Tale of a Hedonistic wizard

Seeing Vlaran here, confirmed his suspicions about the ones who sent Castor. Jaegar could tell just by seeing Castor's demeanour. If Castor had an important figure in the palace, he would have heard about him. And a nobody like him can't act like he is now, not unless someone of high status backs him. And not to mention the knights who came with Castor.

Jaegar's glare intensified, unwavering. "Where's Lorcan?"

The question carried an undercurrent of tension that everyone in the hall could feel.

"Do you want to meet him? I can arrange that," Vlaran said with a simple smile.

Jaegar's expression turned more furious. At the mention of his name, Jaegar couldn't control his anger. There was a visible power surge, sending a ripple throughout the hall.

Vlaran's smile didn't falter, but his eyes grew sharper, more calculating. "Jaegar, let me tell you something: you have already committed a lot of treason until now.

Before the news reaches the High Order, I suggest you go away for now. I am saying this as a brother to you."

"Do you know what that bastard had done? Move aside, I will drag him out myself," Jaegar roared as he couldn't control his temper.

Vlaran moved closer and said, "I advise that you shouldn't carelessly accuse someone."

The political manoeuvring was clear to all present.

With the Emperor absent from the palace, the palace guards didn't seem to mind the clash happening. They just needed to follow Prince Vlaran; they thought it was best in the present situation.

Jaegar seemed like he was not in a state to listen to reason, his anger clouding his judgement.

Vlaran raised his hands, ordering the knights to leave and take care of the knights who fell. Then he moved closer, standing right in front of Jaegar.

His voice barely a whisper: "Do you think you are stronger than everyone?"

Then the two ice creatures burst, exploding all around them in a blinding flash of light and cold.

Vlaran just snapped his fingers; the entire room turned warmer, and every ice particle in the air disappeared without a trace. Turning the hall back to its normal state.

Jaegar suddenly stepped back, feeling the subtle killing intent evaporating from Vlaran. There was a smile plastered on his lips, but Jaegar could feel the intent clearly in his eyes.

"Tell me, do you think you are the only one who is privileged?"

Jaegar had been so immersed in his anger that he forgot to see such a monster standing in front of him. Right now, Vlaran was emitting a menacing aura that made Jaegar's blood run cold.

The last time he felt such immense pressure was in front of that unknown being in the tournament. And he was at a level that Jaegar couldn't comprehend. And standing in front of Vlaran, he didn't know Vlaran had reached that level. Jaegar was a little sceptical, but he didn't want to take risks now.

He calmed himself and decided to play his hand.

It was into this powder keg of tension that two women entered the hall.

The first was Lady Genevieve Gadfraye, known throughout the empire for her beauty and her keen political mind. Her presence at court events was always notable, but her arrival at this moment spoke volumes about the importance of what was unfolding.

Accompanying her was Charlytha Bhhama, a woman whose reputation preceded her even in the imperial court. Known for her mastery of both entertainment and diplomacy, Charlytha was a wild card in the complex game of imperial politics.

Her dark eyes took in the scene with an unreadable expression, lingering on the ice constructs with what might have been professional appreciation.

Lady Genevieve was the first to break the silence that had fallen upon their entrance. "My, my," she said, her voice carrying clearly despite its soft tone. "It seems we've missed quite the family reunion." Her words carried a lightness that belied the tension in her stance - she was acutely aware of the powder keg they had walked into.

-

The already tense atmosphere in the entrance hall shifted perceptibly as Lady Genevieve stepped forward.

As the Emperor's sister, her presence carried an authority that even Vlaran's didn't quite match.

Her eyes, the same silver-flecked green as Jaegar's, took in the scene with the practiced assessment of a seasoned courtier. The frozen aftermath of the confrontation, the lingering cold, and the palpable tension told her all she needed to know.
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"What's the meaning of this?" She asked, her voice carrying the weight of imperial authority.

Jaegar, his anger still evident but now tempered by political calculation, found himself in a precarious position. He knew that without concrete proof of Lorcan's actions - actions that had driven him to return to the palace in such a dramatic fashion - he was walking a dangerous line.

The palace politics were clearly more complex than when he had left, and he doubted if anyone here truly cared about his grievances against Lorcan. Even more, he questioned if they would care about what had happened to him during his absence.

Vlaran, ever the political opportunist, smoothly stepped into the conversational void. "Nothing, Aunt Genevieve," he said with a placating smile.

"It was just a misunderstanding between the knights and Jaegar." The lie was elegant in its simplicity, downplaying the severity of what had occurred while simultaneously asserting his authority over the situation. His aura had changed and now seemed like a simple man.

His change of demeanour surprised Jaegar as he stood staring at him. He understood that he was protecting Lorcan, and from what he learnt so far, Lorcan had pledged his loyalty to Vlaran, so it was clear to him now. One thing about Vlaran was that he would use every situation in his favour. Jaegar thought that he needed to be careful around him.

Genevieve's expression showed her skepticism, but she seemed to recognize the political expediency of accepting this explanation - at least publicly.

Charlytha Bhhama, the infamous Mistress of the Night and head of the Blossom House, watched both of them. Her position as the leader of the empire's most exclusive pleasure house belied her true power as one of the most influential information brokers in the capital. She had a great deal of influence throughout the empire.