Chapter 183: Why Would I Lie?
King Rhopgin's piercing gaze swept over the scene as he stormed into the room, his patience wearing thinner with every heavy step. The sight before him—a cluster of trembling guards barely managing to stand upright—only stoked the fires of his simmering rage.
Pathetic. Weak. An affront to the very power structure he'd meticulously built. His disgust was palpable, etched into the deep scowl that darkened his features.
Unable to restrain himself any longer, his voice erupted like a thunderclap. "What happened here? Speak now, or I swear—heads will roll!"
The force of his words reverberated through the chamber, a wave of raw authority that made the guards flinch as though struck. They shrank under the weight of his presence, eyes darting nervously to one another, too terrified to meet his gaze.
King Rhopgin was no ordinary ruler. A lesser Kaelrian god, yes—but one whose name inspired both reverence and dread. He was a survivor, a conqueror, a being who had carved his legacy through sheer will and power. And he had no tolerance for failure..
The tale of his ascension to the throne of Base 137 was still whispered in awe and fear across the realm. He was a monstrous lesser god. It wasn't just about his raw Kaelrian power which was confirmed to be placed firmly at 320,000 Kaelrian joules-that terrified them. It was his ruthlessness.
The memory of him obliterating a rival god with 330,000 KJ in a duel still lingered, a battle that had turned the skies above Base 137 into a tempest of fire and lightning. In that battle, King Rhopgin stunned the entire Kaelrian planet by his raw power, going as far as destroying a lesser god with a slightly higher amount of Kaelrian Joules .
That singular act of dominance had cemented his rule, and now that same god stood before them, his rage barely contained. The guards shuffled nervously, beads of sweat rolling down their foreheads.
They knew better than to push him further.
Finally, a chorus of shaky voices erupted from the huddle. "Sh-She killed Prince Kuril..." The words hung in the air like a death sentence.
King Rhopgin's sharp intake of breath
was almost inaudible, but the twitch at the corner of his mouth betrayed his disbelief. Slowly, he turned to Tessa. She stood there, arms folded across her chest, her expression unreadable.
The pregnancy was visible now-a rounded swell that seemed utterly at odds with the accusation. Rhopgin's eyes narrowed, his mind racing. Was this some cruel jest? A trap? His gaze flicked back to the guards, his lip curling in disdain.
"You're telling me," he said, his voice low and dangerously calm, "that this woman, carrying a child, took down my son?"
The guards nodded in unison, their terror palpable. "ldiots," he muttered under his breath. His next words were louder, slicing through the tension like a blade.
"You expect me to believe that? A pregnant woman?" Rhopgin's tone dripped with incredulity, his sharp gaze cutting through the silence. "I'm more inclined to think one of you fools botched your job and decided to pin it on her." His disbelief wasn't entirely misplaced.
By all appearances, Tessa was no warrior. Her movements were unhurried, her posture deceptively relaxed, and her serene blue eyes betrayed no hint of aggression. Yet there was an unspoken tension about her—a quiet intensity that hummed beneath the surface, like a storm waiting to break. She stood apart from the chaos, aloof and untouched, as if none of the accusations or frantic speculations mattered in the slightest.
It was then she noticed it. The energy signature hovering above Rhopgin's head—bright, pulsating, and utterly otherworldly. The sight was jarring, yet oddly familiar. I can even see that of a lesser god... What exactly is happening within me? she mused, her thoughts turning inward. Numbers swirled above him like a shimmering crown of power: 320,000 Kaelrian J'oules. So much energy for one man. Is this what sets him apart?
"Well, Tessa?" Rhopgin's voice broke through her thoughts, laced with mockery. His piercing eyes narrowed as he noted the curious expression she wore. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
Tessa tilted her head ever so slightly, her gaze locking onto his with unnerving calm. A faint, almost imperceptible smile ghosted her lips, yet it carried an enigmatic weight that sent ripples of unease through the room. "What I am," she said softly, her voice laced with quiet steel, "is far more than what you see."
Then, with a shrug that was almost casual, she added, "And he was in my way."
For a moment, silence reigned. The weight of her words hung in the air like a thundercloud. Then Rhopgin's laughter erupted—sharp, cruel, and echoing off the stone walls like a whip. "In your way? You killed him because he was in your way?"
Tessa's only response was a single nod, so small it was almost imperceptible. But it was enough.
Rhopgin's laughter died as abruptly as it had begun. His expression hardened, his eyes narrowing into slits. "This had better be some elaborate scheme," he growled, his voice a low rumble of warning. "Because if you're lying—"
"Lie? Only cowards and the weak resort to falsehoods," Tessa declared, her voice as sharp and steady as a blade slicing through his threat. "Those who walk the path of unity for the; mind, soul, and body—hold fast to truth." Her unwavering tone was an anchor, radiating an authority that left no room for doubt. "And even if I were to lie, it would never be about something like this, that involves Kaelrians lives." The sheer force of her conviction caught Rhopgin off guard, making him pause, his confidence faltering under the weight of her words.
For the first time, he truly looked at her. Not the serene façade she projected, but what lay beneath. The faint Kaelrian aura around her was subtle, almost invisible, but unmistakably present. A quiet hum of power that defied its subdued nature.
"Interesting," he murmured, his curiosity piqued despite himself..
If she truly had the power to defeat Kuril, this woman--this pregnant, seemingly unassuming woman-was a threat far greater than he'd anticipated. And if she was bluffing? Well, he'd find out soon enough.