Chapter 281: Insolence

(The Imperial Court)

Seventy-two hours.

That was all the time Robin Crusoe had been given to construct a convincing narrative capable of implicating Riven Dawnriver in the Imperial Academy massacre.

The moment Jack Sullivan submitted his preliminary findings, Prime Minister Vinicius had understood that the investigation contained nowhere near enough evidence to establish the boy’s guilt.

In fact, the Chief Imperial Inquisitor’s conclusions had been so overwhelmingly favorable towards Riven that Vinicius immediately recognized the danger of allowing him to present those findings without interference.

Thankfully, Vinicius had not survived decades of Imperial politics by leaving matters of such importance to chance, particularly when the consequences of failure could prove disastrous.

And so, rather than placing his entire faith in Jack Sullivan’s willingness to cooperate, he had quietly summoned one of his most trusted subordinates and entrusted him with a considerably different assignment.

Robin Crusoe had been instructed to construct an alternative explanation for the massacre, one supported by whatever testimony and evidence could be manufactured within the limited time available.

For Vinicius, the distinction between uncovering the truth and establishing a convincing narrative had long since ceased to matter, as the outcome of the hearing was already decided.

All that remained was to provide the assembled nobles with a sufficiently compelling justification for accepting the verdict that the Imperial government desired.

’You think you’re clever, don’t you, Jack Sullivan?’

Vinicius thought, watching the Chief Imperial Inquisitor from the corner of his eye as Robin Crusoe approached the accused.

’You believe your precious principles and professional integrity mean something in a place like this, where every decision is ultimately determined by power.’

A faint smile tugged at his lips as he turned his attention towards the investigator standing before Riven Dawnriver.

’Well, allow me to show you just how little your righteousness matters when you’re playing a game whose rules you don’t even understand.’

Meanwhile, Robin Crusoe stopped a short distance from Riven, holding Sky-Cleaver in his right hand as he regarded the young noble with a courteous expression.

"Young Lord Riven, if you wouldn’t mind answering a question, could you please explain to this court how you originally came into possession of this particular weapon?"

Robin asked, raising the halberd slightly so that everyone could clearly see the distinctive blade resting above its long shaft.

Riven glanced towards Sky-Cleaver before turning his attention towards his father, who offered a slight nod, signaling that he had nothing to fear from answering such a straightforward question.

"My father gave me permission to choose any weapon I desired from the Dawnriver armory, and after examining several different weapons, I eventually settled upon Sky-Cleaver."

Riven answered boldly, his voice unwavering as he maintained the dignity of a Dawnriver.

"There wasn’t any particular reason behind my decision, except that I felt a strange connection with the weapon when I held it, almost as though it suited me better than anything else."

Robin’s smile widened almost imperceptibly as he turned away from Riven and addressed the nobles gathered throughout the Imperial Court.

"Please take note of that statement, Your Majesty, as the accused has just confirmed that he experienced an unusual connection with Sky-Cleaver when he initially selected it."

Robin declared, allowing the significance of those words to remain unexplained as several curious murmurs spread throughout the chamber.

Riven frowned at the investigator’s peculiar emphasis, unable to understand why something as ordinary as choosing a preferred weapon deserved such particular attention.

However, his thoughts quickly returned to Sky-Cleaver itself, which remained firmly within Robin’s grasp despite belonging to him and having been taken into Imperial custody.

He remembered his father’s instructions concerning the weapon, and as his eyes followed its movements, he began searching for an opportunity to reclaim it without creating an unnecessary disturbance.

"Now, some of you may be wondering why the young lord’s connection with this weapon is relevant to the investigation, and I assure you that the answer is rather fascinating."

Robin continued, turning towards the section occupied by the Imperial Academy’s senior officials.

"However, before I elaborate upon that connection, I would like to request that Sir Roderick, the Academy’s Chief Weaponsmith, stand and provide this court with his professional assessment."

Several heads turned towards the elderly blacksmith, who appeared momentarily startled upon hearing his name announced before such an enormous gathering.

Sir Roderick slowly rose from his seat, nervously smoothing his ceremonial robes before stroking his beard as though searching for something to occupy his trembling hands.

Although he had spent decades working with weapons and studying the techniques of ancient craftsmen, addressing hundreds of influential nobles was an entirely different matter.

Nevertheless, his nervousness had little to do with the words he was expected to speak next, as he had already memorized what to say.

Like Robin Crusoe, he too had been approached by representatives of the Imperial government and offered sufficient incentives to ensure that his professional opinion aligned with their desired conclusions.

"Sir Roderick, would you kindly explain to this court what makes Sky-Cleaver such an unusual weapon, particularly concerning the type of Aether it was designed to accommodate?"

Robin asked, turning towards the elderly weaponsmith with an encouraging smile as he waited for the prepared explanation.

"Y-yes, certainly. You see, Sky-Cleaver is a rather special halberd, particularly when it comes to Ascendants who possess an affinity for Storm Aether."

Roderick began, clearing his throat before continuing with considerably greater confidence as he settled into a subject he understood intimately.

"If one were to examine ancient manuscripts concerning the history of weaponsmithing, particularly those describing the wars fought against the Stormborn, one would discover several interesting similarities."

He gestured towards the halberd in Robin’s possession, drawing the attention of the assembled nobles towards its distinctive construction.

"Many prominent Stormborn warriors wielded weapons forged according to designs remarkably similar to Sky-Cleaver, as those particular molds were developed to accommodate the destructive properties of thunder."

The revelation immediately attracted considerable interest, as several nobles leaned forward in their seats while others exchanged curious glances at the mention of the ancient bloodline.

"Unlike ordinary weapons, these specialized armaments were designed to conduct and amplify Storm Aether, allowing their wielders to channel considerably greater amounts of elemental power through the weapon itself."

Roderick continued, his earlier nervousness gradually disappearing as he explained the peculiar characteristics of the ancient craftsmanship.

"However, what makes these weapons truly remarkable is that they do not respond equally to every Ascendant possessing a Storm affinity, regardless of how skilled that individual might be."

He paused momentarily, glancing towards Robin Crusoe before delivering the final portion of his prepared testimony.

"According to the ancient records, their greatest potential can only be awakened by someone possessing the bloodline of the Stormborn, whose ancestral affinity allows them to wield such weapons with exceptional effectiveness."

For a moment, an uncomfortable silence settled over the courtroom, as the nobles struggled to understand the implications of the weaponsmith’s explanation.

However, amongst the gathering, Duke Drew Dawnriver understood precisely where this line of questioning was heading, and the amusement that had accompanied his earlier exchanges vanished almost instantly.

His expression darkened as he slowly rose from his seat, fixing Robin Crusoe with a cold stare that caused several nearby nobles to instinctively lean away from him.

"Choose your next words very carefully, Investigator Crusoe."

Drew warned, his voice carrying clearly throughout the courtroom despite the absence of any effort to raise it.

"Because depending on what comes out of your mouth next, those words might very well be the last ones you ever speak."

The threat immediately shattered the uneasy silence, as Imperial guards stationed throughout the chamber reached for their weapons and began drawing their blades.

Several nobles recoiled in alarm, while others turned towards Emperor Diomande, waiting to see how he would respond to such an open threat against an Imperial investigator.

Meanwhile, Robin Crusoe remained standing beside Sir Roderick, holding Sky-Cleaver firmly as he regarded the Eastern Duke with an expression of carefully maintained composure.

And as the atmosphere within the Imperial Court grew increasingly tense, everyone present understood that the investigation had suddenly ventured into territory far more dangerous than the question of who had murdered twenty-one Academy students.