Although Jarvan III usually appeared kind and benevolent, exuding a calm and approachable demeanor, he was, after all, a veteran of two or three decades of brutal warfare. Even without a mentor as skilled as Xin Zhao in his youth and lacking the talents of his son, Prince Jarvan IV, at the same age, the aura of menace honed on the battlefield remained undiminished.
Stunned, Newman's eyes widened as he abruptly raised his head, inadvertently locking eyes with the king. That single gaze from Jarvan III sent a jolt of fear through his heart, nearly breaking his composure.
'Does he know what I've done?'
But… how could he possibly know?
Aside from the eight of us, no one else was aware of our secret meeting!
Newman immediately rose from his chair and took two cautious steps back, ensuring he was fully visible to the king.
Without hesitation, he dropped to his knees, his forehead striking the polished marble floor with a resounding thud.
"Your Majesty, I am innocent!" Newman cried out, his voice trembling with a mixture of fear and desperation, as if he were suffering the gravest injustice. "I have been unwaveringly loyal to the Lightshield royal family and to you, my king. Yes, I am aware of the family's involvement with those responsible for the chaos in High Silvermere, but I swear I have no ties to them whatsoever. Please, Your Majesty, see the truth!"
"Then…"
Jarvan III stroked his gray beard, contemplating for a moment. The expression on his face almost led Newman to believe his pleas had struck a chord.
But the king's next words left him feeling as though he had plunged into an icy abyss: "Would you dare allow me to question you under the influence of truth serum?"
"This…"
Newman froze.
He knew all too well what truth serum was.
The Zakley family had once sponsored the current warden of the kingdom's prison. Though it had been more than twenty years since, and the warden had long severed ties with them, the goodwill they had bestowed back then still made extracting information from him an easy task.
This so-called truth serum, which sounded like some arcane magical concoction, was actually a substance provided by Li Lin.
Newman understood that the serum affected the mind. His limited knowledge could only describe it as such.
Once injected, no matter what the interrogator asked, the subject would be compelled to answer truthfully, incapable of lying.
Newman had never imagined that Jarvan III would demand this of him.
"Your Majesty!" Newman panicked, hastily raising his head in protest. "I am already 53 years old. I have served Demacia and the Lightshield family faithfully since the reign of the late king. This substance, whose side effects remain unknown, surely cannot—"
"My truth serum is developed using genetic technology," Li Lin interjected with calm assurance. "It's the same technology I used to heal the soldiers of the prince's royal guard who were blinded by magical burns. I can guarantee that it has no side effects."
Jarvan III's smile deepened, but to Newman, it radiated no warmth.
He's serious!
"Your Majesty!"
"What are you so afraid of?" Jarvan III questioned, his tone sharp. "Why does the truth serum scare you so much?"
Before Newman could respond, Camilla seized the opportunity to interject.
"Your Majesty, surely you jest. Lord Zakley's health has been in decline these past years. We cannot risk using an untested substance concocted by outsiders on him."
"Mind your words, Lord Kalth," Jarvan IV snapped, glaring at Camilla. "Li Lin is no outsider."
Li Lin observed the exchange silently, his expression composed.
"My father has already conferred the title of duke upon Li Lin," Jarvan IV continued. "Meanwhile, you have yet to inherit your father's rank. The least you could do is show him the proper respect and address him as Lord Li."
Camilla's gaze flickered between Jarvan IV and Li Lin before settling on Jarvan III. After a brief pause, she recalled the royal decree issued earlier that day.
She pursed her lips, lowered her head, and murmured an apology. "My apologies, Prince, Lord Li. It was a lapse on my part."
What now?
If Newman were injected with the truth serum, he would undoubtedly implicate us all!
Camilla suppressed her growing anxiety and cast a fleeting glance at Clemente, seated diagonally opposite her.
Unbeknownst to her, even this subtle shift in her gaze did not escape Li Lin's notice, his heightened perception and reflexes far surpassing those of ordinary people.
It seems the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Land Resources Management are both deeply suspect.
Li Lin made a mental note.
"Your Majesty, I must protest," Wallace interjected hesitantly, glancing at the kneeling Newman. His voice carried a trace of compassion. "As a veteran who has served two generations of kings, Newman does not deserve such treatment."
"This is no time for you to mediate, Wallace," Jarvan III retorted, his tone sharp with disapproval.
In truth, Jarvan III's intention had been to subject all five council members, excluding Tiyana, to the truth serum.
Compared to the Lightshield family, the other noble families were all guilty, to varying degrees, of corruption and abuse of power.
Jarvan III had long been aware of this. For the sake of maintaining the fragile balance his late queen Catherine had worked so hard to establish between the nobility and the royal family, he had chosen to turn a blind eye.
But now that members of these families had been implicated in the High Silvermere uprising, Jarvan III initially had no reason to suspect his senior ministers of involvement. His plan was simply to deliver a warning.
Yet Newman's reaction had gone far beyond what Jarvan III had anticipated.
This old fox had never been so rattled before…
Jarvan III narrowed his eyes, rhythmically tapping three fingers on the round table. Each tap echoed like a death knell in Newman's mind, intensifying his panic.
"Your Majesty, please reconsider!" Wallis pleaded earnestly.
The king had no intention of entertaining this mediator's objections. His gaze was fixed intently on Newman, who lay prostrate on the floor. "Do you have something to hide?"
"My loyalty to Demacia is as clear as the sun and moon!" Newman wailed in despair. "I swear upon the Winged Protector sisters!"
"Then let's use the truth serum."
Jarvan III gestured, and a servant promptly presented a small box containing a compact mechanical injector.
"Your Majesty!" Wallis exclaimed, shocked. He had initially assumed the king simply wanted to warn Newman, who had grown increasingly audacious over the years. "Do you truly intend to—"
Jarvan III scoffed coldly. "If you have nothing to fear, then what harm is there in taking the serum?"
Newman was already sobbing uncontrollably, his forehead bloodied from repeated kowtows.
Clemence could no longer remain silent and also pleaded, "Your Majesty, please reconsider!"
"Please reconsider!" Camille added quickly.
Only the Treasurer, Bogg, remained mute, steadfastly ignoring Wallis's attempts to draw him into the conversation.
"It seems I've indulged you all for too long," Jarvan III growled, his voice icy with authority. "You've forgotten who truly rules Demacia!"
The king's angry rebuke silenced the other ministers, who no longer dared to voice their objections.
His decision was made. Even if it meant tarnishing his reputation as a wise ruler or offending these influential nobles, Jarvan III was determined to administer the truth serum to Newman today.
The king's eyes glinted with icy resolve. "Minister Zachary, will you inject yourself, or shall I assist you?"
"If Your Majesty doubts my loyalty, I would rather die to prove my innocence than endure such humiliation!"
As Newman spoke, he suddenly drew a dagger from within his robes, eliciting gasps of shock throughout the council chamber.
According to Demacian law, no one but the king, Xin Zhao, and the stationed guards was permitted to carry weapons into the council hall—not even Grand Marshal Tiyana.
No one had expected Newman to exploit his status to smuggle a dagger into the session.
If he had treacherous intent to harm the king...
Tiyana's heart sank at the thought.
Nevertheless, duty demanded she act without hesitation. She rose immediately, prepared to disarm and subdue Newman.
But Li Lin and Xin Zhao were faster.
One of them, clad in battle armor, appeared beside Newman in a flash, bending the rune-steel dagger with ease. The other leaped over the council's round table in an instant, seizing Newman's right wrist before he could act further.
Moments later, royal guards stationed outside the chamber burst in, drawn by the commotion. At Xin Zhao's signal, they swiftly restrained the despairing Minister of Law without a word.
Jarvan III's expression was as dark as storm clouds. He was now almost certain Newman was connected to the recent turmoil in the capital—perhaps even its mastermind.
Otherwise, why would he react so drastically over a simple truth serum? Why would he choose death over revealing the truth? Clearly, he had something to hide, possibly even accomplices he feared exposing.
The king gripped the armrest of his throne with one hand as he stood, holding the truth serum injector tightly in the other. He approached Newman with slow, deliberate steps.
Tiyana followed closely behind him.
"Proving your innocence is simple," the king said, his voice devoid of emotion. "There's no need to go to such extremes."
Without hesitation, he plunged the injector's needle into Newman's neck.
[End of Chapter]
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