"Are you insane?" the Clan Master whispered back, his dull red eyes wide with disbelief. "You can't sense his mana because he's suppressing it. It contains power that would flatten this entire castle if he released it fully."
"But he's just..."
"Unhinged," the Clan Master interrupted. "He ate a demon's heart in front of fifty witnesses without hesitation. Killed four smiths with a gesture. Broke twenty guards through presence alone. That's not a weakness. That's someone who's transcended normal limitations and stopped caring about rules."
The Emissary's jaw worked soundlessly, trying to formulate an argument.
"He'd kill us in a second if we tried anything," the Clan Master finished, his tone carrying the weight of absolute certainty. "And then he'd bind our corpses and claim this castle anyway. The only difference would be whether we're conscious servants or mindless bound souls."
They reached the table.
The Clan Master gestured to the head position.
