When the plot-skips players into the game world

Upon hearing Aiwass's words, Captain Camus was startled.

He was not a fool.

Having obtained the crucial information from Aiwass, he needed only a moment of enlightenment to understand everything.

"So that's how it is—"

He first felt regret, then enlightenment, "No wonder I didn't encounter anyone when I went home that day... I was quite apprehensive, afraid that if someone saw me, they would question me. Now I think about it, it must have been his intention to have me deliver the files home, hence all the people were pulled away!"

"You have a responsibility as well, Captain Camus."

Aiwass glanced at him and calmly responded, "Although you were framed, it was you who took the objects. No one induced you in this respect, nor were you under the influence of any superhuman powers—in other words, the reason you were set up was precisely because someone knew of this bad habit of yours."

"...Yes, I know. I am very sorry, it was me... I was too negligent."

Regret was written all over Camus's face.

At least at this moment, he felt genuinely remorseful for his actions.

"But..."

Camus was somewhat hesitant and worried.

"But what?" Aiwass asked in return.

"The issue with the source of the information..."

Camus stuttered, "You might not know... but intelligence obtained through divination, rituals, prophecies, and the like cannot be used as evidence in court. It's like intelligence gained during a promotion ceremony in the Dream Realm that cannot be verified.

"Because these things could be tampered with by humans and are not absolutely precise. They could also be edited and fact distorted... hence, even if you have ascertained that the Minister of the Navy is behind this, if we cannot actually find that letter..."

...then we cannot prove that the Minister of the Navy's men stole the letter.

"If the letter cannot be found, then it is considered lost. What's the problem with that? I think it's quite fair."

Aiwass spoke with a serious expression and a cold demeanor, "The rest is not my job, Captain. I am only responsible for confirming the scene and investigating intelligence. I have already made it clear who has that letter—are you expecting me to do everything for you?"

"Of course not, certainly not..."

Captain Camus apologized repeatedly.

But hearing that the letter was in the hands of his superior's superior, all he felt was distress and confusion.

After all, he was just a captain.

And now, what he had to do was to impeach the Navy Admiral who framed him without any evidence, and even when the only piece of evidence could be destroyed at any moment...

He felt a crushing pressure that bordered on despair.

After hesitating for a while, he respectfully gave Aiwass a naval salute, "Thank you very much, Minister Moriarty. No matter how this matter ends up..."

"—How it ends up?"

Aiwass interrupted his somewhat defeated speech.

His voice grew somewhat louder, his gaze sharp, his words incisive, "Captain Camus, are you still a loyal soldier to Her Majesty the Queen? Are you willing to accept this slander from others like that? Are you content to become a blade held in the hand of a conspirator and aimed at Her Majesty's back?

"—Your only option is to win, soldier! You have no room to retreat!"

"Yes, Minister!"

Captain Camus instinctively puffed out his chest, raising his voice in response.

"Then are you willing to sacrifice for Her Majesty?"

Aiwass asked sternly.

"My honor, Minister!" Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire

Captain Camus answered without hesitation.

"Are you willing to fight till the end for justice and righteousness in the world?"

"My duty, Minister!"

"So finally, Captain..."

Aiwass said, pausing slightly.

His right hand held a thick book. Then he lifted his left hand, showing the back of his left hand to Captain Camus.

A silver-white scale slowly emerged.

Camus's eyes widened immediately.

Although he was not a Transcendent on the Path of Authority, he immediately guessed what it was.

The recognition from the Silver-Crowned Dragon!

Nobody would dare to forge such a proof!

At this very moment, Aiwass was radiating a warm holy light, effortlessly illuminating the entire room, even making Camus feel as if all the fatigue and stiffness in his muscles were being healed.

"—Are you willing to join me under the watch of the Crown Lord, to crusade against those who Defy the Pact?"

Aiwass's voice was majestic and solemn.

That was a trait granted to Aiwass by the Silver-Crowned Dragon, the "Scales of Silver." It allowed Aiwass to have one level of priority when attacking any oathbreaker.

Captain Camus kneeled on one knee without hesitation, bowing his head deeply. With the utmost courtesy and reverence, he said, "I am willing to fight to the death—"

Aiwass looked down at Captain Camus, who was a decade his senior, and the corners of his mouth curved slightly upward.

He reached out his left hand and gently touched Captain Camus's hair, signaling approval.

"I will not grant you anything. For that would be the prerogative of the future sovereign..."

Aiwass bowed his head slightly and spoke slowly, "But if you can fight bravely under the watchful eyes of the Crown Lord until the end... I will put in a few good words for you in front of Isabel."

"You know. If the traitors are purged, there will be many 'ministerial' positions opening up..."

At this point, Aiwass's voice became extremely soft, like a fox that beguiles the heart: "Many, many."

A chord seemed to be struck in Captain Camus's heart.

The words of Aiwass were both encouraging and threatening; they shook him to his core, yet simultaneously stirred his blood and desire.

—If he did not care about his own career path at all, he would not have sought favor with Edward.

As a Hunter on the Path of Adaptation, according to the rules of Avalon... he could never enter the Round Table Hall.

Although these paths have been acknowledged as legitimate, they are still subject to discrimination. That's because almost all the Knights in the Round Table Hall are from the Path of Authority, with not even the Path of Balance represented, let alone the Path of Adaptation. Those on the Path of Devotion exist only as auxiliary members of the "Clergy Councilor."

Why does he dislike working in the office?

One important reason is that "Hunters" do not have the same robust bodies as those Knights and simply cannot support the weight of armor!

Even a second Energy Level Inspector can run around in armor every day. But a third Energy Level Hunter, after sitting up straight in armor for a whole day, would go home with a sore back. Hunters are still better off; if his profession were that of an assassin, he simply wouldn't be able to wear such heavy armor, let alone fight while armored.

But, if it's a rule that all official Transcendents must wear armor at work... then the Legal Mages, who are also on the Path of Authority, don't have to wear armor at all.

—Although legally there is no discrimination, discrimination still exists in the details. Just like the formal jobs on Glass Island, which require a local residence to be eligible. This causes those from other areas to only be able to find work in the low-cost Lohar District.

And at this moment, the promise given by Aiwass made Captain Camus feel a thirst in his throat.

It was a position he could not normally even dream of aspiring to.

"...For the sake of Her Majesty."

Camus said ambiguously, not specifying which majesty: "I will give my life and soul."

When he said this, there was no fervor or forcefulness in his voice. It could even be described as a whisper...

Yet this light utterance was incredibly heavy.

For it was laden with sincerity.

"Good boy."

Aiwass patted his head, a slight smile on his lips and a low, solemn voice: "The Crown Lord is watching you."

The actions of the Minister of the Navy had, undoubtedly, involved a betrayal of the royal family.

Or rather, they were just a bit too eager.

They swore loyalty to the royal family, but mainly to the Queen.

During Sofia's funeral, as the Chamberlain, Mycroft would need to snap his own white staff, symbolizing the end of his "lifelong loyalty to Her Majesty the Queen." Other ministers must also destroy the tokens of power bestowed upon them by Queen Sofia during the funeral.

Only after they swear loyalty anew and are granted tokens by Isabel will their vows of loyalty take effect again.

If the Queen were dead, then before they swear loyalty to Isabel anew, such action would not constitute a Defying Pact.

Yet, Sofia was still alive.

—It could only be said that the timing was too apt. They just couldn't wait. If they had acted after the funeral, the "Scales of Silver" would never have lit up.

They dared to renounce their vows openly, and the two key reasons for this were "Meg is presumed dead" and "Isabel lacks the Path of Authority's adaptability." Hence, no one could exercise Authority Force to arbitrate against them directly.

No one paid much attention to that young girl named Ligeia.

Despite being closely related by blood to Meg and being a devotee of the Silver-Crowned Dragon— even so, how strong could she be?

Even the Transcendents of the fourth Energy Level on the Path of Authority couldn't sense her path's rank. It was only the Transcendents of the Path of Transcendence who could feel her third Energy Level of the Transcendence profession.

—Could it be that with the third Energy Level of the Transcendence profession, she would still hold a fourth Energy Level of Authority? If she were really that strong, why didn't she use any of her powers after succeeding as the Grand Arbitrator, or even show herself to others?

Therefore, although they acted a bit early, they were not too worried.

After all, the Queen could hardly get out of her sickbed, put on the crown, lift the scepter, and punish them. If the Queen wanted to summon them, they could just find an excuse not to go—after all, punishment must be done face to face. Could the Queen leave the Hall of Silver and Tin and come to their homes to administer punishment?

—Just play a game of hide-and-seek.

Just drag it out until it's over.

Aiwass needed no investigation to know that this was surely what they were thinking. Compared to Meg's era, their plotting had become much more casual and not so hidden.

Clearly, they were not very afraid of Queen Sofia. After all, Sofia had never truly exercised her right to punish—but they were very afraid of Meg, because Meg would kill.

Aiwass's lips curved into a smile, fox-like.

Next, according to the plan, he would be "kidnapped by Aleister to the Minister of the Navy's residence."

And Ligeia would "rescue" him.

Now, let them remember.

Meg had not yet departed—