Raymond Tieling seemed to have his spine removed; his tall frame instantly hunched over, crashing heavily against the back of the chair.
That rigid and serious face, which once scrutinized others with the eyes of a hawk, is now nothing but utterly crushed ashes.
The images of the star-moon black gold and the fallen knight Balgo, thrown out by Alfonso, were like a red-hot branding iron, completely sealing off all his escape routes for sophistry.
This is not dereliction of duty or cover-up; it is a complete and utter mark of betrayal!
Harrington's "treason" seems insignificant compared to this.
Faced with Alfonso's legendary aura, as solid as an iceberg, and those all-seeing, unwavering silver-grey eyes, Raymond couldn't even muster the slightest thought of resistance.
He understood better than anyone else present how terrifying this newly crowned legend was.
That's someone who could kill Harrington, another legend, with swift and decisive action on the battlefield!
Although he was also a veteran legend, as a fellow leader of the Holy Knights, he knew Alfonso all too well!
In their eyes, I probably don't even have the right to struggle.
Rebellion?
That would only make your death faster and more gruesome, and might even bring ruin to your family.
A hoarse sound, like a broken bellows, came from his throat, which eventually turned into a desperate sob that was cut off.
He slumped down, his white beard trembling violently, and murky tears rolled down his cheeks silently, but he could no longer utter a single word.
I've accepted my fate.
Alfonso's cold gaze swept over Raymond's completely collapsed posture, confirming that the other party had no more will to resist.
He then turned to the two special envoys from the Holy City's Inquisition, Eker the Grey-Eyed and the one with the Ebony Staff.
"The evidence is conclusive: Raymond Ironridge colluded with the fallen knight Balg, slaughtered his comrades, released serious criminals, and betrayed the Holy Light faith."
Alfonso's voice was flat and monotone, yet it carried an unquestionable sense of final judgment, completely disregarding the court's right to make a ruling.
"His crimes deserve death. He is stripped of his position as Grand Master of the Tenth Holy Knights and is immediately detained. His crimes, along with other evidence, will be submitted to the Privy Council and the Council of Elders of the Holy City."
He didn't even consult the two special envoys before delivering the verdict.
This is almost a blatant overreach of authority and yet another disregard for the authority of the Holy City.
The grey-eyed envoy, Eker, had a face as pale as paper beneath his hood; his icy eyes darted about violently, and his lips moved as if he wanted to say something.
He instinctively wanted to emphasize the court proceedings and to uphold that authority that seemed so ridiculous and pathetic at the moment.
But Alfonso's cold gaze swept over him, carrying the invisible pressure of a legendary powerhouse, as well as the immense impact of the previous images, leaving all his words stuck in his throat.
He clearly sensed that if he dared to utter a single word of doubt, the other party would absolutely tear his face, as the Holy City's special envoy, to shreds without hesitation.
He eventually simply pulled his hood down lower, disappearing completely into the shadows, and remained silent.
The sense of shame gnawed at his heart like a venomous snake.
The envoy holding the ebony staff had an equally gloomy face, and the knuckles of his fingers were white from gripping the staff tightly.
He gave Alfonso a deep look, his eyes filled with complex emotions, including shock and anger at Raymond's crimes, as well as deep fear and helplessness at Alfonso's overbearing and authoritarian approach that had completely undermined the court.
Sure enough, the young knight commander is quite bold!
He opened his mouth, but in the end it only turned into a barely audible sigh. He turned his head slightly, which was considered an admission of Alfonso's decision.
He knew that the power behind Alfonso, along with his own strength and skill, and this irrefutable evidence, made any "procedures" of the Holy City seem pale and powerless at this moment.
Alfonso ignored the two seemingly insignificant envoys and gave Elliott a slight nod.
The silent adjutant immediately stepped forward, his withered finger pointing in the air. Several chains of holy light, radiating powerful binding runes, appeared out of thin air and wrapped around Raymond, who was limp as mud, completely sealing him off.
Two guards from the Thirteenth Knights immediately stepped forward and, expressionless, dragged the former gatekeeper away.
The whole process was swift and efficient, without any unnecessary delays.
Immediately afterwards, Alfonso's orders came down:
"Elliott, with my warrant, search Raymond and Harrington mansions. Register all items and isolate all personnel pending investigation. Focus on searching for relevant evidence."
"Yes." Elliott bowed and accepted the order, then turned and left like a heartless machine.
The subsequent cleanup work was swift and thorough.
Under Alfonso's absolute authority and the intimidating force of the Thirteenth Order, none of the remaining officers of the Tenth Order, nor Raymond and Harrington's confidants, dared to make any move.
Elliott returned quickly, presenting Alfonso with a mithril box that had been sealed with multiple layers of seals.
The moment the box was opened, two strange metal blocks, completely black in color, with countless stars and silver moon marks slowly flowing on their surfaces, were revealed.
It is a sacred object of the Star and Moon Church, Star and Moon Black Gold!
One is from Raymond, and the other is from Harrington's private collection.
They lay quietly in the box, exuding a mysterious and ancient aura.
Alfonso closed the lid, not lingering in the luxurious banquet hall for long, not even glancing at the two uneasy envoys again, and led Elliott away from the center of this power struggle.
As for Count Ferdinand, the commander of the 10th Regiment, he remained seated in his high-backed chair, quietly sipping his red wine, completely invisible during the banquet.
Even the two special envoys forgot to say goodbye to him when they left the banquet hall with dark faces.
"Pah! What a bunch of arrogant fools!" Count Ferdinand frowned and spat in dissatisfaction after the two envoys left.
...
Deep within the pass, on the outskirts of the temporary encampment of the Thirteenth Holy Knights, in a secluded, shadowy corner.
Alfonso's figure appeared quietly.
Ellen Ben, who had been waiting there, wore a silver-grey robe adorned with star and crescent moon patterns that fluttered slightly in the night breeze, while a small black dog circled around her feet.
She looked at the mithril box Alfonso handed her, a knowing smile playing on her lips, and steadily took it with her fair hand.
“Two, no more, no less. Commander Alfonso is indeed meticulous in his work.” Ellen’s voice was casual as she weighed the box in her hand, her gaze falling on Alfonso’s still cold and stern face. “This time, you’ve uprooted two important moles that Balg had cultivated in the Church of Holy Light for many years. That mad dog will never let this go. When he retaliates… he’ll fight day and night, relentlessly.”
She leaned forward slightly, lowered her voice, and said with a hint of probing: "So, Grand Master? Do you need our Star Moon Church to provide some... extra assistance? After all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. We'd be happy to help our friends sort out some troublesome issues. As for the price, we can discuss it."
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