder,” the head of the ten-school council answered again, lifting his eyes so he was looking at the general from under his eyebrows.