Chapter 105: Chapter 105

Meanwhile, Hannah landed with Leona, Sokram, and Brunhild right in front of the City Lord's Palace.

The sudden arrival startled the guards.

Their hands flew to their weapons, but the sight of Leona immediately eased their tension.

Leona guided them toward the Licarus office.

The guard posted in front tried to stop her from entering, only to be shoved out of the way, and she barged in without even knocking.

Licarus, who was accompanied by his wife, Liaranna, discussing some private matters, felt the familiar surge of irritation at the abrupt interruption.

His jaw tightened, ready to scold the unwanted intruder.

Yet, seeing it was Leona, he relaxed.

Leona was acting that way because Sokram had told her a quick version of what happened while they were flying there.

So she knew this could not be delayed.

Licarus flashed her a knowing glance, about to mockingly scold Leona for barging in like that.

Yet, seeing the serious look on her face, both he and Liaranna waited for her to speak first.

Once they saw Hannah, Brunhild, and Sokram following her into the office and closing the door behind them, the weight in the air said more than words.

This wasn’t a simple visit.

Leona's serious gaze shifted between Licarus and Liaranna as she started, “Good! You two are here. Something bad happened. It will be better if he shows you.”

Leona motioned for Sokram to approach.

Licarus caught sight of his state, with his broken arm and blood-soaked armor, and raised a brow with an inquiring look, “I thought you were out hunting chicken. What happened?”

“I got a lot of chicken, more than a thousand, Great Uncle.” Sokram forced a smile and handed him a spatial ring.

“This one is the chicken. Is there someone pregnant that I don’t know of?”

Then handed Licarus a second ring. “And this is the problem; they ambushed my team and me when we were returning to the city.”

“No one is pregnant. Cockatrices are your grandmaster's favorite meal.” Licarus checked the commission first, and his eyes widened...

Though he couldn’t even count how many cockatrices there were, it was certainly over one thousand. “Shit, boy. Why so many?” This update ıs available on novel~fire~net

“Business.” Sokram’s tone lacked his usual joy when talking about money, which gave Licarus an eerie feeling.

Licarus's hand hovered over the second ring, his hesitation stretching the silence.

His gaze, sharp and assessing, studied Sokram's state once more before his voice sounded again, “I won’t find the Silverfang boy’s body inside this ring, will I?”

Sokram chuckled, hearing that.

“No, if it were just him, I would just have tied him down and taken him back straight to Alpha Silverfang.”

He reached for the recording crystal tied around his neck and placed it on the table.

Only then did he realize the table looked newly made, with even more magical reinforcements than the previous one.

Sokram flashed Licarus a forced grin and warned him, “You’d better take the table out of the way.”

Still, his joke and somber tone didn’t match, only deepening Licarus's worries.

Licarus exhaled sharply, steeling himself.

He passed the first ring to Liaranna before reaching for the second.

Liaranna was as surprised as Licarus, seeing that many cockatrices, “Can I buy some from you?”

Sokram nodded, “Yes, just tell me how many, and I’ll have them butchered and delivered here.”

“Thank you, sweetheart…”

When she turned to look at Licarus, he was frozen, his hands trembling as his fists closed around the ring, as if by crushing it, he could make the terrible truth within it vanish.

Licarus was usually very explosive and loud; only his closest friends and closest kin ever saw his true, shocked expression.

When that happened, it meant something that could bring a lot of trouble to Eversnow.

Licarus stood there for a while, his gaze would drift to Sokram, heavy with a grief that seemed to dim the very light in his eyes.

Other times, his gaze shifted to the others.

His expression was frozen between worried and fearful.

Sometimes, he even looked lost... Neither knowing which steps to take next, nor how to formulate words.

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“Why did you bring them back? Why not hide the bodies? I don’t have the authority or the power to shield you from the consequences this can bring, Sokram. My Oath to this country and City compels me to relay this to the King.”

Licarus sat down, his gaze fixed on his wooden floor as if looking for something he knew he wouldn’t find.

As if he were ashamed of his lack of power to protect someone who trusts him.

“You are the heir of three great families, two of which are noble families.” Shifting his gaze to Hannah, he added. “Though, since you also have her backing, the King might be lenient…“

Sokram cut in, “Great Uncle, I know. That’s why I brought them back. Please watch the recordings. I came straight to you with this matter because I need you to call the King here.”

Just then, a knock came from the door.

The guard Leona had shoved aside and peeked his head in, “Lady Androny and family are here, sir.”

“Let them in, and after them, no one else. Not even my son. Not even the Hall Commanders. Not even any of the family heads. Ask for backup if necessary.” Licarus's tone was firm and urgent.

The guard, a veteran among Licarus’s men, recognizing the urgency in his Lord’s tone, knew this was a grim matter and quickly followed his orders. After letting Sokram’s family into the office, the guard swiftly called for backup so as not to run any risks.

Suddenly, ten guards in front of the door, the ten strongest guards in the palace.

Such a move wouldn’t pass unnoticed by the eyes and ears of the founding families inside the palace, or anyone else with enough power in Eversnow.

Soon, many communication crystals began lighting up all over the city.

While Sokram showed the recordings to the City Lord and his own family, all the family heads from the founding and the most powerful families started heading toward the palace, including Sandra nid Steelheart.

The city’s most powerful figures flooded Licarus's office waiting hall. Murmurs buzzed outside like a hive stirred awake, voices rising and falling with speculation.

Yet, no one even dared to ask the guards about the matter.

They all patiently waited, especially after seeing that even Lycius, the City Lord’s son, was barred from entering.

“Not even I?” Lycius asked the guard, surprise etched on his face.

“Explicit orders of the City Lord, Lord Lycius.” The guard who had called for backup explained.

“Is Leona there?” Lycius insisted.

“It was Lady Leona who brought the matter to the City Lord, Lord Lycius.”

The guard kept his tone humble and respectful, knowing Lycius could be the next City Lord.

When the other family heads saw that, they became even more worried.

Meanwhile, inside the office, Sokram's recordings were showing the fight starting.

Leona wanted to praise him, but this wasn’t the time for celebration.

Hilda, Astrid, and Miralyn realized that Sokram was, just as Sayuri said, strong.

They understood that even their worries about his rapidly growing cultivation were unnecessary, for had it not been for that, they knew they would be mourning him right now.

All of them shared that thought, and it sent chills down their spines.

Then, the recording ended, and Sokram placed a second crystal on the table and, without waiting, started playing.

It showed a closed room inside the Steelhearts’ estate, on a table were Aaron and Adrian on one side, with Kazzah and Timothy sitting across from them.

Yet, the only two speaking were Aaron and Kazzah, while Timothy and Adrian only watched and nodded.

Aaron started explaining, “I’ll have a tracker with us. Just be sure to leave good tracks behind. After I make sure the slave and the hag didn't follow him, I’ll sneak out of the city and catch up with you.”

“What if they decided to stay one more day?” Kazzah asked.

As Aaron spoke, especially after his passionate, racist speech, which Sokram had already shown, it was easy to see the disguised disgust in his eyes whenever he looked at Kazzah.

And when his gaze shifted to Timothy, there was only pity. “Then you leave early. From what you told me, you don’t have much else to lose, right? So come back straight here, the guards will let you in. Then I’ll arrange for you and your friend to join the army on our family’s territory.”

“Alright, then.” Kazzah agreed quickly.

“You truly don’t mind it, hm?” Aaron asked nonchalantly.

“Eversnow being destroyed? No, if I can’t have it, then I don’t give a damn.” Kazzah shrugged.

A heavy silence filled the room, broken only by the soft creak of Sokram’s armor.

The weight of the recordings pressed down on their shoulders like the looming fate of their country.

Until Brunhild, after clenching her fist, exploded.

Her voice, a thunderclap, ripped through the room. “I knew those fuckers were plotting something! I told you, fool! And you said I was being paranoid!”

She pointed at Licarus, who was still lost for words.

Hannah, playing the voice of reason, interjected, “This is not the time to point fingers. We must stay united in times like these. This is what our grandson is fighting for. Fighting so well, they even came for his life.”

Margiory summoned a communication crystal without waiting, but Licarus raised his hand for her to stop, “I’ll report it to the King, Lady Androny.”

“I’ll make sure he comes. I’ll make sure he gets here before the Steelhearts come with the army to arrest my grandson. If you want to message him first, please do it now.”

“What army, Marg?” Hannah’s voice dropped to a low, thunderous calm. “Don’t you see me standing here?”

Her tone sounded very arrogant and self-assured.

Still, in that sense, she could be, especially being the strongest powerhouse in Norwinter.

“Either way, this evidence will stay in your care, Hannah, until the King arrives. I merely want to ensure he doesn’t delay his trip here to avoid unnecessary issues.”

Margiory insisted before turning to Licarus with a questioning look, “So, do I message him first, or will you?”

Licarus sighed and summoned his communication crystal, and activating it, he began speaking in a somber, grieving tone.

“Your Majesty,” he began softly. “There’s a matter of utmost urgency and importance that I must report…”

Licarus spoke politely and always in a calm and composed manner. Licarus’s tone revealed a profound respect for the King, perhaps even the bond of complete trust and cherished friendship.

When the message ended, it only took a few minutes for the reply to come: “Thank you for reporting this to me so quickly, Uncle. Tell Lady Margiory and Lady Hannah I’ll depart today and should arrive by evening. Until then, try to keep the situation discreet. But their bodies must be returned to their family as soon as possible. As for any compromising evidence, keep it. Until then, Uncle.”

Sokram was impressed to see the King talking so casually to Licarus, with no grandeur, pretense, or even arrogance, especially since the King kept calling him uncle.

“There, until then, keep Sokram out of the streets,” Licarus’s gaze shifted between Margiory and Hannah.

Then, turning to Sokram, he raised his hand, “Is there any more evidence?”

Sokram fished the leather pouch he was hiding in his sleeve and gave it to Licarus.

But not before hiding three of the rings that were there, as those he would gift to the Pavilion.

Those three rings carried information that would be best in their hands, as he believed that, even if the King wanted to, he wouldn’t be able to use them legally.

Licarus accepted the pouch, pretending he didn’t see Sokram tucking away the other rings, and gave it to Liaranna.

He then stood up and went to the door.

Knowing precisely what he would face on the other side, he took in another deep breath first.

When he opened the door, a frown deepened on his face as his eyes scanned the crowd, finally landing on Sandra.

“Miss Steelheart, please wait for me in the room to the left. The rest of you can go to the conference hall downstairs.”

Then, turning to the guards, “Search for Kazzah vid Silverfang and the boy named Timothy. They are likely to be found in the Steelhearts' estate, but if they are not there, release a bounty of a thousand gold for each head. They are suspected of conspiring to commit treason against Norwinter and Eversnow.”