Chapter 1376: A Question of Authority

If only the Chief of Staff knew that, at that moment, it wasn’t just the Elders who looked like total quacks!

Because aside from Jackson Taylor, who definitely needed medical attention, practically everyone present was beginning to think that the Imperial official desperately needed some himself!

For starters, those who encountered him in that state, particularly those who’d worked with him before or witnessed how he’d handled previous disasters, were utterly stunned.

After all, this was the same Killian Nox who’d remained outwardly unflappable even when the people of the Capital were convinced that an entire planetary invasion was about to take place!

Granted, those had merely been military battleships arriving in droves for a high-profile auction, but while practically everyone else had been imagining absolute doom, the Chief of Staff had calmly attended to matters as though nothing particularly alarming was happening.

In fact, people had even looked to him for reassurance!

Never mind that, in reality, the very same official had been desperately wanting to strangle his younger brother, convinced that he’d lost a significant amount of hair from all the stress!

"..."

But right now?

The man before them had just rushed in with an unconscious cadet in tow, screeching at the top of his lungs instead of waiting for the proper medical personnel to arrive!

And worse, just look at him!

Cool, clammy, ashen skin.

A distinct bluish tinge to his trembling lips.

Rapid, shallow breathing.

Not to mention the confusion and profound restlessness written all over his face, with those eyes revealing something that was rarely, if ever, seen in anyone from House Nox!

"...!"

It was glaringly obvious that he needed urgent medical attention, too!

And so, the medical staff, who’d been trained to care for cadets and had been doing exactly that until they heard his unusual outburst, immediately attempted to intervene.

"My Lord! Please, lower him onto the gurney and let us examine—"

"Back off!"

"...!"

The moment two medics reached out to take the unconscious redhead, Killian reacted with such a violent, suffocating flare of pressure that the medical practitioners were sent stumbling backward, their faces rapidly turning pale!

The Chief of Staff snarled, instinctively shielding the cadet as though the medics were trying to take something precious away from him!

"But My Lord, we really need to—"

"I said move! I need all of you to leave the airlock!" Killian snapped, his eyes widening as he looked down at the unconscious cadet.

"But—!"

How could they possibly do that when the heir of House Taylor desperately needed to be examined?!

It was just that, contrary to their expectations, explaining things didn’t make matters any better.

At first, they’d deliberately avoided mentioning the need to examine the Chief of Staff himself, but when he started insisting that their standard procedures wouldn’t help and practically shooed them away so the Elders could handle everything, claiming they knew how to treat this particular condition, the staff tacitly agreed that something was severely wrong with his mental state.

And to be fair, it made a rather tragic kind of sense.

After all, even someone as unflappable as the Chief of Staff could be driven to act irrationally when faced with such a traumatic incident involving someone he’d practically grown up with!

"My Lord, if you could just step back—"

"No, that’s completely unnecessary," Elder Wei interrupted firmly, stepping between Killian and the medics. "We’re already here to take care of him. If you must, go attend to the cadets still waiting for your assistance. I’m certain many of them need your help right now."

"...!"

However, the chief examiner refused to budge, her eyes narrowing as she immediately demanded their credentials.

"Are you licensed medical practitioners? What are your qualifications?!"

"Something like that," Elder Wei replied smoothly.

"..."

Something like that?!

What the hell was that supposed to mean?!

The examiner immediately turned back toward Killian, pleading with him directly.

These unfamiliar individuals were actively hindering an emergency medical response, refusing to even explain what they intended to do with the unconscious cadet!

But to the staff’s sheer shock, the Chief of Staff sided entirely with those strangers, barking at the medics to obey his direct orders and vacate the premises immediately!

He even promised that the sooner they left and gave the Elders enough space, the sooner the treatment would be completed!

"...!"

Yet instead of retreating, the medical team closed in as a unified front, clearly preparing to take Jackson Taylor by force if necessary.

"My Lord, we deeply apologize for disobeying your command," the chief examiner declared, her voice carrying the unmistakable authority of someone determined to uphold her professional duties. "But we have a solemn duty to Cadet Taylor’s family to keep him safe. We must do our jobs now, and unless you’re Cadet Taylor’s immediate next of kin, even an Imperial official cannot simply override established medical practices!"

"..."

Killian’s jaw worked silently for a moment before a terrifying hiss escaped his throat.

"Well then," he growled, his voice dropping into a dangerously low register. "All the more reason you have to listen to me."

He stood his ground, staring directly at the medical practitioners before delivering a statement that would practically overturn everything they thought they knew about the Chief of Staff.

"We are life-bonded. I am his cure."

Gasp!

"...!!!"

A collective shockwave seemed to ripple through the entire airlock and beyond!

But before anyone could even begin to process what they’d just heard, Killian continued, his expression growing increasingly threatening as he stared them down.

"So if anyone dares touch my lover or undermine my authority when it comes to his health and mine, you can start praying right now! Or are you suggesting that I’m trying to die, too?!"

"...!"

They’d just survived an inexplicable disaster, and yet there they were, completely frozen by a revelation so mind-boggling that they couldn’t even begin to comprehend what they’d heard!

And just as they were collectively beginning to conclude that the man had suffered severe brain damage and needed to be restrained for his own safety, the very person who’d just dropped such an absolute bombshell casually knelt beside the collapsed cadet.

Then, before their wide, horrified eyes, Killian leaned down and pressed a deep, deliberate kiss directly against Jax’s lips.

"!!!"