The Debutante Ball (3)

"Let's start simply. Was it you who lit the fire?" Veridin looked down on the priest.

"Yes. I lit the fire." He looked back at Veridin, his eyes dark and solemn.

"On whose orders?"

"Orders…? Who would need to order me to kill demons?! Especially their leader!"

Lilis clasped her hands over her mouth as the priest pointed to Anaroth. Veridin's expression contorted into rage. He stabbed his sword into the priest's hand, pinning it to the ground. Nobles around the room winced as blood splattered across the ballroom floor.

"You dare to lie to me? Who are you working with?"

"How could I ever lie to his majesty?" The priest looked up with a smile.

He sighed softly. Crouching down, he grabbed the priest by the collar. His violet eyes stared into the priest's eyes as he whispered, "Tell me the truth, and I will let you die painlessly."

"Anything for his holiness," The priest whispered back.

Veridin's eyelids flickered. "You are one of those fanatics." He glanced around the ballroom. It would do nothing for the whole of the aristocracy to know of their existence. Yet, if he didn't receive a confession here, Marquis Cassian would turn the situation on him. An idea crossed his mind that brought a smile to his face: a simple solution.

Anaroth felt a chill run through his body when Veridin stepped back. Magic swirled around the priest. Following Veridin's hand, the priest was lifted into the air. The nobles were left speechless by the strange scene in front of them. The Legendary Hero's magic that they had heard of but never seen was being used right before their eyes.

"I don't appreciate having to repeat myself. So I'll ask you a different question," Veridin gazed up with a knowing grin, "Would you prefer to be crushed or torn limb from limb?"

"You wouldn't do such a thing in front of the nobility!"

Veridin's eyes widened. He looked down with an exhale. When he raised his head again, he looked amused. "Why wouldn't I?"

"You are– Your image! Don't you care about your image?"

"My image? You seem to be mistaken. This is the perfect opportunity to make something clear." The sound of rending flesh filled the silence between his sentences. Blood poured down from the priest's vacant shoulder. Veridin held his hand up to his mouth. "Why should I be merciful to someone who betrayed the Empire?"

Screams rose from the witnesses. To the side, there were a few ladies who fainted from the sight. Veridin glanced at them in annoyance. Anaroth grabbed him by the shoulder. The guards who were in front of them pointed their swords at Anaroth instantly. Veridin's glare itself made the guards' hands shake.

"Put your swords down." He looked at Anaroth. "I can handle this by myself."

"Would you like to be known as a tyrant then?"

"Aren't I?" Veridin placed his hand on Anaroth's with a smile. "How could I be a tyrant loved by the people?"

Anaroth groaned and pulled his hand away. "Do what you want then, just as you always have."

"What are you whispering about?" Marquis Cassian fumed. He had finally found a flaw.

"Whispering? Is that what it sounded like to you Marquis?" Veridin turned to him confidently.

He hesitated. What kind of look was that? Wasn't he just the church's hound? "You were whispering to the Demon King! For what reason would you two have to do so?"

"What disrespect. Anaroth has sensitive hearing. While it may sound like whispering to you, we were speaking at a volume comfortable enough for him. Though I suppose you wouldn't know that. Now excuse me." He looked back up at the priest. "This is your last chance."

The priest's face was pale, but he laughed. "Everything will be as his holiness desires! Send me to my brethren, your majesty! Let me experience sweet salvation."

Veridin grimaced. "I'm starting to hate looking up at you."

The priest was slammed into the floor. Veridin looked down on him with detest. He was pressed slowly into the ground, ribs cracking between the invisible surface above him and the ground. He let out pained gasps and unintelligible gargling as he was flattened slowly. With a flicker of Veridin's gaze, the priest exploded out from under the invisible platform. Blood and flesh splattered across the debris and floor. Veridin looked down at his bloodied boots. He shook them off with a look of disgust.

"Raven, get someone to clean this up and throw it out into the forest."

"Yes your majesty."

Veridin flinched when mana wavered off to the side of the room. He glanced over but there was nothing unusual about the area. His eyes landed skeptically on a mirror. What was this uneasy feeling?

"M-My liege!"

The remains of the shattered mirror shimmered on the cave floor. A shoe laid in the shards. The Apostle bristled with rage in his chair.

"Those idiots! That was the perfect opportunity to frame the king! Do any of them even have brains in their skulls?"

Blackwing gingerly picked up the shoe, dusting it off. He brought it back to its owner and carefully placed it back on The Apostle's foot. "I apologize, my liege. How should I punish them? If you give me the word, they will never set foot in your presence again. If you wish it, even the kings will meet their end."

"There's no need for that Blackwing." He smiled and leaned on his hand. "I simply want to watch something entertaining, you understand right?"

Blackwing nodded. "Then allow me to provide you with an interesting show, my liege."

"Really? I look forward to it, my loyal dog."

Lilis couldn't tear her eyes away from the gruesome scene before her. Tears welled up in her eyes. She couldn't believe that the priest that had been with them for years now would do something like this. More than that, she felt frightened. The look of disgust on Veridin's face wouldn't leave her mind. He had never shown such utter disdain towards someone, as if he was looking down on a bug. The kind Veridin in her mind, was that ever real? She pushed herself away from the guards and ran towards him.

"Veridin!"

Her heart sank when she saw his heartless gaze. There was no trace of kindness in his eyes. His warm smile towards her was nothing but a distant memory. Yet, his gaze no longer felt mysterious. It was true; this was who he was. There was no way a person could change so much in such a short time.

"Did you have something to say?"

"I… Veridin, did he have to die?"

"Why shouldn't he have?"

His quick reply stuffed her words back down her throat. She clasped her hands together tightly. Her knuckles turned white as she spoke in dismay, "He was a child of the Goddess…"

"Being a child of the church does not condone attempted murder of the king and nobles, Saint." He let out a soft sigh and turned to the crowd. "The ball will be rescheduled for the day after tomorrow. Everyone please rest for today. I sincerely apologize for the disturbance."

It didn't take long for the ballroom to empty out. Veridin entrusted Lilis to be escorted back by a few guards. Rowan bowed and excused himself to oversee the nobility. Only Raven, Anaroth, and Veridin were left in the room with a servant quietly cleaning up the mess on the floor.

"Tell me what is going on."

"Yes?" Veridin turned to Anaroth, surprised by his animosity.

"I thought you said nothing would happen. There's definitely something going on that I'm not aware of. The high priest is gone, but these incidents are still occuring. So who's behind it?"

Veridin sighed and glanced at the servant. It was one of Raven's subordinates. He looked back at Anaroth, resigned. "I don't know that myself."

"You don't know?" Anaroth raised his eyebrows doubtfully.

"Yes. Whoever they are, they've been a pain for the past month. The more we dig into them, the less information we know."

"What kind of–? That doesn't sound possible."

"It shouldn't be, but it is. We originally thought that Malas was the one controlling them, but clearly that isn't the case. I originally discovered them when one of Viscount Brandy's soldiers killed the Grand Marshal."

"Hold on, the Grand Marshal was killed by a traitor? Why did you demand that we pay for a funeral then?!"

"It's superficial. And," Veridin lowered his gaze in anguish, "Nevermind that, I thought they were planted there by Malas. My attendants were his spies after all."

"But one of your attendants happened to be one of them as well."

"That's right. So I have no idea who they're working for. Marquis Cassian isn't their master either. He had no idea this attack was going to happen."

"How are you so sure that I'm not their master?"

Veridin's eyes widened momentarily. "You wouldn't make such a loose plan. You've been a victim in all of these as well. More importantly, you risked your life to sign a peace treaty with me. You wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that. Were you testing me?"

"No."

"Don't lie to me. Did you think I was the reason behind all of it? Did the Marquis's drivel get stuck in your head?"

"It's not something I would put past you."

Veridin stopped himself. He was about to say something light but the aching in his chest made him bite his tongue. "I… Couldn't have killed the grand marshal."

Anaroth looked into Veridin's eyes: the most honest part of him. They were filled with regret and agony. It startled him. He didn't know that those sharp violet eyes could look so tormented. "Alright. So do you have any ideas?"

"A few. It could be a noble from Dravonia."

"Do you really think so?" Anaroth wanted to say it was impossible, but he knew it wasn't.

"It's only a possibility. It could also be one of the dukes, but I doubt it. The last case is that it's someone completely unknown."

"Then we should look into the nobility of my kingdom. That's the most reasonable."

"You're fine with that?"

"They're putting the treaty at risk; of course I am."

Veridin smiled. "Your dedication is admirable. You should get some rest as well."

"I will." Anaroth watched him walk away. He sighed and left the room himself. There were still questions left unanswered. He was anxiously awaiting the coronation ball.