There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)

The statement from the Apsoro clan made the other representatives check on the data again, the names that weren’t part of their families. They even made a separate note of it, and their finding was concluded by the one who brought it up.

"In fact, aside from three families and House Ishtera--which I believe can be excluded--all of the Houses had lost someone or more from this...operation," the representative of Apsoro continued without removing his gaze from Torodeo Horin.

The old man returned the gaze coldly, with a blast of pressuring mana that lasted for a second. But that second was enough for the bodyguards of the other Houses to move closer to their charge defensively--especially the three families across Torodeo.

"What is this allegation?" the old man said in a voice that sounded like a hiss, the cold eyes swept the table and the President. "Just because my family name is absent, you’re accusing me of a wicked conspiracy? Must the member of my family die first?"

"Of course not, Patriarch," Ludya leaned back against her chair and smiled, which made the other calmer. "That doesn’t prove anything, although it is indeed suspicious."

Torodeo narrowed his eyes, golden gaze shifted to the matriarch. That calmness, rather than comforting, was unsettling. It made him feel like the woman was mocking him.

That feeling, when he very well knew that he was guilty of everything, made him anxious and impatient.

With the same soft and lighthearted tone, the matriarch raised her hand toward the head of the table. "It will be different, of course, if Mr. President here can prove that House Horin had a dealing with...such wicked tools," she said, before shifting her gaze back to Torodeo and continuing with a deep smile. "Do you perhaps have a Specter’s core lying around in your home, Patriarch?"

The wave of mana was blasting again, and this time, the President, as well as the heir of House Kamui, stood up to give a warning to the old man. As a rule, the use of mana was prohibited during the meeting, and the bodyguards were there to protect the representatives from outside aggression, not someone from inside the room.

"Sir Horin, I have to inform you that any further use of your mana would compel your arrest."

"I am not here to hear my House being slandered."