Chapter 416 - 411 — Disobey

Chapter 416: Chapter 411 — Disobey

The crowd reacted differently to his words. The Aerelith from the Gular Colony stepped forward with straightened backs and stern expressions, openly showing their support, while most of those from the Kasner Colony wore grim, shameful looks.

"Brother..." Nourald muttered, staring at him with a sympathetic look.

Lariat’s loud scoff broke the silence.

"Oh, please! Don’t fall for his little speech, everyone. He’s obviously trying to turn you against me. Nobody’s asking him to move mountains. Just produce one tiny gust of air, and we can all go about our business."

"No," Zephyrion repeated firmly.

"Then you’re a Ferran!"

"I’m not."

"Then why in the Breath won’t you just do it?"

"Because I don’t take orders from you."

Lariat’s expression twisted in anger, her fists clenching tightly at her sides.

"Then—"

Before she could turn to Chief Kons, Zephyrion cut in, raising his voice.

"And because the entire thing is wrong. Since when did we start pointing accusing fingers at our own brothers and sisters? Since when did we decide that such behavior was acceptable?"

"Don’t be ridiculous! What, are we supposed to welcome enemies into our midst with open arms just so we don’t hurt your precious feelings?"

She was furious, already raising her voice. Good.

"Of course not. But the least you could do is provide some actual evidence, and so far, you haven’t given us any. You’ve never seen me use air. So what? I prefer relying on my physical strength and only use air when the situation calls for it. As for our journey here, I chose to run because I saw an opportunity to strengthen my body even further. That’s all. Everything you’ve said is nothing more than speculation. So tell me, why exactly should I have to prove anything to you?"

"You—!"

Lariat began storming towards Zephyrion, but Nourald and several Gular immediately stepped forward to shield him. However, before she could get close, Chief Kons’s stern voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Enough."

"But, Commander—"

"He’s right," Kons interrupted coldly. "You have presented nothing that substantiates your accusation, much less proves he’s a Ferran. We may hail from different colonies, but we are one people. I will hear no more of this."

Lariat gritted her teeth, her fists tightening in frustration.

"And another thing..." Kons’s gaze turned cold. "You have publicly slandered one of your own without sufficient grounds. Don’t imagine there won’t be consequences."

Though she was clearly seething with anger, Lariat still lowered her head in deference.

"Understood, Commander."

"Then consider the matter closed. Dismissed."

The commander turned to leave, but Zephyrion kept his eyes fixed on Lariat. The moment Kons turned his back, she glanced towards him, and their gazes met. Zephyrion immediately caught the desperation and humiliation lurking in her eyes, and he knew what was coming next.

What happened next was so sudden and bizarre that Nourald and the rest of the Gular standing in the way barely had time to react.

Lariat suddenly grabbed her water flask and emptied its contents towards the ground. Before the water could touch the ground, a swirling current of air scooped it up and sent it shooting past Nourald and the Gular. It struck Zephyrion squarely in the face, drenching his hair and clothes.

"Everyone, look!" Lariat bellowed, pointing at him. "Watch his hair! I’ve soaked it with water! Once that dye washes off, you’ll all see the black hair he’s been hiding!"

Despite their shock, everyone turned towards Zephyrion, their curiosity piqued. However, of them all, only Lariat’s eyes widened in disbelief.

"N-no... how is that possible...?"

A gentle breeze was now swirling around Zephyrion, lifting every droplet of water off his body and drying him. There was no doubt about it, he was generating air! Even more, although his hair was wet, it was still very much white, without the slightest trace of dye washing off.

"Wait... he’s using air."

"Then he really was telling the truth."

"So Lariat was wrong this whole time? What was she thinking?"

"Isn’t she supposed to be the leader of the commoner faction? I thought she had more integrity than this."

Several of them were now staring at Zephyrion approvingly while shaking their heads at Lariat in disappointment. Clearly, she had been wrong all along.

Zephyrion was undoubtedly an Aerelith.

"No... no, that can’t be right... I’m certain of it. I know what I saw..."

Lariat’s eyes trembled in disbelief, but she wasn’t given time to dwell on it.

"You have disobeyed a direct order."

Chief Kons’s icy voice made her stiffen.

"Commander, please, I—"

"Silence," Kons interrupted coldly. "It seems some of you have yet to understand your circumstances. Your year of freedom is over. Within these walls, my word is law, and those who defy it will answer for their actions. You will come with me."

"Bu—"

Lariat suddenly gasped for breath, struggling futilely as an invisible barrier of wind wrapped around her body and slowly lifted her into the air. Zephyrion watched the entire scene unfold, and despite her predicament, Lariat was still glaring at him as though all of this were somehow his fault.

"Now, for the last time, dismissed."

Before he could react, both Chief Kons and Lariat vanished.

What followed was a flurry of greetings and well wishes from the other Aerelith, especially Nourald and other Gular. The former repeatedly insisted that he’d believed in him all along. But Zephyrion’s mind was elsewhere entirely.

’Good thing I didn’t put off learning that scroll.’

The truth was, the last scroll he’d obtained last night had turned out to be a Mark One Vessel-rank air art. He’d been beyond thrilled by the discovery and had immediately considered when best to comprehend it.

Unfortunately, given how exposed the camp was, attempting to learn it right there carried a considerable risk of being discovered. But Zephyrion had ultimately decided to take that risk rather than wait for a better opportunity. Thankfully, it had turned out to be the right decision.

’Well, that’s one problem taken care of.’

He could have easily put an end to Lariat’s accusation by using air the moment she demanded it. However, Zephyrion had decided that this was the better approach.

By refusing, he’d deliberately provoked Lariat into losing her composure in front of everyone, eventually pushing her into disobeying the commander’s orders.

Then, by revealing his ability to use air, he’d completely discredited her accusations. Now, no matter how loudly she protested or how much she insisted he was a Ferran, no one would take her seriously on the matter anymore. As far as he was concerned, Lariat was no longer a threat he needed to worry about.

’Now then...’

Zephyrion lifted his gaze and regarded the towering bastion. All he had to do now was figure out a way to leave this place and investigate Void.

’Simple enough... probably.’

He heard Demorian laugh.