The Debt Of Fate-Chapter 305: His Claim

Second Region

The second region was already restless when the news spread that King Edward was coming to lead the battle himself. Lord Aureline felt the pressure immediately. The people were no longer fully on his side. Whispers followed him wherever he went, and doubt filled the streets. Many now questioned his claim to the throne, and even some of his own men had begun to hesitate.

Fear settled deep in Lord Aureline’s heart.

King Edward was loved by the army, and his presence alone could turn the tide of the war. Aureline knew that if the king arrived and the people stood against him, his fall would come quickly.

He had no choice but to seek the young seer for advice.

"What would happen during the battle?" Lord Aureline asked. He was scared that his men might turn against him and offer him to the king for a chance to save themselves.

The young seer looked at Lord Aureline. He had told him to be patient, but he never listened. Although frustrated, the young seer still began to chant. After all, his future and that of Lord Aureline were tied together.

"Don’t worry. The war is far from being over. Besides, your death is not close yet," the young seer said. He had limited sight and felt he was missing an important piece, which made his divination incomplete.

"Are you sure?" Lord Aureline was not comforted by a few words.

"If you trust the Old Gods, then continue to plan for the battle," the young seer said. He did not have time to comfort him.

"Of course I trust the gods," Lord Aureline bowed. He realized he had asked a foolish question. It was the gods themselves who chose him; he should not die at the hands of King Edward.

The next morning, news of King Edward’s departure from the royal city arrived. Although Lord Aureline was still fearful, he had come this far and could not give up. So he called a meeting and began to discuss defense.

While Lord Aureline was discussing defense plans, a trusted aide rushed in. "My Lord, great news," he said breathlessly.

Lord Aureline frowned at his actions, but hearing that he had great news, he decided to ignore his behavior.

"Speak."

"By chance, I made an unexpected discovery," he said. "I found a stranger hiding near the outskirts of the estate. He was trying to sneak in when I caught him. He was frightened but desperate, and he carried something valuable."

The trusted aide took a deep breath. What he left out was the fact that he had been trying to sneak out of the estate himself. Feeling that Lord Aureline could not win and fearing for his life, he had decided to leave before the battle, only to run into the man.

"He carries evidence. According to him, the late King George murdered his own brother, Crown Prince Christopher, in order to take the throne. He has letters and records, and he is a witness who can support the claim. He stayed silent for years out of fear, but with war coming and power changing hands, he no longer wished to hide. He said he took the chance to sneak into the estate to deliver the news," the trusted aide said.

When Lord Aureline heard this, he found it hard to believe at first. Then he remembered the old seer’s words. The seer had said the gods rejected King George and his family, but he never explained why. If King George had truly killed his brother, then it was clear why the gods would reject him.

"Bring the man in. I will question him myself," Lord Aureline commanded. Although he believed the story, he was not foolish enough to act without investigation.

If the news was true, it was like giving a man a warm blanket on a cold winter night. He would have a more justified cause to overthrow Edward.

The man was brought in under heavy guard. He was old, his back bent with age, and his clothes were worn from years of hiding. Yet his eyes were clear and steady. When he bowed, it was with the respect of a man who had once served a true master.

"I was a guard to Crown Prince Christopher," the man said quietly. "I followed him from his youth until the day he died."

The room fell silent.

Lord Aureline leaned forward. "Do you have any proof of your identity?" he asked. Prince Christopher had been dead for years; anyone could create a plot around his name.

"Yes." As he spoke, the man brought out an old token. Since he had served very closely to the crown prince, he possessed a token of identity. He passed it to the guard beside him.

The guard took it and brought it to Lord Aureline.

Lord Aureline examined the token. Being from the royal bloodline himself, he recognized it. After confirming its origin, he turned back to the man. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Speak carefully," he said. "If you lie, you will not leave this place alive."

"I have no reason to lie," the old guard replied. "I have carried this truth for many years."

"The prince’s death never made sense to me. On that day, I followed His Highness on a royal hunt. The person in charge of the preparations was his brother, so we were relaxed. Moreover, His Highness was a skilled man of war. But I witnessed everything myself. The way the two princes became separated from the guards was strange. The official story said Christopher was killed by a wild bear during the hunt. At the time, everyone accepted it, but I noticed strange details."

"At first, I thought it was carelessness," the old guard said. "But then I saw patterns."

He told Lord Aureline that before the bear attack, there had been other attempts on the prince’s life. A horse saddle had been cut. A cup of wine once tasted bitter before it reached the prince’s lips. Each time, the danger passed, and they thought it was coincidence. But the strange thing was that the second prince was always present during those moments.

"Once, we were attacked by assassins, and the second prince took a knife for His Highness. Because of that, I never doubted him until His Highness’s death. I began to watch," the old guard continued, "and the more I watched, the clearer it became."

From a hidden pouch, he brought out old letters wrapped in cloth. Some were orders sealed with the late king’s mark. Others were notes exchanged between palace officials. They spoke of removing obstacles, securing the throne, and a hunt that must not fail.

"The bear attack was planned," the old guard said. "The beast was driven toward the prince. The guards were deliberately misled. When the prince fell, help was delayed."

Lord Aureline’s fingers tightened as he read the letters.

"I was not the only one who investigated," the old guard said softly. "But those who asked questions disappeared. Even Her Highness, the crown princess, was not spared. I knew I would be next, so I fled. Since then, I have spent years gathering proof. I waited for the right moment."

He raised his head and met Lord Aureline’s eyes. "If the truth is revealed, the blood on King George’s hands will be seen by all, and his son’s right to the throne will be questioned."

The room remained silent for a long moment.

Lord Aureline slowly stood. The fear that had weighed on him began to lift, replaced by cold focus.

If this truth reached the people, King Edward would no longer stand as a rightful ruler, but as the son of a murderer.

This was not just hope.

This was a weapon.

There were times when Lord Aureline doubted the gods’ proclamation of his kingship, but this moment made everything clear to him.

"Prepare quarters for our guest and make sure he is well taken care of," Lord Aureline instructed. The old guard could not die; he was an important witness to the late king’s crime.

He immediately took the evidence and went to speak to the young seer.

"Can you verify this guard’s words?" Lord Aureline asked. Although he believed the story, he refused to abandon caution.

"It is true," the young seer said, not bothering to touch the evidence.

"You have always known this?" Lord Aureline frowned. Something so important—why had he not spoken earlier?

"I knew, but I had no evidence. The gods have brought the proof our way. Now gather the soldiers. We will spread the news and cleanse the second region of the gods’ wrath. The son of a murderer cannot sit on the throne," the young seer said. What he did not say was that his master the old seer was the one who aided the lat king. Hence there was need for the cleansing.

Lord Aureline’s frown eased when he heard the response. Without evidence, no one would have believed his claims. Moreover, if he had acted without proof, the king might have moved faster to erase his own guilt.