It was the first time the de Lys family threatened the royal family publicly. They had been serving the royal family for generations, doing the dirty jobs for them and saving their asses every single time someone attempted to take their lives. However, how could the proud King Eldric accept the fact that his people prefer Duke Lysander over him?
The people of Solmora revered the duke like a hero who would save them from the demons that had been threatening Solmora and other kingdoms of the continent. The admiration he once had for the duke was now turning into such hatred, like a seed that had ingrown deeply in his heart and was nurtured by his envy towards Duke Lysander.
If other nobles had tried to threaten him like Duke Lysander, King Eldric wouldn't have hesitated to execute the person at all. However, facing the duke of Lysanthia's intimidating gaze, he was once again reminded how little his power was against the man.
"This isn't how we should settle things, Your Grace." A familiar voice came from the threshold of the throne room.
A tall man with long dark hair, adored in intricately black robes, stepped into the throne room, accompanied by his strikingly beautiful apprentice, who mirrored his attire. The master of the magic tower had arrived, along with Rowan Ashgrave's elder sister, both exuding with exceptional mana.
Duke Lysander regarded him with a curt nod.
"Master Meridan, I wasn't trained in diplomacy on dealing with the problem. Instead, we cut down enemies."
The archmage chuckled, amused that the duke of Lysantia was able to ruffle the feathers of the arrogant nobles. It was rare for Duke Lysander to be seen with the rest of the nobles, but he knew well how to disrupt their plans.
"Isn't it why I am here, Your Grace?" Master Meridan answered, his eyes turning to the king for confirmation. "I was informed that you need me to review the recording orbs within the palace."
Only those from the magic tower could have direct access to the recording orbs, and since they were in the palace, there were a lot of them to be reviewed. It would take some time for them to review everything. With the unexpected arrival of the duke of Lysanthia and the master of the magic tower, the plan of the nobles to execute Sera would be thwarted.
"Since it seems some nobles and the church are involved, I request that Master Meridan lead the investigation into the assassination attempt on Saintess Liliana." Duke Lysander declared.
The people of the magic tower were independent and didn't bow down to any nation or kingdom. Not even the Church of Solmora could influence them. They viewed mages from the magic tower as lesser beings, as they didn't live and accept the teachings of Solmora, the merciful. They had thought that the emergence of Saintess Liliana would somehow lessen the influence of the magic tower within Solmora, yet they were proven wrong once again.
Marquis Argenthal frowned, but couldn't object to Duke Lysander's request. After all, the implication that his family was involved in imprisoning the duke's only daughter could put the queen and the crown prince under public scrutiny. They also cannot allow the second prince to get a chance to snatch the crown prince's position from Prince Adrian.
There was a reason why they could not allow the marital union between Prince Adrian and Seraphine de Lys. For others, it would be the perfect solution to dispel the strain between their families. Still, the Argenthal family would rather have the prince marry the saintess for personal reasons rather than for political and financial gain. Getting rid of Seraphine de Lys would not only destroy the de Lys family but would also allow the Argenthal family's status to rise upon her death.
Marquis Argenthal glanced at Count Levan, sharing a silent understanding. They need to make a move and get rid of the evidence before the master of the magic tower finds them.
"What about Lady Seraphine?" Count Levan asked, "Because of her, several prisoners managed to escape the Tower of Penance. Even if she wasn't the one responsible for the saintess' poisoning, she still committed a serious crime by killing prisoner guards. We shouldn't hand her over to Duke Lysander. What if she decided to escape or help her get away before the investigation is done?"
The other nobles nodded their heads in agreement. How could they let their plans fall apart so easily? They needed to pin the saintess's assassination on Seraphine de Lys before the truth revealed itself.
"Lady Seraphine should also be held responsible for those crimes." One chimed in. "Even if she's Duke Lysander's daughter, she's not above our laws."
Instead of being alarmed, Sera looked bored as she fought the urge not to yawn while listening to their conversation.
"And neither the crown prince," Duke Lysander grimaced as he pictured the distress his daughter must have felt during her imprisonment. "Subjecting my daughter to torture and punishment when there was no trial held is also against the law. Do you think my daughter, the heir of our de Lys family, should not retaliate at all? The de Lys family will repay its debt in full."
King Eldric lightly tapped his fingers as he considered his options. Both parties presented a logical statement, and he couldn't possibly allow the duke to take away his daughter. He needed something to hold over Duke Lysander, and his precious daughter would be perfect to use.
It wasn't like he wasn't aware of what his queen and the Argenthal family were planning. It was just that the king would rather wait and see how their plan would unfold. If the Argenthal family succeeds, the de Lys family wouldn't be able to cast a dark shadow on the royal family anymore. All the glory and fame would be theirs alone.
However, they miscalculated Duke Lysander. They didn't even know how the duke managed to find out about his daughter's imprisonment. The journey from the border to the capital could take a month or so, and the duke managed to arrive in a week. Even if he received the news at the latest, he wouldn't be able to leave the garrison so easily. Only powerful mages could use the portals, as they consume a considerable amount of mana to make them work. One mage wasn't enough to utilize these portals.
For him to be able to arrive on time meant Duke Lysander had powerful mages by his side. King Eldric decided he should look into who Duke Lysander gets involved with. Surely, this wouldn't be the last time the Argenthals would scheme against the de Lys family.
"What do you have in mind, Lysander?" He regarded the duke.
Duke Lysander's face hardened. The opulence of the throne room starkly contrasted with the prison where his daughter was held. Just the thought of Sera's despair during his absence brought him immense helplessness.
"I cannot allow my daughter to remain in the confines of your palace's prisons for another moment, Your Majesty."
"It's not your place to make, Your Grace." Count Levan said with a scowl, his discontent echoed by his fellow nobles in the room. This was the first time they managed to corner Duke de Lys, so how could they allow Seraphine de Lys to leave unscathed?
"I suggest a strict house arrest for Lady de Lys." Master Meridan suggested, "But she would be under the watch of our mages if Your Majesty would allow it."
Everyone turned their gaze to the king, expecting an answer. They held their breaths in anticipation while Sera remained calm as she knew the king would accept the request. She didn't think the system would lie about the specifics of her punishment.
The corrupt system seemed to like the idea of her being at a disadvantage. It might not fabricate a lie to her, but given its deceptive characteristics, she wouldn't doubt if it tries to hold vital information from her. Every interaction she had with this system felt like she was walking on eggshells, where one misstep could lead to her death.
King Eldric glanced at Marquis Argenthal before delivering his decision. Placing Seraphine de Lys in temporary house arrest could also give the Argenthal family time to eliminate any evidence that might lead to them. However, with the master of the magic tower getting involved, the plan to remove Seraphine de Lys from the picture would fail. It wouldn't be easy for the Argenthal family to get rid of her after this.
"Very well. Lady Seraphine de Lys will be placed under house arrest under the magic tower's care. She is not to receive any visitors or company while the investigation is in progress. The magic tower is to provide daily reports of her situation. Additionally, a mage must remain with her at all times to ensure she does not attempt to use magic or escape the premises."
Even if the nobles wanted to argue more, they couldn't defy the king's decision. They all understood that this was a long game they had to play, and to win, one must be patient enough for an opening.
Sera lifted her face for the first time as her father touched her arm reassuringly. She could see the sense of relief in his face, while Master Meridan announced that Rowan Ashgrave would be the one to keep her in check during her house arrest.