The Dragon King’s Harem System

Chapter 327. Skepticism I

Dragon King's Harem Chapter 327. Skepticism I

"They're not spies, Viperax," I said firmly, locking eyes with him. My gaze was intense, making it clear I wasn’t backing down. I was ready for whatever he tried to throw at me.

He shot back with a question, full of doubt. Leaning in, his face twisted in a frown, he wanted to know, "Then what?" The tension in the air was thick as he waited for me to explain, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"Delegations," I stated confidently, my tone unwavering. I maintained eye contact. There was a subtle nuance between espionage and delegation, and I was quick to exploit it. "Their purpose is to check the facts and report back to Al. They should check the place out and come see you," I added, unruffled by the challenge.

At that moment, the distinction between spies and delegates became blurred, emphasizing the thin line that separated the two. The difference lay not in their actions but in their destinations – whether their findings were presented to the ally’s king or not. It was a strategic move, redirecting the focus from the means to the issues at hand.

"Delegations?" Viperax echoed, his frown deepening. His dissatisfaction manifested in a barrage of questions. "Why did none of them meet me? Why don't my subordinates know that? Why didn't any of them tell me?" 

I responded with a nonchalant shrug, injecting an air of casual detachment into my demeanor. "I don't know. You should ask your subordinates, not me," I stated, my tone implying that I held no responsibility for the apparent lack of communication.

Viperax, clearly displeased, snorted in disbelief. "Hmph! Are you lying to me?" 

I couldn't resist a scoff. "Aren't you too quick to draw that conclusion? You don't even know about this factory and the violations committed by your own subordinates. If they catch the witnesses, they might just accept my delegation's report without conveying it to you. All of them didn't manage to meet you after all," I wove a narrative.

The move was meant to take advantage of his lack of knowledge, flipping his own inability to control his kingdom against him. It was a smart play, showing the cracks in his leadership and planting doubts about whether he could even trust his own people.

There was a brief silence as Viperax thought it over, clearly trying to come up with something to say. Finally, he broke the quiet, his voice heavy with suspicion. "Can I meet them?" he asked, looking for confirmation.

I responded with a simple, "For?" I wanted to understand his motives before entertaining the request.

"To make sure that what you said is true," he stated with clarity, his gaze fixed on me.

A low chuckle escaped my lips in response to his straightforward request, laden with mockery. "If you want to know whether what I said is true or not, you just need to check the factory. Does it really exist or not? Why do you have to meet my delegation to confirm it?" I countered.

I replied to steer his attention back to the real issue—the factory and the shady stuff going on under his watch. By stressing how important it was to check out the source of the problem, I tried to take away the need for a meeting that he could twist to work in his favor. 

"Yes, that's my point. That's why I want to ask your delegations more. I had to ask in detail to make sure he would indeed come and try to meet me. Also, which subordinates have betrayed me. Besides, this could just be a made-up story," he asserted, his tone laced with skepticism.

I didn't let his doubts rattle me. Instead, I met his gaze with narrowed eyes, countering his argument. “Good point, but I can't possibly send delegates if I don't receive a report from the witness, right?" I stated, a note of emphasis in my voice. I wanted to redirect the conversation back to the core issue – the existence of the factory and the violations occurring under his rule. “You should investigate this case step by step. And it should start from the factory. Why are you going around in circles as if blaming me for your mistakes?" I questioned pointedly.

I continued, not allowing him room to maneuver. “After all, I have to protect the witness and my delegation's identity. Who knows, someone might try to take their lives," I added, making it clear that I suspected his hidden agendas.

"It's impossible. I will always uphold justice," he declared with unwavering confidence. 

However, my skepticism lingered, evident in the arched brow that greeted his statement.

“Really?” I countered, my tone dipped in suspicion. “Well--- from what I've seen and what I've experienced, that says something different. Let’s be real, your baron even threw his accusations at me, and you believed him. Isn't that the reason why this meeting happened?” I reminded him. “And if I were a commoner. Wasn't my head the one that would have rolled down on the ground?” I pressed further, challenging the integrity of his proclaimed justice.

His response was a stunned silence, a tacit admission that my words had hit their mark. At that moment, his confident facade cracked.

'Checkmate,' I thought.

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