Chapter 16
The scene unfolded like a meticulously rehearsed play. As soon as Ael mentioned Rowan, no council members stepped forward with practiced. precision. Their hands weighed down by thick stacks of petitions–hundreds of them, it seemed. Their gazes bore into me with a sternness that barely masked their intent.
“What’s this?” I thought, eyes narrowing as I glanced at the documents. Have they prepared something against Rowan? For a moment, I was speechless, until I thought of something funny
Is this something that will give him a headache?” My eyes started to sparkle.
Ael, as impatient as ever, didn’t wait for my response. She pointed dramatically at the petitions, her voice brimming with urgency,
“Sister, look at all this!” she exclaimed, “It’s a list of the crimes that rogue committed! Sister there’s a reason he’s called the Evil Rogue King”
King Her voice rose to a shrill pitch, filled with high emotion,
ΠΕ
Surprisingly, her theatrics had an odd effect on me. Like magic, my irritation dissipated, replaced by curiosity. I found myself looking at the council members with genuine interest.
“I see.” I said lightly, a small smile playing on my lips. “What crimes could he have committed?”
My casual question seemed to embolden Ael and the council members. Their tense expressions eased, and Ael, seizing the forward like a self–appointed leader
opportunity, stepped
“He’s done so many terrible things, we couldn’t possibly finish explaining without sitting down!” she exclaimed, exaggerating as always.
To her surprise. I let out a soft chuckle. “Is that so?” I said with an amused tone. Turning to a nearby servant, I gave a deliberate order. “Prepare a table and sea for us. I want to hear everything you have to say about Alpha Rowan, the Evil Rogue King.”
It didn’t take long for the arrangements to be made. Soon, I was seated at a round table with Ael and six council members. Leaning back in my chair, I sipped my tea with ease and turned my attention to the youngest council member, who was clutching the documents with trembling hands.
“Well then, start reporting,” I said casually, my cone calm but firm.
The young man paled as he cleared his throat, his voice shaky. “My queen… we’ve compiled a detailed report on the crimes committed by the Evil Rogue King
With shaking hands, he began reading from the documents. “In the Year of the Moon 276, Alpha Rowan, the Evil Rogue King, ascended to the position of Alpha of the Pack of Ambel Immediately, he ordered an attack on the bordering pack, capturing forty young werewolves as prisoners.”
“Oh! Attacking a neighboring pack and imprisoning its members?” I repeated, my voice neutral. It was a bold start. “Go on,”
“Y–yes, my queen…” he stammered. “Two years later, he ordered the burningof a human village near his pack and kidnapped several men and women from the area…”
He continued, listing each alleged crime with increasing dread
“In the Year of the Moon 263, he killed members of the Southern Myr Pack. In 284, reports confirmed the construction of a large prison with inhumane conditions within his pack. And in 287, verified accounts revealed that Alpha Rowan was keeping prisoners alive under cruel circumstances, either torturing them or forcing them into slavery.”
As he read, I listened intently, my face remaining impassive. Shting beside me, Ael could hardly contain her excitement, her eyes sparkling with every damning detail.
“Heh. I thought inwardly, anused by her enthusiasm.
Is that
Lall” I asked when the young man paused, my voice calms and uninterested.
“N–not yet, my queen,” he stuttered. “Reports suggest that the Pack of Ambel is a living hell, rife with cruelty toward women, children, and the elderly. Inside the Evil Rogue King’s castle, servants are subjected to cruelty and maltreatment, and those who make mistakes are either imprisoned
or murdered_”
He hesitated before delivering the final blow. “Additionally, there are verified indications that the Evil Rogue King is planning treason. He inter
Mattack our castle and seize the throne.”
“And it was concluded… that this is the reason why he a–approached you, my queen.
The room fell silent as he finished, all eyes on me as they awaited my reaction
I fought the urge to laugh out loud “Murder, abuse, slavery? Cruelty to servants! Aren’t these the same rumors they ve spread about me! Isn’t thas why my own people hated ine and treated me as an ‘Evil Queen‘? I thought inwardly.
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Chapter 16
“And then there was the matter of Rowan supposedly plotting to take my throne. They are saying he approached me to commit treason?!
How tronic.” I thought with a smirk. “So they really think there is something going on between Rowan and 12 Should I tell them it was I who approached Rowan, not the other way around!”
Arle
– ever–watchful of my expression, noticed my smirk and mistook it for concern. She tried to reach for my ha
“Sister, can’t you see now? That man is truly evil. Please, stay away from him. I’m so worried about you…”
hand, her voice soft and pleading.
But before her hand could reach mine, I casually lifted my hand to brush my hair, leaving her hand to hover awkwardly in the air.
Ignoring her, I turned my gaze to the council. “All of these reports are confirmed“” I asked.
It was the eldest member present who responded quickly. His voice was steady when he replied, “Yes, my queen. The reports that were received by the council come from verified sources.
“Oh. Is that so?” I murmured softly, my tone contemplative
“Then why…” I asked coldly, my eyes sharp as they scanned the table, “did none of you report this to me earlier?” The question hung in the air like a blade
These heavy crimes… were kept from me, your queen for years! Such a heavy crime the council has committed,” I casually commented. The Founcil members immediately froze, their faces paling. Some exchanged uneasy glances, others inadvertently looked at Ael, whose Lace had gone
ashen.
*So. Ael orchestrated this.
The corners of my lips twitched upward in a laugh. The sound startled everyone at t
the table, making them stiffen further.
“Well, it’s not for you all to answer,” I said with feigned lightness. “Later, I will summon Silas and ask him about this myself.”
At the mention of Silas‘ name, the color drained from their faces entirely, as if their souls entirely left their bodies. Clearly, they thought that the punishment they would receive from Silas was far heavier than the punishment I would give them.
Oh how mistaken they were.
it was not yet
However, it was
the time for that. For now, I have to do something more satisfying. I thought, my smile turning wider.
“As for these allegations against Rowan,” I continued, standing from my seat, “there’s only one way to confirm their truth”
The council members rose with me, panic flickering in th
their суск
“Cruelty, murder, slavery such accusations cannot be taken lightly,” I said, shaking my head as though in disappointment. “I must see for myself if
these claims are true.
I turned to the eldest council member, fixing him with a pointed look. “As the most senior member of the council, I assign this task to you. Prepare everything. To ensure the safety of the kingdom and investigate these crimes, L. Althes, Queen of the Wolves, will personally conduct an inspection of the Pack of Ambel
The silence that followed was deafening, the weight of my words sinking into the room like lead.
On the other hand, I walked with a big smile on my face, as inwardly I thought, “This is much better than sending you an invite that you might never respond to.
“You left without saying goodbyer Well, Rowan Prepare yourself. This time, I am coming to you.”
