With everyone’s attention, he started to explain, “Our primary objective is to restore the princess. Although we managed to rescue her, her royal highness is in a coma right now. At the same time, we will have to secure help from the Great Noble, the Steel Rose family. It’s impossible now, but if we push their third young master, Von Cixton, to become their family head, then we will have a good chance.
On top of that, we need the Free Fractions to support us. Currently the Solitary Swords Clan are closely related to my blood brother, Jones. It could be the entry point to bring in the other large clans in the group.
This will be all our powers on the surface. Underneath, however, there is someone I would like to introduce you to, Lord Yue.”
“Oh, who has the fame to be called upon by our young earl on the hour of need?”
“The King of Thieves, Rielon.”
The three old guys looked at each other with wide-eyed disbelief. The name Rielon isn’t something a boy like Kairos should know. As a powerful practitioner who is a step away from gaining immortality through cultivation, he is one of the top existences on Gaia. Not only so, he is someone powerful enough to make the entire Silent Lambs Empire tremble whenever he was angered. Such a person had contact with a boy no older than thirteen? And, moreover, the boy had enough confidence to make the very king of the undercities their ally?
“If… If you really could get him to help us… then,” the Right Minister stuttered flabbergasted.
“Then we will be able to control the shadows,” Kairos nodded.
Left Minister Zuo shook his head, “but, there aren’t many thieves in our land… in our empire, it is the pirates that hold power.”
“I have a fleet of brave men who could help secure the waters of our border,” Lord Yue said with a deathly smile. Though, he was in fact bashful when he spoke.
“Pirates?”
“N…nnn… no… Well, yes… Privateers.”
“That’s settled,” Kairos smiled, “Then, please give me some time to get the Snowdrifts ready. We will need to drag the enemy plans out until we gather enough strength to strike back.”
The case that he presented was sound. However, the two ministers did not appear convinced, especially the Left Minister Zuo.
With an unconcealed frown, he asked, “Everything sounded good, but from the reports the Snowdrifts is but a young and newly created group. Your core members are made of young students, and old artisans that are without fighting power. Even the potential of you becoming a force powerful enough to rival and suppress the Devilheart is a question, much more making it a reality to have an alliance with the top factions.”
“I assure you, it can be done,” Kairos replied with a confident grin, then added, “Besides, do you have a better plan than this?”
The ministers nearly bit their tongue while Lord Yue stifled a chuckle.
“As expected, this boy is too formidable for these two old crooks.”
They could not deny that the best strategy now is to drag for time and gather their strength.
Before Kairos arrive, the three of them had already been wracking their brains for a way out, but only felt their situation is despairing. Now, at least the young Earl has provided them with some hope, especially if they really could pull the Steel Rose family over to their side and gain a partnership with the Thief King Rielon who commands those who live in the shadows.
The group fell silent as the three older gentlemen were occupied with their thoughts. Indeed as Kairos mentioned, they do have a chance, though it is still uncomfortably slim.
At this time, the Right Minister noticed Kairos looking intensely at him, and he raised his head.
“Tell me,” the young earl said, “When did you start working for the enemy?”
Immediately the others were jolted out of their thoughts. The Left Minister immediately spoke up for his old friend, “Boy, you better watch what you said. You are slandering against a first-class official, even if you are a third-class official, and an imperial red robe possessor, it is enough to land you into prison.”
Lord Yue added, “And, what you said was impossible. We were all sworn to become loyal to the throne! Even if his majesty the emperor is missing, betrayal is death.”
Just as the duke mentioned, every minister had to use a Soul Slip to be guaranteed their loyalty when they work for the empire. To become an Official that wields tremendous resources and power, they swear their loyalty to the throne and work for the interest of the people. The ministries are separated into six: War, Revenue, Manpower, Justice, Works, and Ceremonies.
The heads of these ministries report to three highest rank officials, the Left and Right Prime Ministers, and the Grand Commandant which incidentally is the duke’s state position. With it, he enjoys a broad range of administrative powers and part of the reason why he wielded so much power.
The Prime Ministers are both 1st class officials and has absolute authority beneath the emperor, while the Grand Commandant is the leader of the 2nd class officials.
Kairos, on the other hand, has received a Star Metal Insignia that grants him the benefits fitting a 3rd class official but without any responsibilities of the role.
Compared to the three old men before him, not only is he outranked, he is risking insubordination for accusing the Right Minister.
Unless… they could prove his words were correct.
Fortunately, things were made easy under the effects of the giant soul slip at the back that could catch lies.
“I don’t understand what you mean, Lord Kairos?” the Right Prime Minister You showed no signs of anger and asked with only a confused smile on his face.
Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
At the same time, while no one was watching, the Duke secretly moved his right hand under the table. He activated his Time-space ring and an artefact that could seal up the space appeared into his grasp. Lord Yue used it without hesitation the space around them became locked with a wall of misty fog. Despite appearing flimsy, no one could escape without spending some time destroying this barrier.
Only then did Kairos responded to the Right Minister, “This is the first time we’ve met, yet you accept everything about me, including my suggestions.
Whereas Minister Zuo here, he has refuted or questioned me at every turn, but because of this I find his reactions were more natural.
You, however, appeared a little too friendly and hard to believe. I don’t suppose you made friends with everyone to reach the rank of 1st class official?”
It was a stretched argument, and the Right Minister chuckled, “Well, Lord Kairos, you might find it weird, but everyone knows … I am actually a fan of your exploits!”
The light in Kairos’ eyes only grew more intense upon hearing his words.
Everyone has noticed the sealed space by now, yet he seemed comfortable, as though confident that nothing will happen.
There are only two possible reasons for this. The first is that the Right Minister really did not work for their enemies. The second is that he has a way to wiggle out of this.
Of course, there is also a third possibility, and that is that he is confident to escape the place even against the combined might of Lord Yue and Kairos, but the chances of such a thing are small enough to be dismissed.
After all, compared to the usual Peak Triple S rankers, the duke is able to match nearly ten of them on his own. He is even slightly stronger than practitioners from the immortal realm at his level despite having weaker techniques and cultivation methods, and this is all because of his ability to see the weakness of his targets and destroy them with a single slash — a unique gift from birth that made him a fearsome opponent to fight against.
He is extremely difficult to take down, because all he needs is a moment of folly and he will certainly bring death. Even those of superior might needs to remain guarded against him at all times.
One can see the reason the Emperor Galahad, and the duke managed to fight back against four top-notch cultivators from the Immortal Realm, and kill all the assassins despite being at a disadvantage.
If this Right Minister could overpower them and flee, then he wouldn’t be here discussing plans with them. With his relationship with Galahad Vestimore, he would be more suitable to assassinate the emperor.
“I’m not working for the enemy. My loyalty to Saint Empire has never wavered. Is this enough for cast off your doubts?” the Right Minister smiled and said, pointing to the giant jade that did not react to his words. His tone did not blame Kairos for having suspicions, and instead seemed to be approving. As if being questioned had only raised his opinions of Kairos.
Lord Yue and the Left Minister also nodded. The former, however, did not remove the sealed space and waited calmly for Kairos to speak. If anything, the duke trusts in the boy’s judgement. The piles of report on the young earl that he had read through were not for naught.
“Indeed, you sound convincing. If not for the little clues you had left me, I would have believed you,” Kairos said.
By now, everyone has their attention on him, even the Right Minister wanted to hear his reasoning, and he did not delay, “I was first suspicious of you when you held such interest in my views on our current plight. I am only known in the empire for crafting, combat, and at the most, I could be considered a barely talented merchant.
Except for those who had a close eye on my profile, not many will consider my ideas to deal with traitors and foreign enemies as significant. Unless you are working for the other side.”
Those that place any weight on Kairos he could count them right off the top of his head: Lord Yue, the Devilheart family, the Steel Rose family, Emperor Galahad, and his friends.
The Right Minister was not on this list, except unless he is affiliated with one of them.
“Secondly,” Kairos continued, “For a person that deals with politics daily, you accepted my word too easily.
Since you were interested to know what plans I had, I purposely fed them to you. Your expressions were truly well-controlled. However, I remember when I said that the Silent Lambs Empire was behind the assassination, you acknowledged it right after hearing that I have in possession of pseudo immortal rank items from the Phrixus. Your reaction is so quick that it’s almost as though you already knew about it beforehand.
I remember, at that time, I had yet to explain the connection of the Immortal Realm with the assassins.”
With Kairos pressing the issue, the Right Minister couldn’t help but feel sweat rolling down his back, in a voice less confident than he liked, he protested, “All I said was ‘that explains The Silent Lambs Empire’s sudden raise in power’, that shouldn’t mean much of anything does it?”
“Perhaps such a reaction would be normal on another person, but for a minister with an established position like yourself to never question a boy like me can only be called strange.
Lastly, there was barely much time that passed since the assassin that targeted the Crown Princess was defeated. You clearly did not know about her situation, that her royal highness is safe, yet in the same short time, you could tell me detailed information of the Third and Fifth Prince. Such discrepancies in what you know makes me question where did you get your report from?
Your men, or the enemy?
But, to be honest, these are only what I consider as supporting suspicions.
From the beginning, I already had my doubts. The barrier crystal room is an important strategic location which deals with the safety of the entire capital. The access to such a place will be limited only to his majesty, and his highest ranked officials.
To lure the emperor out, excluding me, only the ones at this table could sabotage the barrier.”
“That’s quite a good analysis, however, under the influence of the jade slip, I can only speak the truth. You’ve heard me declare my loyalty, so I’m definitely not the traitor. Otherwise, we would have seen the white jade glowing.”
The Left Minister jumped up from his seat.
If it’s not Minister You, then it can only be him. After all, the boy knows the duke is the emperor’s right-hand man; thus the suspicions can only land on him.
His face had turned red and was ready to rebuke the Right Minister, whereas Lord Yue’s expression did not change in the slightest.
However, Kairos smiled at Minister Zuo, and the latter immediately held his tongue and waited.
The young earl nodded slightly, as though saying to leave it to him, then continued, “Not quite. You did say you are loyal but to Saint Empire instead of Emperor Galahad.
Both the jade slip in the war room, and the one that every minister had to form a covenant with before becoming an official, has one loophole.
And, that is being loyal to the empire and the throne.
It may sound faultless, but if one is utterly convinced that the throne does not belong to the current emperor, one can work for the enemy without setting off alarms. Isn’t that right, Minister You, or shall we call you…as the elder of the Blue Blood?”
“Hah, nice try accusing me without any proof! Things don’t work this way in the courts!”
“Then, do you dare to say aloud that you are loyal to the Vestimore family, and work in the interest of Emperor Galahad? Don’t worry, the rest of us in this room will follow suit and prove ourselves, of course.”
Lord Yue and Minister Me nodded and looked at the Right Minister.
Fear flashed across Minister You’s face. His sweat now freely flowing down the sides of his head. By now he already knew that his jig is up.
Kairos knew that without the truth detecting jade slip, he – indeed - wouldn’t have enough proof. Right after Lord Yue said the Prime Ministers were unquestionably loyal to the emperor, he had a budding feeling of distrust and checked with Aisa.
The True Holy Dragon immediately found a dark, nauseating, negativity within Right Minister You and told Kairos. It was a sickening thick murk of self-righteousness that grew from his disdain towards commoners, and it was such a thing that caused Kairos to keep an eye on him.
Every time Minister You talked to Minister Zuo, Kairos, and Lord Yue, that darkness grew a little more feeding to his arrogance, as though he was secretly looking down at the three of them for being low-born.
Unfortunately, no matter how well he hides it, it is impossible to stay invisible in Aisa’s eyes and this the true reason he was willing to risk insubordination.