A suffocating silence swallowed the royal courtroom.
Every noble present sat frozen, their minds unable to comprehend what they had just witnessed.
A Holy Paladin, and not just any paladin but a Vice-Captain of the Holy Empire's sacred order—had stepped into the royal court of Clover…
…and she had spoken Roman Crowell's name as if answering a summons.
Whispers erupted like cracks spreading across glass.
"How is this possible…?"
"He is only nineteen…"
"A paladin stands above royalty… even kings…"
"The Holy Empire creates kings… and she obeyed him…?"
Disbelief, fear, and confusion twisted together in the air.
Ezra Violet, however, paid no attention to the trembling court.
Her eyes were fixed only on Roman.
She studied his face the fury, the grief, the storm barely restrained behind those emotionless eyes.
"What happened, Roman?" she asked softly.
"Why are you so angry? You don't look good like this."
Then, as if remembering her purpose, she spoke again.
"I brought everything you asked for… all the evidence against that wicked Noah Rockson."
From a small magical storage purse at her waist an artifact capable of holding countless items she drew out a thick bundle of sealed documents.
The sound of parchment shifting echoed unnaturally loud in the silent hall.
Roman looked at her.
For a brief moment…
the violent storm inside him calmed.
"Good timing, Miss Ezra," he said quietly.
"I was waiting for you."
Without moving his hands, he activated telekinesis.
The documents lifted from Ezra's grasp, floated across the courtroom, and then
THUD
They dropped directly at the feet of King Augustus Nova.
Roman's voice turned cold as judgment.
"Here is all the proof of his wrongdoing.
Corruption… murder… abuse… everything."
He paused.
"You have two days to decide his fate."
The temperature of the courtroom seemed to fall.
"Otherwise…
I will become the judge myself
and deliver the punishment he deserves."
King Augustus trembled.
Not with fear.
With rage.
To be threatened…
in his own court…
before every noble of Clover…
His pride screamed for blood.
Mana stirred faintly around him a dangerous sign.
But before he could act
Roman spoke again, voice calm yet terrifying.
"Do not attempt anything… adventurous."
His eyes locked onto the king's.
"If you do…
the consequences will be very hard for you,
King Augustus Nova."
The warning was not loud.
Yet it crushed the room like invisible weight.
Prime Minister Joshua Caesar forced himself to stand.
"Holy Paladin Ezra," he said sharply,
"you cannot simply enter a sovereign kingdom and interfere in royal matters.
The Holy Empire gave no prior notice.
You have no authority to intervene in Clover's internal affairs."
For a heartbeat
nothing happened.
Then Ezra's expression changed.
All warmth vanished.
What remained was divine authority.
"No one," she said coldly,
"stands above the Holy Empire."
A tremor passed through the nobles.
"We may choose not to interfere…
but if we witness injustice, we will act."
Her gaze sharpened.
"And yes
the Holy Empire declared non-interference."
A pause.
"But in Ephor…
laws were broken not only against Clover
but against the laws of the Holy Empire itself."
Joshua's voice faltered.
Ezra continued, unwavering.
"The most sacred law of our empire states:
When humanity faces crisis…
no worldly law can restrain us."
Silence deepened.
"If necessary…
we may even change the throne."
Cold fear spread across the courtroom.
"And now," she finished,
"the world approaches a disaster capable of extinguishing humanity."
Her voice became absolute.
"So yes
the Holy Empire has the right
to do whatever is necessary."
No one dared respond.
Not the nobles.
Not the prime minister.
Not even the king.
Joshua finally spoke again, weaker than before.
"How… did you gather this evidence?"
Ezra answered calmly.
"I was assigned to protect Clover during the first dungeon breakout."
Her eyes darkened with memory.
"By the time I arrived…
most regions were already stabilizing."
A pause.
"But Ephor…"
Her voice lowered.
"…was filled with blood, corpses, and roaming monsters."
Several nobles flinched.
"I annihilated what remained of the monsters.
And as you all know
Roman Crowell defeated the dungeon boss and sealed the gate."
She looked toward Roman briefly.
"Afterward… I stayed in Ephor."
Her tone hardened.
"And I discovered the truth."
"The common people were abandoned.
Denied aid meant for them by the Holy Empire."
Her eyes flashed.
"Duke Noah protected only the wealthy."
Murmurs rose again.
"So I investigated further."
Her words fell like executioner's blows.
"Corruption.
Murder.
Child abuse.
Killing unborn children for magical experiments."
Several nobles turned pale.
"I brought everything to the Holy Pope."
Silence.
"And his judgment was clear."
Her voice became merciless.
"The Duke of Ephor must be punished publicly
hanged…
or have his limbs severed."
No one spoke.
Because no one could.
The Question That Changed Everything
After a long silence,
Joshua whispered:
"…We understand Noah's crimes."
He swallowed.
"But one thing remains impossible."
His eyes turned slowly toward Roman.
"How can a nineteen-year-old deputy duke
command the Holy Pope Lucius Serapheal…
and be obeyed?"
The question struck the room like thunder.
All eyes turned to Ezra.
She answered without hesitation.
"Because Roman Crowell…
is no ordinary mortal."
Her words echoed.
"He is the Warherald chosen by Goddess Aria the one destined to lead humanity against the Twelve Demonic Angels."
Shock exploded across the courtroom.
"It is written in the prophecy of the goddess," she continued,
"that the Warherald must be honored and served…"
Her gaze swept the stunned nobles.
"…just as we serve the goddess herself."
Total Shock
Silence.
Deeper than death.
Nobles trembled.
The prime minister forgot to breathe.
And even
Jacob
and
Selena
stood in utter shock.
Because the truth spoken aloud…
had just changed the fate of Clover Kingdom forever.