804 King of Caucasus Part 2 (2/2)

The Caucasus warriors who participated in the trial had not showed any fear. All of them answered the mages' questions right in front of the mages. A lot of them were arrested right there and then. They were notified of the trial taking place that day on a short notice. That resulted in having to mobilize forces the size of a camp, to make up for the lack of personnel guarding the south of the city.

The Caucasus warriors did not have their gear confiscated. Their gear stayed with them. The only difference between them and the other warriors on that day, was that they were made to sit at the most front row of seats.

Under the protection of her trusted Caucasian warriors and mages, Sika came to the grandstand which Saleen used to sit at. In the arena in front of her eyes, there was the arrested Caucasus people to be tried, numbering over one-thousand, in chains.

A white-robed mage went to check the sound amplification magic array and the imaging magic array. The nobles entered their respective boxes or grandstands with a better view. Most of them brought their own guards.

They knew well of Saleen's temperament: Saleen had a liking for nobles with a preference for martial affairs. Nobles bringing servants along were seen in a far less favorable light than those bringing their own guards.

The magic array right in the middle was a lie-detecting magic array. The magic itself was not a high level one, and as such, there had yet to be anyone who would have used such magic with an array. Sika was probably the first to pull off such a feat.

Seeing all those Caucasus warriors being tied up afar, Sika felt her own gaze to be a cold one. She was not such a cold person herself, but why would any of them want to do something so cruel to her?

She thanked her own swiftness to act. With so many warriors within the walls approving the thoughts of the Northern Caucasus people, the gate might just have ended up being breached otherwise. While it was still far from possible for the Caucasus people to take the entire city simply because they had breached one gate, the problem laid with the damage Saleen's reputation would have suffered if Metatrin City was to be successfully breached by the enemy.

Power had the ability of driving people astray. There would sure have been a lot of priests mushrooming among the Caucasus outside the city, making those elders think they were capable of steering things to their favor.

While Sika had little actual experience with the awakening of the power of humanity, she nonetheless felt it. She had given little thought to the news of priests appearing outside the city. After cross-referencing that piece of news with other intelligence, her instinct stirred as she picked up the scent of danger lurking.

Once Caucasus warriors had priests on their sides, it would prove a much greater threat than swordsman having mages at their sides.

Kredian activated the sound amplification magic array once everything was in place. Sika's voice reverberated throughout the area. Everyone within was able to hear her clearly.

”What is taking place today is something unexpected to me. Someone told me that Caucasus people outside the city, wanted to do me, a nature priestess, harm,” Sika's words proved to be frightening. All the nobles present found it to be unbelievable. The Caucasus people, numbering over one-thousand, who had been arested arrested and displayed within the arena, all looked too dejected to make a show of power.

”I had always thought that Caucasus had preserved the sense of honor passed down from ancient times. Come to think of it now, I was naive,” Sika's words were scripted by the mages. If they were to leave her to it, her speech would have sounded too straightforward to make clear the importance of the trial.

”I had people locking down the gates and mobilized forces equivalent to an army. I did not choose to start a war, as I wished that all this was not true...but I was wrong!”

Sika looked down on the Caucasus who attempted to have her submit to their will from afar, and continued, ”I'm a priestess. It is my duty to be of service. Such service does not include giving up my children. The Caucasus people outside the city wanted to take everything away from me, without giving any thought if what they intended to take, belonged to them.”

The Caucasus people in chains were placed within the silencing magic array. No one was able to speak up and interrupt her speech.

Sika continued speaking with a loud voice, ”What was most despicable about them was that they wanted my children. That was only because the father of the children, was none other than the king of Metatrin, Saleen,”. Sika turned her gaze to the nobles nearby and said, ”Your lord gave generous aid to the Caucasus people because of me, yet such aid was returned with betrayal.”

Sika took a break as she looked tired, before continuing, ”I will not tolerate this, as I have my pride to defend. As a Caucasus person myself, I felt deeply ashamed. As such, I will not proceed with the trial as a priest, as I'm unable to do so. I declare, from this day forward, I shall be the true Caucasus King. The bloodline of the Caucasus Kingdom, will from now, until the end of days, be of the house of Metatrin.”

The faces of over one-thousand silenced Caucasus warriors despaired as Sika finished. They had not expected that the elders' plan had led to Sika making such a decision.

”Now, I shall proceed with your trial as King of Caucasus. Mages, begin!”, Sika leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes as she finished.

All the Caucasus warriors present among the audience were in shock. They had thought the questioning was little more than a loyalty test. It was rumored that any who wished to join the temple guards were to participate in such tests. All Caucasus questioned simply thought that they were chosen to join the ranks of the most powerful army of Metatrin City.

No one made any noise. Sika slumped in her seat, looking tired, weak, and wronged. Caucasus people who were loyal to her felt pity for her.

Sika gave a lot, even letting a man she loved marry a princess instead of staying by her side. With all that having taken place, she was at a loss of words. It was time for the mages to work.

The Caucasus warriors chose to be silent and cast their gaze at the front of the stage: that large magic array.