Chapter 61: Agnes National Assembly (3)
TL/Editor: Rungir
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Zion hadn't anticipated any power boost from the blood tower, but he felt slightly disappointed nonetheless.
'So...'
His gaze subtly shifted towards Kerma and the other blood wizards, their faces still brimming with awe.
'It's ti to make them stronger.'
A red light slowly started to glow in his eyes.
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Raei Translations
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The White Palace, ho of the world's emperor, is the empire's power hub. The grand council room within the palace was already bustling with activity. Over a hundred individuals were present, chatting or prepping for the eting. While the number might seem overwhelming, each person played a critical role in the state affairs eting.
Light Parliant mbers, influential nobles from the capital, Hubris, and heads of significant institutions in the Imperial City were present. These individuals were indeed the movers and shakers of the Agnes Empire.
"Good to see you again, Count Alstein," chid in Groud Ozlima. Groud was the first Ozlima family heir, fad as a magical powerhouse and was among the top five most influential in the empire.
Count Alstein, a middle-aged man known for his stern deanor, rely nodded in acknowledgnt without expressing a word. Unfazed by the silent response, Groud shrugged. Alstein's quiet nature was no news to the nobility.
"It seems the royal family hasn't arrived yet," Groud noted, scanning the room. "Will the sa attendees be present this ti as well?"
His gaze landed on the most opulent throne and the second-largest chair next to it - the seats of Emperor Urdios and Crown Prince Rubrios. The seats, however, had remained vacant for years. Even if the emperor was severely ill, it was odd for the Crown Prince to skip the state affairs eting. But no one, including Groud, found this unusual. It was common knowledge that the Crown Prince was obsessively devoted to the Order of Light and had forsaken everything else.
"So, unless there are any changes, this eting will follow the sa pattern as the previous ones."
The presence of four royal family mbers, or more precisely, the three factions excluding neutral Evelyn Agnes. As Prince Zion Agnes, the sixth prince, wouldn't be able to attend this eting, the structure wouldn't change.
As Groud's thoughts concluded, he seed to rember sothing. He turned to the middle-aged man and spoke.
"Did you hear? This ti, Prince Zion himself took care of Lergan Urschler, who escaped from the Imperial Dungeon, and the entire Icarus Mage Division."
The words caused a slight flicker in the middle-aged man's otherwise steady gaze. Not missing this, Groud flashed a sly smile. He knew the cause of the man's reaction. The man belonged to the maternal side of Prince Zion Agnes's family, the sixth prince.
"Isn't it remarkable? Until recently, wasn't Prince Zion labeled the royal family's disgrace? But in just a few months, he aced the succession ceremony and even subdued the Phantom Army, one of the seven great calamities. Moreover, this ti, he wiped out the Icarus Division."
The Icarus Mage Division, eliminated this ti, was under Prince Enoch's command, who has a close tie with the Ozlima family. But Groud spoke nonchalantly, as if discussing soone else's affairs.
"You must be pleased, Count Alstein? The transformation of Prince Zion. After all, Prince Zion is your……"
"Enough."
For the first ti, a firm voice rang out from the middle-aged man.
"It's none of our concern. Please refrain from further discussing him."
The words were serene but carried an unarguable force. Groud stopped speaking and shrugged again.
"Her Highness, Princess Diana Agnes, the fifth princess, is entering!"
A page's loud voice echoed through the eting room. At this, all seated attendees rose. Beyond the large open door, Diana and her maids appeared, with Diana's usual unreadable smile. As the fifth princess took her seat, she glanced around the room with a slight irritation.
'No one else has arrived, right?'
True to her thought, the other seats for her siblings were empty. The royal family, excluding her, had long been engaged in a pointless competition over who would arrive last. A bad habit that delayed the eting and gained nothing.
'Should I propose a rule about this at the eting?'
Just as Diana seriously considered this,
"Her Highness, Princess Evelyn Agnes, the second princess, is entering!"
Having completed her duties outside the Imperial City a few days earlier, Evelyn entered the room with her knights, her usual emotionless face intact.
Was it due to her return from the boundary with the Demon Territory, a place of frequent battles? For so reason, Evelyn's face showed signs of exhaustion.
One step at a ti.
Evelyn gracefully acknowledged the respectful bows from the assembled nobles before taking her seat.
Soon after her arrival,
"Ha ha ha! I trust I'm not late?"
"I apologize for my slight delay."
The fourth Prince, Utekan, and the third Prince, Enoch, entered in succession. Enoch, the last to arrive, offered an apology for his lateness, but he couldn't conceal the faint glimr of superiority in his eyes. A joyous smile began to form as he surveyed the council room from his seat.
'So he didn't make it?'
A single vacant seat remained. Enoch knew to whom it belonged and that it would stay unoccupied throughout today's eting. Zion Agnes.
'How dare he even consider attending.'
Upon learning Zion intended to attend by swaying the neutral counciln, Enoch had a mission. He persuaded two of the eleven neutral counciln to his side, leaving Zion with support from only nine and no entrance to the eting. A simple, but effective strategy. The risk of failure was minimal since Enoch had successfully reclaid the counciln Zion had initially won over.
'I wonder what his expression looks like now.'
Enoch's smile deepened, imagining Zion's impassive face contorted in frustration.
Believing all preparations for the eting were finally complete, Evelyn rose from her seat.
"Now, let's comnce the council of national affairs…"
As the declaration to start the eting was about to leave her lips,
Bang!
The eting room door swung open again.
"...?"
Curious glances turned towards the door.
Another attendee?
But there was no one else expected, so confusion filled their eyes.
"His Highness, Prince Zion Agnes, the sixth Prince, is entering!"
A page's loud voice echoed through the council room.
"!!!!!!"
In an instant, confusion turned to shock.
Step by step.
Quiet footfalls ominously reverberated, sending a shiver through their hearts. Zion, with his languid gaze, entered the council room at a leisurely pace.
The silence was palpable.
Was it because a person they thought incapable of attending had appeared?
Every person in the room, whether royal or noble, was frozen, staring wide-eyed at Zion.
How could Prince Zion have gained entry to the council room?
This reaction was most severe in Prince Enoch.
"Wait!"
Breaking the silence with a shout, Enoch glared at the page managing the council's attendees.
"How is he here? How did he gain entry to this eting?"
The page recoiled under Enoch's nacing glare, as though any misplaced word could be his doom.
"His Highness, Prince Zion, has obtained the requisite support of over ten congressn to attend the council of national affairs."
"...What? Impossible. Verify it once more!"
"I assure you, sir. It's exactly eleven congressn."
Bewildered at the page's response, Enoch swiftly turned to the neutral congressn he had preemptively ensnared.
The two congressn vehently shook their heads, as if to deny any involvent.
'But then who...'
Enoch's eyes reflected his confusion.
Could there have been more neutral congressn that he failed to notice?
Moreover, he couldn't understand why the count was not ten but eleven.
Then,
"I have a question."
Zion, who had now neared Enoch, spoke in his usual languid tone.
"Why did you assu I would only ensnare the neutral ones?"
"...What?"
"You ought to have secured your own supporters first."
Upon hearing this, as if a realization dawned, Enoch turned his gaze towards his own supporting congressn.
The two congressn who could not et his eye.
"You treacherous curs...!"
Enoch's voice resonated with rage, boiling over into a furious outcry.
"Now..."
Zion, turning away from Enoch as though he had nothing more to witness, announced,
"Let's comnce the eting."
His smile was aid at those watching him.
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