In the days that followed, a heavy atmosphere of dread hung over the capital, and the people of Demacia were gripped by fear.
Barrett and Tiyana, two of King Jarvan III's most trusted aides, took swift action. Armed with the royal seal—a symbol of the King's absolute authority—they first suspended all Mageseekers and Defenders of Magic from their posts. These individuals were ordered to remain at home under investigation.
Particularly damning was the incident during the battle involving the Winged Sisters. On that very day, when Sylas led his uprising and broke the mages out of the Mithril Vault, the guards who were supposed to be on duty had vanished. All Mageseeker guards assigned to watch over the prison were arrested by the Dauntless Vanguard.
Interrogations revealed the critical role of Li Lin's "truth serum." Among the guards scheduled to work that day, nearly two-thirds had been instructed by their superiors to take the day off, assured replacements would cover their shifts. The remaining third were discovered to be under the command of a Mageseeker officer who had accepted bribes to turn a blind eye.
The evidence was damning, gathered from hidden stashes of money in their homes and testimony from two survivors. Unfortunately, many of these guards, having stayed behind to defend the Mithril Vault, were slaughtered by Sylas and his band of mages who harbored a seething hatred for Demacia.
Despite their deaths, the investigation was not hindered.
Following this trail of corruption, Barrett arrested the officers in charge and, using the truth serum, confirmed their crimes of bribery, embezzlement, and treason. Among those detained were several other Mageseeker officials and even members of influential families in the Crownguard Council.
During the raids, a trove of magical artifacts—supposedly sealed away—was uncovered, having been secretly used for personal gain.
After days of relentless efforts, a purge list was compiled with over a hundred names linked to the capital's recent chaos. This, however, was only the tip of the iceberg.
Inside the council hall of Dawnkeep, King Jarvan III sat in his golden armor, his expression dark and brooding. He occupied the central throne, directly facing the grand double doors of the hall. Behind him stood Xin Zhao, his spear firmly in hand, his face impassive and his posture as unyielding as a living statue.
Around the immense round table—reminiscent of a shield—sat the kingdom's highest officials: Grand Marshal Tiyana, Minister of Nobility Affairs Wallis, Minister of Finance Borg, Minister of Foreign Affairs Camilla, Minister of Land and Resources Clemente, Minister of Law Newman, and the Illuminator Church's High Priestess Isabelle.
The only empty seat was across from Tiyana. This chair, once occupied by Eldred, the Mageseeker leader and her husband, had been vacated. Amid escalating scandals involving the Mageseekers, King Jarvan III had suspended Eldred from his official duties and revoked his council membership.
The council chamber was deathly silent, the tension so thick that even the faintest breath seemed deafening. Everyone was acutely aware of the King's fury. Fear of his wrath kept the room stifling and oppressive.
Finally, the heavy double doors creaked open, their hinges groaning as they swung wide. Two guards at the entrance pounded their polearms against the marble floor, the sharp clang of metal reverberating in the chamber.
They've arrived…
All eyes turned toward the entrance, where Barrett and Crown Prince Jarvan IV strode in, both wearing grim expressions. Following closely behind was a familiar figure who had earned the respect of many for his critical contributions to Demacia—Li Lin.
Seeing the trio, King Jarvan III's knitted brows relaxed slightly. Resting his chin on his right hand, he gave a small, casual gesture. A nearby attendant understood immediately and quickly brought three chairs, placing them beside the King's throne.
The gesture caused a stir among the council members. Many glanced at one another with flickering expressions, their thoughts guarded.
In the history of the Crownguard Council, no one—neither the Crown Prince nor even Barrett—had ever been invited to sit alongside the King and his council members during a meeting. Yet now, King Jarvan III had personally instructed chairs to be brought for them. The surprise was palpable among those present, including the representatives standing in the gallery.
"This way," the King said, gesturing for the three to take their seats.
Li Lin sat to the King's right, while Jarvan IV and Barrett took the two seats to his left.
Once they were seated, King Jarvan III straightened, his gaze sweeping across the room. "Now that everyone is here, the meeting can begin."
His voice carried weight, and as it faded, the chamber fell back into an oppressive silence. Li Lin's arrival, along with that of the Crown Prince and Barrett, had done little to lift the heavy atmosphere.
After a moment, the King spoke again, his tone ice-cold. "I trust you all understand why I've called you here today?"
Most of the council members, except for the impassive Tiyana and the composed Isabelle, swallowed hard, their throats bobbing visibly.
The King's gaze shifted to Barrett, seated beside his son. "Tell them."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Barrett replied, rising to his feet. He pulled a tightly rolled parchment from a pocket sewn into his armor and unfurled it. His sharp eyes scanned the room as he cleared his throat.
"Following investigations conducted by myself and Grand Marshal Tiyana, 136 individuals have been arrested in connection with the recent unrest in the capital. Among them are members from every council family—except for the Crownguards."
Barrett lowered the parchment briefly, casting a severe glance around the room. His voice carried a faint tremor of anger.
As one of King Jarvan III's closest confidants, Barrett cared deeply about Demacia's fate. While he understood that corruption was an inevitable shadow cast by prosperity, the extent to which it had infiltrated the kingdom shocked and enraged him.
In his heart, he longed to echo the Illuminators' teaching: "The shadows cannot coexist with the light." Today, however, those words felt more like a condemnation of the council members seated before him—parasitic politicians who had abandoned their duties to the kingdom.
One by one, the mighty noble families of immense power had unknowingly allowed enemy forces to infiltrate right under their noses, even to the extent of plotting to assassinate King Jarvan III!
How could Barrett swallow this indignity?
"In the current purge list, the Zakley family of Minister of Law Newman has 23 individuals involved. The Fitch family of Minister of Finance Borg accounts for 21. Minister of Noble Affairs Wallace's Harlan family has 17 members. The Cartel family of Minister of Foreign Affairs Camilla has 13, and Minister of Land Resources Clemens' Oma family has 6."
As he spoke, Barrett's anger burned hotter with every name he read aloud.
Listing the names of these prominent families, who included ministers from the Shield Council, in front of the assembly brought Barrett a deep sense of shame.
He then let out a cold snort and began to name every single individual involved from each family.
Every face in the room turned downcast, flushed with shame. Not one dared to lift their gaze toward the king or Barrett.
"Altogether, these 80 individuals make up more than half of the entire purge list. How exactly are you raising the members of your families?!" Barrett's sharp rebuke filled the chamber, and not a single soul dared to counter him at this juncture.
Afterward, he continued reading the remainder of the list. These names came from smaller families, less notable clans, and even some virtually unheard-of households in Demacia's capital.
As his booming, enraged voice echoed through the council hall, Li Lin and Jarvan III observed the reactions of the assembly members closely.
Yet, those who held council positions were seasoned politicians, adept at masking their emotions. Their expressions betrayed little, even under scrutiny.
Although Eldred had been temporarily stripped of his duties, he still showed no overt signs of guilt. However, under the AI's scanning and analysis, it was evident he had been rattled, as if something had gone completely against his expectations.
Li Lin was well aware that Eldred wasn't the sole mastermind behind this operation.
The mysterious figure masquerading as an Illuminator and supplying Sylas with mana elixirs remained at large.
However, with the capital, including its sewers, now sealed off by Li Lin's drones and storm robots, escape was no longer an option.
Eldred, moreover, wouldn't endure his anxiety for long. Now that he knew about the truth serum, it wouldn't be long before he attempted a covert meeting with his co-conspirators—likely some, if not all, of the five ministers present here.
When they eventually convened, that would be the perfect moment to draw the net tight.
When Barrett finally finished reading the list and provisionally determined the majority of sentences according to Demacian law, he returned to his seat with a grim face.
The council hall once again fell into a heavy silence.
"Newman, what do you have to say about this?" the king asked coldly, without even lifting his gaze.
The Zakley family had the most individuals implicated in the capital's unrest. Even Newman himself hadn't anticipated such numbers, especially considering that he oversaw Demacia's legal system…
Jarvan III maintained a façade of composure, but the fact that he could suppress his fury and continue speaking calmly was already an extraordinary effort.
Newman silently cursed his luck before realizing that he must have been set up.
Was it Eldred, Camilla, or Clemens behind this scheme?
For now, he couldn't say.
But it certainly couldn't have been any of the four middling families in the capital, whose influence was average at best.
Newman's suspicions fell squarely on Eldred—the man was duplicitous, all smiles in public but conniving in private.
The involvement of Noxians in this affair deviated entirely from their initial plan of internal maneuvering. This deviation reeked of Eldred's handiwork!
Newman's peripheral vision caught Camilla glancing his way, and their eyes met briefly.
'I told you not to act so rashly!'
That was the message Newman wanted to convey, and Camilla understood immediately.
However, she averted her gaze, stoking Newman's irritation further.
"Lord Zakley, His Majesty is speaking to you!" Tiyana's tone was laced with dissatisfaction.
"Oh, yes!" Newman quickly replied. "Regarding this disturbance, I bear deep regret and take full responsibility. My failure to properly discipline the Zakley family has led its members astray, resulting in their involvement in this insurrection. Upon my return, I will ensure thorough reform within my household to prevent—"
Jarvan III suddenly slammed his hand on the table, cutting Newman off mid-sentence. The sound startled some in the chamber, causing a few to flinch visibly.
"You should know that I have no interest in hearing this kind of empty rhetoric," the king said, his voice as calm as the eerie stillness before a storm.
Newman froze. "I… I don't understand what Your Majesty means."
"Oh? You truly don't?" Jarvan III's lips curled into a faint, mocking smile. "I have the distinct impression that your name should also appear on this purge list."
[End of Chapter]
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