Chapter 433: Midnight Visit
Thud!
Amon suddenly stepped forward, drawing a faint frown from Damian. The Prince had already begun to settle back into his throne when the owl faced minister interrupted the flow of the court, and the sudden movement immediately caught his attention.
"What is it?"
Amon cupped his fists and bowed before speaking. "Your Majesty, I wish to use these events to emphasize the importance of our soldiers in the capital..."
He stopped midway. Damian had raised one hand, signaling him to stop.
"Have you forgotten that your group is suspected of participating in this supposed crime?" Damian raised a brow. "So why would I want more of your people here?"
The question was deliberately blunt.
Amon’s position was already precarious. His soldiers had been involved in the previous dispute over the capital’s defenses, and now a member of the Damika Clan had infiltrated the Violet Palace and attempted to assassinate Damian. If Amon was expecting the Prince to welcome an argument for keeping even more Damika soldiers around him, then he was either incredibly confident or incredibly foolish.
To Damian’s surprise, however, Amon did not back down. The owl faced minister actually took another step forward.
"Hear me out, Sire," he requested.
Damian frowned.
He hated this demon. That much had not changed.
Yet Damian could not deny that Amon had never been the sort of man to make baseless arguments simply because they benefited him. Even during their confrontation the previous day, Amon’s reasoning had been irritatingly sound. If this had been the old Damian, he would have dismissed the minister without giving him the opportunity to finish speaking.
But Damian was not entirely the same man anymore.
Nearly losing his life because he had stubbornly insisted on doing everything according to his own plans had taught him something he had been reluctant to accept. Sometimes listening did not mean surrendering authority. Sometimes another person’s perspective simply revealed something he had failed to consider.
Even if that person was someone he despised.
"Go ahead."
Damian gestured toward him before leaning back against his throne.
Amon straightened.
"Sire, based on the general information available to all of us, your royal guards were put to sleep because of the inferiority of their quality and their origin."
His gaze briefly shifted toward Lilith, Malakor and Sargathis.
All three stiffened. The insult was obvious.
Amon did not need to say that the current royal guards had been selected and maintained under the authority of the established factions. He had already made the point clear enough.
"Sire, I therefore request that you dispose of these incapable soldiers and accept those who are actually capable of protecting you."
"I refuse."
Damian did not even hesitate. The answer came so quickly that several ministers exchanged startled glances.
Buzz!
Damian slowly rose from his throne.
The purple flames at the tip of his cigar flickered as he descended the staircase, one step at a time. William followed several paces behind him, maintaining the respectful distance expected of a royal chamberlain while keeping his eyes on the ministers.
"I am the greatest security the Violet Palace will ever have," Damian said decisively. "So squashing a few assassins like flies costs me nothing. My security is not a problem."
His words carried absolute confidence and Damian meant every one of them.
Unless someone sent demigod ranked guards to him, the ordinary soldiers stationed within the palace were never going to be enough to protect him from a serious threat. But even if someone offered him demigod ranked guards, Damian would still refuse.
There was no chance he would willingly sleep every night surrounded by powerful beings who answered to someone else.
He had already learned enough about Velmora to understand how dangerous that arrangement could become.
The moment a demigod entered the palace under another faction’s command, Damian would have to wonder whether that being was protecting him, observing him or simply waiting for the right opportunity to turn against him.
He would rather trust himself.
If the security situation ever became genuinely problematic, he could simply have his wives move into his residence and increase the number of people personally loyal to him. That was a far more comfortable arrangement than allowing the clans to fill his palace with their strongest warriors under the excuse of protecting him.
Damian reached the bottom of the stairs.
Amon stood directly in his path.
The owl faced minister immediately moved aside and lowered his head. Around him, the rest of the ministers followed suit, their bodies shifting instinctively as Damian passed through them.
"Continue as planned," Damian ordered.
Amon raised his head slightly.
"Recall half of the Dark Realm Expeditionary troops with your soldiers. Once this case is resolved, we will decide whether your forces should even remain in the capital."
There was no room for negotiation in his voice.
Amon’s eyes narrowed slightly. He understood what Damian was doing.
The Prince had not forgotten their argument from the previous day. He was using the assassination investigation as the final condition for determining whether the remaining Damika forces would retain their position around the capital.
Damian was giving them a chance. But he was also making it clear that their future within the Imperial Capital was no longer guaranteed.
"As you wish, Your Majesty!"
The response came from several voices throughout the hall. Damian nodded in satisfaction.
He turned around and walked toward the great doors of the courtroom. The moment the doors opened, the attendants waiting outside immediately fell into formation and followed him. William remained close behind as Damian descended the palace stairs, the sound of his footsteps echoing through the grand entrance.
"You handled today’s meeting rather well," William remarked after they had gained enough distance from the courtroom. "I almost believed you would use this opportunity to bring the Damika Clan to its knees."
Damian took another drag from his cigar before shrugging.
"Amon made a strong argument. I got curious."
William adjusted his glasses.
"And what happens if you discover that your in laws are involved?"
Damian’s expression remained calm.
"We have them executed for attempting to murder and manipulate the crown for their personal gains," Damian added, his voice becoming colder.
He flicked some ash from his cigar.
William studied him for a moment before quietly nodding.
Later That Night...
After spending the rest of the day with his wives, night eventually descended over Velmora once again.
The capital had changed beneath the darkness.
The towering buildings were illuminated by countless magical lamps, their lights stretching through the streets beneath the violet sky. The roads remained active despite the late hour, with merchants closing their shops, carriages passing through the avenues and demons of countless shapes continuing their nightly routines.
Damian, however, had no intention of being recognized.
He had changed into ordinary dark clothing and pulled a hood over his head. William was dressed similarly, his own cloak concealing most of his features as they quietly made their way beyond the palace grounds.
Parked in a secluded area near the castle was a completely ordinary looking carriage. The only unusual thing about it was the creature pulling it.
A red horned antelope stood patiently before the carriage, its muscular body covered in short crimson fur while two enormous horns curved backward from its head. Despite its intimidating appearance, the beast remained strangely calm as Damian and William approached.
They climbed inside quickly and pulled the hoods over their heads.
"Shall we, my lord?" William asked.
Damian was about to answer when he paused.
"Hold on. We have one more person joining us."
A small smile appeared on his face.
William blinked.
"Who?"
Clank!
The carriage door opened and a small cloaked figure quickly slipped inside. Damian’s smile widened when he recognized Rah.
She shut the door behind herself before settling into the seat beside him. The hood concealed most of her face, but once she was comfortable, she pulled it down and revealed her familiar features.
Without saying anything, Rah reached for Damian’s hand and slipped her fingers between his.
"You knew I was coming?" she asked.
Damian looked down at their joined hands before glancing toward her with a faint smile.
"Nothing gets past my divine perception."
Rah simply nodded as though she had expected nothing less.
William, meanwhile, deliberately ignored the two of them.
The old chamberlain gave a subtle signal with his hand. The red horned antelope began moving.
The carriage rolled forward quietly, its wheels passing over the paved road as they approached the main gate. Damian leaned back against the seat, watching the palace gradually disappear behind them.
When they reached the massive gate, the guards immediately stepped forward.
William did not even bother explaining their destination. He simply produced a small token and held it up.
The soldiers recognized it almost immediately. Their expressions changed, and they stepped aside without asking another question.
The gate opened and the carriage passed through. Only once they were beyond the Imperial Palace did the red horned antelope increase its pace.
Soon they were racing down the long slope upon which the Violet Palace had been built, the massive royal complex gradually shrinking behind them as the sprawling capital opened before them.