Chapter 272: Manipulation

(Meanwhile, The Imperial Court, Jack Sullivan’s POV)

Jack Sullivan stared at Prime Minister Vinicius with a deep frown upon his face, struggling to remember another occasion throughout his long and distinguished career when he had felt quite so frustrated by a superior.

As the Chief Imperial Inquisitor, Jack had spent decades investigating crimes involving everyone from common criminals to powerful nobles, and although political interference was hardly unfamiliar to him, he had always believed that the Prime Minister respected his judgment.

However, judging by the conversation they were currently having, it appeared that Vinicius was more interested in establishing a convenient narrative than discovering what had actually happened at the Imperial Academy.

"Chief Inquisitor, please understand that I find your hypothesis rather difficult to accept."

Vinicius said, tapping his fingers against the investigation report resting upon his desk.

"You’re suggesting that some mysterious third party infiltrated the Imperial Academy, somehow acquired Riven Dawnriver’s halberd, murdered twenty-one students, and then disappeared without leaving behind any evidence of their entry or departure."

He paused, looking directly at Jack.

"Doesn’t that sound a little absurd to you? Especially considering that the protective wards surrounding the Academy never detected an intrusion?"

Jack resisted the urge to sigh.

They had already discussed this particular objection twice, and although he had explained the limitations of the Academy’s defensive formations in considerable detail, the Prime Minister appeared determined to disregard his explanation.

"With respect, Prime Minister, you’re correct about the wards not detecting an intrusion. However, you’re mistaken in assuming that makes an intrusion impossible."

Jack replied, maintaining his composure.

"The Academy’s defensive formations are sophisticated, but they’re hardly impenetrable. In fact, during my investigation, I personally managed to bypass them without triggering a single alarm once I understood how they operated."

Vinicius raised an eyebrow.

"You managed to enter the Academy undetected?"

"Yes, Prime Minister. And I’m merely a Flame Rank Ascendant."

Jack answered, leaning forward slightly.

"If someone possessing greater strength and a reasonable understanding of defensive formations attempted the same thing, particularly an Inferno or Radiant Rank Ascendant, bypassing those wards would hardly be an extraordinary achievement."

"You’re making assumptions."

"Of course I am. That’s what an investigation involves when we don’t have a confession or an eyewitness who saw the entire incident."

Jack replied, his frustration beginning to show.

"However, my assumptions are supported by physical evidence, which is considerably more than I can say for the alternative."

Vinicius leaned back in his chair, gesturing for him to continue.

"The Academy’s principal confirmed the presence of unusually powerful residual Aether following the massacre, and although the exact source could not be identified, its intensity was inconsistent with the abilities of an ordinary Ember Rank student."

Jack explained, opening the investigation report to a marked page.

"Then there’s the speed at which the killings occurred, the extent of the devastation, and the fact that twenty-one students were eliminated before anyone could meaningfully intervene."

He tapped the page with his finger.

"You see Prime Minister, we all have a rather primal instinct inside us to avoid death.

If the odds seem unreasonable, we panic and we try to flee for our lives.

And if Riven Dawnriver had indeed gone berserk, even if we assume that he was stronger than his peers by a significant margin, they would still have tried to scurry away in different directions to survive.

However, they were all bunched up as they died, as though they never even had a proper chance to turn or flee.

Their deaths happened in an instant.

And Riven Dawnriver can’t kill them that fast, even if he tried."

Jack explained, as Vinicius examined the report without responding.

"And once we account for the fact that Riven’s halberd was recovered from the scene, the possibility of someone deliberately using his weapon to implicate him becomes considerably more plausible."

Jack continued.

"Which is why I maintain that a powerful third party remains our strongest hypothesis."

Jack concluded, as for several moments, Vinicius remained silent, his expression revealing little about what he thought of the explanation.

Eventually, however, he closed the report.

"Very well. Now tell me about the other theory."

Jack frowned.

"The other theory?"

"Yes, Chief Inquisitor. The one where Riven Dawnriver himself committed the murders."

Vinicius replied, his tone becoming noticeably firmer.

"I understand that you consider it less probable, but I would still like to hear your reasoning."

Jack let out a long sigh.

"Well, that particular explanation requires us to make several assumptions for which we currently have no supporting evidence."

"Such as?"

"To begin with, we would have to assume that Riven somehow learned how to deceive a Truth Orb, perhaps through some secret technique passed down by House Dawnriver."

Jack explained.

"Which, while theoretically possible, is already an extraordinary assumption considering that the boy has shown no indication of possessing such knowledge."

Vinicius nodded.

"Go on."

"We would then have to assume that Riven possesses some unusual ability that allows him to temporarily transcend the limitations of his Ascension Rank."

Jack continued, choosing his words carefully.

"Perhaps some kind of forbidden technique, an abnormal Soul Vessel, or a condition that allows him to unleash power far beyond what an Ember Rank Ascendant should ordinarily possess."

"And you believe such a thing is possible?"

"Possible? Certainly. There are stranger abilities recorded throughout history."

Jack answered.

"Probable? That’s an entirely different question, since most of these abilities come with significant drawbacks.

An Ember Rank can’t unleash an inferno rank spell without his body’s Aether pathways being completely destroyed by the excess load.

But Riven Dawnriver was fine when examined."

Vinicius frowned, although Jack continued before he could interrupt.

"Alternatively, we could assume that Riven’s heritage isn’t quite what House Dawnriver claims it to be."

He paused briefly.

"There are ancient records concerning descendants of the Stormborn, whose ancestral bloodline abilities were said to grant them extraordinary power under certain circumstances. If Riven possessed such an inheritance, it might explain some of the irregularities surrounding the massacre."

"Interesting."

Vinicius remarked, straightening slightly in his chair.

"So you’re saying the boy could have inherited some dangerous ancestral power?"

"I’m saying it’s a possibility, Prime Minister. A rather remote one."

Jack corrected him immediately.

"We have no evidence that Riven possesses such a bloodline, much less that he awakened an ability capable of slaughtering twenty-one students. And even if he did, we’d still need to establish that he actually used it."

He folded his arms.

"Frankly, I wouldn’t present that argument in court unless I wanted the entire investigation laughed out of the room."

Vinicius’s expression darkened.

"Then what are your conclusions, Chief Inquisitor?"

Jack glanced towards the report before answering.

"Based on everything we’ve gathered, I would place the probability of a powerful third party being responsible at approximately ninety-five percent."

He raised a finger.

"The probability of Riven Dawnriver personally committing the murders is less than half a percent, while the remaining four and a half percent accounts for unexplained phenomena or possibilities that our investigation has yet to identify."

Vinicius stared at him.

"Ninety-five percent?"

"That’s my assessment."

"And less than half a percent for the boy?"

"Correct."

Jack answered without hesitation.

"Naturally, those aren’t mathematically precise figures, but they accurately represent my confidence in the available evidence."

The Prime Minister’s fingers began tapping against the desk once more.

For several uncomfortable seconds, neither man spoke, although Jack could tell from Vinicius’s increasingly displeased expression that his conclusions were not what the Prime Minister had hoped to hear.

Eventually, Vinicius drew a slow breath.

"Very well, Chief Inquisitor. I appreciate the effort you’ve put into this investigation."

He said, although his voice carried little appreciation.

"However, given the political sensitivity of this matter, I believe it would be inappropriate to dismiss the possibility of Riven Dawnriver’s involvement quite so readily."

Jack narrowed his eyes.

"I haven’t dismissed it, Prime Minister. I’ve merely explained why the evidence doesn’t support it."

"Yes, yes. I understand your position."

Vinicius replied dismissively.

"Nevertheless, during the hearing, you will present both theories as being equally probable."

Jack stared at him.

For a moment, he genuinely wondered whether he had misheard the instruction.

"Equally probable?"

"Precisely."

"Prime Minister, with all due respect, that would be a gross misrepresentation of my findings."

Jack answered, struggling to keep his voice level.

"You’re asking me to tell the Imperial Court that two explanations carry equal weight when every piece of evidence I’ve examined suggests otherwise."

"I’m asking you to ensure that the court considers every possibility."

Vinicius ordered as his expression hardened.

"Now, do you understand what I’m asking of you, Chief Inquisitor? Or should I appoint someone else who is better capable of following instructions?"

Vinicius asked as Jack’s jaw tightened.

Throughout his career, he had earned a reputation for pursuing the truth regardless of whose interests it threatened, and although that stubbornness had made him plenty of enemies, it had also earned him the title of the Rabid Dog.

Yet the man standing before him was the Prime Minister of the Valdrak Empire.

And Jack understood perfectly well what refusing a direct order would mean.

For several moments, he remained motionless, his pride urging him to argue while his better judgment warned him that doing so would accomplish nothing, until eventually, he lowered his head.

"I understand, Prime Minister."

He said submissively as Vinicius studied him for another moment before nodding appreciatively.

"Excellent. I’m glad we’ve reached an understanding."

Vinicius added before opening another document, apparently considering their conversation concluded.

"You may leave, Chief Inquisitor. I expect your presentation to reflect what we’ve discussed."

Jack rose from his seat, offered the customary bow, and turned towards the doors without another word.

However, as he walked away, his expression remained grim.

’Equally probable, my ass.’

He thought, suppressing the anger simmering beneath his composure.

He had spent weeks gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and reconstructing the massacre as accurately as possible, only to discover that the man responsible for overseeing the hearing had apparently decided what conclusions he wanted before the investigation was even finished.

And although Jack had agreed to follow the Prime Minister’s instructions, there was one thing he could no longer ignore.

’That truth orb that the vice principal had, I think it was given to him by the Prime Minister.

Perhaps..... they plotted together to make Riven Dawnriver look guilty.’

He thought, as a new theory started to form in his mind.