Chương 126: Chapter : 126

Ken knew exactly what was causing the sickness. He didn't need to guess, and he didn't need to read a medical report. Last night, after his secret meeting in his bedroom, his loyal servant Ryu had used his vast intelligence network to track down the truth. Ryu had returned with all the answers before breakfast. It was time to end the argument. Ken slowly raised his right hand, lifting a single, dark-gloved finger into the air. He didn't make a loud noise. He didn't slam the table. He didn't even stand up.

But the absolute second Lancelot raised his hand, the entire room went completely, totally dead silent. The shouting stopped instantly. Gawain lowered his arms. Tristan sat up straight in his chair. Arthur turned his golden lion mask toward the dark, mysterious figure. The respect and pure, unfiltered fear they held for Lancelot was completely undeniable. They knew he was the most dangerous, unpredictable member of the Round Table. When Lancelot wanted to speak, everyone else shut their mouths and listened.

Ken dropped his casual, lazy attitude completely. He channeled every single piece of dramatic, theatrical villain energy he had ever watched on television. He allowed a tiny, chilling amount of his terrifying aura to leak into the room. It wasn't enough to hurt them, but it was just enough to make the air feel incredibly heavy and suffocating.

"You are all arguing over the smoke," Lancelot spoke. His voice was completely different from Ken's normal, goofy tone. It was a deep, cold, ruthless baritone that commanded absolute authority.

"And yet, you are completely ignoring the fire burning right beneath your feet." Arthur leaned forward carefully.

"Lancelot. What do you know?"

"I know that you are all wasting my time," Lancelot stated, his glowing purple eye sweeping slowly across the stone table, making every single knight flinch as his gaze passed over them.

"This outbreak in the outer districts is not a random, natural disease. It is not a consequence of poor hygiene. It is a man-made plague. And it is happening because of your complete failure to manage your own people." The air in the room felt like it had turned to solid ice. The true mastermind was finally taking control of the meeting, and the shadow rulers were about to hear a truth that would shake the very foundation of the Empire.

"A man-made plague?" Percival whispered, his masked face turning toward Lancelot in total shock.

"Are you saying someone is intentionally poisoning the outer districts?" Lancelot slowly lowered his hand and rested it on the stone table. His posture was perfectly rigid, displaying zero emotion and absolute control.

"I am saying that you were all fools to believe a piece of paper could stop human greed," Lancelot said, his voice dripping with cold, mocking superiority.

"Ten years ago, you signed a decree. You banned the mining and testing of Soluriam because the toxic radiation wiped out a border village. You told the public that the project was officially dead." You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Gawain bristled, his armor clanking loudly as he shifted in his seat.

"It was dead! We cut all the funding! We fired the project directors!"

"You fired them from the public eye," Lancelot corrected him instantly, cutting Gawain off like a sharp knife.

"But you did not strip them of their ambition. My intelligence network has uncovered the truth that your useless police force failed to see. A group of old, former Imperial researchers never actually stopped their work. They simply moved their laboratories underground, hiding in the shadows of the capital." The Round Table sat in stunned silence. The idea that a massive, highly illegal operation had been running right under their noses for a decade was a massive insult to their authority.

"They have been secretly continuing the banned Soluriam project for ten years," Lancelot revealed, dealing the final, crushing blow.

"They are testing highly concentrated, weaponized radiation. And because they are operating in secret, they do not have the proper facilities to dispose of the toxic waste safely. So, they are taking the easiest, cheapest route. They are dumping the raw, unfiltered Soluriam runoff directly into the water pipes that feed the poorest sections of the outer districts." Arthur's golden lion mask dipped slightly as the heavy realization hit him.

"By the stars. They are using the citizens of our own capital as a garbage disposal. That is why the people in Sector Four are burning up from the inside out."

"This is treason of the highest order," Percival stated, his voice shaking with anger.

"If the commoners find out that former government officials are responsible for this sickness, there will be a full-scale revolution. They will burn the Inner City to the ground." Suddenly, a knight wearing a dark, jagged helmet spoke up from the far side of the table. He went by the alias "Mordred." He was known for being incredibly ruthless, always focusing on military power above all else.

"Wait just a moment," Mordred interrupted, holding up his hand.

"Let us not act hastily. If these researchers have been studying Soluriam in secret for ten years, just imagine the incredible technological advancements they must have made." Gawain turned to look at Mordred, confused.

"What are you suggesting?"

"I am suggesting we look at the bigger picture," Mordred argued, his voice full of dark ambition.

"Soluriam is the most powerful magical mineral on the planet. If these old men have figured out how to stabilize it, or how to weaponize it properly, we could use that technology to completely dominate the rival nation of ZulFarah. We could build weapons that would make our Empire absolutely untouchable on the global stage." Mordred looked around the table, trying to rally support.

"Yes, the toxic runoff is unfortunate. But sacrifices must be made for the sake of progress. A few sick commoners in the outer slums is a very small price to pay for the ultimate glory of the Belmontia Empire. We shouldn't arrest them. We should quietly take over their operation and use their research to win the war." A few of the knights actually murmured in agreement. The temptation of unlimited military power was incredibly strong for the shadow rulers. They were politicians, and politicians loved weapons.

Behind his mask, Ken felt a wave of absolute, pure disgust wash over him.

"Are you kidding me?" Ken thought to himself, his lazy attitude entirely vanishing.

"A small price to pay? They are talking about normal, hardworking people. People like my mom and dad. People like my sister. They want to let them rot and die in the streets just so they can build a bigger bomb to impress the neighbors. These guys are completely out of their minds." Ken had heard enough. It was time to shut this conversation down permanently. Lancelot stood up. The simple act of him rising from his chair was enough to kill the murmuring instantly.

The heavy, terrifying pressure in the shielded dimension doubled. It felt like the gravity in the room was actively trying to crush the other eleven knights into the floor. Mordred actually shrank back into his seat, instantly regretting his words.