Imprisoned for a Trillion Years, I Was Worshipped by All Gods!-Chapter 614 - 170-The Royal Court’s Movements

"You—!"

Old Gayle trembled with fury, his mana subtly rippling through the air like waves on a stormy sea.

Stephen, however, seemed to revel in the reaction, a smirk creeping across his face as he continued to twist the knife.

"You're not going to do it, are you?" he taunted.

"Even if you wanted to, that boy beside you wouldn't let you. After all, isn't his little sister the person he treasures most in this world?"

Alan's rage was no less explosive. He pointed directly at Stephen, voice trembling with fury.

"You filthy, cowardly bastard! If you've got a problem, take it up with me! Why drag my sister into this?!"

Stephen was silent for a moment… and then he chuckled—cold and mocking.

"Heh… Had you just died quietly at the hands of those bounty hunters, none of this would've been necessary, Alan."

"But no—you just had to be difficult. Too hard to kill."

"So really, you've got no one to blame but yourself."

"And let's be honest here—if you remain alive, how can Lioncrest Academy ever show its face in the capital again? No, we can't allow that. If we want to preserve our status, you must die."

With that final declaration, Stephen's gravitational array began to shift—runes twisting in the air—as it reconfigured back into a teleportation array.

He and the white-robed woman pulled Isabella into its center. A moment later, they vanished in a flash of light.

"ISABELLA!!!"

Alan broke free of Gayle's grasp and charged forward in desperation, diving into the remnants of the collapsing mana currents. But Gayle grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back.

"It's no use," Gayle said grimly.

"That array… it was a personal spell matrix, constructed by Stephen himself. No one else can trace its mana signature."

Lowering his head, Gayle sighed deeply.

"As headmaster of Sirius Academy, I've failed… I couldn't protect her. I'm sorry, Alan."

Alan froze, taken aback by the unexpected apology.

He quickly wiped the corners of his eyes and forced out a choked reply.

"No… Headmaster, I never meant to blame you. I don't blame anyone. If there's anyone to blame—it's me. I'm not strong enough. I wasn't strong enough to protect my sister from monsters like them."

Gayle said nothing. He simply guided Alan gently back to the academy courtyard.

By now, many of Sirius Academy's students had gathered, each one looking at Alan with concern.

Francis clenched his fists, voice shaking with rage.

"Even Headmaster almost lost it. I swear, Lioncrest Academy's rot goes right down to the bones!"

"No," Gayle said darkly. His hands were curled tightly into fists.

"They're not rotten. They're just desperate."

"Desperate to stop Alan from rising."

"With the potential he's shown, it's only a matter of time before he becomes a powerful force in the kingdom—maybe even the capital itself."

"When that happens, our feud with Lioncrest won't just be a school rivalry anymore. It'll become a bullet fired straight at them."

"Right now, Stephen and Lioncrest may swagger around us, arrogant and unafraid. But in front of the Royal Family—with all its history and power—they're nothing but pawns."

"When someone is cornered… they'll do anything to survive."

Blanche frowned. "Then why defend them? No matter what their reasons, what Stephen and Lioncrest Academy did was pure evil. That doesn't need justification."

"You don't understand," Gayle muttered.

He looked at Blanche with a gaze that carried layers of grief, guilt, and bitter memories.

Then suddenly, Fort's voice cut in.

"Wait. Where's Alan?"

The group paused, startled.

Sure enough, Alan was nowhere to be seen. After returning to the ground with Gayle, he had vanished.

Gayle released a wave of mana, scanning the surroundings. Then he sighed softly.

"He's gone… headed for Kent Kingdom's secret realm most likely. And frankly, we have no way—and no right—to stop him."

"Why stop him at all?" Francis stepped forward defiantly.

"Alan's saved my life more than once. You could say I owe him everything. If he's going into the micro world… then I'm going too. That's what brothers do."

Fort followed silently. He didn't speak often, but his actions always spoke louder than words.

Gayle didn't try to stop them.

He simply said, "Be careful. Lioncrest has likely made some under-the-table deal with Kent's people. That place will be crawling with danger."

"I… I'll be waiting for you both to come back."

Francis grinned at that.

For once, Gayle sounded like a proper elder. A real guardian.

He raised a hand and waved farewell as he and Fort disappeared down the road.

Gayle turned to look at Blanche. There was a trace of sadness in his eyes.

"You're going too… aren't you?"

Blanche nodded, her voice calm but firm.

"If they're going, I have no reason to stay. As their senior, it's my duty to protect them—whether in class or in a battlefield."

"Silly girl," Gayle murmured. "You don't have to shoulder all this responsibility. You never did."

Blanche turned away, her voice low but resolute.

"No, Grandpa. It's not responsibility. It's my choice—and it's something I truly want to do."

That evening, after Blanche left with her bags packed, Gayle found himself alone.

He walked slowly to a desolate stretch of land behind the academy—land that had always been off-limits to students, even to Blanche.

Few knew this barren field actually belonged to Sirius Academy.

Yet Gayle had spent far more time here than anywhere else on campus.

With a quiet splash, he poured a clear stream of wine from his flask onto the earth.

The liquid soaked into the soil, and a light mist began to rise.

A breeze swept through, and as the fog cleared, the silhouettes of hundreds of gravestones emerged from the earth.

Each stone bore a name… and a date of death.

Gayle walked slowly among them, running his fingers gently across the engraved names.

His eyes were filled with a sorrow that only time and loss could etch into a man's soul.

"I wasn't strong enough to protect you all back then… and you never got the chance to wake up again."

"But this time," he whispered, "I'm asking for your help."

"Help protect these children. They've suffered far too much—seen far more than they should have."

The mist thickened.

Within its depths, faint shadows appeared—like figures bowing to Gayle from behind.

He didn't turn to look.

But a soft smile tugged at his lips. Somehow… he could feel their presence.

And he knew they understood.

Moments later, the wine had fully evaporated—and Gayle had vanished as well.

…

Meanwhile, within the Royal Palace of the Plantagenet Kingdom—

Inside a grand chamber, an elderly man in luxurious robes lounged lazily in a wide seat, nibbling on fruit and delicacies with a serene expression.

Not far from him, a stern-looking middle-aged man stepped in quietly and bowed low before delivering a whispered report.

After a moment, the old man swallowed the last grape in his mouth, smacked his lips, and muttered,

"Tsk, tsk… Lioncrest and Stephen… they've really disgraced the mage profession this time."

"Such disgraceful methods. I doubt there's precedent even in the darkest corners of our kingdom's history."

The middle-aged man said nothing in response. He was like a silent instrument—dutiful, emotionless.

"The boy—Alan—he's already en route to Kent Kingdom, is he not?" the elder asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The old man pondered for a moment, then gave a new command.

"Investigate that white-robed woman who appeared beside Stephen. Also, send the Night Knights to covertly accompany Alan. Make sure they remain unseen—not even the Kent locals should notice them."

He paused… then smiled and changed his mind.

"No… never mind."

"That woman's sensory abilities are terrifyingly sharp. She'll sense them anyway."

"In that case, I'll go myself."

The old man stood slowly, brushing off his robes.

"After all," he said with a twinkle in his eye, "that boy proved his loyalty to the kingdom back in Ironblood City. Now… it's time the kingdom repaid that debt."