Chapter 2008: The Red Banquet -Part 3
Chapter 2008: The Red Banquet -Part 3
Jin climbed over the edge of the railings and jumped down from the second floor. There were a few who saw it and alerted the rest, eventually the ministers were in the known.
They were shocked by that behaviour and more so by the mask that Jin was wearing. Undoubtedly, it looked cute and innocent but behind that mask, was a person who was going to make their lives a total mess.
The War Minister was the first to open his mouth and demanded the person in the mask to reveal his identity but Jin merely kept quiet and sat at the throne. The rest eventually understood what was going on. This new king had decided to be showy in order to impress the ministers that he was strong athletically.
But a strong physical body would not sway anyone in this kingdom that was dominated by magic.
"So, you are the new king, eh? What's your name? At least have the courtesy to say it in order for us to bow down to you, is it not?" The War Minister commented and the rest were already sniggling at the corner. They knew what the War Minister was going about.
While Jin did not have an experience with the magic in this world, he probably had an inkling that by saying his name, he might be subjected to a contract that he could not break out of when the rest of the conditions were fulfilled. Perhaps, even by sitting on this throne had already enabled the War Minister to prepare all the conditions for the magic trap.
"Is that the way you had been talking to your past kings?" Jin said and immediately, he did not give any chance at all. An impressive bout of magical aura infused with chi shot out from his body to cover the entire room causing every single one to feel the immense killing intent he had been covering behind the mask.
The only ones he did not subject to this aura were Royal Mage General Gara and Linus who he appreciated for all the information that he had gotten. Sometimes, all it takes is to talk to a worker who has been on the ground to know the general situation at hand.
This killing intent while not directed at Linus and Gara had already impressed the Royal Mage General. To be able to manipulate magic to the point where it did not affect the people within a cloud of oppressive aura was nothing short of excellence. "So, I am right, this new King is not just any person that could be bullied.
He has the experience and powers to back himself up." Gara smiled as he walked to lean on the wall to watch the rest of the commotion.
All of the ministers and their lackeys were suppressed and most of them dropped to their knees and subsequently lay on the ground. Jin made it hard for most of them to breathe but not enough for it to make them unconscious. And those who decided to oppose this aura were setback with an even heavier dose of suppression from Jin.
However, the ministers as much as Jin did not like them had proven to be quite the fighters too. Despite their demeanour and possible misconduct, most of the ministers were rather well versed in magic and were able to hold their ground despite the aura that Jin was emitting. Yet, the new King did not increase his suppression against them as he wished to talk to them.
"That guy there at the corner. You a minister?" Jin projected his voice with Maqi and pointed towards the Minister of Kingdom Development and Research and thus Topharm nodded his head. Jin did not suppress him as much and although he wished to believe Linus that this old man was a victim of abuse as suggested by Linus, he needed to hear it from his mouth as well.
"Do you think you acted like a minister and aided the kingdom to the best of your abilities despite the shortfalls that you had?" Jin asked, which surprised Topharm that the new King asked such a question. He had no idea what kind of game that Jin was looking into but slowly shook his head.
"I did not do enough for the kingdom but if you are willing to give me a chance, I can prove it to you," Topharm said. "But I can assure you one thing. I might have done some bad things in life however I did not perform hideous acts that will categorise me to be worse than a demon.
Yet, if you think that is not enough of a confession, I am willing to prove that I can be of service to you." Topharm even declared his name and used a little bit of magic not to only defy the magical aura that was suppressing him but also to adjust himself so that he could bow and kowtow in front of the new king. "With my life!"
"That was a little unexpected. I was thinking of having a longer conversation with him to not just tease him but also warn the rest of the group." Jin thought to himself. But he figured Topharm was not stupid either. He might have seen this as an opportunity to get out of the situation that he had been stuck in.
"Alright, then." Jin took out a bottle of water which amounted to at least two litres. "This is a truth serum solution. All of the ministers are to drink this and answer my questions. If not, you will be set aside for judgment. And you old man. I applaud your bravery in answering to me and pledge your allegiance to me.
But if you have nothing to hide, drink this and I will accept your pledge of loyalty." Jin said as he released the aura surrounding Topharm just as he had manipulated the aura to not let it affect Gara and Linus.
Topharm coughed a little from the pressure relief and he briskly walked to the front even though the rest of the ministers and their lackeys were caught in this aura suppression 'event'. The rest of the servants were also not affected by the suppression aura and they quickly brought a cup towards the minister and asked if the King needed them to pour.
"There is no need for you to be here. Please leave." Jin said in a peaceful manner and the servant for some reason was shocked by the response and quickly moved away. "
"Are you afraid that the glass might be poisoned?" The Royal Mage General suddenly spoke out.
"Heh. And kill my first ever loyal minister? Possibly." Jin laughed as he snapped his finger and a hand came out from the ground. From stones and sand, it was shaped in a position where it was able to hold a cup as well. And a stone cup was indeed created from this spell cast that was done without a single chant.
Jin then took the bottle, uncapped it, and poured it gently right in front of the supposed Kingdom Development Minister. "Pick up the cup and drink everything," Jin said and the minister did not hesitate at all. Was there really a spell in it? Jin did not even perform such a thing as he already had all the literal mind hacks to read what was going on in the person he wished to interrogate.
But compared to Kraft, Jin was not able to do that on a constant basis. It will definitely eat up his Maqi considerably and not to mention the intake of information that comes in was huge. Therefore, he was just going to perform it when he was dealing with each of them one by one. The only thing left was how to show that the minister was lying or not.
"Ah. I got it." Jin thought to himself as he cleared his throat and started to question the minister who was kneeling down despite his weak knees.
"What's your name?"
"This humble one is named Topharm, your Majesty."
"What is your occupation?"
"Kingdom Development. I also dealt with some research as well." Topharm stated.
"Speak plainly, are there any traitors in our midst?" Jin asked and Topharm did not know whether this was a trick question or not.ƒrēe.com
"...Not that I know of," Topharm said and Jin nodded his head.
"Are you willing to confess anything before reaffirming your allegiance to me?"
"I had not done enough even though my family had vowed to always support the person sitting on the throne so long he had deemed our family useful. This had been the creed. Regardless of the hatred I had for the ministers, my allegiance will always be with the crown just as my forefathers had done."
"You are basically useless right now?" Jin asked a bold question and Topharm panicked.
"I will not deny that. But I had created plans to revitalise the city if you are willing to give a look." Topharm replied with a shaky voice.
"Even at the current state, this kingdom is in? Do you really have a plan?" Jin asked once again. He knew that what Topharm said had always been true but is the truth sufficient?
"Give me ten days. Nay. A week. I will create a plan that will properly revitalise the area." Topharm pleaded and Jin nodded with pleasure.
"I will hold it to your word. Otherwise..." Jin did not need to finish his sentence as he told Topharm to move up to the second floor. :Linus, get the servants to serve some bread and drink for the Kingdom Development Minister. Also, get yourself a chair to sit on. This might be a long talk." Jin said as he eyed Gara as if to tell him to do the same too.
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The Royal Mage General obliged and the three including several servants were up there as the rest on the first floor were still attempting to catch their breath.
Some of them were already sweating and might be on the verge of fainting but as they were about to do so, some of the pressure was relieved and it was somewhat a torture for them.
"War Minister~!" Jin said with a smile. "You made the most noise, I wonder if you could squeak out as much as well," Jin said as he used his Maqi to drag the War Minister to the front of the throne. The stone hand that was used to serve the cup suddenly grew more hands and held tight to the War Minister right in front of Jin.
Jin gently poured the water again into the cup but this time, the new stone hands forced open the War Minister's mouth and shoved the water into his throat. They abruptly closed his mouth and did not care whether it choked him or not. He had to swallow that amount of water.
It was only after a while that Jin released the stone hands from the War Minister's mouth and allowed him to speak. "You dare treat me like this and even threaten me with truth serum?"
"Threaten? I did no such thing." Jin smiled as he asked a question. "How much money had you cheated from this kingdom?"
"None? I did everything and used every penny properly for the will of the Kingdom!" The War Minister was pissed that this King never even asked for his name and lied straight away, knowing that the truth serum might not have acted so quickly. He might have some time to bullshit his way.
Yet at the same time, Jin's eyes glow brightly and strongly. They were inverted triangles rotating within his eyes the moment the War Minister spoke that lie. "Lying right off the bat, huh?" Jin said and the rest who were in cahoots of the War Minister knew that what he said was indeed a lie. Perhaps, the lie detection came from Jin and hence the truth serum.
However, all of them did not know that what Jin took out was merely a bottle of soda. He believed this era of people would never have tried such a drink before and would assume otherwise as a truth speaking serum.
"Bring him to the side. I will deal with this liar later." Jin said and the stone hands twisted all of War Minister's fatty limbs and literally threw him to the side of the throne as he asked the next minister to come forth. By setting the example for the first, nearly every one else got real honest.