Chapter 202: No One Is Innocent

"Then, what’s going on on your side? I’ve talked quite a bit about my race, but I haven’t heard anything from you."

"Huh? I don’t know much about the humans’ involvement in all of this, or at least I don’t think it’s important. Though I do think your race is taking the right approach."

"Is that so? Or are you only saying that because it benefits you?"

"Do you think it benefits me?"

"Well... Wouldn’t it benefit you if the dragons weren’t enemies of Azure? You seem to get along well with Thalassa. I imagine you wouldn’t want anything to happen here."

"If you put it that way..." Cassian’s bored gaze disappeared for a moment as he fixed his eyes on Zakaer.

The young dragon shifted uncomfortably in his seat. The violet eyes of the man before him had begun to reveal something that would keep him awake at night in the future.

"Yes, it’s good that they aren’t enemies. I happen to know someone from your race, you know? I’d feel bad if I ended up exterminating her entire species."

The young dragon closed his eyes and blinked several times, unsure of what he had just heard—or seen.

Then, laughter echoed through the walls of the room.

Zakaer smiled awkwardly and let out a laugh as well, assuming Cassian was only joking.

"Master, don’t joke around with our guest," Adela added, bringing even more relief to the young dragon.

Zakaer let out the breath he had been holding and regained his confident posture. He looked at Cassian curiously.

"How strong are you?" Zakaer asked, while boasting at the same time. "I’ve reached the Transcendent level." He puffed out his chest proudly. "I’m considered a genius even among my own race. Considering how confident you are, you can’t be far behind."

"Adela, how strong are you?"

The maid wasn’t surprised by the question and answered calmly:

"I broke through the Third Limit recently, Master."

Cassian gestured toward Zakaer with his hand as if to say, There you have it.

"Hmm, I suppose you need at least that much strength to act the way you did the other day." The young dragon leaned back comfortably against the couch. "It’s good to hear. It’s good to hear," he repeated.

He downed the rest of his drink and staggered toward the door in high spirits.

Cassian glanced at Adela, who was trying to hold back her laughter. He rolled his eyes, and once Zakaer had completely left, the atmosphere suddenly became much tenser.

"Master..."

"Hmm?"

Adela positioned herself behind him and began massaging his shoulders. She brought her face close to his ear and whispered:

"Master~ Since I’m stronger now, and considering everything that man said today, don’t you think it’s time for me to know what you refused to tell me because I wasn’t strong enough? I’m not talking about what we discussed in your space. I want to know who is behind what’s happening with the beasts in general. Cordelia told us that Lucian had told her this world was rotten and that we needed to leave it as soon as possible..."

"Do you want the truth?" he interrupted.

Adela nodded several times.

"It’s nothing particularly interesting, Adela. The corruption comes from a very powerful woman, and as for this world... I’m the one responsible."

He answered with indifference, his tone curt and dismissive. From the way he said it, it was impossible to tell whether he was being serious or simply joking.

"Are you serious?" Adela whispered.

Cassian simply smiled.

"Would you believe me if I told you I was?"

The maid pouted and moved around to stand in front of him, staring directly into his eyes, trying to figure out which parts were true and which were lies. Then she exclaimed:

"I don’t believe you!"

Cassian rolled his eyes, grabbed her by the waist, pulled her onto his lap, and gave her a shameless smile.

Adela felt his hardness pressing against her and blushed. She didn’t want to give in. She wanted answers... but her resolve began to falter.

"Master..."

"Mmmmngh."

Cassian lowered the upper part of her uniform and began playing with her breasts; then he lifted her slightly so that when she dropped back onto him, she moaned from the impact.

"Angh..."

The mysteries and his confession were pushed into the background.

...

Murmurs could be heard throughout the council chamber.

"First she brings those humans here, and now this?"

Another person shook his head and added:

"I really don’t know if it’s a good thing that she has returned."

"Shhh. If the king hears you, he won’t be happy."

"Happy? We have no reason to be happy. When Zakaer came here, we all accepted him because he was strong and a member of the dragon race. But now even inferior humans?"

"And speaking of which, why is there an extra chair? Don’t tell me that disrespectful man is joining us today too."

One of the mermaids listening to the conversation whispered to herself:

"It wouldn’t be so bad if he did, would it? He was really handsome..."

But when the door opened and Thalassa entered alongside the king, the whispers immediately died down.

Of course, that lasted until another woman entered with them.

Several nobles couldn’t contain themselves and abruptly rose from their seats.

An annoyed woman’s voice rang out:

"His Majesty Oreon, what is the meaning of this?!" she demanded, pointing disdainfully toward Mireya.

"She’s one of us, Coraline. Do you still have to behave like this?" Thalassa was the one who answered.

"One of us? She stopped being one of us the moment she decided to join that filth."

Thalassa was about to scold the woman again, but Mireya’s indifferent expression finally broke.

She walked past Thalassa and approached Coraline, who instinctively stepped back in fear at her proximity.

"What’s wrong? Does hearing the truth bother you? You shouldn’t have taken their side, Mireya."

"Which side, Coraline? Has your luxurious life opened a hole in your brain? You hate those who weren’t born noble, you hate those who were born noble but aren’t from the sea race, and you hate those who were born noble but choose to disagree with you. I didn’t come here to fight. The people of Turbid Waters have the same right to freedom as anyone else."

"You say that, Mireya, but the king is only trying to protect them because you people don’t think."

"We don’t think? If we want to walk toward our own deaths, then that should be our choice. And the contempt you just showed is proof that protecting us wasn’t the only reason you had for keeping us trapped and limiting our resources."

She paused for a moment, looking around the room.

Some people looked guilty. Others simply didn’t care. And so it went.

Her strong voice softened as she continued:

"Little by little, you did it. You forgot about us, hated us, despised us."

Thalassa approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder, prompting her to turn around.

Her friend’s sharp eyes met hers. The royal tutor swallowed hard before whispering into her ear:

"Well done, but we should sit down and talk about this more calmly. Remember, no killing or threatening anyone."

"Hmph."

Mireya shrugged Thalassa’s hand off her shoulder and walked toward one of the empty chairs, sitting down as though she owned the place.