Chapter 76 - Weight of Failure

Chapter 76: 76 - Weight of Failure

Once everyone had taken their seats, the announcer gave a respectful bow toward both kings and stepped away from the center of the chamber. His part was finished. He turned toward the doors, and a moment later they closed behind him with a muted thud.

The sound wasn’t particularly loud, but the silence that followed made it seem heavier than it was. Nobody around the two semicircular tables spoke, and even the guards standing along the walls remained completely still.

None of them had manifested their weapons. Doing so inside a room containing two kings could create the kind of misunderstanding nobody would have time to explain, although that didn’t mean any of the soldiers needed long to become armed if something happened.

Adrien quietly extended Absolute Mana Sense through the chamber.

The soldiers outside had already surprised him. Five Stars seemed to be the minimum among those brought into the castle with the delegations, but every guard standing inside this room was at least Six Stars.

There weren’t many people in Valebrand who could casually dismiss someone at that level.

These had to be among the strongest soldiers trusted by both rulers, chosen because nobody could afford for anything to happen here. Adrien suspected there was another reason as well. Humans stood on one side, elves on the other, and neither delegation seemed interested in appearing weaker than the people sitting across from them.

Vael eventually cleared his throat.

Several eyes moved toward him, but the old elf didn’t continue. He simply looked toward the human half of the room and waited.

Adrien understood what he was doing.

This meeting existed because of something that had happened inside Valebrand. A Great House under the Crown had allowed elves to be abducted and moved through human territory for years. Vael clearly saw no reason for the affected side to begin explaining anything.

Aurelian glanced toward his father.

For several seconds, he left the opportunity open for Osric to begin the meeting himself. The King of Valebrand remained seated, however, his irritation from earlier still visible as he watched the opposite side of the room.

The silence continued.

Eventually, Aurelian rose.

"We’re gathered here today because we failed to see what was happening inside our own territory." His voice remained calm, carrying clearly through the chamber. "A noble family that answered to our Crown was involved in something that should never have been allowed to exist. Because of that failure, people from Sylvamir suffered, including members of your own family."

Laurent watched him without interruption until Aurelian sat again.

"I hope you don’t believe a simple apology will be enough to satisfy us." The elven king spoke without raising his voice, but the room remained quiet enough that he didn’t need to. "It was not merely one of my citizens who was taken. My daughter, a princess of Sylvamir, was abducted by criminals operating inside your kingdom."

His gaze shifted toward Osric.

"I expected more from House Valleroy. Although, considering the condition of Valebrand these past few years, perhaps expecting more was my mistake."

Adrien saw Osric’s expression harden immediately.

"Watch your tongue, pointed ears."

The effect was instant.

One of the elven guards took a sharp step forward before controlling himself, the sound of his boot striking the floor cutting through the chamber. Several others shifted almost imperceptibly, and the mana around them changed enough for Adrien to feel it immediately.

All because of two words.

Aurelian turned toward his father.

For the briefest moment, Adrien could almost see the thought passing through the Crown Prince’s face. This was exactly the kind of situation they were supposed to be preventing, and Osric had managed to make it worse within minutes.

Aurelian looked back toward Laurent. "Please forgive my father. The last few weeks have been exhausting, and his choice of words was unnecessary. I ask that you don’t judge this meeting by that comment."

Osric turned toward his son, clearly about to object to being spoken for. Whatever he saw in Aurelian’s expression stopped him.

The king remained quiet for a moment before looking across the table again.

"My comment was inappropriate," Osric said, forcing the words out more carefully this time. "It came out in anger, and I apologize. As for the matter that brought us here, Valebrand has already acted. The criminals involved have been judged and eliminated, and House Arquenay has been stripped of its titles, lands and assets."

He rested one hand against the table.

"The people responsible will never be allowed to do this again."

Aurelian took the opportunity before the conversation could turn in another direction. "And much of what allowed us to act came from Adrien Clairmont. The operation was discovered within his territory, inside the forest that borders the lands controlled by Edevane."

His gaze moved toward Adrien.

"He was the person who first uncovered what was happening."

The attention of the room shifted with it.

Adrien had expected to speak eventually, so he didn’t hesitate for long. "It started because of the beast attacks around Greymoor. Their behavior was wrong. Creatures were leaving parts of the forest they normally remained inside, and attacks started happening closer to Clairmont territory."

Laurent listened closely while Adrien continued.

"I started looking for whatever was forcing them out. Later, my sister went into the forest during the investigation and didn’t return when she was supposed to. Looking for her took me farther in, and that’s where I eventually found the camp."

He kept the explanation simple.

"There were too many guards, cages and supplies for it to be temporary. People had clearly been using the location for some time. When we freed the prisoners, we discovered that several of them were elves."

Adrien’s gaze briefly met Laurent’s.

"Princess Elowen was among them."

The elven king’s expression barely changed, although the hand resting against the table tightened slightly.

"It wasn’t an improvised kidnapping," Adrien continued. "There were organized routes, enough guards to protect the operation and people responsible for moving prisoners elsewhere. Somebody had been supporting it for a long time."