Volume 2 chapter 62
"I, Edward de Clark, accuse Charlo de Rose! In his war against Count Ester, he used weapons identical to those of the Demon Race!" The old Count who stepped forward shouted.
"Bullshit!!" Sachs was the first to jump up, roaring in fury. "Edward! You spit blood on the innocent! What evidence do you have?!"
"Exactly, Count Edward. I know you are saddened by the accidental death of Sir Ester, but you cannot slander an Imperial Noble like this!" Charlie remained calm, immediately turning the tables. "Furthermore, it was your good son-in-law Ester who declared war on Charlo first. Charlo's counterattack was entirely justified!"
"Hmph!" Count Edward snorted coldly. "I would naturally not slander an Imperial Noble without cause. I have evidence!"
"Everyone, look!" The old Count produced a blue gemstone and injected mana into it.
Hum...
The gem vibrated, projecting an image into the air!
Charlo's pupils contracted. A Shadow Stone! An alchemy item crafted from special Mana Stones using specific techniques, capable of recording and projecting images—essentially a magical camcorder.
These items were priceless. They were family heirlooms, usually used to record secret techniques or family legacies. Who would use one to record a battlefield?!
But there it was. Count Edward's stone showed the early stages of the battle between Charlo's army and Ester's Punitive Force.
DA-DA-DA... BOOM! DA-DA-DA... BOOM!
On the screen, steel beasts with long iron tubes roared forward. Beside the main cannon, a smaller tube spat tongues of fire.
Occasionally, the large tube would roar, sending a heavy iron shell flying to decimate dense formations two or three kilometers away.
The knights in the formation, banners flying and armor gleaming, were armed to the teeth.
But against the steel beasts, it was a one-sided slaughter.
The turret atop the beast rotated. The tongue of fire from the machine gun swept across the lines, tearing knights and horses to shreds. Armor shattered, limbs flew—it was a slaughterhouse.
And when the main cannon fired, knights simply vanished into mists of blood, leaving not even corpses behind!
Everyone in the hall fell silent, watching the steel monsters massacre elite knights with mechanical efficiency.
Finally, the recording ended just before the tanks closed in.
"This... was filmed by Ester during his battle with Charlo's army!" Count Edward roared. "He sent it to me overnight after recording it. Regrettably, by the time I received this Shadow Stone, he had already sacrificed himself!"
"Look at this! Those explosions, those strange iron machines, that style of warfare..." The old Count looked toward the empty seats of the Dukes, addressing their projections. "Dukes on the front lines, tell us—is there any difference between this and the demons?"
"This..." One Duke mused. "It is indeed very similar to the demon weapons. However, the demons do not have those moving steel chariots!"
"Mm... similar indeed!" Another Duke agreed.
With the confirmation from the frontline Dukes, the hall erupted into an uproar!
"It's... true?!"
"Viscount Charlo... he really betrayed humanity?!"
"Unbelievable! He actually..."
"What a pity. He had such talent..."
Shock and regret filled the room. Sachs and Charlie turned pale as paper, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
Count Edward looked at Charlo like a victorious general.
"Do you have any defense? Charlo!"
Hooke looked down at Charlo, whose expression remained unchanged, and asked.
"It is only natural that they resemble demon weapons..." Charlo spoke calmly. "Because they were imitated from the demons in the first place!"
"See! He admitted it!!" Count Edward shouted immediately. "Look! The traitor is so arrogant! He admits it openly!!"
"Do not misunderstand! Count Edward!!" Charlo shouted back sharply. "I drew inspiration from the battlefield against the demons and reverse-engineered their weapons! That is not collusion!"
"Nonsense!!" Count Edward pointed a shaking finger at Charlo. "How would you know how to make demon weapons?! If the demons didn't give them to you, did you snatch them?!"
"Exactly! I snatched them!"
Charlo took a step forward, glaring at Edward.
"During the first counterattack after the demons breached Conquest City! I seized a weapon from a demon corpse! It was from that weapon that I discovered the principles of manufacture! From there, I developed and imitated them!"
"When His Majesty issued the first call to arms, I responded immediately, leading my knights to the battlefield! Where were you, Count Edward? Where were you?! What right do you have to question me, who fought on the front lines?!"
Charlo roared each sentence, stepping closer to Edward with every word.
Under the clash of auras, Edward found himself faltering. He retreated step by step until he hit the edge of the circle, speechless.
"Sir Charlo did indeed participate in the retaking of the West and subsequent campaigns. However, at that time, the demons did not have those weapons!" A Duke recalled.
"Oh! The demons indeed did not possess them then... or rather, very few!" Charlo explained smoothly. "I encountered a small squad of demons, but only one had that weapon! I assume they hadn't equipped them en masse yet! And they didn't equip them until the early stages of the Alliance offensive—can the Dukes confirm this?"
"Indeed!" Another Duke nodded. "These rapid-fire weapons only appeared on the battlefield three months ago."
"Furthermore, the demons definitely do not have moving steel chariots. Otherwise, they would have used them! Those weapons are nightmares for low-to-mid-rank knights!"
"So, is it clear now?" Charlo turned back to Edward. "You slander me based on weapons the demons don't even have! Why do you assume that what mere demons can build, humans cannot? That we cannot build better?"
"Count Edward... perhaps in your heart, you believe—Demons are naturally superior to Humans?!"
At these words, Edward's face turned ghastly white.
"No... no! How... how could I think that..."
With the Alliance formed against the Demon Race, admitting human inferiority was the ultimate taboo! Absolute political suicide! Even the Emperor couldn't save him if he admitted that!
"Then your accusation against me is baseless! You are slandering me! You have damaged my reputation!" Charlo refused to give him an inch.
Either admit you slandered me, or admit humans are inferior to demons! Choose your poison!
"I... apologize! I made a judgment in haste without clear evidence... I apologize for accusing Sir Charlo of collusion!"
Edward was an old fox who had survived for centuries. Seeing he couldn't suppress Charlo today, he immediately bowed his head.
"I am willing to pay 300 kilograms of Mana Stones, 1,000 sets of Enchanted Armor, and 3,000 Imperial Gold Coins as compensation for the damage to Sir Charlo's reputation!"
"Alright. Since Sir Edward is willing to admit fault and compensate, let this matter pass!" Hooke interjected, sealing the verdict.
"Good! Since His Majesty has spoken, I forgive you!" Charlo nodded, taking the out. "Sir Edward, check your facts next time! Don't let your wild imagination run rampant and ruin people's names!"
"Yes... I will!"
Count Edward gritted his teeth, trembling with suppressed rage, but kept his head lowered in submission.
Chapter 171: The Seres Count
"Now then..." Hooke tapped his scepter lightly on the ground.
"Sir Charlo de Rose. Having advanced to the Seventh Rank yourself, possessing sufficient territory! Your talent, ability, and loyalty have been tested! Promotion granted!"
"Come forward! Charlo..."
"Yes! Your Majesty!"
Charlo placed a hand over his heart, walked to the foot of the throne, and knelt on one knee.
Hooke stood up, placing his hand on Charlo's head. His tone was low and solemn.
"Charlo! Are you willing to pledge loyalty to me, and to guard the Empire for me—Hooke de Maurice—for generations?"
"I am willing! I will be loyal to you forever! I will guard the Empire for you forever! For generations to come!" Charlo declared loudly, his voice unwavering.
"Good! Then I, in the name of the 39th Emperor of Maurice, bestow upon you the title of Count of the Maurice Empire, to be passed down through generations!"
Hooke patted Charlo's shoulder, smiling. "Rise! My young Count! Name yourself and your future family... Or would you like me to name you?"
"No need to trouble Your Majesty. I have already decided!" Charlo shook his head.
"Oh?! Then announce it loudly!"
"With pleasure!"
Charlo raised his head, his eyes burning with indescribable emotion.
"I name myself... Seres (Seris)!!"
(Note: "Seres" is the ancient Greek and Roman name for China/the land of silk. Charlo is naming his house after his homeland.)
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