The Red Seal 3

In the living room inside the Painter's Tree, the atmosphere was thick with tension, despite the apparent silence that hung over the place. Theo sat on the wide leather couch, his back resting against it, while his sharp eyes observed Oliver Jones, the head of the Ministry of Fiefdom and Treasury in the region, along with his deputy, Martin.

Oliver was nervous, his gaze unfocused, and sweat covered his forehead. Beside him, Martin sat trembling, his face pale, his eyes avoiding everyone.

Theo thought silently as he observed the tense expressions of the two men. "Will he be removed from his position? He must have made some prior arrangements to prevent things from getting too bad... but the involvement of the guards means the punishment will undoubtedly be severe."

Oliver did not notice Theo's gaze, nor did he show any concern for him, as his mind was preoccupied with desperate attempts to find a way out of his predicament. But Martin, on the other hand, was fully aware of Theo's presence and tried his best to avoid his gaze.

A few minutes passed in this uneasy atmosphere until the door creaked open softly, and Colonel Austin entered, his heavy footsteps exuding military authority. Behind him followed Matthew, who appeared much calmer.

The moment Oliver's eyes landed on the Colonel, he jumped from his seat as if an electric shock had jolted him. He did not speak, but he knew the decisive moment had arrived.

The Colonel stood before him, casting a cold, sharp gaze at him like the edge of a sword before saying in a firm voice, "Follow me."

"He told him..." Oliver thought, then hesitated for a moment as a cold drop of sweat slid down his forehead before he finally moved with heavy steps toward the other room. The door closed behind them.

At that moment, Theo couldn't contain himself and let out a stifled laugh. He tried to suppress it, but everyone heard it. His laughter wasn't out of joy—it carried a mix of sarcasm and anger.

Matthew turned to him before saying, "Theo, come with me. I need to talk to you."

Theo felt a brief moment of hesitation but quickly regained his composure and nodded. As he passed by Martin, he shot him a scornful look and a sly smirk, enjoying his fear.

When they were far enough from the room, Matthew suddenly turned to face Theo.

Theo stood still, his eyes meeting Matthew's, but he quickly sensed something strange in the latter's gaze. There was something different… an unusual coldness and a clear disappointment.

Matthew remained silent for a moment, then said in an emotionless voice, "Do you know what your mistake is?"

Theo hesitated for a second before raising his head defiantly. "I don't see that I did anything wrong… They are the ones who made the mistake. They are the ones responsible for Lord Edmund and Henry's gruesome deaths! If laughing makes them suffer even a little, then to hell with trivial manners!"

Anger surged in his voice, and his eyes were filled with hatred, yet he forced himself to stare into Matthew's eyes, refusing to look away.

"You haven't learned from this incident," Matthew sighed internally, as if he had expected this response.

"You're right, manners are trivial… but not more than your emotions and actions, which are completely useless. Do your actions change what happened? Will they bring the dead back to life? All you're doing is a desperate attempt to mask your own weakness. The truth is, you're weak… inside just as you are outside. Honestly, you're nothing but garbage."

Matthew's words were unexpected and struck Theo like lightning, making him tremble. He couldn't respond because, deep down, he knew every word Matthew said was true.

"Lord Edmund was weak. He got injured while earning the knight's title. He won this land, but he lost because he lacked the ability to manage it. Instead of being a privilege, that title became a curse for him. Mr. Oliver was also a victim of this, but he refused to accept that reality, which is why he did what he did. Of course, he was wrong, but he's not the only one at fault."

Matthew's voice grew quieter but carried an undercurrent of hidden anger.

"As for Henry… he went to the western region every day, doing something. I believe he was trying to cultivate the seed of a soldier. He thought he could create strength, but in the end, madness was its fate, and things turned out the way they did."

He looked at Theo, who was still standing there, visibly shaken, unable to utter a word.

Matthew continued.

"This is the truth. Lord Edmund was wrong because he was weak. If he hadn't been, Henry wouldn't have had to seek power in such a way. Everyone was wrong… because they were weak."

He paused for a moment, then added:

"I will not be like them."

There was an unshakable determination in his voice, like a vow he had made to himself—a promise that he would not allow weakness to consume him as it did others.

Theo stood in front of him, not knowing how to respond. All the ugly emotions he had been avoiding erupted like a volcano.

Matthew smirked before continuing, "No one knows what Henry did, and everyone thinks Mr. Oliver is the main culprit here. This is my chance, and I took advantage of it."

Matthew stopped and looked at Theo seriously before saying, "Lift your head and look at me."

Theo hesitated for a few seconds, but in the end, he slowly raised his head until his eyes met Matthew's somber gaze.

"I will give you the opportunity to become stronger. Seize it. This will be the last time I help you—after this, I will cut all ties between us, and we will go our separate ways. From today onward, I will consider my brother dead. You are a burden to me, and I can't bear it anymore."