The crystalline bulb glowed a deep red, casting an eerie silence over the hall. This time, it wasn't the elder's command that stilled the room, but the sheer shock of the revelation. No one knew how to react.
After a full minute of suffocating silence, it was broken.
"YOU BASTARD!" Sebastian roared, his voice filled with fury. In an instant, a powerful invisible force was unleashed upon Seth, causing the already kneeling half-blood to crash to the cold floor, face-first, without so much as a fight.
Without hesitation, Sebastian lunged at him, moving with blinding speed, intent on ending the boy's life. His movement was so swift, so sudden, that most in the hall couldn't comprehend what had happened or react in time.
But Vince wasn't like most people. Almost as soon as Sebastian moved, Vince intercepted him with even greater speed. Grabbing the man's head, he slammed it into the hard floor. The impact was so forceful that it caused the stone beneath them to cave in, thin cracks spidering outward from the point of contact.
From the perspective of those present, it seemed as if Sebastian had simply called the commoner boy a bastard and vanished into thin air. A heartbeat later, he reappeared a few feet away, only to be restrained by Sir Vince.
"Unhand me now! I must kill this devil's spawn!" Sebastian screamed, his voice seething with fury, completely oblivious to the fact that blood was beginning to drip from the wound on his forehead caused by the floor.
"You will do no such thing. Remember where you are," Vince said coldly, his grip on Sebastian unyielding. One arm pinned the man to the floor in a vice-like hold, while the other pressed his head down, ensuring he couldn't move.
"It doesn't matter, this bas-" Sebastian started, but was cut off by the sound of Seth's exaggerated coughing fit. The pressure placed on him had made it difficult to breathe, but Seth didn't seem to mind.
Casually, he resumed his kneeling position, rubbing his throat, then let out a chuckle that slowly built into a full laugh.
"Shit, so that thing actually works? I thought I'd try my luck... I guess you caught me," he said, pausing for a moment. His expression shifted then, the humor fading as a dark, unsettling glint took its place.
"…I killed them," Seth declared without hesitation, his voice cold and steady. He locked eyes with Sebastian, who writhed under Vince's grip, struggling like a worm trapped in a vice. "And my only regret is that I wasn't strong enough to take my time doing it."
The room fell silent once again, the air thick with tension. Sebastian's eyes widened, his face contorting with a mix of disbelief and fury. His body trembled, straining against Vince's hold, but he was powerless to break free.
"You… you monster!" Sebastian spat, his voice filled with venom. "You dare speak of their deaths so casually, as if you have no remorse? Do you think you can just destroy everything in your path and get away with it?"
Seth's smirk remained, unwavering, as his gaze never left Sebastian's. "Remorse?" he repeated mockingly. "Is that what you want from me? To feel sorry for killing those who had no problem taking innocent lives, just to get a damn badge? Or for murdering my friends, one by one, to cover up your son's dirty little secrets?"
He leaned forward slightly, his tone growing darker with each word. "No, I don't regret it. And if I had the power, I'd do it all over again."
Sebastian's face flushed with rage, his fists clenched, the veins in his neck bulging. "You'll pay for this, boy. Your lies won't save you. You'll burn for what you've done."
"Burn?" Seth tilted his head, his voice almost taunting. "What a fitting word. Maybe you're the one who should be worried about that. After all, I've already seen how far you're willing to go to protect your precious son." He paused, letting the words sink in. "But what's interesting is that you don't care about the others, do you? The ones who actually died because of him, the ones you're willing to sacrifice to cover up your family's crimes."
The elder, who had been watching the exchange with increasing interest, cleared her throat, her voice now calm but authoritative. "Enough. This bickering accomplishes nothing."
Sebastian glared at her, his breath coming in harsh, rapid bursts. "And what will you do about it? You're just going to let this… this abomination walk free?"
The elder's gaze shifted toward Seth, her eyes piercing and calculating. "That depends on what happens next. For now, we will proceed with the trial. But know this, young one…" She looked directly at Seth, her voice hardening. "There are consequences for every action, and no matter what reason that drove your action you are still guilty."
Seth's smirk faded, but his eyes remained unwavering.
"In light of this new information, a verdict must now be passed," the elder declared, her voice solemn, carrying the weight of finality. Every soul in the hall fell silent, the tension thick enough to choke on.
"Though Seth von Blackthorn acted in self-defense against an unlawful attempt on his life, he is still guilty of the murder of noble children. Therefore, he shall be sentenced to-"
Her words were abruptly cut off as a figure appeared beside her, as if materializing from the air itself. Gasps rippled through the chamber as all eyes turned to the newcomer.
The individual was of average height, clad in a skin-tight leather suit partially obscured by a dark, hooded cloak. The attire alone was enough for the nobles to recognize him immediately- he bore the mark of the Core Family. A messenger of the highest authority.
He leaned in and whispered something into the elder's ear. No one else could hear what was said, but the change in her expression spoke volumes. The calm, authoritative mask slipped for a moment, replaced by stark seriousness.
"Are you certain?" she asked aloud, her voice low but audible to the room.
The messenger responded with a firm nod before vanishing just as suddenly as he had appeared, like a shadow fading from sight.
The elder cleared her throat, gathering herself. "Ahem…"
She sat straighter, her tone once again commanding. "Seth von Blackthorn will not be executed."
Murmurs erupted across the chamber in disbelief.
"Instead, he is hereby sentenced to serve in the Thornspire Subjugation Force-effective one month from today. He shall remain in active duty there for one full year."
A stunned silence followed. Thornspire. The name alone sent a shiver down the spines of even the bravest warriors. It wasn't a sentence- it was a death sentence cloaked in duty.