The Upper House meeting rarely saw such a heated scene.
The various factions argued endlessly.
The parliamentarians’ opinions gradually clarified as they took sides.
Opinions split into three groups.
The hawks led by the Flame Wing Duke insisted that Claire’s account of the Kent truth was a false accusation.
They accused Claire of being a Lucis imperial infiltrator in the Northern Continent and even questioned whether she was Princess Flora herself.
Their proposed solution was to imprison Claire immediately and treat her as a bargaining chip in wartime negotiations.
The faction led by Sibyl firmly maintained that the Kent incident was suspicious, yet they lacked concrete evidence.
Regarding Claire’s identity they could only speak vaguely.
Even with the army marshal’s support, their position was gradually weakening.
Most parliamentarians remained undecided.
Tonight’s scene was too complicated.
They did not want to offend the dragon race, the elves, the vampires, or the military.
They could only wait for the silent Dragon King to speak.
Once he gave his verdict it would be final, and no one else would have a chance to speak.
Beneath the lion’s roar the wolves could only whimper.
Amid the noisy quarrel, Claire moved her sleeve away from her face.
None of the parliamentarians were looking at her anymore.
Gazing at the portrait of Princess Flora projected on the white screen, Claire’s thoughts swirled.
She had never imagined that twelve years later their appearances would still be as similar as they had been in childhood.
Claire wanted to speak in rebuttal, but she felt that no one would listen to her voice at this moment.
Claire felt as if she had returned to the summer palace twelve years ago amid the sea of fire.
That familiar sense of powerlessness rose in her heart.
At this moment she was like a wild beast locked in a cage for people to watch.
No matter how loudly it roared, it could not interfere with the order of the human world.
If it kept roaring and became too annoying, it would simply be shot dead.
Miriel extinguished the light wand and leaned close to Claire’s ear.
“Aren’t you pleased with yourself? For your sake those lofty figures are willing to lose face and argue until they cannot be reconciled. Some want to protect you. Some want to put you to death. Wherever you go, blood and storms follow. Perhaps this is the fate you cannot escape. What do you say, Princess Flora?”
Miriel spoke softly.
The hellish scenes once again surfaced in Claire’s mind—the black demons spewing steam walking out of the burning palace, the demonkin wailing and turning to charcoal amid dragon roars…
It was true.
Her journey had always been accompanied by blood and storms.
From the Münster summer palace to the Kent containment zone, calamity followed her like a shadow and could not be shaken off.
But what right did the instigator of this massacre before her have to mock her?
In Claire’s usually downcast red eyes, a terrifying murderous light suddenly exploded.
Miriel froze.
She had thought her words would intimidate this inexperienced little princess and destroy her psychological defenses.
But at this moment Claire’s gaze had transformed into that of a raging beast.
Perhaps every person hid such a side deep within.
When the softest and most sensitive part was violated, the sleeping heart-beast would awaken.
Suddenly, the Claire before Miriel vanished.
Miriel heard the sound of some metal object shattering.
In the next instant, everything went black before Miriel’s eyes.
She fell backward and landed on her back.
Claire pounced on her like a black panther.
Miriel’s mind went blank, buzzing.
She had already anticipated that exposing Claire’s secret at the meeting would enrage the little princess, but Claire was a vampire after all, so precautions had been necessary.
Therefore several amulets engraved with magic barriers hung inside Miriel’s white robe, enough to withstand the impact of a war chariot.
Yet at this moment those amulets instantly turned into scrap metal and scattered across the podium.
Claire’s fist was clenched tightly and smashed heavily into that delicate face.
The fist struck through the fine skin and facial bones with a series of thuds.
With the first punch, Miriel’s gold-rimmed glasses shattered.
Fragments of the glass lenses cut the skin around her eye sockets.
Blood blurred her vision.
The second punch followed immediately.
Miriel turned her head to dodge, but the fist slammed heavily into her long, pointed ear.
In an instant a sharp ringing filled her brain.
The conference room fell into chaos.
No one had ever dared to resort to violence during an Upper House meeting.
The guarding soldiers raised their rifles and aimed at Claire in the center of the room from all directions.
Yet Claire remained unmoved.
Even after Miriel had already lost consciousness, she continued mechanically smashing down her fist again and again.
Blood sprayed across her face in fine threads, intertwining with her pale skin to create an especially ferocious sight.
With every punch Claire threw, the chill between Sibyl’s brows deepened.
All the reasons she had tried to find to exonerate Claire were now destroyed.
The situation had taken a sharp turn for the worse.
“How dare you! Fall unconscious!”
Alexander strode down from the podium and stood before Claire.
His voice was low and powerful. Every word carried a soul-stirring pressure.
It was the unique charm art of the Toriduo bloodline.
As a second-generation vampire, Alexander’s words alone were enough to interfere with the minds of dozens of people.
Claire, a fourth-generation vampire, naturally could not resist the domination of a higher being.
A strong sensation of dizziness washed over her. Her body was no longer under her control.
She fell heavily onto the cold marble floor, nearly breaking her nose bridge. Blood gushed out like a spring.
Somehow, some force allowed Claire to withstand the charm that should have controlled dozens of people.
She still retained a final shred of consciousness. Struggling, she raised her head.
Alexander’s cold face before her became blurred and fragmented.
However, her roar grew weaker and weaker until it finally turned into nothing but wheezing mixed with blood foam.
Her gaze gradually faded.
At that moment, the iron doors of the palace were forcefully pushed open.
The conference room, lit only by candles, was illuminated as brightly as day by the light from outside.
“Great Sage Vita requests an audience!”
The silent Dragon King His finally raised his head. He stood up and nodded to indicate welcome.
Vita walked into the palace with measured steps and slowly ascended to the high seat. Along the way the parliamentarians rose one after another and bowed in salute.
The Great Sage’s seat was second only to the Supreme King, even higher than that of the regent Flame Wing Duke. Yet Vita almost never attended Upper House meetings.
The Sage was merely a nominal position. Everyone knew Vita’s true identity—the Water God.
Younger parliamentarians knew she was the only elemental god remaining in this era.
Older parliamentarians knew that forty years ago she had raised a storm that destroyed the Southern Continent’s ironclad fleet.
And founding-era ministers such as Sibyl and Sallyanna deeply understood the pivotal role the Water God had played in that great war that decided the fate of the world.
Amid the wind and rain, that familiar chestnut hair fluttered in the wind.
Claire felt as if she had awakened from a long nightmare.
She lifted her head in a daze and stared for a long time at that once-familiar figure.
Liz leaped down while gripping the wooden barrier that sealed off the meeting area.
The wind she brought caused the candle flames on the parliamentarians’ tables to shoot straight upward.
She walked quietly to Claire’s side and gently sat down.
She tenderly lifted Claire’s head and placed it on her own lap.
She gently combed Claire’s hair, which was stuck together with blood, and carefully wiped the bloodstains from Claire’s face, allowing that pale and beautiful face to regain a trace of vitality.
Liz softly stroked Claire’s hair and leaned down close to her ear. “It’s all right. Leave the rest to me.”
Then Liz took a deep breath. “I can testify to Enforcer Claire’s accusation. I personally experienced the tragedy of the Kent containment zone. It was Professor Miriel and the Dragon Guard who planned the entire massacre. The Kent municipal hall and police force were their accomplices!”
Liz’s clear voice echoed through the conference room.
The parliamentarians exchanged glances.
Even the hawks’ supporters did not dare to speak in rebuttal, because Liz was a witness brought by Vita. No one wanted to make an enemy of the Water God.
Alexander let out a cold laugh. His gaze shot toward Liz like a blade. His tone was filled with disdain.
“This Miss Liz is Enforcer Claire’s partner of three years. The two of them have long shared common interests. How can her testimony be easily believed? I’m afraid it is nothing more than collusion intended to confuse the public.”
Hearing this, Liz not only did not retreat but stood up straight and met Alexander’s gaze firmly.
“Family Head, I likewise question whether you were a participant in this conspiracy. In Kent, Professor Miriel used this note as bait to lure me into joining their scheme. It states that my enemy—Jeffrey Bird—would be attending a certain hotel. And it was there that I personally witnessed your figure!”
With that, Liz took out the yellowed note from her bosom and handed it to the attendant beside her.
The contents of the note were clearly projected onto the white screen under the light, drawing an uproar from the entire hall.
Alexander’s expression changed slightly at the sight.
His tone immediately became urgent. “Young lady, do not speak nonsense! The handwriting on this note is crude. It clearly comes from someone else’s hand. How can it be used as evidence against me? Moreover, I attended the Isaac Hotel that day upon a friend’s invitation, openly and aboveboard. There was no need for concealment.”
At that moment, Sibyl gently turned her head and glanced at the man in Cerberus uniform beside her.
The man wore delicate thin-rimmed glasses and had an expressionless face.
Every fold of his clothing and every strand of his hair exuded an air of rigor.
He was Imek Vandro, head of the First Agency.
After receiving Sibyl’s signal with her eyes, he slowly stood up. His voice was steady and powerful.
“Mr. Alexander has a point. However, there are a few details that may reveal another side of the truth to everyone.”
Imek picked up a stack of documents from the table and gently opened them. He continued, “A week ago, Mr. Alexander personally visited the archives of the First Agency. Under the pretext of intelligence work needs, he reviewed the files of Central Church personnel. According to our records, the lord particularly focused on the information of Jeffrey Bird.”
As Imek finished speaking, the vampires of the First Agency quickly handed the relevant files to the attendants.
On the white screen, Jeffrey Bird’s life history and his unspeakable crimes appeared clearly.
Next to them were marked access records—time, personnel, and other information—all pointing directly at Alexander.
Alexander’s face changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. His voice dropped even lower.
“Reviewing Church personnel files was for work purposes. It is perfectly reasonable. As for this Bird going to the Isaac Hotel, that was his private itinerary. How would I know? Perhaps one of his colleagues leaked it, or perhaps it was the hotel’s carelessness.”
However, before he could finish, Imek gave a cold smile and continued.
“What you say has some truth to it. But how could a Church clergyman easily reveal to others that he was going to such a place of wind and moon? If it were not for someone deliberately coming to check our archives, how could they have grasped it so precisely?”
Alexander suddenly raised his head, about to retort, but caught sight of the slight upward curve of Sibyl’s lips and the trace of satisfaction and mockery in her eyes.
He finally realized that all of this was a trap carefully laid by Sibyl!
Veins bulged at Alexander’s neck.
He glared furiously at Liz before him.
Anger and unwillingness burned like wildfire in his chest.
It was this foolish junior who had ruined his plan.
He wanted this arrogant brat to pay with blood for blood!
Alexander took a sudden step forward and charged straight toward Liz.
However, just as he was about to touch Liz, Sibyl’s figure flashed and blocked the space between them.
Her movements were swift and elegant, like a lightly dancing feather, yet unbreakable.
“Alexander,” Sibyl said softly, “before the truth is clear, any impulsive action is unwise.”
With that, she suddenly drew a small syringe from her sleeve and swiftly and accurately jabbed it into the back of Alexander’s neck.
It was a syringe filled with a large dose of sedative, specially designed to suppress frenzied vampires.
As a second-generation vampire, Alexander’s physique was far beyond that of ordinary vampires.
Even so, under the drug’s effect his body began to tremble uncontrollably and finally collapsed powerlessly to the ground.
Sibyl withdrew the syringe and lightly waved her sleeve, as naturally as brushing away dust.
She turned and bowed toward the Dragon King in the highest seat.
Her voice was firm and powerful.
“It seems Alexander has nothing left to say in his defense. Miss Liz’s testimony is valid. The facts are all here. We can now confirm that Claire’s accusation is true. The truth of the Kent containment zone has been laid bare. Please order a thorough investigation into this matter, Your Majesty, and give justice to the innocent.”
Dragon King His was silent for a moment, then finally spoke.
“There have long been rumors among the people claiming that you long-lived species monopolize important positions in various agencies and form factions to exclude outsiders. Now it seems the rumors are not false. Immediately recall Dragon Guard Escreis to Londinium for investigation. Send Professor Miriel to the hospital. She must also be investigated once she awakens. This case will be handled by the Cerberus Bureau. The truth must be uncovered!”
Sibyl half-knelt, pressing a hand to her chest.
“I obey Your Majesty’s command. We will do our utmost.”
Liz could not help but marvel. Although Sibyl looked only fourteen or fifteen, she was after all the Director of the Cerberus Bureau.
She truly lived up to her high position. Her methods were so seasoned.
Immediately afterward, attendants lifted the unconscious Miriel, whom Claire had beaten, onto a stretcher and carried her out of the palace.
Following the Dragon King’s decree, the atmosphere in the conference room temporarily fell into a brief silence.
However, this silence was soon broken by Sallyanna’s voice.
“Commissioner Claire’s identity mystery still remains unsolved,” Sallyanna’s voice was somewhat sharp.
She frowned tightly and stared at Claire in Liz’s arms. “Moreover, she openly resorted to violence during the hearing. Should she not be held responsible for her actions?”
As soon as these words were spoken, waves of discussion rose again in the conference room. Many parliamentarians began whispering among themselves.
Yet amid this noise, Sallyanna suddenly felt a strong killing intent coming from an extremely high place, forcing her to look up involuntarily.
Her gaze happened to meet Vita’s. Vita sat in the Great Sage’s seat.
Her blue eyes were deep and cold, like a frozen lake.
But in that instant the lake seemed to suddenly crack open.
Cold air spread in all directions, shooting straight into Sallyanna’s heart and making her tremble uncontrollably.
“Commissioner Claire is an important piece in the plan I am overseeing,” Vita’s voice was calm yet authoritative.
Every word struck the hearts of everyone present like a heavy hammer.
“The fool you raised has already greatly interfered with my plan by publicly revealing her existence. And now you still want her to bear responsibility for that foolish conspiracy? Do not fail to appreciate kindness, elf.”
Vita’s words carried an undeniable force.
Sallyanna instantly realized her position.
She felt an invisible pressure enveloping her, as if she could be torn apart by this force at any moment.
She quickly withdrew her gaze and lowered her head, not daring to speak again.
Dragon King His slowly stood up. His gaze swept across the entire hall.
His voice was low and powerful.
“Commissioner Claire’s actions were indeed excessive. Her matters will still be investigated and handled by the Cerberus Bureau. Now, our primary task is to clarify the truth of the Kent containment zone. Does anyone have any objections?”
The atmosphere in the conference room eased slightly.
The Standing Parliamentarians rose one after another and applauded to express respect for the Supreme King’s wise decision—except for the Flame Wing Duke and the hawk faction’s followers.