***
Snowkeep Palace - Council Chambers
***
"The duke is moving quickly... don't you think?"
"Yeah... faster than I expected."
The room was filled with different nobles, each one empowered by Justinian's old negligence, and now they were getting worried.
But with knights stationed across the chambers, they couldn't speak out openly.
"Damn this... was this the wrong move?"
One noble spoke, Yevon Hershell, one of the more powerful nobles in the room.
He had a worried tone in his voice as he looked around him, seeing the knights acting like cold sentinels, and with the current news spreading across the capital, they knew how loyal they were to Justinian.
"He isn't naive... I never expected him to station knights."
He cursed, crossing his arms as he sat in the chair, seeing the other nobles echo his concerns as well didn't help.
"I thought this would pressure him... but we just served ourselves on a silver platter."
Another noble spoke, Carter Bentley, another powerful player, but also more competent than the others, albeit heavily corrupt.
The room was filled with sin and tyrants, and they knew that, if Justinian were to act... and they knew he would, they would all lose their heads.
'This was a mistake!'
All of them shouted in their thoughts.
"Bow your heads!"
The sudden proclamation from the knight near the door froze them in place.
"The duke is approaching."
As the knight opened the door, Justinian entered right on time, a cold smile and cruel flicker in his eyes, freezing the already cold room.
With Cassia behind him, strengthening the effect, this wasn't going according to the noble's plan, instead of pressuring a naive and incompetent Justinian.
The roles were completely reversed.
"I assume you called for something important...?"
Justinian spoke clearly, sitting on his chair, more ornate and elaborate than the nobles, already signalling the power difference they thought was nonexistent.
"Ahem..."
Yevon began first, laying out his concern.
"It is about the citizens and servants, my lord... they are going complacent."
"Complacent?"
"Yes, they used to fear us, but now they treat us like equals; sooner or later, they will no longer respect us."
The others agreed with his concern, nodding and murmuring with each other.
"Then doesn't that mean you failed to do your job... Yevon?"
Justinian coldly addressed him with his first name; he had a slight familiarity with him, he was mentioned briefly, but he didn't need full details; just the first name alone would instill fear.
'He knows my name...?'
Yevon felt a chill down his spine. Why would a duke who had only recently been active know his name? Does that mean he knows of his crimes? His treason? His siding with Rhyne and Elberich?
"...Excuse me... my lord?"
"I know what you did."
Justinian spoke bluntly; he didn't actually know the details. He just knew he had to have done something. Everyone in this room had.
A generalized statement like that would usually be risky, but here? It was the best.
'...Shit.'
Yevon trembled, and the others did as well. Does that mean Justinian prepared the knights for this exact reason? To cull them like he did with the castellan?
They thought they covered their tracks well, and they did; they just didn't expect to face someone with omniscient knowledge of their world.
Justinian used the fear in their body language to observe the entire table, gauging those who trembled and those who did not.
'Those who are more relaxed are either innocent... or confident.'
'I could use them...'
[The Book of War Responds]
[Trait Granted]
+Demon of the Court
-Instill fear in those you choose. (Requirements: Must be in a meeting)
-Instill inferiority in those you choose. (Requirements: Must be in a meeting)
'Oh?'
Justinian curved a smile; he's definitely going to test it out.
And who? all of them all at once.
"You are all aware this is no longer a meeting controlled by you; it is mine, and you are in my territory."
Justinian chuckled, confidently resting his head on his arms as he looked at the nobles like a predator sizing up prey.
"Tell me... who should I spare?"
THUD. THUD. THUD.
The sound of heartbeats began to be audible, the nobles immediately looking at each other with betrayal and contempt, their old agreement and alliance breaking immediately when faced with certain death.
The knights around the chamber were unsure of how to respond, but they knew they had to obey. Justinian knew what he was doing.
At least... they instinctually know he did.
SHING!
They unsheathed their swords, pressuring the nobles even more as the room's tension began to boil.
And Cassia decided it was time to join in, to support Justinian instead of just following his orders; she was his sworn second, not a simple bodyguard.
"Do not let the duke wait for your response; mercy has already been granted to you all by allowing you all to state your usefulness."
"Usually, you would all be executed right here and now."
She spoke coldly, mirroring Justinian, and that was the last straw.
A powerful knight such as her supporting Justinian was it, the nobles knew they were screwed.
THUD.
A noble slammed the table hard, standing up as he began shouting his reasons to be spared, listing out his competence and skill in governance.
Then another followed, then another, and another.
All of them were now shouting curses and insults at each other, all of them demeaning each other for the duke's favor.
It all went exactly according to plan.
[The Book of War Responds]
[It adores your actions]
+100 Prestige
'Let's see how long till you all kill each other...'