Chapter 38: Kinslayer

Kinslaying is a curse on par with breaking an oath or desecrating the gods.

In this world of Western fantasy, blood ties are considered superior to all other human connections. Should anyone dare to reject their so-called "family of origin," they would, if not honored with a "mercy killing" by their kin, be met with immediate social death.

In the simple values held by the masses, if you cannot even love those sharing your blood, then your soul is fundamentally broken and deserves to be roasted in the fires of hell.

Therefore, accusing Ryan of being a "kinslayer" right from the start was a lethal charge that carried the maximum possible severity.

Ryan did not respond; he merely watched the accuser in silence.

As expected, a moment later, the old Marquis cut off the chorus of clamoring accusations.

"Quiet! Quiet!" Marquis Faher waved his arms, shouting, "Ryan has not been confirmed guilty! No one is permitted to accuse him of kinslaying on their own authority!"

"Now, let us hear Ryan Faher’s defense!"

The Marquis returned to his seat as head of the clan, his expression turning grave and heavy.

Ryan offered only a contemptuous smile, then calmly repeated the explanation he had previously given the old Marquis, even as the eyes of the Faher clansmen bore into him with suspicion.

The banquet hall fell into a deathly silence.

In truth, everyone had already imagined what excuses Ryan might use to clear his name.

The simplest defense would have been "I don't know." Kalich had lost contact at the fleet base on Salt Island, and the mid-to-high-ranking officers under his command had also vanished without a trace. Considering that Salt Island was unlikely to be raided by pirates or struck by a freak storm, the most probable outcome was a military conflict with Iron Port City, leading to their imprisonment or death.

However, if Ryan insisted on his ignorance, the others could not force the label of "kinslayer" upon him without evidence. At most, they could force him to open Salt Island to allow the family to conduct an investigation.

Once Salt Island was opened to Sea Rock City, the ships and personnel of the escort fleet would surely be reclaimed, and the family would send men to occupy Blood Fortress. When it would be returned to Ryan would then be entirely up to the old Marquis.

Who could have imagined that Ryan would concoct such a clumsy excuse?

Following the suffocating collective silence came a deafening clamor of slamming tables, mockery, and cursing.

"Quiet! Quiet!" Marquis Faher restored order to the hall once more, then allowed the clansmen to stand and speak one by one.

"This is the first time I've heard of sailors choosing not to mutiny at sea and steal the ships, but instead waiting until they were docked in Faher territory to openly rebel and get themselves executed," the first clansman said with a sneer.

"My time ruling Blood Fortress has been short," Ryan replied, shrugging with an arrogant air. "I hadn't even managed to recruit a city guard, and I only had about thirty knight-squires I’d temporarily assembled from Sea Rock City with me. Perhaps those sailors were arrogant enough to think they could take Blood Fortress and use the opportunity to rebel and set themselves up as independent."

"What a ridiculous, laughable defense!" a second clansman stood up to berate him. "All supplies for Salt Island depend on Sea Rock City. Do they intend to starve to death by partitioning the island? Who would be insane enough to think they could rebel and become independent relying on Salt Island? It is clear you murdered your kin and are merely using the 'sailor mutiny' as a pretense!"

"As you said, occupying Salt Island does not allow for independence," Ryan scoffed. "Only a fool would think a mere lord of Salt Island would murder his own uncle and attempt to turn against his family. You should have your own brain checked."

"No matter how you twist your words, you cannot change the obvious fact that Kalich died on your land!" a third clansman roared indignantly. "You cannot escape the suspicion of kinslaying!"

"How ridiculous," Ryan said with a cold, exasperated sneer. "The fleet base is not my land at all."

"The fleet base located at Iron Port City—how is that not your land, Lord Ryan?"

"You idiot. Even though my father granted me Salt Island as a fief, he explicitly retained the shipyards and the fleet base. That is a well-known fact." Ryan’s gaze suddenly sharpened. "By your logic, considering the fleet base is still under the direct jurisdiction of the family, are you accusing my father of being the prime suspect?"

"Nonsense!" The Marquis of Faher had never expected the fire to be turned upon himself. "I was at Gull Fortress at the time! How could I possibly have traveled to the port across the sea to order a murder?"

"I was at Blood Fortress at the time," Ryan said calmly. "I was likewise not at the scene of my uncle's death."

"What evidence do you have to prove you were at Blood Fortress!" The hall erupted into chaos, with countless Fahers shouting in unison, a wave of sound so loud it seemed ready to lift the roof. "Liar! Liar! Liar!"

"Father," Ryan turned his head and said, "it seems that unless we can produce ironclad proof of our whereabouts at our own castle, these clansmen will not believe in our innocence."

The Marquis was speechless. *What does this have to do with me? They are suspecting you, you brat!*

However, such a debate was truly meaningless, as a noble did not need to be physically present to commit a crime—couldn't they just send their subordinates? He signaled for silence for the third time and continued:

"All existing evidence indeed cannot prove Ryan is guilty, but it also cannot clear his name."

"As his father, I will not allow my son to be falsely convicted. But as the head of the Faher clan, I cannot pretend this never happened while my son cannot fully prove his own innocence."

"I hereby declare that Ryan Faher is temporarily stripped of his governing rights over Salt Island. The family shall take over its administration and continue to investigate the cause of Kalich’s death. Once the truth is discovered, we shall act accordingly!"

The old Marquis’s majestic gaze swept across the room, his hawk-like eyes filled with the cold authority of a superior:

"Now, does anyone else have an objection?"

"I do," Ryan said, raising his hand. "Father, you granted me Salt Island as a fief, and many nobles outside already know this. If you strip me of my title, wouldn't that be washing our dirty linen in public?"

"You are referring to the Malorne family, I presume," the Marquis said coldly. "No matter. I shall write a letter to explain it to the Duke myself."

"That is excellent." Ryan pulled a letter from his breast pocket—the one sent by Mashan. "Her Majesty the Queen is set to grant me an audience at the Imperial Capital next week. You can write a letter of explanation to her, and I will be happy to carry it along to explain why I am being stripped of my fief."

The expression on the Marquis's face froze.

*Who?*

"Her Majesty the Queen?" He had to be sure his ears hadn't deceived him.

"Her Majesty, Margelina Dane," Ryan said with calm indifference. "Yes, the wife of the current Emperor."

A silent, indescribable embarrassment washed over the Marquis’s face, to the point that no one in the room dared to speak; it was as if they had all been sealed by a Great Silence spell.

After a long while, the old Marquis finally regained his senses and picked up the letter once more, confirming the signature and private seal of Mashan Malorne at the bottom—the seal of the Malorne family could not be faked.

Ryan watched with satisfaction as the Marquis's fingers, clutching the letter, trembled almost imperceptibly.

"How about this?" the old Marquis finally asked in a low, strained voice. "When you meet that honorable Queen, could you perhaps... not mention this matter?"

"And if Her Majesty the Queen addresses me as the Lord of Salt Island, how should I respond?" Ryan countered.

"Er... you could just... play along?"

"Does Father wish for me to deceive Her Majesty the Queen?" Ryan's expression turned suddenly stern. "Forgive me, but I cannot bring myself to insult the Imperial family. Once this leaks out, it will bring catastrophic disaster upon the Faher clan."

The Marquis was once again speechless.

He understood that his son was using the Queen to threaten him.

But... that was the Queen! The Queen renowned for her "benevolence," "kindness," and "reasonableness"!

One had to understand that the Reach, as a frontier province, had the advantage of being vast and sparsely populated, allowing nobles to easily hold military power and real wealth. However, its disadvantage was its distance from the Imperial family and the lack of favor from the Emperor; promotions in rank depended entirely on the word of one's own liege lord.

Grand Duke Malorne clearly would not want too many dukes existing within his territory, as that would indirectly weaken his own influence and voice.

But if Ryan could establish a connection with the Queen, and perhaps even win her appreciation and favor...

The Marquis’s burning ambition was ignited once more, just as it had been when he first heard Ryan had a High Elf noble by his side and immediately imagined the bright future of opening up the High Elf Kingdom—he was already fantasizing about Ryan becoming the Queen’s most trusted confidant, with the status of the Faher clan rising accordingly.

*Hmm, perhaps my own title of Marquis could be upgraded a bit as well?*

"Since Her Majesty has summoned you," he quickly replaced his look with a kind and benevolent smile, "you must go with peace of mind! Do not worry about the territory; Sea Rock City will provide Salt Island with any supplies it needs. You need have no worries at all!"

"Go!"

No one in the banquet hall made a sound. All those who had previously attacked Ryan now stared with wide, embarrassed eyes, their gazes filled with shock as they looked at the old Marquis.

"But the cause of Kalich’s death has not yet been investigated..." Ryan said in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Regarding Kalich, I am also deeply saddened," the old Marquis said, managing to squeeze out a few tears before changing his tone. "However, serving the Imperial family is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our Faher clan. I believe that even in the Heavenly Kingdom, Kalich would not wish for the family to lose this precious chance because of his own death."

"My child, do not worry. He will forgive us."