Chapter 336 Citizens
"Many of you here are 'sharp-eyed and sharp-eared' and should know that Port Morris was once attacked by a Doomsday Lord." The ghost emphasized the word "sharp-eyed and sharp-eared" as if hinting at something. All those present who had sent spies and detectives to Port Morris couldn't help but feel guilty - but the other party's focus was obviously not on this for the time being.
"If your 'eyes and ears' skills were more refined, you would have heard that a Doom Lord attacked Port Morris—of course, unlike His Excellency the Shrike, it didn't just randomly pick its targets to bite." The black-haired young man even calmly told a highly offensive and not at all funny joke: "The only thing worse than a passing dragon with a sudden impulse is undoubtedly a mediocre dragon trainer with a sudden impulse and poor skills."
"Appalling, isn't it?" He sneered, grumbling sarcastically, "Just as Lord Shrike said, a third 'Dragon Rider' has appeared on the Ambrose Continent in just a few hundred years—but that's the truth."
Under the Shrike's furious glare, the ghost slowly stood up, its smoky gray eyes grimly scanning the crowd. "The dragon is from the Ruskin family, and it's staying in the cabin of the Ruskin family's ship. We salvaged the fragments of the ship that unfortunately sank to the bottom of the sea, and then discovered that it sailed west from the North, from the Long Night Sea all the way to the Amber Sea near Port Morris."
"Are you trying to say that the Ruskin family made a deal with Fellowes in exchange for the dragon taming method?" Lord Shrike seized the opportunity to fire back, "At least change your story. Blaming your actions on the Ruskin family doesn't make you appear more innocent."
This time, the guy ignored him, didn't even glance at him - instead, he looked at the queen who had remained silent since the third meeting of the Blooming Conference.
"May I ask, Your Majesty, why did the Ruskin family, once so famous in the military, suddenly disappear more than half a year ago?"
Ignoring Esmery's suddenly cold gaze, he recklessly pressed on this sensitive topic. "The Ruskin family collapsed almost instantly. Their vast family assets and military influence were quickly divided up, with core members either dying of sudden illness or fleeing far away. This is clearly not something an ordinary force could easily accomplish."
"Your Majesty, as one of the de facto rulers of the empire, may I ask if you are aware of all this?" The black-haired young man even took a step forward. A cold, sharp, and oppressive aura slowly emerged from him. "Or perhaps, were you the one who single-handedly orchestrated this 'purge'?"
"—Just like those noble families, big and small, that have quietly disappeared from the Empire's territory since you came to power?"
...Just like my hometown, Ironthorn Territory?
Silence.
Everyone stared in amazement at the madman who had unscrupulously exposed the empire's filth to the world. Especially in her early years, the queen had indeed seemed rather unscrupulous, carrying the ruthlessness and bloodthirstiness of someone who had risen from the bottom. However, those who had the temerity to question her face had long since been swiftly dispatched. The remaining ones were more "wise" and wouldn't easily attempt to provoke a lioness whose fangs were still stained with blood.
"Your Excellency," the Queen spoke slowly. Her hoarse, cold voice was like ice-hardened thunder, hammering down from above, word by word. "Are you ordering your king to personally explain to you how to deal with a traitor to the Empire?"
There was no need to hide it anymore; she knew exactly what the ghost was threatening her with. This guy had a powerful tongue, and Ruskin and his idiots had left too much evidence in the hands of the Populists. Arguing in this area was pointless and might even lead this guy to say even more shocking things.
"Of course not." The ghost gave her a perfunctory twitch of the lips, looking relieved. "Since you already knew that the Ruskin family was collaborating with the enemy and treason, and you didn't let them deceive you, and dealt with them with swift and decisive measures—I'm sure you've also seized the dragon taming method from these traitors."
"Thank God, that puts my mind at ease," the fellow babbled calmly. "Then, as for the crime of stealing the dragon-taming method, a poor, destitute wretch like me, living in a remote corner of the empire and struggling to feed the people, probably won't have to bear the responsibility."
Everyone: “…”
——How shameless! Listen to your nonsense!
This person then looked at Henderson Shrike with ill intent, his expression sinister. "But Lord Shrike just accused us of treason for not presenting the dragon taming method to the Imperial Army. Yet, in this Northern War, it seems that no dragon tamers appeared in the Silver Iris Empire either. According to Lord Shrike's logic, could it be that Lord Shrike knows something, or that Your Majesty also knows something..."
"You're talking nonsense!" Shrike was so frightened that he almost screamed. He quickly leaned towards the queen, almost kneeling down with his legs giving out. "I absolutely did not mean that! Your Majesty, please understand!"
Many members of the parliament were also shocked by this audacious accusation, their bodies recoiling in shock. At the same time, a subtle blasphemous thought arose in their minds. Yes, if the Queen secretly dealt with the Ruskin family, then where had the dragon-taming technique they had exchanged gone? Had the Ruskin family destroyed it beforehand? Was the technique ineffective? Or... had it been embezzled by the royal family?
"Words are not enough, Lord Shrike."
The whole place was filled with murmurs and discussions, but the ghost seemed to be expecting this very moment. He pressed on, unyielding. "For the sake of your majesty, will you swear before all this before the Okensele River that the Shrike family, its branches, or subordinate families, have never, directly or indirectly, engaged in any illegal transactions that violate the interests of the state with any powerful individual in the Far North, Ferros?"
As the Marquis Shrike's expression suddenly changed, he suddenly raised his voice and demanded sternly, "—Do you dare to swear that, knowingly, you have never remained silent about acts of treason, and have never assisted any traitor or their harbingers, regardless of their status?!"
Marquis Shrike's lips trembled violently, but he couldn't utter a single word. He certainly couldn't swear that the Okensele River would take his life—but that wasn't enough to keep him speechless. The most terrifying thing was that the ghost's final threat, seemingly directed at the Shrike family, actually implied the queen, or rather, suggested that the royal family had committed treason, or at least shielded the traitors.
Cold sweat instantly soaked the back of the Marquis Shrike, and the color quickly drained from his face. He didn't dare to look at the Queen's expression. He didn't know if this crazy woman had actually committed "treason," but the Shrike family had indeed done business with the Far North nation of Ferros, and had indeed dealt with countless traitors like the Ruskin family.
The problem is that telling a lie is death, telling the truth is also death, and remaining silent is even more death.
"The silence of Marquis Shrike is truly intriguing." In the dead silence, the black-haired young man said slowly.
“…That’s enough.”
The queen slowly stood up; she had to stand up.
"The Ruskin family's demise was the Empire's decision, and everything it gains belongs to the Empire." Esmerel spoke each word with a chilling, subdued tone, as if the entire palace trembled with the King's wrath. "How to dispose of them and when to activate them are the Empire's highest secrets, determined by the Royal Family. How can you speculate here?"
"—What are you seeking, the so-called 'truth', or the throne beneath His Majesty the King?!"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's expressions changed. Even Cassius II, who was suddenly mentioned, shuddered. He knew that his wife was in a state of rage and dared not even breathe.
Duke Camu frowned. It was obvious that the ghost had successfully aroused the queen's anger, and it seemed that a disaster was about to happen. However, he couldn't even muster the slightest bit of gloating emotion. Instead, he felt a chill down his spine.
"...I am very disappointed in you, Your Majesty." Even though he was enveloped by the queen's terrible anger, the ghost seemed very calm.
"Including your Majesty," he said seriously, shaking his head as Cassius II looked bewildered, "I have my own business to attend to." "The Third Council is deeply, deeply disappointed by this."
Is he really crazy?! While the First and Second Councils looked at him like a madman, the Speaker of the Third Council slowly shook the proposal in his hand: "Regarding the systemic corruption in the Empire, the question of whether the Thirteen Taxes should be implemented, the defeat in the Northern War and the treatment of traitors, even the damaged reputation of the Iron Shield Honor Assault Company, and so many other issues—big and small, every one of them, you and His Majesty the King have chosen to avoid discussing them all, without even the slightest attempt to resolve them. So, is there any need for this Blooming Conference to continue?"
"I don't think so." The black-haired young man stood up and pushed the table and chairs aside with a harsh creaking sound. He gracefully leaned slightly towards the confused and uneasy king and the sullen-faced queen. "Then, please excuse all the members of the Third Council from joining us. We do not wish to waste any more of our time here."
"History will surely remember this day, Your Majesties." His voice was soft, yet it sent shockwaves through my heart. "May you all... seek the best of luck."
After saying that, the ghost no longer looked at anyone, but turned around and walked calmly towards the heavy door of the hall, which symbolized the center of power. The hem of his black coat undulated behind him like waves, and his gray shadow was very long, like a silent flag.
One, two, five, ten... The members of the Third Parliament also stood up, pushed away the tables and chairs, and left silently following the ghost, forming a winding river.
The palace guards were stunned, their gazes pleading for help at the two emperors, unsure whether to intervene. Cassius II sat stiffly on his throne, his mouth opening and closing, unable to utter a single word. Beside him, Esmerel's nails were practically digging into her flesh as she debated whether to issue a potentially disastrous order.
The ghost who had already reached the door paused and showed his pale and calm profile to everyone: "--Sorry, I almost forgot."
"Although I've mentioned this before, out of courtesy, I still need to formally announce it to you all." His voice was light, but it sounded like thunder in Yuanxin Palace: "The Third Council, the Citizens' Council, has been renamed."
"—We will officially change our name today to 'Citizens' Council'."
The moment the words fell, the last trace of hesitation in the queen's eyes was completely replaced by cold determination.
"Guards! Stop them!" Her voice was not loud, and even sounded a little tired. "Arrest Nova and his followers for treason! Don't let any of them go!"
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