Chapter 570: Zanis Association
William’s gaze was icy as he surveyed the commotion in the Logistics Military Center. Only after the tension in the air began to subside did he gradually withdraw his oppressive aura. Step by step, William moved across the polished floor, his posture radiating calm and authority, until he stood near the reception desk. There, his sharp eyes turned upon the Sky Seed Depravitas and Urion, along with the latter’s guardian.
"What is going on here?" William asked his voice low yet resonant—a tone that demanded immediate answers.
Urion, whose eyes glowed with resentment and murderous intent, did not wait for anyone else to speak. Instead, he jabbed a finger in Vlad’s direction, practically shouting, "I am an emissary of the Zanis Association! Those men attacked me without provocation. As a representative of the Imperial authority, I insist you apprehend them at once!"
William regarded Urion with a steady gaze, and a fleeting look of distaste passed through the Royal Knight’s eyes. It took but a single glance for him to judge the kind of man Urion was—arrogant, self-important, and entirely unaccustomed to defiance. However, William also knew the Zanis Association was no trivial power.
Taking a measured breath, William focused on Oliver, the quartermaster. He did not speak, but the intensity of his gaze made his intentions plain: he needed a clear, unbiased recounting of events.
Oliver exhaled audibly, clearly reluctant to become tangled in conflict. Still, he had no choice but to comply with a Royal Knight’s unspoken command. Stepping forward, he cleared his throat and spoke in a precise, factual manner. "The Barons were in the process of finalizing the sale of their loot," Oliver explained. "The gentleman from the Zanis Association intervened, offering to purchase the Voroe Sage corpses. Upon the Barons’ refusal, Lord Urion grabbed Baron Vlad by the shoulder. In response, Baron Vlad attacked with lethal intent, but Lord Urion’s guardian appeared just in time to intercept the blow."
Oliver’s recounting was concise and without favoritism. He neither embellished details nor offered judgments, simply presenting the truth as he had seen it.
William nodded, acknowledging Oliver’s testimony, then turned his full attention to Urion. "Based on the quartermaster’s account," he said, his tone calm and formal, "the Baron bears no blame in this situation. Therefore, there is no cause to apprehend anyone on his side. If anything, your decision to seize him by force is what instigated this altercation."
For a moment, Urion simply stared at William, stunned. Anywhere he went, people tripped over themselves to cater to his demands. His arrogance came from years of being pampered and fawned over. Yet now, not only had he been all but dismissed by a group of "nobodies," he was also being reprimanded by a Royal Knight. A wave of disbelief, followed by a surge of rage, swelled within him.