Cassius’s attention returned to Julie, who continued her explanation. “Because of Aisha’s insistence…” She said. “…we conducted a deep undercover investigation. We had to be discreet, of course. We couldn’t risk alerting anyone to our inquiries. We operated in the shadows, gathering information, piecing together the truth.”

She paused, her expression turning serious. “And what we discovered…was quite shocking.”

Julie took a deep breath. “Cassius Vindictus Holyfield….” She said, her voice ringing with sincerity. “…you have never forced yourself on any woman.”

A murmur rippled through the assembled knights. But it wasn’t a murmur of disbelief. It was a murmur of…knowing. They had been the ones conducting the investigation, after all. They had seen the evidence with their own eyes. Their curiosity was of a different kind.

Julie continued, her voice gaining strength. “In fact…” He said, her eyes meeting Cassius’s. “The truth is almost the exact opposite. Our investigation revealed that it was your maids who…threw themselves at you.”

A stunned silence descended upon the courtyard. The knights, who already knew this information, now looked at Cassius with a mixture of awe and bewilderment. How…? What…? Their expressions seemed to ask. What kind of…charm does this man possess that his maids were willing to be disgraced by him?

They had seen the reports, the testimonies. They knew the details. But knowing something and understanding it were two different things. They had heard from the maids themselves, and while they had gotten the truth, they were still left wondering. How had he managed to inspire such…enthusiasm? He was, after all, not exactly known for his…social graces.

Even Aisha and Julie couldn’t help but wonder. They had both heard the whispers about Cassius’s…less than stellar reputation. He had been labeled a wastrel, a dunce, a man of questionable character. And yet…these women, these maids, had apparently been…exhilarated in their pursuit of him.

Just what was it about him that they weren’t seeing was what they wondered, their curiosity piqued.

Skadi, bless her heart, seemed the least concerned with this revelation. She was probably still preoccupied with the existential question of whether rocks had families, or perhaps wondering if she could train a squirrel to deliver messages.

Cassius, for his part, was quite impressed. He had to give them credit. They had managed to conduct a thorough investigation without alerting anyone, uncovering information that even he hadn’t fully grasped.

‘These women are far more capable than I initially gave them credit for.’ He thought. ‘I underestimated them.’

He was also rather curious as to how they had managed to extract such information from his…ardent maids without causing a scene. That was a feat in itself

Julie coughed, a slight blush dusting her cheeks. She realized she had been dwelling on the enthusiasm of Cassius’s maids for a tad too long.

Clearing her throat, she continued. “As I was saying…the truth is…the maids were all…eager to…serve their master.” The blush deepened slightly, and she quickly moved on. “It was also revealed that they had, in fact, committed some minor transgressions behind his back. And yet, he forgave them.”

A murmur of surprise went through the knights. This new information painted a very different picture of Cassius than the one they had initially believed. He wasn’t the predatory nobleman they had imagined. He was…forgiving. Perhaps even…kind?

“This made us realize.” Julie said, her gaze sweeping across the knights. “That the rumors…they were wrong. Young Master Cassius wasn’t the man we thought he was. We were…considering dropping the case altogether.”

Her tone shifted, becoming hard, almost bitter.

“That is, until…I received orders. Orders from someone no one in my squad, not even anyone in my family, can disobey.”

Cassius gave a small, knowing smile. He had been expecting this.

Julie’s eyes met his. “I was ordered to use these very rumors as a basis for your…execution. For the sins you allegedly committed.”

Lucious, who had been listening intently, frowned.

‘Who could possibly have that much power? And that much…hatred?’ He wondered. ‘Cassius, as far as he knew, had never done anything to warrant such animosity, aside from being…well, a bit of a wastrel.’

Julie continued, her voice laced with confusion and a hint of betrayal. “I initially thought…I hoped…that this person also believed the rumors. That they were acting out of a sense of…distorted justice.”

“…That they were so blinded by the alleged crimes that they were willing to ignore the truth.”

She shook her head, a look of disbelief on her face.

“But I was wrong…Horribly wrong.”

Her voice dropped to a near whisper.

“I discovered…that this person already knew the truth. They knew you were innocent. And yet…they were still insistent. They still demanded your execution.”

Lucious’s frown deepened. ‘Who is this person?’ He thought, his mind racing. ‘Who has this much influence, this much…malice?’

He glanced at Cassius, who remained remarkably composed, his expression giving nothing away.

‘And why? Why would they want Cassius dead, even knowing he’s innocent?’ The questions swirled in his mind, creating a knot of unease in his stomach.

“Of course.” Julie continued, her voice laced with bitterness. “No matter how powerful this person is, no matter how much influence they wield, I…I could not simply accept their command. I refused to raise my sword against an innocent man.”

“That would go against everything the Sacred Guard stands for. It would make me no different than a…a lackey, blindly following orders.” She added ruefully. “I’m not saying this to excuse my actions, Young Master Cassius…I simply want you to know.”

But then she hesitated, a pitiful look creeping onto her face as she looked at Cassius.

“But…” She began, her voice barely a whisper. “No matter how much I protested, that man, he…he wouldn’t yield. He was adamant. And then…he issued an ultimatum. He said that if I didn’t follow his orders my…my entire squad…would be accused of treason.”

“…And executed without trial.”

A collective sigh rippled through the assembled knights. They bit their lips in frustration, their faces etched with anger and helplessness.

They had dedicated their lives to serving the Holyfield family, to upholding justice, and this was how they were repaid? With threats? With the lives of their comrades hanging in the balance?

Lucious, his face pale, couldn’t help but wonder who was so ruthless, so devoid of compassion, that he would sacrifice an entire squad of loyal soldiers just to get to Cassius? The sheer cruelness of the order chilled him to the bone.

Cassius, however, remained remarkably calm, his expression unchanged. It was as if he had already anticipated this revelation.

Just then, Skadi, unable to contain herself any longer, stepped forward.

“I-It’s not the Captain’s fault! It’s not her fault at all so don’t blame her!” She exclaimed, her voice ringing with fierce loyalty. “She…She fought him! She argued with him! She even said…She even said she was willing to…to give her own life on the very spot and even handed her sword to him to do so, rather than take the life of an innocent man!”

The knights who hadn’t been privy to these internal struggles exchanged shocked glances. ‘Captain Julie offered to sacrifice herself?!’ They thought, their respect for their captain growing even deeper.

Aisha gritted her teeth, her hands clenching into fists. Unlike others she knew the impossible position Julie had been placed in, and the knowledge of her captain’s selfless sacrifice only made her feel more helpless, more enraged at the man pulling the strings.

Cassius, his gaze softening, looked at Julie with admiration. She had stood her ground, she had fought for what was right, even when faced with impossible odds. She was a true leader, a true protector.

Skadi, her voice trembling slightly, continued, “But that man…That bad man…Even though the captain was willing to go so far, he in respone simply said she might be willing to give her own life, but what about her squad? What about us? And then used us to threaten her. And that she…she couldn’t accept that.” Her voice trailed off into a whimper.

The thought of her comrades, her friends, being executed because of her captain’s defiance…It was too much to bear.

“Skadi!” Julie snapped, her voice sharp with warning. “That’s enough! Be quiet.”

Skadi whimpered pitifully, her ears drooping, and retreated back to her position beside Aisha. The wolf beastkin, usually so boisterous and unyielding, looked utterly defeated.

Julie sighed, the weight of the situation pressing down on her. She looked at Cassius, her emerald eyes filled with regret and a deep sadness.

“I never wanted it to come to this.” She confessed, her voice heavy with emotion. “I…I never wanted to raise my sword against an innocent man. After today…I…I will abandon my position. Leave the Sacred Guard. Go on a journey…to find some way to redeem myself for what I’m about to do.”

She closed her eyes, a single tear tracing a path down her cheek.

“Hate me if you must, Cassius.” She said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I deserve it. But…today…there can only be one of us left standing. It’s either you…or me…or my entire squad.”

With a heavy heart, Julie drew her sword once more. The polished steel gleamed in the sunlight, a stark contrast to the despair in her eyes. There was no way around it. This was the path she had been forced to take, the sacrifice she had to make to protect those under her command.

Skadi bit her lip, her frustration and helplessness palpable. She wanted to fight, to protect her captain, to tear apart the man who had forced this impossible choice upon them. But she knew she couldn’t. She couldn’t disobey a direct order, not when the lives of her comrades were at stake.

Aisha’s hands were clenched so tightly that her knuckles were white, her nails digging into her flesh. She, too, felt the burning rage, the desire for vengeance. But she, like Skadi, was bound by duty, by loyalty.

The knights, their faces grim, shifted uneasily, the faint rattling of their armor betraying their anger and frustration. They had dedicated their lives to upholding justice, and yet, here they were, forced to stand by and watch as their captain prepared to execute an innocent man.

The pressure in the courtyard was almost unbearable. The air crackled with unspoken emotions: anger, despair, loyalty, and a deep, gnawing sense of injustice.

And just as tensions were reaching a breaking point, and it seemed a full-blown battle was about to erupt, Cassius smiled.

His soft chuckle echoed through the tense silence, utterly at odds with the deadly atmosphere. His crimson eyes gleamed with something unreadable—amusement? Pity? Contempt? It was impossible to tell.

Then, he spoke.

“The person who orchestrated all of this…” His voice was calm, almost casual.

“…It was my beloved father, wasn’t it?”

A ripple of shock passed through the knights like a gust of wind tearing through a field of wheat.

The very air around them seemed to still as all eyes snapped to Cassius, then to Julie, then back to Cassius again, seeking confirmation, denial—anything.

But Julie said nothing.

Aisha, too, remained silent.

And their silence was all the confirmation anyone needed.

Lucious, standing behind Cassius, visibly recoiled.

“W-What?” His voice came out hoarse, disbelieving. “Master, that…that can’t be. The Duke may be many things, but to try and assassinate his own son? That’s—” His words died on his lips as he turned toward Julie, as if silently pleading for her to deny it.

She didn’t.

Julie simply lowered her gaze, her lips pressing into a thin line, unable to meet Lucious’s bewildered expression. Aisha, who had initially been as rigid as stone, now let her sharp amber eyes lock onto Cassius with a look of keen interest.

“…How?” She asked, her voice steady, but laced with something close to disbelief. “How did you figure it out?”

That single question made Lucious stumble back, the realization finally setting in. It wasn’t a lie. It wasn’t some drunken theory from his master’s once-wastrel mind.

It was the truth.

His own father, the patriarch of the Holyfield family, Alexander Holyfield, had put out an execution order on his son.

Cassius, however, remained completely unfazed. If anything, he looked almost…pleased.

His lips curled into a smile, sharp and knowing. “Simple.” He drawled. “Who else would have the power to issue a death order on a noble son and expect it to be carried out without question? Who else would have the authority to twist the Sacred Guard into a tool for murder? And most importantly…” His smile widened. “Who else would be so desperate to get rid of me now, of all times, after letting me waste away for years?”

Aisha’s eyes narrowed. “You figured all that out just from that?”

Cassius let out a slow, knowing sigh, as if he had been expecting this moment for far longer than he cared to admit. He looked at Aisha with an almost amused expression before shrugging.

“That was one reason.” He admitted. Then, with a wry chuckle, he added. “But more importantly…My father has wanted me dead from the very moment I was born, so why else would I suspect anyone else when my number one enemy was living right next door.”

A heavy silence followed his words.

Lucious visibly stiffened, his face pale. The knights around them—trained warriors who had seen their fair share of horrors—shifted uneasily at the sheer coldness with which Cassius stated such a thing. Even Julie winced, unable to suppress the flicker of discomfort in her usually composed expression.

Cassius then turned to Lucious then, patting his butler lightly on the back, his voice laced with a strange kind of amusement.

“Relax. It’s not like it’s some grand secret. The only reason I’m still breathing is because the Vindictus family—the very same one my mother came from—wouldn’t allow their heir to be slaughtered by his own father.” He tilted his head slightly, eyes gleaming with something sharp and knowing. “Though, of course…their true intentions for me remain unknown.”

Aisha, Julie, and Skadi all exchanged looks at that revelation.

“You’re saying…” Aisha started, her voice quiet. “That the only thing keeping you alive all this time…was your mother’s family?”

Cassius chuckled darkly. “It’s rather poetic, isn’t it? My father—one of the most powerful men in the kingdom who could do anything he wanted to—couldn’t carry out the one thing he wanted to do which was to kill me.”

“He couldn’t touch me, not directly. Even he didn’t dare to go against the Vindictus household, who were just as powerful…If he had, he would have risked breaking the delicate power balance between the two families.” He glanced at the knights surrounding him, watching as the weight of his words settled over them. “But make no mistake…My father always had his eyes set on my grave and that will never change, no matter who blocks his path and he will always find a way to end my existence.”

“…And seeing all of you gather here to bring back my head, it seems like he’s finally found how to finally accomplish his long time dream.”

A collective shudder ran through the Sacred Guard at those words.

Julie, despite having been prepared for this, still found herself feeling an uneasy churn in her stomach. She had always known that noble affairs were ruthless, that blood ties in high society meant nothing when weighed against power.

But to hear it spoken so plainly by the very person at the center of such a cruel scheme made it feel…different…More real…More sickening.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep