IRM Chapter 73

The explosion that echoed through the palace was tremendously loud. The nobles attending the banquet were startled at first, but soon crowded forward without fear of trouble. The originally spacious garden became densely packed in no time, with people gathering around the charred lawn.

The splendidly dressed nobles clustered in small groups of twos and threes, half-covering their faces as they curiously yet disdainfully examined the shattered corpse fragments scattered on the ground.

The night breeze continued to blow gently, mixing the pungent smell of burnt flesh, the thick scent of blood, and the extravagant perfume worn by the nobles into a chaotic and eerie combination.

Just as the Countess brought her blood-stained fingertips to her mouth, the nobles couldn’t help but wrinkle their faces, whispering among themselves. Sounds of contempt gradually rose—clearly, this act would soon become gossip fodder at high society tea parties.

However, once the words “gladiolus” were spoken, the nobles who had just been maintaining their composure immediately changed their expressions. Alarmed exclamations rose one after another throughout the garden.

“That’s the Gladiolus Guild? Have they started again?!”

“Those base commoners truly are stupid and evil! We really should increase our control over them—we can’t let these vermin devour the Empire’s pillars!”

“They’ve even targeted Earl Elliott—it seems they really plan to spare no one…”

Brandon watched as his mother wiped her fingers clean with a handkerchief and put her gloves back on. His expression was also quite unpleasant, and he clutched at the hem of his already charred dress coat until it was tattered and ragged.

Ji Chi patted his tense shoulder blade soothingly, glanced at the Countess who was rinsing her mouth with tea, and asked him, “Is there some problem with the gladiolus?”

The young master nodded, his eyes showing confusion and anger as he said in a low voice, “In recent years, an organization called the Gladiolus Guild has appeared in the Empire. It was originally formed by many unemployed civilian slaves, with the purpose of having members help each other and walk forward together with strength.”

Brandon stood on tiptoe with one foot, irritably rubbing the soft lawn to wipe away a bloodstain on it. “But later, they became more and more radical. More and more commoners joined them, including some with professional talents. They gradually directed their unwillingness and hatred toward the nobles, expressing their dissatisfaction through brutal killings.”

“However, some nobles really do deserve punishment.” The young master frowned. “Those scum who treat commoners like livestock deserve to die, but… why would they want to kill me? The Elliott family has never wronged anyone…”

The young master spoke with some sadness. He had been well-raised, and his fair face still retained a trace of childlike innocence. He firmly believed that good and evil would eventually meet their due, sincerely thanked everyone who was kind to him, and did his utmost to help every soul he could reach.

To raise such a child, the Earl and Countess absolutely deserved great credit. So before today, no one had ever imagined that a member of the Elliott family would be on the Gladiolus Guild’s assassination list.

The Earl and Countess’s expressions also became grave. They exchanged glances and looked toward the King. “Please grant the Earl’s manor permission to investigate this incident. If the culprit truly is the Gladiolus Guild, the Earl’s manor will do everything possible to help the Empire suppress it.”

These words were not a request but a notification, yet the King didn’t feel offended—or rather, any offense was suppressed by his delight.

The Gladiolus Guild had always been a tumor that greatly troubled the royal family. They appeared and disappeared mysteriously, hidden among the masses. Although each member bore a brand mark, that mark only appeared after death. When the Gladiolus Guild first began brutally killing nobles, they would arrogantly commit suicide beside their victims’ corpses, leaving behind a satisfied smile and the blooming gladiolus brand on their chests as a show of defiance.

The King had received the provocation and spent considerable manpower and resources searching for the Gladiolus Guild, but each time only caught a few inconsequential small fry. These captured minions would commit suicide in their prison cells in various hair-raising ways. Each corpse that displayed the gladiolus brand seemed to mockingly deride the royal family’s incompetence.

To deal with the Gladiolus Guild, the King had repeatedly tried, intentionally or not, to drag Earl Elliott into it, but unfortunately, he had always deflected with jokes, making the King grind his teeth in private frustration. However today, he had actually agreed. The King was momentarily overjoyed, and much of the evening’s depression dissipated.

“Then why doesn’t the Earl investigate Ji Chi right now?” William took the opportunity to suggest. “Don’t you all think he’s the most suspicious? A commoner who infiltrated the nobility, possessing pure fire elemental magic, assassinating a familiar friend in the palace, kidnapping Catherine… Isn’t all of this perfectly logical?”

Catherine had been clutching her skirt tightly ever since the Earl decided to investigate the Gladiolus Guild. For a moment, she didn’t hear clearly what was happening around her and actually ended up tacitly accepting William’s words.

The King’s expression wavered as he scrutinized Ji Chi meaningfully. “Do you have anything you need to explain?”

Ji Chi raised the corner of his mouth absurdly and was just about to say something when he was interrupted by Brandon’s roar.

“Bullshit! Do you know how many times Ji Chi has saved me? How could he want to kill me? Your speculation is completely baseless! Well, I can do that too! Maybe it’s Catherine who wants to kill me! Maybe she’s long been fed up with all your arranged marriages and has secretly united the Gladiolus Guild to kill everyone!”

The young master was so angry he spoke without thinking, his hair standing on end as he randomly attacked whoever he could.

Catherine raised her eyes and looked at him coldly.

“Brandon!” Several stern shouts came simultaneously!

The King raised his eyebrows and said angrily, “What nonsense are you spouting? William is making a reasonable and well-founded speculation. As for you, don’t be fooled by others and still make unreasonable trouble!”

Brandon clenched his fists, stubbornly stiffening his neck without backing down, his small frame blocking firmly in front of Ji Chi.

Saintess Coralie gave another bored, derisive laugh. “Who knows who’s been fooled—a bunch of idiots.” She didn’t name names, but everyone knew who she was implying.

The King’s anger had surged rather frequently tonight. Even his usually upturned smiling lips couldn’t hold on and drooped down. He forcibly suppressed his violent mood, fiercely striking his scepter on the ground once, and said in a tone that brooked no argument, “Then let’s detain the suspects first. Ji Chi will stay in the palace for a while until the truth is revealed.”

Brandon’s eyes were getting a bit red. Ji Chi had been summoned by the King because of him, and tonight he had also been dragged to the palace by him. If anything happened to Ji Chi in the palace, he would never forgive himself for the rest of his life.

The innocence in the young master’s eyes was gradually disappearing.

A hand pressed down on Brandon’s shoulder, just like in every battle in the Dark Night Forest—whenever he couldn’t hold on anymore, such a hand, not particularly solid but extraordinarily powerful, would gently push him aside and stand invincibly in front.

Ji Chi smiled, but his pitch-black eyes were as cold as an abyss. He looked straight at the King and asked softly, “Then how can I clear my suspicion?”

Whether Ji Chi was really the son of the Saint Alchemist still couldn’t be confirmed. The King was irritated and troubled tonight and no longer wanted to be polite for this mere possibility. He frowned impatiently. “You just stay quiet, and naturally someone will investigate the truth.”

“That won’t do. I have an exam coming up soon, and it concerns my future.” Ji Chi was very serious.

The King laughed in irritation. While looking at him contemptuously, he waved his hand to have the guards behind him step forward to control him. “Then what do you want to do?”

Ji Chi thought for a moment, his expression calm and confident. “Why don’t I demonstrate once—if I wanted to kill Brandon, how would I do it?”

The young master was startled and turned to look at him, asking in horror, “Why? I swear! I never told anyone that girl was you!”

The crisp oath rang with conviction, making the surroundings fall into an even deeper silence.

Saintess Coralie laughed again, but this time it wasn’t derisive. Instead, she propped her face with one hand, looking back and forth between the two of them with interest, her eyes clearly saying “finally something interesting.”

Ji Chi looked at the guilty young master with a gentle smile. “It’s okay. Even if you really died, I’d bring you back to life. After all, we’re good friends, aren’t we?”

The sound of grinding teeth was particularly obvious in his words.

The King had had enough of this farce and pressed his throbbing temple. “Enough, what kind of proof is this? Hurry up and take him—”

“It’ll be quick, just a few minutes. Otherwise, I’ll have to be locked up for many days, which wouldn’t be worth it at all.” After Ji Chi finished speaking, before the guards could approach, he extended his hand and pointed at a flower bed not far away. “Look, if I wanted to kill Brandon, this would be enough.”

As soon as his words fell, a huge, dazzling fireball shot out from Ji Chi’s fingertip and smashed into the exquisite but empty flower bed. A deafening explosion sounded, accompanied by flames shooting skyward, as if replaying the earlier scene.

No one had expected him to suddenly make a move. The nobles stood dazed, feeling the scorching temperature, then belatedly screamed and retreated several steps in panic. Even the guards who hadn’t yet approached reflexively raised their swords and shields in unison, looking warily at Ji Chi.

Too terrifying! Without any warning, without any incantation! Just a casual wave of his hand produced an explosive fireball. With such ability, killing anyone would be effortless!

The King was also startled, his whole body trembling. He looked at the identically charred deep pit in the distant flower bed, and an inexplicable fear welled up in his heart. Years of experience dealing with people gave him an instinctive sense of foreboding. His lips twitched, but before he could speak, William cut in first.

“Are you throwing yourself into a trap?” William couldn’t believe anyone could be this stupid. He almost wanted to laugh. “The same fire element, the same power—the only difference is that you don’t want to do it yourself! What else do you want to explain?”

“William, shut up!” The King suddenly rebuked him angrily.

Ji Chi withdrew his left hand. His snow-white dress coat was like moonlight draped over him, resembling a moonlight elf dancing in the wind, pure and harmless.

But unfortunately, the jet-black hair and pupils—that was a color close to demonic.

“Don’t be hasty—this is just the first step.” Ji Chi tapped Brandon’s forehead, making him stumble backward. “Okay, let’s assume Brandon already died in that fire just now. The commotion from the explosion has also attracted everyone in the palace, and everyone has gathered here to condemn me, wanting to lock me up, wanting to torture me, wanting to kill me…”

“At this time, having truly killed Brandon, what should I do?” Ji Chi tilted his head in imitation of Catherine, looking at everyone adorably.

“Stop! Ji Chi!” The King’s sense of foreboding grew increasingly intense. His somewhat hoarse voice made the surrounding nobles stir uneasily.

Only the Earl had sensed it. He raised the corner of his mouth and shook his head slightly.

The Countess curiously poked him with her fan and asked quietly, “What is it? Have you discovered something?”

“That child is truly terrifying…” The Earl helplessly held out his palm to show her. “Look, I’m summoning fire elements with all my might right now.”

The Countess’s gaze fixed on his completely empty palm. She looked up in surprise. “How can this be? Even you…”

The Earl raised a finger and placed it on his lips. “Shh—watch carefully. This may be a sight we’ll only see once in our lifetime.”

Ji Chi looked at the bewildered faces before him, smiling somewhat madly.

These people—they simply didn’t understand the preciousness of life. Relying on their power and authority, they controlled and trampled on others at will.

It was truly disgusting.

Magic Power Value [0/10000]

All MP had been depleted, just for the simplest fireball.

Ji Chi slowly raised his hand. The well-fitted dress coat brought a slight sense of constraint, but his heart felt exhilarated. “Let me show you the only magic I know how to use—Fireball. I think it’s not only enough to clear my suspicion, but also sufficient to cleanse the entire palace.”

Has the sun risen?

The commoners who had just finished a full day of exhausting labor and were about to curl up on their hard wooden beds and fall into unconsciousness looked toward their windows in confusion. They pushed open the wooden shutters leaking light, shielded their eyes, and looked toward the palace.

A true sun gradually rose, illuminating the palace, illuminating the royal city, and illuminating everyone’s eyes.

It quietly ascended into the night sky, accompanying the bright moon, becoming the only spectacle in the Demon Sword Continent’s thousands of years where the sun and moon coexisted.

“It’s a good omen…”

Everyone who saw this scene, not understanding what it meant, involuntarily showed a trace of a smile on their faces. They either nestled beside their relatives or leaned alone against the fire-red window frames, their eyes bright and sparkling, as if filled with hope.

Only Harvey stood before the window, tugging at the owl on his shoulder, gazing at the sun and moon together, and sighing softly, “Who could possibly suppress him… So, can the history of the Demon Sword Continent finally move forward? I hope it will be like now—a light that illuminates the darkness.”

Ji Chi withdrew his gaze from the sky. His face was slightly pale from magical exhaustion. He gave a lazy laugh and said to the dazed Louis, “Second Prince, I came to the banquet in such a hurry that I didn’t have time to prepare a gift.”

The sun suddenly burst open. The overly violent sound exceeded the range of human hearing. Everyone could only watch as it silently bloomed, with sparks rushing like a river, like a magnificent meteor shower decorating the entire night sky.

“This is a small token of my appreciation, hardly worth mentioning—congratulations on becoming an Advanced Warrior.”