Harem System In A fantasy World

Cain remained silent for a moment before stepping out of his seat, and all eyes naturally shifted toward him.

"Thank you. I shall now start explaining the sequence of events from my point of view."

His voice was calm, carrying easily throughout the silent court.

"First, I would like to make one thing clear. Despite what some here may have been led to believe, my actions at Grimholt Academy were never motivated by any personal grudge against Elion Nova. I would never stoop so low as to harbour ill will toward an ’innocent’ academy student."

Elion almost laughed.

’We’re starting with lies already?’

However, just as Cain was about to continue, the massive doors at the back of the Royal Court suddenly opened once again.

Naturally, countless heads turned.

Elion glanced back as well, already having a good idea of who it was after their brief encounter in the reception hall, though he couldn’t help but wonder why they were only now just coming in.

The Queen entered first.

Her long, vibrant dark purple hair flowed down her back as she calmly stepped into the court, with her two daughters following closely beside her.

For a moment, there was complete silence. Then the congregation erupted into shocked murmurs.

"Her Majesty Queen Persephone is here!?"

"The Queen is here as well?"

"And the Princesses..."

Several nobles immediately rose from their seats.

Others followed almost instinctively, and within seconds, nearly the entire court was standing once again.

Cain looked surprised and embarrassed at the same time that he had been interrupted, though he didn’t let it show too much.

First, King Alexander himself had unexpectedly decided to attend today’s proceedings. Now Queen Persephone and both of their daughters had arrived as well?

What exactly was going on today?

Elion quietly watched the trio from the front.

’Persephone...’

So that was her name.

His gaze remained fixed on the Queen for a little longer. Wendy had also been caught off guard.

"Her Majesty, Queen Persephone, and Their Highnesses!"

Persephone smiled gently.

"There is no need to interrupt the proceedings on our behalf. My daughters and I are only here to observe."

She gestured lightly for everyone to sit.

"We won’t be taking the front seats. Please, continue as you were." That earned another wave of murmurs.

The Queen intended to sit among the ordinary congregation?

Still, no one dared question her.

Persephone began making her way along the back of the court with her daughters, eventually approaching the section where several of the court mages were seated.

Nyxara had been watching their approach.

Unlike everyone else around her, however, she didn’t seem particularly surprised to see the Queen, even though her calm felt forced.

Persephone’s eyes quickly found her.

Her expression brightened.

"Nyxara."

Nyxara smiled and rose from her seat.

"My queen." Persephone stepped forward and briefly wrapped her arms around Nyxara.

Nyxara returned the embrace naturally.

"It’s been a while," Persephone said softly.

"It has."

Tami stared at them from beside Nyxara.

Her eyes moved between the two women. There were clearly quite a few things about her friend that she didn’t know.

Persephone eventually pulled away.

"We’ll talk properly later."

Nyxara nodded.

"I’d like that."

The Queen then took one of the nearby seats, with her daughters settling beside her. Coincidentally, this placed them only a short distance away from Nyxara and Tami.

The blonde-haired princess immediately looked toward the front.

Or, more specifically...

Toward Elion.

Elion noticed, and their eyes met halfway.

The princess immediately looked away, with a light blush colouring her cheeks, while Elion only raised a brow.

Persephone noticed the exchange from the corner of her eye. Her white eyes briefly moved toward her daughter before settling on Elion.

Once again, that faintly narrowed gaze appeared.

Elion looked away.

’Why do I feel like I’m already in trouble with people I haven’t even met?’

Beside him, Zenith giggled quietly.

"What?"

"Nothing, Hubby."

At the front, Alexander had watched his family’s entrance in silence.

His expression barely changed, although his gaze lingered on Persephone for a moment as they shared some light nods.

Once everyone had settled again, Wendy waited for the last few murmurs to die down.

What had already been an unusually important court assembly had somehow become even more ridiculous.

"Now that everyone is settled..." She gestured for the standing Cain to continue.

Cain cleared his throat.

"As I was saying, my actions in Grimholt were not motivated by a nonexistent grudge against Elion Nova as many of you have been led to believe. I acted because I had reasonable cause to believe that an individual within our most prestigious academy possessed demonic characteristics and was potentially concealing his true identity."

A few murmurs sounded throughout the terraces.

"As everyone here should know, demons are not merely another race with whom our kingdom has had disagreements with. Our history with them is written in blood."

His expression darkened dramatically.

"Entire nations have fallen to them. Millions have died because of them. And even now, more than a century after the end of the Great War, the consequences of that conflict remain with us."

Elion quietly listened.

He couldn’t exactly argue with that part since it was factually true.

"Therefore, when credible information reached me that Elion Nova had displayed characteristics associated with demons, I believed the matter warranted immediate investigation."

One of the councillors leaned forward.

"Credible information from whom?"

Cain glanced toward him.

"Several sources."

"Names."

A brief silence followed.

Cain’s expression remained composed.

"I intend to present those individuals as witnesses."

The councillor leaned back.

"Very well. Continue."

Cain nodded.

"Upon discovering this at Grimholt’s Flying Academy, during the tournament, I requested that Elion Nova submit himself for questioning and examination."

Elion’s brow twitched.

’Requested?’

That was certainly one way of describing it.

"I had no intention of harming him. Had he cooperated, the matter could have been settled peacefully if he was innocent. The fact that he chose to run confirmed what we suspected."

Elion slowly shook his head in disbelief. He quickly looked forward again before he scoffed lightly.

But everyone here had more than a good pair of ears; his scoff was quite easily audible to every single one of them.

Cain’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Something amusing, Elion Nova?"

Elion blinked.

Wendy immediately looked toward him before he could respond.

"You will have your opportunity to respond."

"I know." Elion smiled politely. "My apologies. Please continue."

Cain stared at him for another second before doing exactly that.

"Instead of cooperating, however, Elion resisted. He displayed considerable hostility and refused to answer the concerns raised against him."

Elion’s expression gradually became flatter.

According to Cain, he had arrived at Grimholt with nothing but concern for the safety of the academy and the kingdom.

According to him, every escalation that followed had been caused by Elion’s refusal to cooperate.

And according to him, the destruction that occurred was an unfortunate consequence of Elion resisting a lawful investigation.

’This guy is incredible.’

He had expected Cain to twist the story, but he hadn’t expected him to practically rewrite the entire thing.

Eventually, one of the elderly councillors raised a hand.

Cain stopped.

"You repeatedly describe your actions as an investigation," the councillor said. "Yet the documents submitted by Grimholt Academy state that you attempted to forcibly apprehend Elion Nova, despite The Great Mage Maximus briefly suggesting otherwise."

Cain nodded.

"Only after he refused to cooperate."

"And under whose authority did you attempt this apprehension?" The question immediately quietened the room.

"As a Duke, I believed the threat was serious enough to warrant immediate action."

"That wasn’t my question."

The councillor’s voice remained calm.

"I asked under whose authority you attempted to apprehend him."

Cain remained silent for a moment.

"No specific order had been issued."

"So your own."

Cain’s jaw tightened slightly.

"My judgement as a Duke responsible for protecting this kingdom."

The councillor slowly nodded.

"I see."

Another councillor, the elderly woman from earlier, leaned forward.

"Did Principal Maximus grant you permission to apprehend one of his students?"

"He didn’t agree to it, but he was not against it either. We agreed on a peaceful resolution, as long as the heretic handed himself over, but he ended up escaping first."

A faint wave of murmurs moved throughout the chamber.

The elderly woman wasn’t finished.

"Now, Duke Dawncrest, you have stated that you possessed credible evidence suggesting Elion Nova was a heretic associated with demonic powers."

"Correct."

"Then I assume you brought this evidence with you."

"Naturally." He smiled lightly. That answer seemed to restore some of Cain’s confidence.

He turned slightly toward the seats behind him, glancing toward Gale and a bunch of his allies.

"In fact, there are several people present today who can attest to the abnormalities surrounding Elion Nova. However, before we hear from any of them, I believe it would be appropriate to begin with someone who knew Elion Nova before these accusations were ever made."

Cain paused deliberately.

"Someone who not only spent considerable time around him, but possesses evidence that I believe this court will find rather difficult to dismiss."

’Concrete evidence?’

Elion’s eyes narrowed. If this man was not speaking about Liora, then honestly, Elion had no clue as to what else he could be talking about.

Cain slowly turned toward the young Lady sitting beside him.

"This here is Liora Wynfell Blossom. After reaching an agreement with Matriarch Blossom, she came under my service almost a year ago now, and she has proven herself rather useful, if I do say so myself. She is a second-year student at the academy, a diligent, talented student, and she was Elion Nova’s senior, and for a time, his partner while carrying out committee duties."

Naturally, everyone’s eyes were drawn toward her, finally focusing on her person for the very first time since she had entered this place.

Cain turned back toward the councillors.

"For those among you who may not be familiar with the blossom family, allow me to explain exactly who she is and why her testimony is particularly important."

He gestured toward Liora.

"This respectable young lady comes from a family whose name may not carry the political influence of the great noble houses or clans represented here today, but among those familiar with the study of the mind, dreams, and mental magic, their abilities are very well known."

A few people among the congregation nodded.

Several of the older nobles appeared to recognise exactly what Cain was referring to.

"Their family has, for generations, specialised in techniques involving dreams and the mind. Their talents allow them to navigate, influence, defend, and perceive the mental realm in ways that ordinary mages simply cannot."

Cain allowed his words to settle.

"But what is most relevant to today’s proceedings is not their ability to influence the minds of others."

His eyes narrowed considerably.

"It is what happens when someone attempts to influence theirs."