Interstellar Beastworld: Raising A Cub With My Mummy System!-Chapter 18: BY THAT LOGIC, HALF THE PALACE IS GUILTY

Magus found Uriel in his private study, standing before the window with his back to the door.

The morning light cast a long shadows across the room.

On the desk behind him sat a data tablet with military information.

"She has confessed.." Magus said from the doorway.

Uriel did not turn. "Who is it ?" 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Varn. Your cousin."

Silence.

The kind of silence that pressed against the walls and made the air feel heavy.

Uriel turned slowly.

His face was calm.

Too calm.

His gold eyes held nothing at all.

"Varn. I thought he couldn’t be anymore stupid.."

"She confessed fully. He threatened her children, paid off old debts, and promised to provide for her family after her death. The poison was his."

Uriel walked to his desk and sat down. He picked up a stylus and turned it over in his fingers.

The movement was slow, deliberate, almost hypnotic.

"She also requested mercy," Magus added carefully. "For her children. She only wants them protected."

"Her children. That’s a bold request.."

"Yes. She does not expect to survive. She only asks that they be allowed to live."

Uriel set the stylus down.

He looked at Magus with those empty gold eyes.

"Kill her. Kill her children. Kill anyone related to her."

Magus blinked. "My prince—"

"Someone who tried to murder my child has people walking around freely. People who share her blood. People who might share her motives or her secrets or her debts." Uriel’s voice was quiet, utterly devoid of emotion. "We cannot have people related to an attempted murderer roaming around."

Magus took a step forward. "Uriel, she was forced. Her children had no knowledge of this. They are innocent."

"Innocent." Uriel repeated the word like it tasted strange. "Her son serves in the guard. Her daughter married into a noble house. They benefited from Varn’s patronage for years. They ate the food she cooked, wore the clothes she bought, and lived in the house his credits paid for. They are not innocent."

"By that logic, half the palace is guilty."

"Perhaps they are. But if she was successful, my child and it’s mother would have been dead. It can’t be excused."

Magus studied his prince’s face.

He had known Uriel since the man was a boy.

He had seen him angry, seen him cold, seen him ruthless in battle.

But this was different.

This was something else entirely.

"The woman is already dead. She knows that. She accepted it the moment she took that poison. But her children did nothing. Killing them serves no purpose except cruelty."

"Purpose." Uriel’s voice sharpened. "The purpose is that no one ever dares touch my child again. The purpose is that every person in this castle remembers what happens to those who threaten my family. The purpose is that Varn watches his schemes crumble and knows that even the people he used will not escape."

"And what of justice? What of the difference between the one who gave the order and the one who had no choice?"

Uriel stood abruptly. The chair scraped against the floor.

"Do not speak to me of justice, Magus. I don’t care, your orders are to kill. If you can’t do it I will send another person." Uriel sat down again, pinching his brows. "You’re off this case, call Kyle, he’ll be in charge of this."

-_-

"My prince. Killing the innocent only creates enemies. Their friends, their colleagues, their remaining family. You will breed resentment where you need loyalty. Is that worth the message?"

Uriel only smiled, he understood Magus worries but he didn’t care.

"That’s enough. I’ve already made my decision, call Kyle and don’t ruin my mood any further."

Magus sighed and nodded, he had done his best to advocate for the release of her children but if Uriel was adamant on killing them.

What could he do?

"I’ll send for Kyle. Is there anything else you need?"

Uriel nodded "Let’s pay a visit to my dear Uncle, it seems their wings had gotten too big. It’s time to cut it. I let Varn play around because he’s still a little kid, now he’s crossed the line. And if a child behaves wrongly, the parents should be scolded. We leave in an hour."

Magus sighed, he hoped Kyle wouldn’t be brought into the equation so fast but what choice did he have now.

"If you’re worried about Kyle jumping on you, I can place a restriction on him. How many years has it been? Can’t you just reject his advances so we can all move on with our lives? If you don’t like him, you don’t like him or maybe you get married so he has no choice but to give up."

Magus lips twitched and then he sighed "What does he even see in an old man like me?"

-_-

"You’re only three years older than me, we all know those streaks of grey hair are inherited.."

"Yes but I’m 10 years older than he is, that’s too big of a gap.."

-_-

Uriel pinched his brows, he really did not want to talk about someone’s love life.

"Kyle’s 21, he’s been chasing around your tail since he was 18. Maybe he’s got his feelings confused, but we both that’s not the case. You’ve been avoiding him for a year now, afraid you’ll hurt his feelings but you’re only just delaying the inevitable. Now if you don’t want to call Kyle, will you be exterminating the family yourself then?"

Magus lips formed a thin line.

Uriel was right, he had already declined an order so he couldn’t decline calling Kyle unless he wanted to take the job himself.

"I’ll call him. But at least make him busy so he can’t see me."

Uriel smiled and then crossed his arms "I’m thinking of giving him a job here. We’re not at war so it makes no sense for a kid like him to be at the frontlines. I want him to be my child’s bodyguard."

-_-

Magus stared at him blankly "You want the man I’m trying to avoid be your child’s bodyguard?" Where no matter how hard I try I’ll always come into contact with him.."

-_-

"Yes. Either you reject him or you accept him. He’s not a bad kid. 32, 21 who cares about age. You both are adults, though one is tad less experienced in life but i don’t think he’s naive. Remember when he found him on planet Korvak? It still amazes me how a young wolf like himself managed to survive such harsh conditions and do you know why I’m telling you this? Because he’s not going to give up, his resolve is strong and he’ll survive anything. I believe at the end of this cat and mouse game, the one who will succumb is you."