Chapter 302

The biting wind whipped snow pellets against the vermilion gates. Xander lowered his lashes, veiling the icy glint in his eyes.

Arthur said, “A discreet, thorough investigation is the wisest course to preserve the royal family’s dignity.”

Arthur took a measured sip from his cup. “Xander, you must understand the weight of my position. Whatever the truth may be, it would disgrace the royal family beyond repair.”

Moreover, since Arthur had personally presided over this case, overturning the verdict now would mean a complete loss of face for him.

Xander replied, “Your Majesty, General Perkins was falsely accused of embezzlement years ago. Now we have irrefutable proof he was framed by treacherous officials. If we continue to cover this up, won’t it chill the hearts of all the soldiers who have fought and risked their lives for our kingdom?”

He knelt on one knee, his voice measured yet compelling.

He added, “Your Majesty, I stake my life on clearing the Perkins family’s name!”

Athena lowered her gaze in silence, her nails digging deep into her palm.

‘After painstakingly gathering all those old pawn tickets and ledgers, is the truth really going to be buried by those in power again?’ she thought bitterly.

“This is outrageous!” Arthur slammed the table, sending the cup crashing to the floor. “I’ve already made compromises, yet you still dare to push your luck?”

Before the words faded, deafening drumbeats suddenly erupted outside the palace gates.

Xander’s pupils contracted as he thought, ‘It’s the Petition Drum!’

That drum hadn’t been struck in a full decade since the late emperor’s passing.

“Your Majesty, Lord Alfred has arrived with material evidence!” The royal attendant’s shrill voice pierced through the snowstorm, carrying into the Heaven Hall.

Athena trembled uncontrollably. ‘Lord Alfred actually struck the Petition Drum for my grandfather’s sake,’ she thought.

Anyone who dared to strike the Petition Drum had to endure twenty lashes first, as punishment for disrespecting the King.

Alfred staked his life to sound the drum, forcing Arthur to investigate the case openly and leaving him with no way out.

At the same time, Alfred had also burned all bridges.

“Your Majesty, I implore you to open the palace gates!” Xander suddenly dropped to one knee with forceful conviction, his voice unwavering. “Lord Alfred has staked his life to prove his conviction. If you refuse to see him now, what will people think of the royal family?”

Athena gazed at Xander’s unyielding posture, suddenly struck by a wave of déjà vu. This scene was reminiscent of her childhood at Kurtis’s estate.

Back then, when a group of children bullied her, Xander had shielded her and said, “Don’t be scared. I’m here.”

She had been too young to remember it clearly at the time.

Only now, as this moment replayed before her eyes, did the memory come flooding back.

Arthur’s hands clenched the armrests of the throne in a tight grip, his imperial headdress swaying violently.

The relentless pounding of the Petition Drum grew ever more urgent, deepening the furrows in his brow. After a long, resigned sigh, he finally relented.

Once the Petition Drum sounded, even the gravest cases had to face public trial.

Arthur’s voice, laced with both displeasure and resignation, commanded, “Bring him in.”

Moments later, the grand palace gates swung open.

A snow–laden wind howled into the chamber, bringing with it a chill that swept through.

Along with the biting gusts came the metallic tang of blood.

Alfred appeared with his clothes drenched in blood. Fresh blood was dripping from the corner of his mouth.

Dragging his flogged body, he entered the hall with agonizing effort.

With every painful step, a bloody footprint was left on the floor.

Reaching the center, he prostrated himself before Arthur and gasped with his last strength, “Your humble servant pays homage to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty live in prosperity.”

Arthur’s vein throbbed at his temple as he glared at Alfred, looking ready to tear him limb from limb.

Yet there was nothing he could do but grit his teeth and demand, “Alfred Beren, have you lost your senses? How dare you have the audacity to strike the Petition Drum!”

Blood trickled from the corner of Alfred’s mouth. Facing Arthur’s cold sarcasm, he said, “I only have Your Majesty’s best interests at heart. If we cannot clear General Perkins’s name, it will break the spirits of all the soldiers in this kingdom, Your Majesty.”

As these words fell, Arthur’s face went deathly pale.

The hall was deathly silent. Athena looked up at Arthur and saw him sitting there as if his backbone had been removed, his face marked by utter defeat.

She realized that the reason Arthur wanted a secret investigation was that he already knew the truth.

Athena thought, ‘Only by investigating in secret could he protect those he wanted to protect and preserve the royal family’s dignity.

‘But my grandfather and the Perkins family was innocent.

‘Years ago, they were dragged into that embezzlement scandal and nearly lost their lives!’

Xander raised the evidence high above his head. “Your Majesty, as your brother and subject, I implore you to conduct an thorough investigation into this case.

“If this case goes unresolved, where would the laws of our kingdom stand? Where would people’s trust reside?”

“Silence!” Arthur thundered before staggering as he clutched the armrest of the throne, his face livid with rage. “Do you realize that your reckless actions could undermine the very foundation of this kingdom?”

Athena shuffled forward two steps on her knees, pulled out her hairpin to stab her fingertip, then tore off a piece of her skirt and let a drop of blood fall onto it. “Your Majesty, if you insist on covering this up, I am willing to follow Lord Alfred’s example and present a blood–written petition!

“Years ago, the entire Osborne family was falsely accused of embezzlement. Everyone in their family was implicated. Many died on the road to exile…”

Her voice trembled. “Does the royal family’s dignity truly matter more than human lives?”

Outside the palace gates, amidst the howling wind and snow, waves of impassioned cries suddenly rang out. “Your Majesty, we demand justice!”

To everyone’s shock, it was officials who had rushed over upon hearing the news. They were now kneeling outside the palace gates to plead for Kurtis’s vindication.

They were Kurtis’s former subordinates and students.

Their faces were etched with grief and righteous indignation.

Arthur looked at Xander with his fists clenched. Then, he turned to the flickering flames and the shifting gazes of the courtiers outside. Suddenly the world seemed to spin around him.

He had thought those dirty deeds could stay buried forever. He never imagined that one day, a stack of old letters and the relentless pounding of the Petition Drum would drive him to the brink.

“Fine…” Arthur let out a bitter, mirthless laugh through gritted teeth. “Issue my imperial decree.彭恩 the embezzlement and Kurs Parken

Xander and Athena exchanged glances, reading in each other’s eyes the mix of post-crisis relief and steely resolve.

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” they said in unison.

A squad of riders thundered down the Peace Street.

Xander was leading the group, his sword–like brows and steely gaze radiating authority.

Clad in a jet black riding coat, his lean, powerful frame exuded raw strength.

He sat ramrod straight, like a sword that was unyielding and resilient.

His posture was neither the affected elegance of a scholar nor the clumsy hunch of a brute.

Instead, he was like a drawn longbow at full tension: immense power held in effortless control.

The crowd marveled at his divine bearing, their eyes widening in awe.

But when their gazes fell upon the sword at his waist, they all paled with fear.

The bronze hilt inlaid with rubies was the unmistakable symbol of royalty.

At that moment, they recognized Xander.

At Xander’s side rode Athena, who was a breathtaking beauty in a flowing cyan gown.

A moon–white piece of silk draped gracefully over her arm, trailing down to the stirrup and revealing the pearls embroidered along the hem of her skirt.

Together, the two were the perfect match. Xander’s noble bearing and Athena’s exquisite grace made it look as if they were… destined for each other. The crowd was not only amazed by the pair’s striking appearance, but even more shocked to see them heading straight for the residence of Leonard.

The air crackled with tension. It was as if a suffocating net had made the onlookers hold their breath.

After all, if the Aegis Guards had been mobilized, it could only mean a case of the gravest importance.

Some onlookers whispered nervously, “Look at Prince Xander’s demeanor. He’s heading straight for the Federal Bureau Chief. It must be a capital crime.”

Another agreed, “That’s right. Whenever the Aegis Guards are deployed, there’s bound to be bloodshed. No wonder everyone trembles at the mere mention of them.”

Though the common folk had never witnessed such a scene, just the thought of it made their blood run cold.

Instinctively, they edged back a few steps, desperate to avoid any trouble.

Soon, the Aegis Guards arrived outside Leonard’s residence.