The eagle flew above them emitting the pressure of a fourth rank beast on everyone below. Everyone at the table froze once they felt its presence.
"W-What..what is that?" Baron Gustav stuttered trembling as he was badly affected by its presence.
A vicious grin appeared on Chronos's face when he saw it.
"That is a Royal Eagle, a variant of a golden eagle that has been bred with a Roc. The royal family uses them when they can't personally reach a location to give commands. This one is of the lord rank, so I suggest that you don't do anything stupid before we have a chance to read the royal command." Chronos proudly said.
Standing up he held his arm above his head, waiting for the eagle to land on it.
Seeing Chronos's stance the eagle slowly flew lower until it firmly landed on his arm. It looked like a common golden eagle and was the same size as one.
Unlike most magic beasts that would get larger the stronger they were, the royal eagles preferred to maintain a small size that allowed them to move swiftly from place to place with extreme speed.
Amongst bird type beasts there were only two or three beasts faster than them and the royal eagles wanted to keep it that way or even surpass those ahead of them.
Smack!
"Ow!" When it landed on his arm it smacked his head with its beak.
"Scree! What have you done this time boy?" It screeched in his ear, surprising everyone else with its ability to speak.
Most beasts lacked the ability to speak common, even after reaching the fourth rank, and would use other methods to communicate instead.
Rubbing his head Chronos responded, "I didn't do anything. There are a lot of problems coming up everywhere in the kingdom these days and this one needs to be resolved immediately. I just didn't expect the royal family to send one of the eagle lords to deliver the message."
"Keee-aah! Well, they did! And now I have to be away from my nest when my chicks might be hatching." It keened in annoyance.
"My sincere apologies for calling you away at this important time and congratulations on the new family members. Perhaps we can find something for you to take back for them." Chronos tried to placate him while giving a one-handed bow.
Being on the bad side of a royal eagle in the Leighla Kingdom was never a good thing. The royal eagles had the royal family's ear and could spread all sorts of rumors about you to them or the royal courts.
"Give me some beast cores and I'll consider it even. My chicks should grow up strong with a few drake cores." it spoke.
"Agreed, then if you'll excuse me, I'll take that letter now." The eagle turned around so that Chronos could retrieve the letter from a carrier on its back.
Taking it out he saw that it was written on an official document scroll and immediately had a bad feeling.
After reading through it he found that his bad feeling was right. The king was not happy with him, but it also contained good news at least for the baronets and knights gathered here.
"What does it say?" Magar asked.
While Chronos had been distracted talking with the royal eagle, the others had calmed down and taken their seats again, except for the baron who seemed to be too weak to withstand the eagle's pressure. He was pressed against the back of his seat as far as he could go but he was still trembling.
"I'll read it.
{By emergency authority of the Royal House of Leighla, and under the seal of the Kingdom, the following orders are to be enacted without delay.
Due to his failure to react appropriately to the current emergency within the eastern plains. Baron Gustav Rosenholm is to be removed from his office, taken into lawful custody, and transported under guard to the estate of Earl Malric, where he shall remain confined until such time as the Crown determines his final disposition. His retainers, household officers, and sworn men are to offer no resistance. Any attempt to conceal, aid, or remove the baron from custody shall be treated as defiance of royal command.}"
"That can't be right!!"
Chronos frowned as Baron Gustav screamed, interrupting the reading of the royal command.
Glaring at him Chronos emitted killing intent onto him forcing him even further into his seat.
"Baron Gustav, you do not have the authority nor the power to interrupt or disagree with a royal command. Be silent until the end of the order."
Baron Gustav whimpered under his killing glare but didn't speak up again.
Seeing that there wouldn't be any further interruptions Chronos continued reading.
"{In Baron Rosenholm's place, former Royal Strategist Magar Herman is hereby appointed as acting administrator of the barony. He is granted full temporary authority over the barony's records, revenues, soldiers, messengers, and emergency stores. All local officers, captains, clerks, and lesser nobles are ordered to recognize his authority as if it were issued directly from the capital.
Chronos Beklaedning Ulv is to see these orders delivered, enforced, and witnessed.
Furthermore, the Crown did not summon Chronos Ulv so that he might test every road between the border and the capital and finds his delay in reaching the capital both inconvenient and unacceptable. The realm is not so peaceful that those bearing urgent matters may wander at their own pace. The Crown trusts that he will now make good this delay and proceed with all due haste once the barony is secured.
Failure to comply with this decree shall be considered obstruction of royal emergency authority.
Issued under the seal of the Royal House of Leighla.}"
Chronos grimaced at the king's encouragement in the last paragraph, he could practically see the man glaring at him for taking so long.
Huge grins slowly appeared on Carl and Jeromy's faces as Chronos finished reading the order while Magar sighed in resignation.
"Why didn't you tell us you were a royal strategist?" Carl teased Magar.
Royal strategists were specialists in commanding troops and advising the royal court on the best way for the future of the kingdom to proceed. This was due to a secret magic they used that allowed them to calculate and predict how the future would turn out, which allowed them to act with prudence and wisdom in most cases.
Most royal strategists would hold their position until they were physically unable to do so.
To find one of them here, especially a retired one, was quite shocking.
"I retired because it was too stressful. I didn't want anybody in my new home relying on me like that ever again, the only reason I kept taking action over the past few decades was to save lives, not to gain authority or to influence the nobles in the eastern plains." Magar grumbled.