Chapter 252
Chapter 253 Hollow Kindness.
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Every man in the room held different thoughts, yet they shared one identical assumption: kind-hearted people were soft-hearted and easy to manipulate.
“Your perspective truly puts us all to shame, Ms. Kaelin p>
“You are such a rare soul. It is remarkable that such harsh living conditions could forge a character like yours p>
Lyra’s eyelid twitched.
While the others kept spouting stiff compliments, her mind raced. She needed to shift the conversation fast, or cook up some more believable lie to gloss over her previous words.
Suddenly, she frowned.
Yoren and Rainer noticed the change first.
Yoren spoke up sooner. “Ms. Kaelin, are you alright p>
His question silenced the whole room at once.
Lyra forced a strained smile.
“…I may need to excuse myself for a moment p>
She pressed one hand to her stomach and hunched slightly forward. Her meaning was plain.
She would slip away to buy time. By the time she returned for the meal, surely there would be no more endless empty talk.
“I thought you might be feeling physically unwell,” Yoren said.
Lyra tugged at the corner of her mouth. “I drank too much beverage during the meal p>
One supreme judge jumped in smoothly. “We have rambled on far too long.
“It is not every day we meet a Tier-3S Guide. We got carried away in our excitement.
“You have been out for quite some time. You ought to go rest.
“We have learned a great deal from you today. We can continue this discussion another time p>
Lyra nodded and stood, offering them another round of grateful gestures.
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The assistant from earlier opened the door and guided her out.
As she walked, Lyra waved goodbye politely to the nine supreme judges, the head of the Legislative Council, the cabinet president, and Rainer.
Her gaze lingered a little longer on Yoren.
The senior officials seated inside noticed nothing. They wore eerily benevolent smiles, as though possessed by some ghost.
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Once the door clicked shut, Yoren turned his attention back to the room, ready to hear what else these men intended to say.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Rainer studying him intently on the side display screen.
Yoren kept his expression neutral and gave a small nod of acknowledgment.
Rainer dropped his stare, propped his head up with one hand, and looked at the rest of the group with obvious impatience.
“Can we adjourn this meeting p>
The head of the Legislative Council shot him a glance. “Commander Knox, you hold critical assignments. You are required to stay for discussions concerning your duties p>
Rainer’s tone turned cold and sarcastic. “You people sure love holding meetings p>
Do you get a medal for having the longest one?
Ignoring his jab, the head of the Legislative Council turned toward Yoren.
“How did you first learn about Ms. Kaelin’s abilities p>
Yoren had expected this question.
He stated plainly that Lyra had told him herself.
Their connection traced back to his younger brother Marcel on that Grade-two planet.
He had gone straight to the Guides’ residential district to meet her that day, never trying to hide that fact from anyone.
When they heard Lyra had shared such a vital secret just to beg for Hadrien’s release, every man present realized just how much that Sentinel meant to her.
The cabinet president looked over at Rainer with a knowing, smug smile,
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“This man once served under you, Commander Knox. You certainly know how to manage your subordinates well p>
Rainer met the thinly veiled taunt with a flat voice. “That is to be expected. I have no use for men driven by reckless ambition in my ranks p>
The fake smile dropped right off the cabinet president’s face.
Seemingly oblivious to the sudden icy tension in the room, one supreme judge said, “In that case, Commander Knox, you must recuse yourself. You will not be given access to the restraint device’s passcode for Hadrien p>
Rainer’s expression darkened.
“He was transferred out from under me years ago. Why all this suspicion? What exactly are you trying to threaten p>
The supreme judge maintained a calm, unruffled air. “You misunderstand, Commander Knox. The restraint is only meant to quiet public rumors and ensure he can focus fully on protecting his Guide p>
Rainer curled his lips into a mocking grin.
“Do any of you actually believe that p>
The head of the Legislative Council sighed dramatically. “Time has passed, yet your temper remains unchanged. It seems you will soon clear out the threats within the quarantine zones. The Federation is fortunate to have you leading our forces p>
At that blatantly hollow praise, Rainer’s face turned as black as soot. He could no longer hold back his frustration.
“If you truly mean that, send us a Guide right away. Or stop deliberately delaying shipments of suppressors and other critical supplies. Do you have any idea how many of my men suffer breakdowns every single day from excessive contamination p>
He twisted the camera toward the view outside his office window.
Anger sharpened every word he spoke.
“You all sit comfortably in your chairs, spouting empty speeches and pretending you have done your duty; is that it p>
Faced with his furious outburst, the officials fell silent.
Some even closed their eyes, pretending not to hear.
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Only a pair of supreme judges responded.
“We will assign investigators to follow up and push these matters along p>
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That dismissive, casual reply pushed Rainer over the edge. He slammed his fist straight into the transmission camera.
The video feed cut to black.
Only then did the head of the Legislative Council speak in a calm tone. “Very well. Let us move on and settle the details of that restraint device p>
Back on her side, Lyra caught sight of that familiar, reliable figure. She nearly sprinted forward in excitement.
Mid-stride, fragments of that morning’s scene flashed across her mind like a rapid slideshow.
Her blood seemed to freeze. She skidded to a halt.
She could not bring herself to meet his eyes, yet could not tear her gaze away either.
Hadrien had changed into new clothing.
His black-and-silver uniform looked like a sharp, dangerous blade hidden within the dark of night.
Broad shoulders, narrow waist, long legs-every line highlighted his flawless, striking physique.
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Lucia Morh
Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.