Novel Full Chapter 409: What is happening here?
Chapter 409: What is happening here?
The next morning, the snow still hadn’t stopped. This was the season’s very first fall, and it seemed as if it was prepared to show the nightmare this season was going to be. Thick layers of snow had settled on the ground, the cold now seemed harsher than before, and the sun was nowhere to be seen.
Yet despite all this… no Velmourn spoke of the weather.
After all, they had a much bigger thing to worry about.
“The Provisioners were stealing.”
“They took from the old. From Maela. From Harkon. People who had no one to look for them.”
“I also heard these people threatened them not to tell anyone.”
The people, be they the ones coming back from the night shift or going to their day shift, talked. Yes, in just one night, the matter had spread. Those who didn’t know were now learning about this, and the more they heard, the angrier they got.
“And they dare to call themselves Velmourn!? Might as well go lick Drakthar’s feet if they are willing to fall that low!”
One man spat, his hands trembling as he gripped the handle of his hammer.
“What’s the difference between them and Drakthar men, anyway!? They are both robbers!”
Another shouted.
“Shameful… to think I trusted those men. My neighbor died of hunger three months ago—I thought it was because of her deteriorating health, but now I know it was…”
An old woman shook her head, unable to say those words out loud.
“Murder! It was murder!
Those bastards killed her!”
A younger man shouted, clenching his fists as his eyes boiled with rage.
“These bastards were stealing for months!”
“For years, maybe!”
“Cowards! Only taking from the old, because the old cannot shout back.”
Anger built quickly.
“They should be stripped of their titles!”
“Send them out of the Walls—let the tribesmen take them!”
“Exactly! Let the tribesmen enslave them and make them work without food! Let them learn what hunger actually means!”
Children huddled close to their mothers, listening wide-eyed as the adults’ voices grew harsh.
And then, another voice cut in:
“It was Lord Kael who caught them.”
That sentence instantly attracted attention.
“Lord Kael found them?”
A man who had spent the night in the forge asked about it.
“They say he came in the night with Lady Lavinia and Men of the Watch. Pulled the thieves straight from their stalls.”
“Every single one?”
“Yes. Every single one.”
“Dragon God Kael… He sees everything.”
Another woman spoke, her fanaticism visible in her eyes.
“He is the only one we can trust.”
She began.
“First, he fights the Stonefangs, he protects our homes, our rations, and now he cleans our own rotten blood. I don’t even understand how we survived all this time without him.”
“It must be because he was watching us from afar, but after seeing our suffering, he decided to come here and aid us on his own.”
More and more people started participating in these talks. These were mostly the men who had fought beside him or the people close to them.
“Only Dragon God Kael can save us.”
The square buzzed with nods and mutters of agreement.
“Yes! Only Dragon God Kael cares for us!”
“Dragon God Kael!”
Chants began.
Suddenly, a man raised his fist to the sky.
“The thieves the Dragon God has caught will face punishment within the hour! Let all Velmourn watch it, let all know what happens when you steal from your kin!”
Murmurs turned to cheers.
“Yes!”
“Public punishment! No mercy for traitors!”
“Lord Kael will see it done!”
The talks continued. Slowly, the entirety of the Heights knew,
The Provisioners were corrupt.
And Lord Kael had caught them and was going to punish them!
Yes, everyone learned about it—
Even the Matriarch.
“What in the hell is happening!?”
Back in the Elders’ Hall, Morvain, who had just learned about everything that happened last night, glared at the elders around her and—
“One night! I slept early for one night, and you are telling me the entirety of the Heights is flipped!? What is this I am hearing!?
Thieves!?
Amongst the Provisioners!?
And these thieves are now caught and are about to be publicly punished in an hour!?
Who decided that!?
On whose authority is Kael doing this!? Who gave him the power to arrange public punishments!?”
Morvain questioned, her anger couldn’t be clearer. From her messy hair, it was clear that the woman didn’t even have the chance to freshen up before all this was dropped on her.
“I-It is Tarevian… he is using his authority to follow through with the public punishment…”
Aelindra answered in a low voice. She could understand why the Matriarch would be angry about this. Everyone present in the Hall knew.
“And why is his name not being mentioned at all?”
“The people saw Lord Kael and Lady Lavinia moving from one stall to another apprehending the thieves, so only their names were highlighted. Tarevian only gave his authority.”
“Tarevian. Where is he?”
The Matriarch questioned, glaring at Aelindra.
“He slept late in the night because of everything that happened. I-I have sent men to his place, he should be here any moment now.”
The Warden of Provision answered. She said all this, but even her heavy eyes showed that she couldn’t get enough sleep last night. After settling the matter with ration distribution, she too had slept late at night but was forced to wake up early because of this.
“And Kael, where is Kael?”
“I have sent men to their place as well. They should be coming here as well.”
Aelindra nodded.
Her quick response seemed to have calmed Morvain a little, but then—
“Matriarch.”
A voice was heard.
It was Tarevian.
He had arrived, and in an instant, Morvain’s calmer expression disappeared, and she glared at the Voice of the Commonfolk.
“You. What were you thinking, arranging a public punishment without discussing the matter with me?”
Morvain questioned in a heavy voice.
“I… I wanted to discuss the matter with everyone, but… the Seventh Vein talked me out of it. She said we didn’t have to bother the Matriarch for a matter that can be dealt with so easily.”
Tarevian answered.
The men that were sent to him had told him everything that had happened. He had even seen people gathered at different places, talking about this on his way here. All of this was more than enough for him to understand the problem and the Matriarch’s anger.
This… this had become a lot bigger than what he was imagining.
“The Seventh Vein…? Lavinia?”
Morvain narrowed her eyes.
“Yes, maybe it was because I was too tired or everything happened too quickly, but I couldn’t refute her words…”
Tarevian tried to explain himself; however, as he was about to continue, the doors opened again, and two people walked in with confused looks on their faces.
The Warden of Vigilance and the Seventh Vein.
In an instant, their appearance attracted everyone’s attention.
“Matriarch, you summoned us?”
Kael tilted his head, confused. The way everyone stared at him made his frown deeper. Lavinia, on the other hand, didn’t show any expression on her face. She just observed everyone in silence.
“Kael Carter.”
Morvain called out, walking towards Kael.
“Do you understand what you have done?”
The Matriarch questioned in a strict voice.
“Caught the thieves…?”
Kael answered, sounding even more confused.
Did he do something wrong…?
Imperia had already told him that the Matriarch seemed angry about all this; he just couldn’t understand why.
Seeing his genuinely confused reaction, Morvain was momentarily taken aback.
She then glanced at Lavinia and saw the woman staring back at her without blinking, with her hands folded, and very quickly, the Matriarch realized it.
Kael wasn’t behind it—
It was Lavinia.
The Matriarch clenched her fists. She wanted to confront Lavinia, but seeing how the woman hadn’t said anything from the moment she arrived, it was clear that confrontation wouldn’t get her the answer she wanted.
What happened already happened, the people already knew about it, there is nothing that can be done now.
“I do not understand.
Why are you so angry, Matriarch?”
After a momentary silence, Kael called out.
“I caught the thieves that were eating Velmourns from inside. If they weren’t caught, the matter would have risen, and the moment people found out about it, the Velmourn unity would be endangered.
I did what I did to protect the Velmourn unity.
But why are you acting like I have done something wrong?
Why does it… seem like you didn’t want the Provisioners to get caught?”
The Warden of Vigilance narrowed his eyes.
“Matriarch Morvain.”
He called out.
“What is happening here?”
“…”
“…”
Silence.
For a moment, heavy silence fell over the place. The Elders lowered their heads, an action that made Kael even more suspicious.
He stared at all the Elders, and then suddenly, his expression changed.
“You…
Did you know what was happening all this while…?”
He questioned as he clenched his fists in shock and anger,
“Were you… protecting these thieves?”