Path To Godhood Begins With Marrying Wife And Gaining SSS Rank Skill Chapter 653: Come Out Traitor

One after another, the nobles, commanders, Saints, and high-ranking officers entered the large command tent until it became completely filled. The atmosphere inside was much calmer than before, yet traces of exhaustion could still be seen on everyone's faces. Dust covered many sets of armor. Some people still carried fresh wounds while others had blood stains that had yet to be cleaned away. The long battle had drained almost everyone.

At the very center of the tent stood Crown Prince Haster.

His posture remained straight and dignified while his calm eyes slowly swept across every person present. No one dared speak. The entire tent remained silent while everyone waited for him to begin.

After looking around for several moments, Haster slowly smiled.

"You all fought well."

His steady voice echoed throughout the tent.

"Today's victory belongs to every single one of you."

He paused briefly while making eye contact with several commanders standing nearby.

"Without your efforts, your courage, and your determination, we would never have broken through the blockade."

"The sacrifices everyone made today will not be forgotten."

Many officers lowered their heads respectfully after hearing those words.

The Crown Prince slowly walked forward.

His gaze landed upon the group of Saints.

"I also wish to personally thank our Saints."

"You stood at the front and carried the heaviest burden."

"You protected our forces and fought against enemies equal to yourselves without retreating."

Several Saints simply nodded.

None of them spoke.

Haster's eyes slowly shifted once again.

This time...

They landed directly on Ethan.

A smile immediately appeared on his face.

"Especially..."

"Marquise Ethan."

The moment his name was called, everyone inside the tent instinctively turned to look at Ethan. Some stared at him with curiosity while others looked at him with open respect, and quite a few still carried traces of disbelief after witnessing the unbelievable battle earlier. The memory of crimson lightning tearing apart the battlefield was still fresh in their minds, making it difficult for anyone to look at him the same way as before. Standing under so many gazes at once, Ethan immediately stiffened. For some reason, a strange and unpleasant feeling quietly rose inside his heart, and his instincts warned him that something was not right.

Haster looked directly at him with obvious admiration before speaking in a calm voice.

"You gave me a terrifying surprise."

"I knew you possessed talent."

"But even I never imagined you could display such overwhelming power."

As soon as those words fell, the Crown Prince slowly raised both hands and began clapping.

Clap.

Clap.

Clap.

The crisp applause echoed throughout the command tent while every noble and officer looked toward Ethan. Several people exchanged glances before quickly joining in. Within moments, the entire tent was filled with loud applause directed solely at him. The sudden attention almost caused Ethan's expression to freeze completely while cold sweat slowly trickled down his forehead. He stood there with an awkward smile while feeling more uneasy with every passing second.

Inside his mind, only a single thought remained.

'The more you praise me...'

'The more you are making me afraid.'

Trying to hide his discomfort, Ethan quietly lifted his hand and wiped away the sweat gathering near his temple before forcing himself to answer.

"I merely did what I was supposed to do, Your Highness."

Haster laughed softly after hearing those words.

"You are still being modest."

His praise did not stop there. For the next several moments, he continued mentioning Ethan's contributions to the battle while openly praising his efforts in holding back the enemy Saints and protecting the Arcadian forces during the most dangerous stage of the conflict. Every compliment caused the nobles to look at Ethan with even greater admiration while some even nodded among themselves as if silently acknowledging his achievements.

Unfortunately, the more Ethan listened...

The more uncomfortable he became.

The applause echoed again.

The praise continued.

His instincts screamed louder and louder that something was terribly wrong.

By the time everything finally came to an end, the back of his clothes had already been soaked with sweat.

At last, Haster slowly raised one hand.

The applause immediately stopped.

The entire tent fell silent once again.

The smile that had been resting on the Crown Prince's face gradually faded away while his expression slowly became calm before turning completely serious. Without saying another word, he quietly looked around at every noble gathered inside the tent. His gaze lingered on each face for a brief moment before moving to the next while the atmosphere steadily grew heavier with every passing second.

Nobody spoke.

Nobody even shifted where they stood.

Even the sound of breathing seemed to have disappeared.

Finally, Haster gently folded his hands behind his back while a faint smile once again appeared on his lips.

"Now..."

His voice remained calm.

"Shall we talk about the traitor?"

The moment those words left his mouth, the entire tent seemed to freeze.

After uttering those words, Haster did not continue speaking immediately. Instead, he slowly swept his gaze across every noble gathered inside the command tent while a faint smile rested upon his face. His calm expression made him appear approachable, yet the silence that followed only increased the tension lingering in the air. Every person present instinctively straightened their posture while avoiding unnecessary movements because nobody could tell what the Crown Prince was thinking.

For several long moments, Haster quietly observed everyone before finally speaking.

"I am giving you a chance."

His steady voice echoed throughout the tent.

"A chance to step forward and confess."

He slowly folded his hands behind his back while continuing to look from one face to another.

"If you come out now and speak the truth..."

"I swear in my own name that I will forgive you."

The words immediately stirred the gathering.

Several nobles exchanged subtle glances.

Others quietly lowered their heads.

No one dared utter a single word.

Haster's smile remained unchanged.

"Take this opportunity while I am still offering it."

His tone was gentle.

Almost friendly.

"Because chances like this do not come twice."

The tent once again fell into complete silence.

The only sounds that could be heard were the faint crackling of the nearby lamps and the occasional rustling of clothes as nervous nobles unconsciously shifted their footing.

Still...

Nobody stepped forward.

Nobody admitted anything.

Nobody even attempted to speak.

Haster patiently waited for another few moments.

His smile slowly faded.

Little by little, the warmth disappeared from his face until only a cold and unreadable expression remained.

His eyes became sharp.

His entire presence quietly changed.

The atmosphere inside the tent immediately grew heavy.

When he finally spoke again, his voice carried none of its previous warmth.

"If you don't..."

He paused briefly.

A gloomy aura slowly spread from his body and quietly filled every corner of the command tent.

The nearby lamps flickered.

Several people suddenly felt the surrounding temperature drop.

Even breathing seemed to become more difficult.

Haster looked directly at the crowd.

His eyes no longer carried the slightest trace of kindness.

"Then I will make sure..."

"You wish you were never born."

The words had barely fallen when an overwhelming pressure suddenly erupted from his body.

BOOOOOOM!

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