Shameless One

Realistically speaking, Jaylen shouldn't have been one of the members attending the court. He still had much to learn before becoming a true officer in the Council of Civil Affairs.

Yet, here he was, not by virtue of his position, but because of a direct invitation from King Eldran. The King had not called him because of his rank—there was likely another, more significant reason behind it. As King Eldran addressed the court, issuing commands for war preparations, Jaylen found himself lost in thought, struggling to grasp the King's true intent.

After a few moments, the King fell silent once more. The silence unsettled Jaylen, the weight of the atmosphere more powerful than any words could have been.

"That's all for now," King Eldran said, his voice suddenly calm and measured. "We can't do everything, but we'll do what we can."

The King paused before continuing, his tone more reflective. "You may take your leave. However, what I said to the citizens applies to you as well. If you value your lives, you are free to evacuate to the Eternal Dynasty. I will not stop you."

He cleared his throat and addressed a select few still remaining in the hall. "For the following individuals, I have a few words. Please stay a moment longer…"

"Glynn Belkarn."

Glynn nodded, his expression unreadable. From the moment he entered the hall and saw the king, he had known this moment would come. The King's revelation wasn't exactly great news for him, but it was nothing that would cause him undue concern either.

"Violet Remoria."

Violet's head lifted at the sound of her name, her mind racing. Alfred Eldran's earlier speech had completely altered her view of the King. Unlike Glynn, who could read minds, Violet was blindsided. She had known the truth, but hearing it revealed to the kingdom was entirely unexpected. It didn't fit with the King she had known.

"Dominic O'Neill."

Dominic sighed quietly, shaking his head as if in resignation. His expression remained as relaxed as ever, even in the face of such tension. There was something about him, a calm reassurance, that contrasted sharply with the gravity of the moment.

"And Jaylen Shielram."

Jaylen's eyebrows arched in surprise.

"Me?" he whispered to himself in disbelief. The other names called were those of powerful figures within the capital. One could say that they were the core pillars on the kingdom. Compared to them, he was rather… insignificant.

He glanced toward Albert Eldran behind the throne, his eyes silently asking for clarification. Albert's slight shake of his head confirmed his own confusion.

As the others filed out, leaving the hall in an almost unnatural stillness, Jaylen, Violet, Dominic, and Glynn remained. An awkward silence settled over them, making Jaylen uneasy.

"What more is there to discuss?" Glynn asked, his voice laced with cynicism. "You know, Alfred, I feel like I can't read your mind anymore. Is this also the power of the first complete ethereal arm?"

King Eldran chuckled, though the sound was devoid of humor. "I don't think so, Glynn. But it's not as if you use your ethereal ability often anyway, is it?"

Glynn's smile stiffened. "I don't quite understand what you mean by that, my dear King."

"Forget what I said," the King waved it off dismissively. "More importantly, did I ruin your plans to deceive your entire clan into a meaningless sacrifice?"

The room's gaze turned sharply toward Glynn.

"You know about that?" Glynn's voice lowered, his eyes sharpening. "Perhaps you're right. Maybe I should start using my ability more often…"

"But they aren't 'meaningless sacrifices,' my dear King," Glynn continued, his voice taking on a more earnest tone. "They were warriors who would have fought for the kingdom's peace—legends who would be remembered for generations. War is brutal, even if we don't want to admit it. There are always soldiers who must die."

King Eldran's eyes narrowed, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "Once again, we hear about 'the peace of the kingdom.' A noble sentiment, but perhaps you should focus on the lives of people first, don't you think?"

He paused for a moment before continuing, his voice lowering with gravity. "There's something you all need to understand: This war won't be as disastrous as we've feared."

"Come on, Alfred," Dominic interrupted with a laugh, "We're talking about Antonio Valdis. With the power of both the Harvester and the Distributor, we can't afford to underestimate him."

Violet nodded, her expression serious. "Remember Sirius Xshasi's assassination attempt on the Crusader King? That proved the power of the Distributor, and that was with only one person supporting him. Antonio now has an entire army behind him."

At the back of the room, Jaylen finally spoke, his voice steady but firm.

"It's not that we're underestimating our opponents," he said, "It's that we're underestimating ourselves."

Glynn, Violet, and Dominic all turned toward him, their expressions a mixture of surprise and newfound seriousness. Jaylen had been nothing more than a background figure to them. His commendable performance at the interacademy ethereal combat tournament was all they had known, but his words now commanded their attention.

King Eldran smiled, a hint of approval in his gaze. "Exactly."

Dominic's casual demeanor shifted to one of curiosity. "What, do you have a secret weapon up your sleeve?"

Jaylen's words were quick to follow. "Not exactly up my sleeve, but there is a secret weapon. So secret, in fact, I'm not even sure it's on our side."

King Eldran's eyes gleamed as he continued. "There's an individual in the kingdom surrounded by an enigmatic aura. I didn't think much of it at first, but recently, I've realized how significant that person really is."

"Shun Xshasi," Dominic whispered under his breath.

"What is this?" Alfred smiled knowingly. "Shun Xshasi?"

"A predictable answer indeed." King Eldran agreed with a quiet chuckle. "Let me tell you something you probably don't know: Shun Xshasi is the current owner of the true Harvester."

Everyone's eyes widened in disbelief—everyone except Glynn, who maintained a calm smile.

After a pause, Dominic finally spoke, realization dawning on him. "If Shun is the owner of the 0th complete ethereal arm, then everything makes sense. The duel between us… I should have realized it sooner."

"From the moment Ariel and Glynn mentioned that their ethereal abilities had no effect on Shun, I had suspected that he possessed the 0th complete ethereal arm," King Eldran continued, "But I had my doubts. Why would Nathaniel Heaven choose someone like Shun to inherit such a weapon? But after hearing Dominic's account of the duel, I became certain."

"But Antonio Valdis has copies of both the Harvester and the Distributor. Two 0th complete ethereal arms versus one… we are still at a disadvantage." Violet noted thoughtfully.

"True," King Eldran replied, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "But this secret weapon of ours was never Shun Xshasi to begin with. There's someone else entirely—a factor we've overlooked until now."

The air thickened with anticipation as the King's gaze swept across the room. "Jaylen, Albert, do you know who I'm speaking of?"

Albert Eldran furrowed his brow, certain the King referred to Shun. After all, Glynn himself had called Shun their last hope. Beyond Shun, no one else came to mind.

Jaylen's expression shifted suddenly, realization dawning like a storm breaking the horizon. His voice cut through the tense silence.

"Silver Iricson. The ninth complete ethereal warrior."

The room stilled. Jaylen's tone was firm but colored with disbelief, as though he could hardly believe his own words.

Glynn's calm demeanor faltered for a heartbeat, his smile flickering, but he quickly regained his composure.

"Exactly," King Eldran said, his voice brimming with approval. "And do you know what makes her so… extraordinary?"

Jaylen hesitated, his lips trembling slightly as he worked through the implications.

"Before Silver revealed herself during the tournament, there was no record—no mention—of a ninth complete ethereal arm," he said, the weight of the revelation pressing on his every word. "It appeared with her. That can only mean one thing…"

"The ninth complete ethereal warrior was always there, and was always her."

"Silver Iricson has existed since the Great War."

The words felt foreign as they left his lips, a theory too staggering for even himself to fully accept.