The Lich of Glory Knight Spirit: Moving towards Krimasha!

Belle fell behind, slowly following.

As for those four Liches, they had already started discussing.

"Have you been here before?"

"No, never. This place looks quite nice, though. The statues are all fierce-looking, not at all righteous."

"Hmmm… Maybe the Blood Clan Elders want others to think they're fierce?"

"So what are we supposed to do?"

"Just stand here, we'll stand behind Jones. It shows we support him, then we don't have to do anything else."

"Alright, that sounds simple."

Everyone from various families had already walked up the steps, except for the Sambo family.

Jones had been quietly monitoring them all along the way. He noticed Adelle seemed to be chatting with his father. It didn't seem pleasant. Adelle wanted to leave, maybe walk towards Jones, but Prince Louis held his hand.

Jones unconsciously stopped, watching from a distance.

Belle hurried to Jones's side, whispering, "Something feels off."

"You mean the Sambo family?"

"No, something else." Belle lowered her voice and said, "Someone just ran up and asked for the money back for the dinner reservation. Previously, they were desperate to dine with you, but now they come asking for their money back... I found it quite unbelievable."

Jones's gaze slowly shifted to the side, seeing a plump Blood Clan member in a tuxedo happily kissing the bank notes.

"Hello." A voice suddenly sounded.

Jones turned his face, seeing a tall Blood Clan member with a mustache in a tuxedo. He looked like a butler.

"Hello." The person repeated softly, then added, "I am the Rizzo family's butler. There's some urgent matter at home, the master asked me to bring the young miss back immediately."

"An urgent matter at home?"

"Yes, an urgent matter." Saying this, the butler went to grab Belle's wrist.

Belle was startled, quickly stepping back.

The scene fell into a stalemate.

Jones calmly watched the flustered butler, "He isn't your family's butler?"

"He is." Belle whispered, "But... what urgent matter could there be? Father shouldn't be at the High Court, should he?"

"The master asked you to go back quickly, young miss." The butler reiterated.

"I'll go back after attending the hearing."

"No, the master's intention is immediately, no delays."

"I'll say it again, I'll go back after the hearing, it won't take long."

"The master..."

Before the butler could finish, Jones stepped in front of Belle, coldly saying, "Belle said she'll go back after the hearing. Is there a problem?"

Immediately, the four Liches gathered around tactfully.

The butler was dumbfounded, retreating a step, silently bowing. He didn't dare say anything more.

Holding Belle's hand, Jones led his group further up the stairs, leaving the stunned butler standing there.

"Lord Jones, I think there's something wrong." Dora quietly said to Jones.

"Yes, I feel it too." Jones replied softly.

Looking around, the attitudes of those around seemed to have abruptly changed.

Especially the Ganggro family, didn't they want to ally with Jones? At this moment, Tiris's occasional looks at Jones carried a hint of smugness.

And the Sambo family... Wait, where's Adelle?

Jones's eyes widened abruptly.

Yes, the seven princes were all here, but Adelle was gone!

Realizing this, Belle also suddenly panicked.

Dora whispered, "Lord Jones, what should we do?"

What to do? What else could they do?

*Standing at the Blood Castle's gates, what else could they do?*

Jones could only continue stiffly, led by Adelle's butler onward.

Passing the steps and towering walls, next was a spacious plaza.

A deserted, silent plaza. At its center was a fountain frozen for who knows how many years. This puzzled Jones, even questioning if this castle had been here originally.

Large groups of Blood Clan members walked up the steps, leaving faint footprints in the snow-covered plaza before entering the main entrance.

Next was a long passage. Rough stone bricks underfoot, arched stone rings above. Beyond the railings on either side was a frozen garden. Yes, a frozen garden, the vegetation intact, all covered in a layer of whitish frost, looking like it would shatter if touched.

Jones quickly noticed something.

"There's no one here?"

"This is where the elders reside."

"No, I mean those who serve the elders. I haven't seen a single one. No guards, no servants."

"Hmmm..." Adelle's butler hesitated, "I don't know, I've been here with the young master a few times, always like this."

Gradually, those attending the hearing gathered at the end of the passage before a massive stone door.

At that moment, Adelle suddenly squeezed through from afar, running all the way. Several Sambo family guards chased him, looking extremely disheveled.

The guards halted upon exchanging glances with Jones, not daring to move forward.

Reaching Jones's side, Adelle panted, "They... they said, your foster father is dead. The one sitting on the Lich King's throne is your brother, Richie."

Hearing this, Jones was instantly stunned.

Adelle continued, "My father told me to immediately distance myself from you. Even the Sambo family's investments in Giant Snake City, they're ready to abandon them. This decision was made by all seven princes. Is it true?"

Saying this, Adelle wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth in panic, then stared blankly at Jones.

All around was silent, everyone quietly awaiting the stone door to open.

Belle was shocked. But Dora, Goya, and the Liches, Jones's confidants, were calm. They had known this news long ago.

Jones remained silent for a while before asking, "Does whether my foster father is alive have any bearing on this hearing?"

"I... I don't know, this news is too sudden, I haven't figured out the chain reactions. The key is... this news comes from the Elder Council..." Adelle urgently patted his forehead, "First tell me if this news is true."

Before Jones could answer, a piercing rumble suddenly echoed. Vibrations shook, scattering bits from the ceiling. The stone door slowly opened.

A vast, ancient hall, resembling an arena, appeared before them.

Round-shaped, as they entered through the stone door, continuing along the stone path was a platform in the hall center covered in totem carvings. Surrounding the platform were tiered seats, enough for everyone.

Directly in front of them, at the platform center, was a suspended balcony. On it were rows of stone high-back chairs, the center one taller than the rest.

At this moment, figures were already seated on those high-back chairs. Whether shadowed or by some magic power, Jones couldn't discern their faces, nor who they were.

The Blood Clan members attending the hearing swarmed past Jones, entering the stone door and moving up the tiered seats on either side.

In an instant, only Jones's group remained outside the stone door. Surrounding them, the area was empty.

Adelle and Belle both wore faces of terror.

Jones stood still, silently meeting the distant figures on the balcony.

The Blood Clan members seated in the audience quietly watched Jones, the atmosphere frozen in an instant.

"I understand." After a while, Jones extended a hand towards Dora behind him, "The materials."

"Which ones do you need, Lord Jones?"

"All of them."

"Alright." Dora quickly handed over a thick stack of materials prepared for this hearing.

Taking the materials, Jones gripped them tightly, and in front of the elders, tore them all apart. Then, he casually tossed the pieces aside.

"Let's go inside."

Amidst the flying papers, Jones led his group toward the hall center, in the bewildered gazes of the Blood Clan members.