Assimilate All Talents

A chilling silence blanketed the chamber.

Sigurd looked as though the ground had been ripped out from beneath him. His lips trembled, his face drained of color.

He turned sharply toward Gladys, staring at her with wide eyes. "You… used me. You used all of us. We were nothing but disposable tools to you…"

Next to him, Victor's jaw clenched. Fury burned in him after seeing the recording, and the longer he thought about it, the more livid he became. He wasn't just angry at Gladys's deception, but also at Sigurd and even himself for falling for it. His rage directed towards everyone fueled his Law Technique, causing small yellow flames to leak from his body as his aura grew volatile.

But before he fully lost control, Zaman placed a calm but firm hand on his shoulder.

"I know how you feel." the Commander said softly. "But don't worry. She'll get what's coming to her."

Victor was snapped out of his anger and gave him a tight nod, the flames dimming as he forcibly calmed his mana. He'd grown much better at controlling himself, and even though he wanted nothing more than to unleash his anger on her, this wasn't the time or place.

The atmosphere shifted. Nobles who had once looked at Gladys with cautious sympathy now turned away. The last of her credibility crumbled before their eyes. What little understanding they had for her false cause vanished.

Gladys, once poised and composed, stood silent. Her face was shrouded in shadow as she stared at Valerie. She finally spoke, her voice cold and seething. "How did you obtain that? That was in my private mansion."

Valerie offered a light smile. "You're not the only one with talented allies."

She didn't elaborate. There was no need to reveal the work of the Royal Shadows, who had been diligently and silently collecting information throughout the kingdom while the King lay unconscious.

Instead, she took a breath and said, "Everything you've said until now was a half truth, only the parts convenient to your narrative. But you were right about one thing: my father made many mistakes… and I will begin by correcting one of his first."

She met her aunt's eyes. "Allowing someone like you to live."

A cold stillness settled over the room.

Gladys's smile returned, now stripped of all civility. "Hah! I'd like to see you try, girl!"

Then, without warning, her mana erupted. While mana was usually an invisible force, everyone in the room could sense it flooding from her.

One of the nobles stumbled back in shock. "How is that possible?!"

"Aren't those mana suppressing chains?!"

These chains were rare artifacts capable of sealing all forms of mana. They were more than enough to restrain most people, but for them to be ineffective against Gladys could mean only one thing: she was an A-Ranker.

"Did you really think that would hold me?!" Gladys shouted as another wave of mana surged from her body. The suppression chains shattered like glass under pressure.

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Gladys had always known the path to becoming an A-Ranker, but due to the limit imposed on every nation, she had to suppress her growth or risk persecution by those who enforced that rule. But after the failed vampire attack, and with rebels like Sigurd switching sides, she knew it was only a matter of time before she was exposed. So rather than flee, she took the final steps to comprehend her Law Technique and ascended to A-Rank. It didn't matter if they would come after her, because as long as she became queen and added herself to the list she would be safe.

Mana continued to pour from her, carrying an extreme cold that swept through the chamber, freezing the ground beneath her as it expanded outward in all directions.

The first to react was Commander Zaman. He didn't attack. Instead, he called out to the squad. "Duncan!"

"On it!" Duncan replied, raising his shield and activating his talent skill, [Shimmer Dome].

A silver dome rose from the ground, separating the audience from the freezing wave of mana. But unlike the sleek barriers he usually summoned, this one was formed from a pattern of small, interconnecting triangles.

The chilling attack crashed into the barrier moments later. Small cracks spread across its surface, but it held on, withstanding the brunt of the impact.

Ever since Sol had explained how one could progress toward A-Rank, Duncan had devoted himself to improving his strongest skill, [Shimmer Dome]. Because his third talent was unrelated to combat, he already had fewer skills than most, so he was already highly proficient in using the fewer skills he had available. This gave him a head start in comprehending a Law Technique.

But he hadn't reached that level yet. Something was still missing, though he didn't know what. He remained stuck in a pseudo law technique state. And while the upgraded barrier was able to withstand Gladys's attack, it only did so because the wave hadn't been focused on a single point.

Even though the ice mana was contained, the area outside the dome was tense, especially for those with weaker constitutions. If not for the barrier, many in the chamber wouldn't have survived the blast.

Before the tension could escalate further, Valerie stepped forward, calmly walking down the steps of the throne.

"Everyone, remain calm." She said, her voice cutting through the lingering fear. "This will be handled. I promise."

Her composure brought a wave of stillness over the chamber. Panic began to fade as all eyes turned to her.

The rest prepared for battle. Golden flames mixed with Victor's darker yellow fire, flaring around him as his hands trembled with rage. Zaman's halberd was already drawn. Guards and Royal Knights followed suit, weapons unsheathed—Duncan, Lapis, Nataly, Aron, Rex, and Lazuli among them. None of them were A-Rankers, but they had to be ready to intervene.

"Everyone, stand down." Valerie ordered, halting them all with a glance.

Zaman blinked. "Princess—"

"I said stand down." She repeated, firm, but calm. "Ensure no one gets hurt. If too many A-Rankers fight in here, the entire chamber might collapse. Maintain the barrier and stay on guard."

There was a pause. Zaman studied her expression and saw the unwavering certainty in her eyes. Finally, he gave a sharp nod. "Understood."

He turned to the squad and the guards. "Secure the chamber and protect everyone. Do not engage unless absolutely necessary."

No one hesitated. Duncan held the barrier steady while the others formed a protective line between the nobles and Gladys, ready to intercept any stray attack.

Valerie continued her descent, each step slow and steady, as she approached her aunt, who now glared at her from within the dome.

"Princess." Zaman called, his voice low and urgent. "What do you intend to do?"

She didn't stop. As she neared the flickering edge of the barrier, her voice rang out, calm and resolute.

"I intend to pass judgment."

Her words carried a weight that made even the most hardened nobles flinch.

When she reached the barrier, Duncan created a narrow gap to let her through. A burst of frigid air rushed into the chamber, causing many to shiver from the sheer intensity of the cold.

Gladys narrowed her eyes, her expression twisted in contempt and curiosity. "You're seriously approaching me?" she sneered. "What are you planning to do, little girl? You don't honestly think you stand a chance against me in a fight?"

Valerie stopped a few paces away. The floor beneath her was frozen solid, and the air so cold it could burn, yet she remained unfazed.

"A fight? No." She shook her head as a faint humanoid figure began to coalesce behind her. "Like I said… I'm only passing judgment. This is an execution."