Chapter 540: The Solemn Queen

Kritonia raised his head, only to see Natasha standing straight intimidatingly against the light, making everyone forget her gender and her beauty.

He narrowed his eyes. Even though he did not release any pressure actively, he was still giving off an oppressive air having been a legendary knight for hundreds of years. Duke James, who was protecting Natasha, couldn’t help but move his eyes away, but Natasha looked back at him without wavering.

After ten seconds, Kritonia said in a low voice, “That’s an excellent decision, Your Majesty. I agree that anyone that violates the basic order of the nobles shall be punished, but I hope that Your Majesty will allow me to take care of York in person. I do not want him to embarrass the family on the gallows.”

“That’s understandable.” Natasha looked gentler, but the exhaustion no less than that of after a fierce battle with a radiant knight of her level rose in her body. “Also, I would like the shift change of legendary knights to be advanced. I hope that Winston can take your shift as soon as possible, so that I can be familiarized with both of you the two excellencies sooner.”

Kritonia understood that it was her conditions of the deal. Also, he knew that Natasha wouldn’t trust him for the time being after such an incident. He nodded and said, “I’ll swap with Winston and watch over the colonies in the alternate dimensions after I escort you back to the Nekso Palace. I will live up to your trust, Your Majesty.”

“You are a legendary hero who founded the kingdom, Your Excellency. I’m confident in you.” Natasha encouraged and reassured him. “I’ll leave Duke York to you. His heir will be your decision.”

Kritonia pressed his chest with his left hand and bowed deeply, “Thank you for your trust, Your Majesty. I’ll escort you back to the Nekso Palace first.”

Now that the Heart of Time had come, the poisons in Camil, Russell and the rest of them were soon relieved. Kritonia also ‘successfully’ found evidence from ‘Primous’, proving that he was the ‘Cursed Angel’, who ranked fifth among the night watchers.

After she returned to the Nekso Palace, Natasha spoke to James and his partners, “Duke James, would you please invite Duke Solefen to come? Also, block the message and convene the Parliament of Nobles an hour later. Duke Russell, please watch over Count Barady in case he runs off and check to see if York is really dead.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Duke James and the rest of them answered sincerely. A distinguished knight was always admirable, especially one who stayed to resist the enemy when she could’ve run away.

……

Inside the Parliament of Nobles in the Nekso Palace.

Count Barady walked in with Duke Russell gloomily. He merely nodded at the nobles who greeted him warmly, his usual manner gone.

“Russell, can you tell me why Her Majesty is summoning the nobles? As I recall, the one-month mourning period is not over yet. Is she breaking her promise?” Count Barady spoke to Duke Russell.

He knew that Natasha was going to James’ private garden, and that the Duke and Grunwell would take action. Therefore, he had a bad feeling when he was informed that Natasha was convening a meeting of the nobles. However, Duke Russell, a level-eight radiant knight, had come to his house to invite him and was keeping him company. He couldn’t even run even if he wanted to hide or escape, and so he had to come in fear.

He kept telling himself that it was fine. He merely fermented the hatred in David’s heart and introduced Grunwell to him. He never asked him to kill Her Majesty. He couldn’t be blamed for introducing two people to meet each other in a private dinner, right?

Seeing that Duke Rex’s eyes moved over, Russell understood that he had fulfilled his responsibility and therefore returned to his seat with a smile.

“Why did you come with Russell? Do you know why the queen convened a meeting? This is in violation of the one-month promise.” Rex had a bad feeling, too, as if something horrible had happened.

Count Barady shook his head. “I have no idea. Where is York?”

Duke Rex frowned. “I didn’t see him. Isn’t he always the earliest? Did something happen to him? In that case, His Excellency Kritonia’s fury will burn everything.”

Duke York had always come early to the meetings in the Parliament of Nobles to visit ‘Heart of Time’ first.

Realizing that York did not come, Count Barady looked even more awful, but he also had a plan to save himself.

Since it was a temporary meeting, many nobles who were not in Rentato failed to come. Only two thirds of the members were present.

Sensing that Natasha had arrived, Rex left his seat and walked to the dais up ahead, knocking the mallet.

After the knock, the hall fell quiet.

“Welcome Her Majesty.” Rex turned around, his black cape floating.

Natasha walked in slowly in a black long dress, followed by Camil and a team of knights.

The moment they entered the hall, the knights split and ‘guarded’ the seats in the ground hall.

The one in the lead was a calm gold-haired man. Count Barady recognized that it was John, the knight that Queen Natasha brought from Aalto. The others were the Violent Knights from Aalto and the new knights who pledged loyalty to the queen. More than fifteen of them were grand knights. Plus Camil, they were much stronger than a medium knight group.

Not knowing what happened, the nobles whispered to each other. Everything suggested that something great was going to happen.

Also, they were shocked that the queen had earned the allegiance of so many grand knights and knights in only one month. The Sword of Truth’s Knights had been adjusting under Natasha’s command and were most trustworthy.

It meant that she already had the strength to defend her crown.

Natasha knocked the mallet, silencing the hall where hundreds of flies seemed to be humming.

Then, she looked around and declared ‘furiously’: “This morning, I suffered an assassination attempt.”

“What?” The nobles exclaimed. It was a taboo to assassinate one’s liege in the first place, not to mention killing the queen in no more than one month after she was crowned. That was challenging the order of the nobles.

Rex was stunned first. Recalling York’s absence and Barady’s absentmindedness as well as their hints, he immediately burst into fury and glared at Count Barady. Idiots! You can go to hell if your evidence has been found!

At this moment, Count Barady calmed down and turned a blind eye to Duke Rex’s fury, considering how to minimize his punishment.

Natasha knocked the mallet again and said, “The assassins were Count David and ‘Cursed Angel’, who ranks top the fifth among the night watchers. Duke James, Duke Russell and Count Henson can prove that. His Excellency Saint Sard can prove the identity of ‘Cursed Angel’.”

The hall fell silent again. The nobles found it hard to understand why David, who always favored the Congress of Magic, conspired with the night watchers, but they soon realized that it was all because of desire!

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“The night watchers dared to assassinate the queen? The Church is more and more outrageous!”

“I believe that such actions must be contained, or it will be our turn soon.”

“Contained? All the Church ever did was to apologize and then to forget their apology! Perhaps our balance strategy is a mistake!”

The nobles discussed angrily, as Natasha expected. The Church could’ve denied Grunwell’s identity, if somebody other than Sard were the Grand Cardinal of the Holm parish.

“Your Majesty, such a crime must be punished! Hang David, burn Grunwell, and ask the Church to compensate!” The nobles, regardless of their sides, offered similar opinions.

Natasha nodded. “They shall be tried fairly, but I’ve summoned the meeting today because Count David confessed that he was instigated by Count Barady with Duke York’s involvement.”

The noise stopped again. All the nobles were shocked save the few who knew about it in advance. Both Duke York and Count Barady were bit shots in the Parliament of Nobles. There would be a major shock now that they were involved. Also, ‘Heart of Time’ was behind Duke York after all.

Thinking about that, they all looked at Count Barady and prayed that it was not true. The kingdom could not afford a civil war.

Rex, on the other hand, glared at Barady in fury. A reckless fool!

Count Barady slowly stood up. “Your Majesty, I deny the accusation against me. I would like to confront David. I never instigated or hinted him to assassinate you. Duke York is as innocent as me. You can ask him, too.”

He associated himself with York, hoping to minimize his penalty with the influence of ‘Heart of Time’. Besides, indeed no evidence of instigation was left.

“I’ve asked someone to invite Duke York.” Said Natasha calmly, which made Count Barady ill at ease. “Your Majesty, I would like David to confront me in front of all nobles.”

Natasha waved her hands, and a knight pushed the shackled David in.

“Hahaha, Barady, you still want to deny it? It was you who fermented hatred in my heart. It was you and York who taught me how to kill the queen.” David laughed crazily, causing a great scene.

Count Barady smiled. The crazier, the better. As long as he linked himself to York, there would be a great chance that he could get away with it. “Would you please tell them how we instigated and allured you?”

David was stunned. Unable to think of any convincing speech, he made up a few lines according to the prior confession.

Barady raised his voice, “Your Majesty, he is lying! We never said such things! I would like a cleric to test the veracity of his words!”

He believed that he never said anything that was punishable. He was confident of himself!

Looking at Natasha sincerely, Count Barady said, “Would you please repeat your acquirement of his confession, Your Majesty? I’m angry about David’s setup.”

He put on a smile.

At this moment, another knight walked in and fell on one of his knees, “Your Majesty, Duke York has killed himself. This is his confession letter, which described Count Barady’s doings in details.”

The hall burst into whispers again. It was a totally unexpected change.

What? York killed himself?

What about the Heart of Time?

Why did he confess?

Count Barady collapsed on his seat, his brain too muddled for him to hear any voices or see anything.

It shouldn’t be like this! It shouldn’t be like this!

Natasha knocked the mallet and announced calmly, “Based on valid proof, Count Barady is found guilty of treason. He will be hanged, his title and his fief lingdi renounced…”

The nobles listened to Natasha sentence in confusion: “… His fief will be divided into five parts. The largest part will go to the royal family, and the other four parts will be bequeathed to Duke James, Duke Russell, Duke Henson and Countess Camil for their successful prevention of the assassination…”

“… All members of the Barady family will be deprived of their titles. The main members will be exiled to the northland…”

“Duke York confessed before he killed himself, and he was not the mastermind. His family shall not be punished…”

The cold and grave voice echoed, soaking the nobles in sweat. That was a real great noble that was backed by a legendary knight!

In the past, Natasha was merely a talented level-seven knight and a lady with unparalleled beauty in their eyes. But after the verdict, as the Heart of Time backed off and the great nobles collapsed, Natasha had truly evolved into an intimidating queen in their minds!

Rex shook his head at Barady’s collapse. Now that the queen boldly convened the meeting, it meant that deals and compromises had already been made in private. Your destiny was already fixed. However you defended yourself, any noble with keen eyes could tell that something was not right when David made the confession. As long as the clerics or the neutral nobles interrogated you, they would get more convincing proof, which might involve other people.

However, he found Barady’s dying struggle understandable, too.

……

After Lucien returned to Allyn, he was summoned by Fernando immediately.

“Considering your ability of inviting dangers, I’ve decided to talk to Douglas and ask him to get the improved ‘Life Hiding’. Think about which body part you can get rid of first.” Fernando spoke straightforwardly.

Lucien looked at himself. His left fingers were certainly not an option, as they would nullify ‘Life Hiding’, and a missing right finger would affect his spell-casting and his piano-playing. Therefore, he said, “The little toe on my left foot.”

Then, Lucien thought of a critical question. “Master, do I need to pay for it?”

“Do you want me to pay for it?” Fernando replied, not in a good mood. He had to make other sacrifices just to let the Hand of Paleness agree to offer the ritual magic.