"Four days ago, my battalion was ambushed. I was the only one who survived. From interrogations, I learned someone had leaked our location and timing. I also learned of Mordune's hidden outpost. So I went alone. I infiltrated it."
He pointed at the severed head of Grayson Berk lying on the desk among blood-soaked documents. "That's Grayson Berk. Commander of Mordune's Third Legion. I beheaded him after interrogating him. And from his own mouth came the name Kaelen Valobry. After killing him, I searched his tent for proof. This is what I found."
The story was so unbelievable, so reckless and yet successful, that several listeners fell silent in awe. To infiltrate the enemy camp alone, kill a legion commander, and return with his head and evidence? That was the stuff of legends.
"That proves nothing!" Orville snapped, though his voice was less certain than before. "Grayson Berk could have forged all this to frame Commander Kaelen! Or… or you forged it yourself! The whole story is nonsense! One man infiltrating the entire Mordune camp, killing its commander, and escaping with evidence? Ridiculous!"
"Exactly!" Grendel shouted, regaining his nerve. "This is too convenient! You kill our commander, then bring evidence you claim came from the enemy to justify yourself! The proper procedure is to detain you now and investigate everything thoroughly!"
Several heads nodded, though hesitantly. Another officer, Lieutenant Renfrew, stepped forward with a loud voice, "Enough! Guards, seize him! Take him to solitary confinement! We cannot allow a murderer like him to walk free, no matter what fairy tale he spins!"
The order hung in the air. Some guards glanced at their higher-ranking superiors, unsure.
Bastian gave a thin, humorless smile. "In all this confusion, with evidence of treason sitting at your feet, the loudest call for immediate action comes from the man known as the traitor's right hand."
Renfrew paled. "Silence! You're the traitor! I only want justice!"
"Or to shut down the investigation?" Bastian cut in. His gaze slid to Orville. "And you, Captain. So eager to call the evidence a trap before anyone touches it. Almost as if you knew what would be found and wanted to stop it."
"I'm just being cautious!" Orville protested, but sweat was beginning to bead on his temple.
"Cautious, or panicked?" Bastian took a step forward. The guards with spears tightened their grip but didn't strike. They were waiting for a clear order from commanders who now looked at each other with uncertainty.
Bastian saw the hesitation and pressed harder. "Think about it. Why would I be stupid enough to kill him in the open? Who benefits? Kaelen is dead, and I stand here beside his corpse with evidence. If I were the traitor, what would I gain? Killing my own commander and then waiting to be arrested? It doesn't make sense."
He pointed at the bag. "But if Kaelen was the traitor and had accomplices, then some of you might have very strong reasons to want this evidence dismissed. Like a lieutenant eager to silence me, or a captain desperate to stop anyone from examining the documents."
Silence fell. Bastian had overturned the entire room. He was no longer the accused surrounded by enemies; he was the prosecutor calling out the guilty. He scanned the crowd, his voice ringing with unshakable authority.
"So let's summarize. You want to arrest and punish the man who, after his entire battalion was slaughtered because of treachery, infiltrated the enemy camp alone, killed their legion commander, uncovered the treason of one of our high-ranking officers, and returned with physical evidence. You want to punish the hero who did all that, simply because his method was… impolite?"
"Shut your mouth, you mad dog! Killing a Legion Commander is still wrong!" Grendel screamed, sweat running down his face.
Bastian ignored him and turned to Sir Torvin, the Head of the Gilded Inquisition, the man responsible for enforcing justice in this war camp. Judging from his earlier behavior, he seemed fair and competent.
Now, suspicion no longer fell only on Bastian. It spread among them.
"We need to investigate this properly," Torvin muttered.
"Of course," Bastian replied quickly. "Investigate it well. Start with those letters. Then check Kaelen's movements and communications over the past month. Look into who visited him late at night. Who received special orders. That should be interesting."
He began walking toward the door, straight toward the line of spears still pointed at him.
The guards holding the spears looked nervous, their eyes darting to the officers. No order to attack came. Torvin gave a small nod to the guard sergeant. Slowly and very carefully, the spears were lowered, opening a path.
Bastian walked past them. At the doorway, he turned around. His voice rang loud and clear, reaching everyone in the corridor.
"You can send people to keep an eye on me. I'll be in my barracks, taking a bath and sleeping. But if anyone wants to try to arrest or interrogate the hero who just beheaded an enemy commander and exposed their highest-ranking spy, feel free to come."
His smile returned, sharp and unsettling.
"But bring more people than this. And prepare your wills."
He left. His steps were steady as he moved through the corridor filled with confused soldiers.
Inside the room, the silence finally broke. Torvin found his voice. "Sir Marcus, secure all this evidence. Assign a double escort for Sir Bastian immediately. Sir Renfrew, you are to be confined to your quarters until further examination. Sir Orville, Sir Grendel, both of you will remain inside the headquarters complex. No one leaves their post without my permission."
Renfrew shouted back, "Why us, Torvin? Have you lost your mind? Why aren't you detaining that mad dog too?"
'Because that mad dog radiates killing intent that makes even my skin crawl,' Torvin answered in his heart. And the evidence Bastian brought looked genuine, his reasoning sound, his explanations coherent.
And there is no way that mad dog could escape this city.