"Is that the truth?" The Saint Knight asked the other Royal Knights as well.
All the Royal Knights agreed. There was no way they would say otherwise after all.
After receiving the confirmation, the Saint Knight didn't need to know anything. He had already received all the answers he needed. He chose to believe his Knights over a stranger.
"Young man, it's good to be young and energetic, but using that energy to attack a Knight through such vile methods?"
The Saint Knight hadn't used much suppression initially, but with time, it was clear that he was getting angry.
Gabriel could feel some kind of suppression acting on his body, which was only getting stronger. Since the Saint Knight didn't have an element, Gabriel was convinced that he was using an artifact for such suppression. He wanted to bring Gabriel down to his knees to show him that there were mountains beyond mountains.
"Saint Knight, may I ask you something?" Gabriel asked. Even though the suppression didn't affect him with the kind of strength he possessed, he still pretended to struggle to stand under the suppression.
"Hmm? Ask." The Saint Knight nodded. Still, he didn't stop his suppression, slightly surprised that Gabriel was able to remain standing.
"With whom does your loyalty lie?" Gabriel asked. A Saint Knight wasn't a position that was given to a Royal just because of their title. It was a position that was given to the strongest Warrior of the Empire, so even though the Saint Knight had such influence, he wasn't a Noble.
"Is that even a question? My loyalty lies with our Empire! It lies to our Royal Family!" The Saint Knight declared.
"Which Royal Family?" Gabriel asked, slightly changing his question. "Does your loyalty lie to the real Royal Family, the descendants of the Saint King who established this Empire from scratch? Or does your loyalty lie to the Traitors that schemed against the true heirs and killed them?"
"Hmm?" Not only the Saint Knight but everyone else here was also stunned. Was this guy really calling the current Royal Family Traitors?
"Nonsense! You dare call the Royal Clan traitors?" The Saint Knight was furious, hearing such insults. Ever since the Arecia Clan was wiped, there was only one Royal Clan! As the Sword and Shield of this Empire, he couldn't bear hearing insults to the Emperor!
In his anger, the Saint Knight stopped holding back. This kind of disrespect... And that too in public... There was no need to arrest this person! This kind of disrespect only deserved one punishment... Death!
The Saint Knight pulled out his Sword. Within a blink of an eye, he was right before Gabriel, swinging the Heavy Sword that was strong enough to cut him in two halves.
As if Gabriel had already expected this, he was prepared to call out the Sword of Ulien. If he wanted, he could just use magic to protect himself, but before Avilia, he didn't. For now, he was only a Knight who relied on his strength and his treasures!
"Huh?" Gabriel was about to bring out the Sword of Ulien to block the attack, but he didn't as he saw another person appear before him. It was a woman who appeared before him as if she was a ghost.
The Saint Knight hastily stopped his attack, jumping back. He didn't want to harm that woman.
"Lady Avilia, what are you doing?!" he exclaimed.
Not only him, but even Gabriel was also slightly shocked. Avilia jumped in to protect him? Why? Not only did she not attack him, but she also stopped the Saint Knight?
"I'm curious what he has to say," Avilia lazily stated. "Let him speak."
From her tone, it was evident that she didn't put any of the warriors of the Empire in her eyes. If she wanted, she could easily eliminate them all.
Even the Saint Knight knew about her abilities. He knew that if his Sword had even touched the Holy Priestess of Summoning even a little just a moment ago, the entire city would've been destroyed by now.
"Lady Avilia, you are the guest of our Empire. You've been invited by His Majesty himself. Do you really want this man to keep disrespecting our Emperor? Who is this man even? What right does he have to criticize our Royal Family?" Saint Knight asked.
"That's for him to answer," Avilia shrugged as she walked back again, leaving the discussion between the two men.
'This woman... Is she using this for her entertainment?' Gabriel wondered. There seemed no other reason for her to help him.
From what he had heard about Avilia, she was a very unorthodox Holy Priestess, not really caring about anyone. All she cared about was not being bored. Wherever she had an opportunity to have entertainment, she did it, even if it offended many people.
Gabriel wondered if it was the same here. If she saw their conflict as entertainment for her, this could explain why she helped him. For her, if he were dead, this entertainment would've been over. By protecting him, she protected herself in a way.
'It doesn't matter why she's helping me for now. What matters is using this opportunity. Things might even be better now than I expected...' Gabriel glanced at Avilia. Avilia's face didn't have many expressions, but in her eyes, Gabriel could see amusement.
"Young man, answer me! Who do you think you are to criticize the Royal Family?" Even if the Saint Knight couldn't kill Gabriel, he knew he could still arrest the person and kill him after Avilia was gone. However, before that, he wanted his answers!
Just who was this man? Why wasn't he scared of offending the Royal Family? Did the man not fear death? Where was his confidence coming from? And why did it look like he hated the Royal Family? What did the conflict between the Arecia Clan and the current Royal Family have to do with him? And lastly, why was he calling the current Royal Family traitors? There were many questions in his head.
Since it was happening in the main district of the city, such a commotion attracted even more attention. There were already thousands of people in the crowd, watching everything.
"Who am I to criticize the current Royal Family? Why should I not criticize the traitors?" Gabriel asked in return.
"The Empire that my Ancestors made... The morals and righteousness that they strived for... Everything that they dreamt for this Empire... Everything has been destroyed! The Knights that were supposed to work for the well-being of mankind act like kings, and the traitors who hold no right now pretend to be the Royal Clan? Who can talk about it if not me, the true heir of the Throne?!"
