At Karath Academy, inside the second-year noble class, whispers spread everywhere.
"Did you hear what happened?!"
"The Ranus Family and the Razor Family were arrested along with several other families!"
"Don't forget that His Highness the First Prince, Jayden Joul, was arrested too on charges of treason!"
"The First Prince?! After this incident, he'll be disowned and then executed!"
"I also heard that the Shine Family was involved!"
"Another great family has fallen into a difficult position."
"Don't say that. Evidence appeared clearing the Night Family regarding Roto Knight, and it turns out the matter wasn't under their control in the first place."
"Really?! Unfortunately, my family already stopped doing business with them!"
"What a loss! Still, I heard the Jewel Guild increased their dealings with them recently, and their relationship with the family improved."
"Even so… don't you feel something different today?"
All the nobles looked toward an empty seat — the seat belonging to Shion Lan.
"Was he arrested too because his family was arrested?" one of them asked.
Another interrupted, "Don't forget Shion was expelled from the family long ago. Maybe he attended to testify against them. Perhaps that's why he was expelled in the first place — because he knew what they were doing."
"Isn't it because he hates his family? Couldn't he have gone just to watch them suffer?"
"No way. This is a royal trial. No one can attend for personal reasons."
Finally, Kin Light spoke:
"Even if that's not the case, don't forget that Shion established a new family and became its head. During royal trials, all family heads are required to attend as witnesses."
Everyone immediately understood, and the discussions shifted toward guessing how Shion felt about the situation.
...
Meanwhile, all of this was happening while Shion Lan himself was inside the mansion, dressed once again in proper formal attire suitable for attendance. He prepared himself and looked into the mirror, feeling a slight tension.
'Back when I was connected to Shi Yun Lan, our emotions affected each other. I felt nothing toward my father or the entire Ranus Family. Maybe I wouldn't even have minded if I had personally been ordered to execute them… but now…'
He looked at his hands. They were trembling slightly.
He clenched them tightly and said,
"I have to go and end my relationship with them once and for all."
At that moment, his mother, Rita Lan, approached him.
"My son…"
Her voice was trembling badly, unable to decide what she should say.
Shion looked at her and smiled gently.
"What is it, Mother?"
She answered,
"Even though I'm a mother and shouldn't say things like encouraging hatred toward one's father and all that… but…"
Rita clenched her hands firmly and said with determination:
"Your father is a man without dignity. He'll try every possible way to save himself and beg you for help. But don't be deceived by him!"
Shion was surprised by her words, but she continued:
"He tried to kill you before!"
Shion already knew the truth, so he decided to reassure her.
"I already know everything. He tried to kill me while I was still in your womb using his fifth-level power at the time. He also tried to kill me when you found me in the cell where criminals were kept. He tried to kill me too when he met his second wife. And he attempted to poison me before I left."
His mother was shocked to learn that the man had tried to kill her son four times instead of just once.
Her knees collapsed to the floor as anger filled her voice.
"Your father should be punished… no! The Head of the Ranus Family should be punished for everything he's done!"
Shion hugged his mother, helped her stand up, and said firmly:
"This incident won't pass without punishment this time."
He ordered the maid, Marie, to take care of his mother.
Just as he was about to leave, several figures arrived.
They were Enfel Kito, Pearl Jewel, and Solan Neumann in her true form, though she pretended to be a spirit by floating in the air.
Shion looked at them strangely.
"What brought all of you here?"
Solan answered first,
"Shion, you never told me what your family did to you. So I'll stay with you and show them how far you've come. I'll make you appear in the best possible light."
She summoned Polter and Bloom and added,
"They'll act as your guards until this matter ends."
The pure beauty stood beside him, and Shion smiled at her. Since she was currently in her spirit form, her embarrassment didn't show on her face.
Shion then turned toward Pearl.
"My father decided to support you," she explained. "We sent sixth-level fighters to escort you. Even though Solan already lent you her strength, we still wanted to show our support."
'Even though I said I wanted nothing in return,' Shion thought, 'it seems the Head of the Jewel Guild dislikes owing anyone anything… even emotionally.'
So he accepted her offer.
"They're waiting outside beside the carriage that'll take you," Pearl added.
Shion thanked her before turning toward Enfel, who spoke next.
"Lord Lan, I came to express my gratitude for saving my life."
"You don't need to do anything," Shion replied. "Just live your life the way you want."
Enfel smiled brightly.
"Then I want to become your sword!"
Shion's expression turned strange, as did the expressions of the two girls nearby.
Enfel continued,
"I'm already at the seventh level despite my age. The Head of the Jura Family wanted me, but from what I understand, he wants control over the Kito Family and over me as well. If I become your subordinate while you're under the king's protection, I can avoid that man."
"But wouldn't it be strange," Shion asked, "for a second-rank noble family to become subordinate to a third-rate one?"
"Lord Lan," Enfel answered seriously, "I've already felt your power before, and I believe you'll stand equal to the Six Great Families in the future. I want to secure my place early."
Shion felt awkward hearing such praise.
"What about your family? Won't they object to you staying with me?"
"I convinced them using the king's protection," Enfel answered. "And while Lord Jura himself is a decent man, his sons aren't… I mean…"
"I understand what you mean."
Shion had already dealt with them before and didn't have a good impression of them.
Finally, Shion said,
"My royal protection will end after I graduate from the academy. That means two years. Will your family be able to manage during that time?"
"Yes, my lord!"
The entire situation felt strange to Shion — as though he was receiving protection from a child.
Still, another thought occurred to him.
"But one last thing… why did you come alone?"
"They opposed the idea until I convinced them personally," Enfel admitted. "Their pride prevented them from bowing to someone of lower rank, so I came myself. I apologize if my words sounded disrespectful."
Shion suddenly remembered the fortune teller who once called Enfel a disaster.
'So Enfel is only a disaster for the side represented by that fortune teller,' he thought. 'Now I see that despite his age, everyone speaks highly of him. He really is an outstanding kid.'
"All right," Shion finally said. "I accept you. Now move. We're leaving together."
Enfel smiled excitedly and immediately moved.
Pearl watched the scene and commented,
"At this point, you're protected by two seventh-level spirits, a seventh-level child, and sixth-level swordsmen as well. People are going to misunderstand and think you're the prince here."
Shion flicked her forehead lightly.
"I wasn't able to refuse any of this. You're the ones who put me in this situation."
After saying those words, he departed alongside five guards and two beauties.
He rode the carriage with Enfel, Pearl, and Solan while the rest of the guards followed behind.
'Everything will end today!' Shion thought.
…
Inside the royal palace, conversations spread everywhere.
Some people were secretly delighted because the Second Princess, Jina Joul, would win. Others cursed Jayden for committing such a crime despite supporting him. And some simply viewed the entire affair as an entertaining play nearing its final curtain.
Then Shion entered the hall.
Every eye immediately turned toward him.
'Even though we're merely witnesses in this trial,' Pearl thought, 'all eyes are fixed on Shion as though he's the center of this entire storm. I hope everything goes well.'
No one moved except the heads of the Night and Jura families, who both gestured toward him.
Everyone was surprised — including the two family heads themselves as they didn't expect the other to make a move.
Internally, Shion cursed.
'If I ignore one of them, it'll become troublesome for me… so…'
He walked toward the heads of the Six Great Families and greeted each of them one by one.
The Head of the Night Family, Halm Night, was the last.
'If he asks me to sit, then there won't be a problem since there'll be no one left to greet,' Shion thought.
Halm Night spoke first.
"Shion Lan, how about we chat for a while?"
"If so, then I'll accept Lord Night's invitation."
Shion sat while the beauties and guards surrounded him.
Halm began,
"I want to thank you for saving the Night Family, Lord Lan."
"I was only carrying out the will of a man history wronged," Shion replied calmly.
"Besides, two of my students are followers of Her Highness, so naturally I had to put in some effort."
"I'd like to repay the favor," Halm said. "If you need anything in the future, I can provide it. Don't hesitate."
Shion nodded with a smile and accepted the gesture.
Then Halm's tone became serious.
"Aren't you worried about this trial?"
"Because the Ranus Family will be punished?" Shion asked.
"They may try to drag you into this chaos. It seems they still have some trump cards."
Shion answered calmly,
"I possess a report from the Shadow Forces detailing what they did to me. They won't be able to implicate me."
Halm was visibly surprised. Remembering Jina's request, he lowered his voice so no one else could hear.
"Boy… what exactly is your relationship with the princess?"
"Within the academy, I'm her senior," Shion replied. "Outside of it, it's the relationship between superior and subordinate — especially since she'll become the heir to the throne after Jayden is stripped of his title."
Then Shion added while gazing calmly ahead,
"I requested this favor from her in exchange for information regarding the Ranus Family."
Trying to ease the sudden tension between them, Halm asked,
"If you could pardon one of them, who would it be?"
Without hesitation, Shion answered,
"My second stepmother and her children."
Halm hadn't expected such an immediate response.
"It sounds like she occupied a much larger place in your life than your father did for you to judge so quickly."
"No," Shion answered quietly. "She protected my mother and me a little before isolating herself from the world. So she didn't really do much."
Halm became awkward before thinking of something else.
"I heard there are young children. So you wanted to save your younger siblings, and their mother would naturally survive alongside them?"
Shion looked ahead calmly and answered,
"If we're talking about how much influence they had on me… then it was almost nothing. But at the very least, they weren't painful or harmful."
Halm — along with everyone nearby who possessed advanced hearing — was stunned by those words.
Then a man from the Jura Family's entourage approached.
"Lord Lan, the Family Head wishes to see you after the trial."
"All right. Send him my regards."
At that moment, the royal herald announced the beginning of the trial and ordered everyone to proceed to the royal court.
'I'll end everything today!' Shion thought.