Chapter 401 - 211: Nolen Auswiss (2)
Chapter 401: Chapter 211: Nolen Auswiss (2)
"If the Lawrence Clan isn’t eliminated, countless other families like them will keep popping up. When that happens, the situation in the Kingdom will become dire..."
Even some of the neutral parties, feeling that deliberately allowing or even helping the Goblins grow stronger was simply too inhumane, also stepped forward to lend their voices.
For a moment, the faction supporting a trial for the Lawrence Clan had gained significant momentum.
The remaining, undecided individuals all turned their gazes to Duke Sed Morin, who was standing off to the side.
The Duke stood with a perfectly composed expression, his gaze lowered, appearing completely unruffled as if the matter had nothing to do with him.
Only when the voices in the Royal Court began to die down did he turn his head and slowly ask, "Are you done making a scene?"
He was facing the court officials, but his gaze was fixed on Elvis, his eyes filled with contempt.
Elvis refused to back down in the face of such a blatant Taunt. He scoffed, "Then I wonder, Duke Sed, what is your take on the matter?"
"I can’t be bothered to engage in these arguments with you. Let’s all just speak plainly..."
He swept his gaze across the surrounding Nobility. "You should all know that the Lawrence Family is under my protection. Anyone who tries to touch them is slapping me in the face!"
"You!"
He pointed to a member of the neutral faction who had just spoken up for Elvis. "Was it you who just said you wanted to put the Lawrence Family on trial? Are you trying to slap me in the face?"
He pointed to his own cheek. "Go on. Give it a try."
"N-no..."
The man’s face instantly went pale, and he waved his hands frantically. "Duke Sed, you’ve misunderstood! That’s not what I meant..."
"Then what did you mean?"
But Sed had no intention of letting him off the hook and continued to press him.
"I..."
At a loss for words, the man began to regret having spoken up for the sake of his conscience.
’Why did I have to get involved? I can’t afford to offend either side.’
Especially Duke Sed. It was no exaggeration to say that his power held sway over half the Kingdom!
"And you!"
Duke Sed pointed to another minister. "Do you have a problem with me too?"
"I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare..."
"And you?"
"I believe you had something to say as well!"
Duke Sed pointed them out one by one, and the hall fell silent.
Elvis’s expression darkened. Even his own supporters wouldn’t risk a complete falling out with Duke Sed over this. The price was simply too high.
No one could live without Alchemy Products, and life would become very difficult if one offended Duke Sed.
But Elvis refused to yield. Instead, he grew even more furious. "So this grand Royal Court is nothing more than a place for you to throw your weight around? Are the millions of subjects in this Kingdom worth less than your so-called ’face’?"
"I say it is. What are you going to do about it?"
Duke Sed met his gaze directly, confronting him without a shred of fear. "Even if there are legions of those worthless commoners, can they possibly compare to my contributions to the Kingdom and to the Royal Family?"
He deliberately emphasized the words "Royal Family," giving the King on his throne a massive headache.
’It seemed like the two were arguing, but in reality, they were both taking jabs at me, some obvious and some subtle.’
’Elvis was chastising me for my tolerance of Duke Sed, implying I lacked the majesty befitting a King. Meanwhile, Duke Sed was reminding me of his own importance—a threat, in other words. He was making it clear that if I sided with Elvis, the annual tribute that flowed into the Royal Family’s private coffers might become... uncertain.’
"Enough, enough..."
The King could only wave his hand. "Lord Elvis, this matter requires careful deliberation before a decision is made. That is the very purpose of today’s session of the Royal Court. Please, do not be hasty."
"And Lord Sed, please calm yourself. Rest assured that I will reach a just decision on this matter."
The meaning behind his words was obvious. He intended to mete out some form of punishment to the Lawrence Clan, but he had no intention of stripping them of their noble title.
After all, the Morin Clan represented tangible benefits—not just for the Kingdom, but for the Royal Family, and for him personally.
Although Duke Sed’s earlier words had been excessive, from King Kiao’s perspective, they weren’t entirely without merit.
’How could Ordinary commoners possibly compare to them, the Nobility?’
Who present wasn’t a cunning old fox? They all immediately understood the King’s underlying meaning.
Duke Sed immediately nodded. "My deepest apologies, Your Majesty. I was too impulsive..."
’Now that he’d gotten the result he wanted, it was time to pull back. The Morin Clan was powerful, but they still existed within the Doria Kingdom and relied upon it. If things truly came to a head and they broke away, the Kingdom would suffer a grievous blow, but the Morin Clan would also likely never recover, gradually fading into mediocrity.’
That was an outcome neither side wanted.
Duke Sed, having gotten his way, began to play the part of the obedient subject, but Elvis was far from satisfied.
He spoke at once, "Your Majesty, this matter involves the students of the Kingdom National Academy! They are all waiting to see the outcome. If Your Majesty does not handle this properly, I fear it will dishearten the most Excellent students in our Kingdom!"
The King’s expression flickered once more.
The students of the Kingdom National Academy symbolized the Kingdom’s future and were, without a doubt, extremely important.
Admittedly, many students at the National Academy hailed from major noble families. They might not care about the outcome and were unlikely to ever leave the Kingdom.
However, nearly half the students were commoners or from minor noble families, and they were precisely the ones who cared most about such matters.
’Perhaps the punishment for the Lawrence Clan should be a bit more severe?’
He frowned deeply, hesitating.
Just as he was about to say something, a sudden commotion erupted outside the palace.
"What’s going on?"
He frowned, turning to the guard who had just burst in.
"Your Majesty, it’s terrible! A Dragon Blood Griffin has suddenly appeared outside, with two people on its back!"
The expressions of everyone present changed instantly.
"Are you certain it was a Dragon Blood Griffin?!"
The King frowned and asked again.
"An Ordinary Griffin is already a powerful Middle Tier Lord Level Demon. A Dragon Blood Griffin, which has Giant Dragon Bloodline mixed in, is undoubtedly a High Tier Lord Level Demon, perhaps even bordering on the Epic Level. That’s equivalent to a peak Extraordinary Level human expert!"
"To use a Dragon Blood Griffin as a mount, one must either possess Heroic Level strength or have an incredibly terrifying background!"
’Why would someone like that suddenly force their way into the Royal Palace?’
"What, am I not welcome?"
Before the guard could reply, a voice drifted in from the doorway as a young woman with short pink hair walked in slowly.
Despite being in the Royal Palace of the Doria Kingdom, she walked as if it were her own home, completely at ease.
Following behind her was a white-haired Maid, also with short hair. Her expression was stern, giving her a dignified air.
However, the fabric of her uniform was stretched taut across her chest, creating a subtle contrast with her solemn demeanor.
"And who might you two be?"
Though they appeared to be two young women, they had arrived on a Dragon Blood Griffin. The King dared not underestimate them and spoke with great courtesy.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am the eldest daughter of the Patriarch of the Auswiss Clan—an Imperial Marquis Clan from the Violet Empire—and I am his designated heir. My name is Nolen Auswiss."
She tilted her head up, making no effort to hide the pride and superiority in her voice.
As soon as she spoke, the expression of everyone in the Royal Court changed.
Auswiss...
They all knew the weight that name carried.
The King’s expression shifted several times. His eyes darted about as he thought for a long moment before finally speaking. "Well then, Miss Nolen, what important business brings you to the Doria Kingdom?"
"It is Nolen Auswiss," Nolen corrected.
Then, she narrowed her eyes and smiled faintly. "I came here on a mission from my mother. She told me..."
"Between Lawrence and Morin, only one can remain."