"Alone?" Drigo snorted. "I wonder... who told you that I am alone?"
Drigo didn’t have the confidence that he used to have. After all, these people used some special prison to actually held Ulva captive. It was something that he never expected from his mother.
However, he still has one thing. And that is bluffing.
"My father died... and almost immediately you made Ulva the suspect. It made me wonder... Lady Margery. Why Ulva? She supported all the previous Kings in the past. She’s more powerful than any of us and yet she never tried to usurp the throne from us when she could easily do it."
"That is not— "
"You on the other hand are different."
"What?" Margery frowned. "What are you talking about.... Your majesty?"
"You have always wanted power. You have always wanted to become the Queen. So... you tried to poison Matthew’s mother, harming her, making her incapable of bringing a child to this world."
"What?"
"Ulva told me everything," Drigo said. In fact, the person who told him this wasn’t Ulva but Matthew himself. Drigo wanted to know why his mother was so scared of Matthew and the latter told him about everything that his mother did to Matthew’s mother.
But the thing is... Drigo didn’t even doubt Matthew’s words. It was because he knew how capable his mother was. His mother didn’t just poison Matthew’s mother but Kieran’s and his other brothers and sisters who chose to leave this plane and live far away from the throne. His siblings did it to survive. They did it to live.
At first, Drigo wasn’t planning to use this against his mother. But with Matthew and Ulva not by his side, he could only use the only thing that could harm his mother’s reputation.
"Now that father is dead, you wanted Matthew, my younger brother, out of the picture because you were scared that he would retaliate. So... you got rid of the only person that could tell him the truth about your deeds."
"You— how dare you accuse your mother of doing something so... sinister?"
"Accuse you? Mother... you know me very well. Did you really think I would accuse you without proof?"
"You— "
"I have all the proof that I need mother. I always knew that you have motives for your actions. I knew that you are someone with plans but I didn’t think that you would actually try to hurt someone who has been supporting the crown for so long!"
"I don’t think this is appropriate..." Drigo’s first wife butted in. "We are here to talk about— "
"We are here to talk about my mother’s real goal. Why do you want to target the one supporting this crown mother? May I know what your real goal is?"
"What?"
A suffocating silence followed Drigo’s words. Maybe people in the room looked at each other, most of them have no idea what was happening now but they chose to stay instead. Watching a drama as this unfold is definitely more enjoyable than anything else.
"Your majesty how could you talk to mother queen like that?"
"She is no longer the Queen," Drigo said. "But you are. However... let me ask you this. Have you been doing your duty as the Queen? Or... was she doing it for you?"
"Your majesty..."
"My mother wanted power and you have given it to her. Do you really think she would stop at that?"’ Drigo snorted. "Look at what she’s doing now?"
The thing about the noble family is the fact that everyone was just greedy for power. They wanted more... always wanted more. They have been sending their daughters to Drigo and had tried to force Matthew to marry someone from their families. This was because they wanted to establish power in this plane.
So, saying that the previous Queen wanted to take away the power of the current Queen was enough to rile up the current Queen’s family.
"Drigo how could you say something— "
"Your Majesty..." Drigo interrupted his own mother. ’Please call me your majesty... mother."
"I— "
"You chose to pursue your own goals instead of treating me like your son. Please don’t blame me for establishing my boundaries. I am no longer taking any bullshit. If you could prove that Ulva indeed poisoned the King then you can do what you want. But I am not going to let you pressure me into doing what is it that you wanted." Drigo got up. "The people in this room— the very people who supported your useless campaign— failed to realize that Lycans have been weaker and are getting weaker and weaker.
"If we are not going to make some changes, we are not going to grow. Sitting here, complaining, wouldn’t do us any good. If you want to stay weak then go ahead and stay do that. Be safe and weak and a coward. I don’t think I can help someone who is not even willing to help himself!" Drigo looked at the people inside the room. He itched their expression inside his brain as he knew he would remember this day forever.
For the first time since Matthew told him what he wanted, Drigo felt empowered enough to voice out his opinions. A part of him is still not convinced that Matthew’s plan was right but this time, he is going to look at their end goal. The means to an end.
This time, he isn’t going to blink to do what is necessary to get the things that they wanted to achieve.
For the first time, he felt so confident to fight back and say no to his mother.
"Your majesty... would you mind talking to me? In private?" the Queen said while glaring at him. Clearly, the queen also knew that even if she succeed everyone would start doubting her and her real goals.
These families were greedy for more power. How could they let someone like her have more power than their families? In response, Drigo only smirked.
"You lost that privilege when you called this meeting without even informing me in advance. It is a protocol that you always tell the King what you wanted to do. You are the previous Queen and your time has passed. As the current King, what I say goes. But you disrespected that just because of your selfish goals!"
"Drigo— "
"Again... please call me your majesty. This will be your last warning Lady Margery. I will have my knights detain you the next time you make that mistake again."
Seeing his mother’s dark expression, he started walking out of the room.
"That’s it..." Lady Margery’s voice echoed. "As you can see... the King isn’t acting in his right mind. He even disrespected his very own mother."
Her words prompted Drigo to stop walking. He looked at the woman who raised him for more than a hundred years. Right now, he could no longer recognize his mother. She looked the same but her actions were clearly different.
"Arrest him—" Lady Margery said with a smug smile on her face. "Right now, Priestess Ulva and you are the prime suspects of the previous Kings death."
Drigo gave his mother an ’are you fucking serious’ look. But the look on his mother’s face was enough to answer his questions.
The woman is damn serious!
"I would love to see you try..."
Everyone looked toward the source of the voice. Footsteps echoed as everyone’s face turned darker.
"Babaylan the witch and Ava Woods..." whispers echoed inside the room. However, many of them frowned when they looked at the man who was walking next to Ava.
As many of them were already Lycans who have lived for more than a hundred years, they clearly recognized the man.
Shaman Gaas.
The well-known Shaman was said to be even more powerful than Ulva and... meaner. Yes, the Shaman had gained some reputation for his rotten attitude to everyone.
"You are no longer welcome here... Babaylan the witch!" Lady Margery hissed.
"Then stop me," Baba smirked. "But you can’t, can you? You are weaker than me."
"You— "
"This matter is solely for Lycans! You have no business here!" one of the heads of the noble families said.
"Please... I have no interest in your squabbles." Baba said. "I came here because I wanted to give my support to the new King. Surely, he would need someone powerful by his side considering... he just lost his witch, right?"
"You— "
"You are right," Drigo immediately chimed in. Of course, he isn’t going to let go of this opportunity! This is Babaylan! The witch who had been protecting Matthew since he was a child! Next to her was Ava Woods! Another powerful witch.
Of course, he knew that these people only came here because of Matthew.
But who cares?
He has his own pride but this isn’t the time to show that. This was the path that he had chosen.
"Very well..." Baba smiled at him. "Now... I heard someone saying that they wanted to arrest you for working with Priestess Ulva?" Baba chuckled. "I might not like that woman but I am fair. So... I have brought someone that could help us determine if the Priestess was indeed the one who killed the King. I am sure most of you knew him. He is Shaman Gaas. And he is going to help the new King clear his name."
"You have no right to bring someone here!" Lady Margery insisted.
"I don’t," Baba smirked. "But you can’t really stop me... can you?"
Lady Margery glared at her.
In response... Baba beamed.
.....
I was able to achieve my goals this month! Thanks to you! Next month’s goal is to reach Chapter 500! Wish me luck!
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