The defense shield was shining with white light. Strengthened by Hayden’s power, which Ru had created, it became even more powerful. The shield held the arrows tightly, making them unable to move. There was no sign of the force trying to penetrate further.

“Let’s leave it like this.”
Ru numbly nodded her head. Plip, plop, droplets of blood she had vomited fell to the floor.

“Take your hands off, Yeong-ae.”

Somehow, his voice seemed to carry strength. He might have gritted his teeth. But it felt like he was trying not to show it.

Ru slowly lowered her hands. Now there was no magic flowing from Ru.

“Be careful with your steps.”

Only then did her feet touch the ground. Hayden, after confirming that she had properly stepped on her feet and stood straight, let go of her hand.

“From now on, don’t do anything, especially don’t think about using magic.”

His eyes carefully examined Ru. She had already vomited blood. The white light enveloped her flawlessly and disappeared.

“Promise.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

If Hayden was safe, there was no need for others to step forward. After she nodded, Hayden turned his gaze to her back.

“Protect Yeong-ae.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

A few Imperialle approached and surrounded Ru.

Hayden continued forward, leaving the defense shield in place. The arrows of light that had pierced the defense shield did nothing to him. In the hall where only Ru and the Dragon Lord had been dancing, the Dragon Lord stood alone.

“How about it, Dragon Lord?”

Melphiorus turned his head to look at Hayden. Slightly taller than Hayden, he was walking toward him with a smile.

“It’s a very ancient magic. It feels nostalgic.”

People looked around. Who could have done such a thing?

“Carlos Arthur Ingram didn’t make this either.”

Melphiorus, as if finding it amusing, touched the light arrows that had stopped in place.

“It’s probably more than a hundred, Your Majesty.”

“You could have been very hurt if you were hit.”

“Would someone who won’t be hit say such a thing?”

He answered the emperor’s exaggerated words, and while doing so, he removed one of the arrows that had solidified in the air. The light settled on Melphiorus’s hand without changing its shape.

“It’s a magic that’s been around for 600 years. There was a time when I created such magic. I carefully made each one and adorned them on boxes, wands, jewelry, and so on.”

Hayden flicked his finger. The light arrows that had flown fiercely toward him began to follow the traces they had drawn.

It was like a scene where time was reversing. The arrows took shape for the first time above people’s heads. Then where did the light start?

“If it had stayed until now, it would have been quite a precious item.”

“Yes. Once magic is used, it cannot overcome time and often breaks. Since it was an item maintained by magic, it has to bear the years it has endured all at once.”

Melphiorus muttered as he watched the arrows return to their original form. Imperialle, who had drawn swords and approached behind the crowded people, quietly stood still.

“Moreover, such a large attack magic must combine several items to operate, right?”
“Wouldn’t the Dragon Lord retrace the traces?”

Hayden looked at the people coldly and laughed.

“Finding the reckless one who dared to attack Your Majesty is, of course, my duty, Your Majesty.”

The light that Hayden had been manipulating moved towards Melphiorus. The Dragon Lord, with his violet eyes gleaming coldly, read the traces left by the attack magic’s light. The light that had revealed itself above people’s heads split into five branches.

“Five. It seems to be a magic where five different items are combined, Your Majesty.”

Hayden didn’t respond and just watched.

The light split into four branches and wandered around the banquet hall. It seemed to be the path of the one who had the items. People followed the lights with bated breath, and when they approached, they recoiled in horror and avoided them.

The last one the light touched was the traitor who had tried to harm the emperor. The Dragon Lord, who was supposed to identify the traitor to assist the Eastern nobles, was advancing after the traitor had been found. Behind him was the emperor, who was looking at them with cold eyes.

Who would dare to surpass the magic cast by the Dragon Lord? Eventually, the lights returned one by one to their original positions and disappeared.

“Eek…!”

People either moved away from where the light ended or approached.

Melphiorus, who had been quietly watching that direction, called out after searching for a while.

“Duke Moikwel.”

Melphiorus, who had seen Duke Moikwel countless times, glanced through the noble lady standing straight and the Moikwel family surrounding her. Imperialle was getting closer to them, instructing people.

“This is a provocation, Dragon Lord.”

Duke Jacqueline Moikwel complained with a rattling voice, but her expression was not unjust. She glared fiercely at Melphiorus and Hayden standing behind him.

“I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been provoked by a forgetful duke. Where should I use you?”

Imperialle, dressed in uniform, stood between the people and the Moikwel family. The round formation of Imperialle had already surrounded them.

“By the way, the 4th Duke Moikwel was eccentric, Your Majesty.”

“Oh, was he?”

Hayden naturally replied as he walked forward.

“Yes. He loved enchanting objects too much. He valued items enchanted with magic more highly. He even equipped a cigarette case and a pipe with magic, and of course…”

Crash!

With a loud noise, Duke Moikwel collapsed to the ground. The ruby brooch hanging on her chest, which was dropped, wasn’t Duke Moikwel’s but Jocelyn Moikwel’s, the niece of Duke Moikwel, who was holding it.
Those with keen eyesight clearly noticed that the brooch the Duke had been wearing until a moment ago was now a garnet, not a ruby. At first glance, they looked similar, but upon closer inspection, the details were slightly different.

“I’ve collected sets of enchanted gemstones as well.”

The gemstone decorations were completely at odds. It was evident that they had known the brooch would break if they used magic, so they had immediately switched it to a garnet. The broken decorations were distributed among the nearby clans.

“I-I don’t know anything!”

Beside the pale Jocelyn Moikwel, another loud sound of heavy metal hitting the ground resonated. Following that, the Duke’s ruby necklace protruded from under the clothes of Count Lukern and fell. Unintentionally, a smashed bracelet emerged from the Duke’s dislocated arm, and the entire ruby set lost its luster.

Eastern nobles already knew how the gemstone set was configured: a bracelet, brooch, earrings, necklace, and finally, a tiara, forming a perfect jewelry set, namely the Parure.

Trembling, a pair of broken ruby earrings fell from the hem of Moikwel’s dress. The tiara adorning the Duke’s white hair seemed to have no time to switch and broke, dangling in her hair.

It seemed like a symbol heralding the end of the Moikwel family.

“Arrest them all.”

At the Emperor’s command, Imperialle immediately rushed forward to start arresting the Moikwel family.

“Aunt!”

“Mother! No!”

Everyone screamed and resisted, but among them, the loudest voice was directed at Hayden.

“You, a bastard with an unclear birth, dare to sit at the top of our heads…!”

Imperialle silenced the screaming Duke Moikwel by blocking her wrinkled mouth. Through that gap, not even a whimper could escape.

While the Eastern nobles turned their heads subtly at the terrifying scene of arrests, they couldn’t look away.