Cursed Heir System: Revenge Against the Gods-Chapter 41. Open Bounty

"Of course, my first son Alane Fitzgerald died in the carriage accident," Thomas said, defending himself. "It happened on his twelfth birthday. You all know the story."

Velmira turned slowly toward Thalina with her trembling pink eyes. "Bishop Thalina," she said like almost pleading, "is what you’re saying true?"

Everyone turned back to the young bishop. Thalina looked at Thomas, who looked back at her with a barely masked panic, silently begging her not to reveal the secret about his son.

But Thalina ignored it with a small smile.

"I’m sorry, Lord Thomas," she said sweetly into the mana-infused microphone. "But Alane Fitzgerald did not die in a carriage accident."

Sharra smiled softly, Duke Liam Dubost leaned forward, frowning. Danel Verdelane scowled as he whispered something to Louis behind him.

Elizabethe, the old woman, also the Water Champion, looked thunderstruck; she still remembers the kind boy asking her questions about being a champion.

Alan scratched his cheek like a bored kid watching his parents fight. "Wow. I became the talk of town again. That’s great, I guess."

But beneath the sarcastic mutter, there was a hint of genuine relief. His face had changed too much now and nobody could recognize him.

Well... almost nobody.

He glanced at Anna, who was still frozen in her seat, shock widening her crimson eyes.

In the second block, Janet Verdelane leaned back in her chair with a wide smile. "Damn... This is better than court drama."

Sofia, who’s sitting in the second block, looked half amused, half unimpressed, her chin resting on one palm. "Another scandal. This city never runs out of drama."

Meanwhile, near the entrance, Moriko blinked rapidly as guards started whispering about Alane, whom she doesn’t know.

"Who’s Alane Fitzgerald?" she asked with her ears twitching in curiosity.

One of the older guards from House Dubost beside her, keeping his voice low, replied, "He was the first son of Duke Thomas. They say he was destined to be the next Sun Champion before he died in an accident."

Moriko’s mouth formed an ’O.’ "So he’s like, that guy? That guy’s? That sun guy’s brother?"

"Yes." 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

"Ohhhh..." she said, dragging the sound out like this was suddenly much more exciting.

Back on the raised platform, Velmira turned to Thalina again with her voice cracking. "Then... where is he? What happened to him?"

The gold-haired priestess hesitated for a moment and sighed softly.

"The truth is, Alane was not blessed on his Rite of Ascension," she said nonchalantly.

"Despite being heir to the Sun Champion’s legacy, he showed no divine sign. Lord Thomas chose to hide this, so he sent him to the private prisons under the pretense of accident. And before the execution could be carried out, the boy escaped. We found bloodied clothes in the forest and assumed he was dead."

Gasps rang out again as more nobles stood. A few priests muttered prayers under their breath.

And Velmira... collapsed back into her seat, her manicured nails dug into her arms hard enough to draw blood. "You...you told me he died peacefully," she whispered to Thomas. Her voice escalated to a scream, "YOU LIED TO ME!"

Alan stared at her, baffled. Why the hell is she crying? He thought while glancing at the girl who just moments ago sat like a noble rose and is now crying for him.

The nobles surged with renewed fury now, like bloodhounds who finally scented truth. They started accusing Duke Thomas without a gap.

"Is that true, Thomas? You lied about your son’s death?"

"What else have you hidden, Duke?!"

Thomas surged to his feet in frustration, knocking over his chair. "This is slander! Thalina, you overstep your station as bishop!" His face purpled with rage. "I’ll have the Church tribunal review-"

And then a loud BANG echoed through the entire hall. A single, loud thud echoed as someone slammed their fist on the thick ceremonial table behind Thomas, which stopped everything happening there; everyone was silent suddenly.

And then everyone turned to Kaelen Fitzgerald.

No one had noticed him; no one remembered seeing him enter the hall. But there he was, sitting behind Thomas’s seat like he owned the room.

His black hair hung over his face, and his long coat made his presence even more powerful. When he stood, it felt like the whole room grew colder.

"Why are you guys fighting like dogs? Will everyone all shut the fuck up? You act like you’ve never lied, at least we had the decency to kill our failures quietly."

His voice wasn’t loud, but it came from a sun champion that could make every noble there shiver and gulp. Everyone obeyed and got back to their seats.

He stepped forward, lifting his head, and his blue eyes burned with fury, glowing faintly like fire behind a storm.

"Yes, it’s true," he said, almost lazily. "Alane didn’t die in a carriage accident—he was unblessed, and sentenced to death."

Whispers started again, but he raised a single hand, which made them die.

"We tried to erase him silently with mercy. But that devil escaped before his execution." His jaw tightened. "Now you know. I apologize for the message by my house."

Even nobles from rival factions looked uneasy now, and Kaelen then turned to the golden-haired priestess.

"Do the gods want him dead?" he asked coolly, like asking for an offer.

Thalina met his gaze with a cheerful smile. "No," she said clearly. "They said the cursed child cannot be killed. So, we have to capture him alive, and the Judgment God himself will descend to judge him in person."

As Thalina spoke, Alan’s fingers curled into fists with his eyes widened. The Judgment of God himself?

A murmur of awe rippled through the hall. The prospect of witnessing a god in the flesh electrified the nobles, their eyes wide with anticipation. Of course, who wouldn’t be happy to see God directly?

Kaelen’s lips curled into a cold smile, and his blue eyes glinted with determination. "Then I’ll bring him," he said while he turned to the hall and addressed the whole assembly. "I’ll hunt my brother down and drag him to Teranese myself. Will that satisfy you all?" he asked, almost mockingly.

The hall fell into a tense silence after Kaelen’s declaration—until a loud, mocking laugh cut through the air.

Paul Petersen, rose from his seat in the first block. His lips twisted into a sneer as he cracked his knuckles.

"This isn’t some children’s game, Sun Champion," he drawled. "Even if you’re the Church’s golden boy, you don’t get to claim this hunt for yourself."

Kaelen’s icy gaze locked onto him, but Paul didn’t flinch. He turned to Thalina instead, crossing his arms.

"Bishop," he said, grinning like a wolf scenting blood, "is this hunt open to all? Or are we just letting Fitzgerald clean up his own mess?"*

"Of course it’s open, Champion Petersen," she purred. "The gods care only for results. And to ensure... motivation, the Church has placed a bounty on Alane Fitzgerald’s capture."

"Whoever delivers him to us will earn not just gold, but the favor of the Twelve. A favor that could... influence the Monarch’s Competition."