Chapter 283: Edge Of Madness

(The Imperial Court)

Emperor Diomande allowed the chaos within the Imperial Court to continue for several seconds, his attention remaining fixed upon Duke Drew Dawnriver as he waited for the Eastern Duke to lose his temper once again.

Given Drew’s notoriously volatile personality, Diomande had expected the accusation concerning Riven’s ancestry to provoke another disproportionate reaction, perhaps even one that could justify taking immediate action against him.

However, despite the furious discussions spreading throughout the courtroom, Drew remained standing beside his seat with an expression of cold hostility, as he refused to provide Diomande with the opportunity he desired.

And so, after allowing the disturbance to continue for a while longer, Diomande finally decided that he had little choice but to intervene.

"Silence!"

The Emperor commanded, his voice reverberating throughout the enormous chamber as the assembled nobles immediately ceased their conversations and turned their attention towards the Imperial throne.

Diomande allowed his gaze to travel across the gathering before settling upon Robin Crusoe, who stood holding Sky-Cleaver with an expression of carefully maintained confidence.

"You are walking a very thin line here, Investigator Crusoe, and I suggest you remember the purpose for which this Imperial Court has been assembled."

Diomande declared, his expression growing stern as he addressed the investigator before the hundreds of nobles gathered beneath his throne.

"This investigation concerns the murder of twenty-one students at the Imperial Academy, not the ancestry of Duke Drew Dawnriver’s youngest son."

He paused briefly, allowing his words to settle before continuing with considerably greater emphasis.

"Unless you can establish how the young lord’s alleged Stormborn ancestry is relevant to those murders, I may have no choice but to punish you for the disrespect you have shown the Eastern Duke."

The warning drew approving nods from several nobles, particularly amongst the grieving families who had little interest in watching the hearing descend into a dispute concerning noble bloodlines.

For them, the question of whether Riven possessed Stormborn ancestry was secondary to discovering who had murdered their children and ensuring that the responsible individual faced justice.

Robin Crusoe appeared entirely unsurprised by the Emperor’s reprimand, however, as he bowed respectfully before raising his head to address the Imperial throne once again.

"Your Majesty, I completely agree with your assessment, and I assure you that I have no intention of wasting this court’s valuable time on matters unrelated to the massacre."

Robin replied, his voice remaining composed as he prepared to explain the connection he had been carefully building towards throughout his questioning.

"However, during my examination of historical records concerning the Stormborn, I encountered descriptions of an extraordinary phenomenon that may prove directly relevant to Chief Inquisitor Sullivan’s earlier conclusions."

He paused momentarily, ensuring that the assembled nobles were listening before introducing the ancient concept that formed the foundation of his alternative theory.

"The phenomenon is known as Ancestral Resonance, and according to the surviving accounts, it allows certain descendants of powerful bloodlines to temporarily establish a connection with the memories and experiences of their ancestors."

Robin explained, gesturing lightly with his free hand as several nobles leaned forward in curiosity.

"Through this connection, an individual may temporarily gain access to knowledge, combat instincts, and techniques that would ordinarily remain far beyond their personal level of development.

Furthermore, the same historical records describe another remarkable characteristic of the Stormborn bloodline, one that concerns their ability to access a shared ancestral space containing enormous quantities of Storm Aether."

Robin continued, his voice growing increasingly confident as he elaborated upon the second phenomenon described within the ancient manuscripts.

"According to these accounts, certain Stormborn descendants could establish a connection with this shared space and draw upon its reserves of Aether, allowing them to fuel abilities that their ordinary Soul Vessels could never sustain independently."

A fresh wave of murmuring spread throughout the courtroom, although the nobles remained considerably more restrained than before as they listened to the investigator’s explanation.

"Now, Your Majesty, imagine what might happen if these two extraordinary phenomena were to occur simultaneously within the same individual."

Robin suggested, turning slightly towards Riven as he began connecting the ancient accounts to the massacre under investigation.

"Ancestral Resonance could temporarily provide the knowledge and combat experience of an immensely powerful ancestor, while access to the shared Aether space could supply the energy necessary to execute techniques beyond the individual’s ordinary capabilities."

He raised Sky-Cleaver slightly, allowing the weapon to serve as a visual reminder of the connection he had previously established between Riven and the ancient bloodline.

"If Riven Dawnriver truly possesses Stormborn ancestry, then these two phenomena could theoretically explain how an Ember Rank Ascendant might display power far beyond the limitations of his current Ascension Rank."

Robin declared, his words immediately drawing the attention of several nobles who had previously accepted Jack Sullivan’s assessment of the physical evidence.

"Under such circumstances, it becomes possible that the extraordinary Aether detected at the crime scene originated from the accused himself, rather than an unknown outside perpetrator."

Jack felt his expression harden as he listened, recognizing that Robin had finally introduced a theory designed specifically to challenge the most compelling evidence supporting Riven’s innocence.

However, before anyone could interrupt, Robin raised his free hand and continued speaking with an expression of deliberate caution.

"Now, I wish to make something absolutely clear, Your Majesty. I am not suggesting that this explanation is necessarily probable, nor am I claiming that the accused has demonstrated either of these abilities."

Robin acknowledged, offering a respectful nod towards Jack Sullivan before continuing with his argument.

"As Chief Inquisitor Sullivan has already established, the available evidence suggests a ninety-nine point five percent probability that Riven Dawnriver is innocent of the crimes attributed to him."

He paused briefly, allowing the numerical assessment to settle before explaining why he believed his investigation remained necessary despite those findings.

"Nevertheless, that leaves a small margin of uncertainty, and I believe it would be irresponsible for this court to ignore a potentially relevant explanation simply because it appears unlikely."

Robin continued, maintaining an expression of professional sincerity as he directed his attention towards the Emperor.

"Therefore, rather than accusing the young lord of possessing these abilities, I merely propose that we verify whether he has any connection to the Stormborn bloodline before eliminating this possibility entirely."

The courtroom fell into thoughtful silence as the nobles considered the investigator’s reasoning, while Emperor Diomande leaned back upon his throne and regarded Robin with an expression of measured curiosity.

"And how exactly do you propose we verify such a claim, Investigator Crusoe?"

Diomande asked, his tone remaining skeptical as he glanced briefly towards Riven before returning his attention to the man standing before him.

"Possessing green eyes is hardly a crime within my Empire, and I am unaware of any reliable method through which a person’s ancestry can be established merely by examining their appearance."

The question drew several approving nods, as even those intrigued by Robin’s theory recognized that suspicion alone could not establish the young lord’s bloodline.

Robin bowed respectfully, appearing almost pleased that the Emperor had provided him with the opportunity to introduce the next stage of his proposal.

"Your Majesty, I believe the answer is considerably simpler than it might initially appear, particularly when this court already possesses a means of determining whether an individual is speaking truthfully."

Robin replied, allowing a brief pause before revealing the method he intended to employ.

"I respectfully request permission to introduce a Truth Orb into these proceedings, so that we may question young Lord Riven Dawnriver concerning his knowledge of his own ancestry."

Several nobles exchanged interested glances, while Robin continued outlining the questions he believed would help establish the foundation of his theory.

"We could begin by asking whether he believes himself to be a Stormborn, or whether either of his parents has ever revealed information concerning the origins of his unusual physical characteristics."

Robin suggested, turning towards Riven as he explained the possible significance of the young lord’s answers.

"If he truthfully denies possessing any such knowledge, then we would at least establish that he has no conscious awareness of belonging to the ancient bloodline."

He paused before adding another possibility, his expression remaining perfectly composed despite the increasingly dangerous direction of his proposal.

"Of course, a person’s lack of knowledge concerning their ancestry does not necessarily establish that the ancestry itself is absent, which brings me to another possible approach."

Robin turned towards Drew Dawnriver, whose expression had remained cold and unreadable throughout the investigator’s lengthy explanation.

"Alternatively, we could request that Duke Drew Dawnriver himself participate in the examination, as I believe his extensive experience and intimate knowledge of his own family would prove considerably more valuable."

Robin continued, maintaining his respectful tone as he addressed the Eastern Duke directly.

"We could ask whether Your Grace possesses any knowledge concerning the ancestry of Riven’s mother, and whether you have ever suspected that your youngest son might possess the bloodline of the Stormborn."

He gestured towards the Imperial throne once again, presenting his suggestion as though it were the most reasonable course of action imaginable.

"If the Duke truthfully denies possessing such knowledge or suspicions, then this court would have considerable grounds to dismiss my theory and return its attention towards the possibility of an outside perpetrator."

Robin concluded, lowering his hand as he awaited the Emperor’s response to the proposal he had placed before the assembled nobles.

For several moments, the courtroom remained silent, as hundreds of eyes gradually turned towards Drew Dawnriver, waiting to see how the Eastern Duke would respond to the suggestion.

Then, without warning, Drew began to laugh.

It started as a low chuckle that escaped his lips despite the gravity of the proceedings, although within moments it had grown into something considerably louder.

Several nobles exchanged alarmed glances as the Eastern Duke tilted his head back, laughing openly before the Imperial throne while the guards watched him with increasing apprehension.

There was something deeply unsettling about the sound, particularly because his eyes betrayed none of the amusement that his laughter might otherwise have suggested.

And as Drew continued laughing, seemingly indifferent to the hundreds of people staring at him, those seated nearest to the Eastern Duke began wondering whether his already notorious temperament had finally reached the edge of madness.