I Have 10,000 SSS Rank Villains In My System Space

Chapter 466: Confession?

Imperial Capital.At the very center of the capital city stood the Grand Plaza, a place so enormous that even during festivals it rarely appeared truly full. The white marble grounds stretched endlessly beneath the open sky, surrounded by towering pillars, statues of past emperors, and massive crystal screens floating high above the plaza for public announcements and imperial broadcasts.

Usually, even tens of thousands of people would look scattered there.

But today

The plaza was overflowing.

People filled nearly every visible corner of the massive grounds. Voices blended together into one giant wave of noise while countless eyes remained fixed toward the enormous imperial stage standing at the front of the plaza.

Today was not an ordinary gathering.

An Imperial and holy Announcement had been called personally under the authority of the both The Imperial Palace and the Church of light.

No one wanted to miss something like that.

Not nobles.

Not merchants.

Not commoners.

Not the religious factions.

Not even the pessants.

Everyone who could possibly arrive had come.

The differences between the people present were obvious at a single glance. Some stood wearing luxurious robes stitched with gold thread, spirit silk, crystals, and precious gems glowing faintly beneath sunlight. Noblewomen carried expensive accessories while wealthy merchants stood surrounded by attendants and guards.

At the same time, only streets away from them stood common laborers, small shopkeepers, adventurers, students, and poor families dressed in plain worn clothing.

Yet despite those differences

All of them stood gathered together today.

Because the Imperial Palace and Church itself had summoned them.

Security around the plaza was overwhelming.

Imperial Guards stood stationed across every entrance and walkway wearing Platinum-black armor marked with the imperial crest. Surveillance artifacts floated silently above the crowds while hidden experts observed from surrounding rooftops and towers.

No disorder would be tolerated today.

Everyone understood that clearly.

People naturally gathered according to status and familiarity. Nobles remained mostly near the front protected beneath decorated pavilions while wealthy merchant families occupied nearby sections.

Further back stood ordinary citizens grouped tightly together while children climbed onto shoulders trying to see the stage better.

Priests wearing flowing white robes could also be seen among the crowds, calm expressions on their faces while holy symbols rested upon their chests. Many had brought entire families with them.

The atmosphere throughout the plaza felt strange.

Excited.

Curious.

Nervous.

And slightly heavy at the same time.

Because lately the Empire had not been peaceful.

Rumors of war had already begun spreading everywhere.

Near one section of the crowded plaza, a small group of teenagers stood whispering loudly among themselves while repeatedly glancing toward the elevated stage ahead.

"Hey, look up there!" one square-faced boy whispered excitedly while grabbing his friend’s sleeve hard enough to nearly shake him. "Are those Platinum Holy Knights?! This is my first time seeing one in person!"

His eyes practically sparkled with excitement.

The other boys immediately looked upward toward the stage as well.

Standing there motionless beside the massive imperial banners were several knights clad entirely in brilliant platinum armor. They stood perfectly still like statues beneath the sunlight, their presence alone radiating discipline and pressure throughout the surrounding area.

Even from far away

They looked overwhelming.

"Sshhh! Idiot, it’s not just Platinum Holy Knights!" another sharp-faced teenager whispered urgently while narrowing his eyes carefully toward the stage. "Look at their chests properly!"

"Huh?"

"The stars dumbass!"

The square-faced boy blinked.

The sharper-looking teenager pointed quickly.

"There are three Holy Stars engraved on their armor!"

Several nearby kids immediately squinted harder toward the stage.

Sure enough

Three golden star symbols rested upon the chest plates of the Platinum Knights, glowing faintly with holy brilliance beneath the sunlight.

"Huh? Does that mean something?" another boy asked confusedly.

He clearly recognized the stars but did not understand their meaning.

The sharp-faced teenager immediately straightened proudly after hearing the question.

"Of course it means something, knucklehead."

His chin lifted slightly as though he had finally found his moment to appear intelligent.

"You know the ranking system of Holy Knights, right? Bronze Knights, Silver Knights, then Radiant Knights..." he explained confidently while counting on his fingers. "And above all of them are Platinum Holy Knights. To even become a Platinum Knight, you need to enter the Holy Realm. Only true Saints can become Platinum Knights..."

The confused boy immediately rolled his eyes.

"Obviously I know that, genius," he muttered back irritably. "I asked about the stars."

A few nearby teenagers laughed quietly.

The sharp-faced boy looked annoyed for a second after losing his dramatic moment, but continued speaking anyway.

"That’s what I was trying to explain..," the sharp-faced boy said with visible irritation, folding his arms proudly across his chest. "Most people don’t know this stuff. I’m basically doing you all a favor by educating you, so at least listen properly."

He looked around the small group with his chin raised slightly.

"Hah... I’m sure none of you even knew what those stars meant before I said it. Did any of you?"

The others exchanged glances before slowly shaking their heads.

Even if his attitude was annoying, they were genuinely curious now.

One boy sighed dramatically. "Yes, yes... please enlighten us, great scholar," he said sarcastically, though he still leaned closer to hear the answer.

A few others snorted quietly.

The sharp-faced kid ignored the sarcasm completely. Instead, he pushed a hand through his hair and straightened his back further.

"I know this because my great maternal grandfather was a Radiant Knight," he explained proudly.

That immediately drew reactions again.

"What?"

"No way..."

"Again with the grandfather stories..."

Several boys groaned while another looked openly jealous.

Honestly, they had heard about this famous great-grandfather at least fifty times already. Anytime anything related to anything.. like fucking anything.. this boy somehow found a way to bring him up.. Not letting his great maternal great grandfathers soul to rest.

Still

None of them could deny it was impressive.

A Radiant Knight was already someone ordinary people would never even meet in their entire lives.

The sharp-faced boy noticed their reactions and smirked slightly, clearly satisfied.

The others only sighed helplessly.

"Alright, stop making those faces," he said while waving one hand. "I’ll explain properly."

The boys quieted again.

"You see, among Platinum Holy Knights there are three ranks," he continued, pointing toward the stage again. "One-star, two-star, and three-star."

His voice lowered slightly near the end.

"And each one means something completely different."

All of them looked back toward the armored figures standing motionless beneath the banners.

Even from this distance, the knights looked terrifyingly imposing.

"See those stars glowing on their chest plates?" the sharp-faced boy asked. "That’s their rank."

The others nodded quickly.

"A one-star Platinum Holy Knight means they’re at Saint Rank," he explained. "Already considered great powerhouses."

Several kids inhaled softly.

Saint Rank alone already sounded unreachable to them.

Most people throughout the Empire would never even meet a Saint-level powerhouse face to face.

But the sharp-faced boy continued.

"A two-star Platinum Holy Knight..." His own throat visibly tightened slightly now. "Means Saint King Rank."

This time the reaction became much bigger.

"What?!"

"Saint King?!"

"You’re lying..."

"No, he’s right," another quieter boy muttered nervously while staring toward the stage. "I heard something similar before too... i.. i was just not sure.. "

The group slowly fell silent.

Even saying the words Saint King felt heavy.

Those were monsters who could destroy batch of armies alone.

People capable of changing battles by themselves.

And yet

The boys’ eyes slowly rose toward the stage again.

There were multiple knights standing there.

Then the sharp-faced boy spoke once more, quieter this time.

"And three-star means..." His throat tightened slightly before he finished.

"A Great Saint," another child blurted out before he could say it.

The group erupted into shocked gasps.

For a moment, every single one of them stared silently toward the Platinum Holy Knights standing guard around the Grand Plaza. The respect they already held for them deepened instantly into something closer to fear. Before, they had only known the knights were elite. Now they finally understood just how terrifyingly elite they truly were.

"So that means they’re only one step below a Supreme?" one of the boys muttered in disbelief. "Fhew... then this is serious. Really serious."

"Of course it is," the sharp-faced boy replied immediately, almost offended that anyone would question it. "The summons was personally issued by Her Holiness the Saintess and the Imperial Princess herself. Did you really think ordinary guards would be enough for something like this?" He gestured broadly toward the overflowing plaza around them. "Look around properly. Big nobles are here with their entire families. And this gathering was only announced last evening. Last evening. People barely had time to even travel here."

He shook his head slowly, still sounding amazed himself.

"If they had given people more notice..." He let out a breath. "Can you imagine how crowded this place would’ve become? Half the empire probably couldn’t even make it in time."

The others looked around again, finally noticing details they had ignored before. Beyond the Holy Knights stationed across the plaza, there were also heavily armored Imperial Knights standing at key positions. Unlike the church’s forces, the Imperial Knights carried a colder, more oppressive presence. Few people truly knew how strong they were, and the empire rarely displayed them publicly unless something major was happening.

"Look carefully," another boy added quietly. "It’s not just the Holy Church present. Even the Imperial Knights are here. Whatever this announcement is... it’s definitely something huge."

A heavy silence settled over the group for several seconds.

Then the sharp-faced boy frowned slightly and looked toward the massive raised platform at the center of the Grand Plaza, where preparations were still underway beneath layers of security.

"Sigh... but what exactly is it?" he murmured, more to himself than anyone else now. "Why gather everyone here like this? Holy Knights of this caliber standing guard... Imperial Knights everywhere... and all of it done in such a rush." His eyes narrowed with growing curiosity. "What announcement could possibly be important enough for both Her Holiness the Saintess and the Imperial Princess to personally summon the entire Grand Plaza?"

"Well, and here we thought you knew everything," one of the boys said with a snort, crossing his arms while looking at the sharp-faced kid beside him. "Why don’t you tell us what your great maternal grandfather might’ve prophesied too while you’re at it?"

A few of the others laughed quietly.

The sharp-faced boy immediately frowned.

"How about I send you to him personally so you can ask yourself?" he shot back, cracking his knuckles one by one. "Want me to help arrange that meeting?"

The other kid snorted again but wisely said nothing after that.

The tension between them lasted only a few seconds before another boy quickly stepped in with an awkward grin.

"Alright, enough already. Don’t start fighting here," he muttered, glancing nervously toward the nearby armored knights. "You both know making trouble in the middle of the Grand Plaza is probably the worst idea possible today."

That much was true.

Everywhere around them stood armed guards, church knights, imperial soldiers, and surveillance formations glowing faintly across the plaza walls. Even loud arguments were drawing attention now.

The two boys finally calmed down with visible reluctance.

One clicked his tongue.

The other folded his arms again and looked away.

The group slowly returned to staring toward the giant stage ahead.

Honestly, curiosity had already overwhelmed their earlier bickering.

"Guysss.. Let’s just wait and see what happens. I’m sure Her Holiness the Saintess and the Imperial Princess will explain everything soon enough." He lowered his voice slightly, leaning closer to the group. "Though... from what I heard, this gathering is supposed to be about some kind of confession."

That immediately caught everyone’s attention.

"A confession?" one of them repeated. "What kind of confession could possibly be important enough for all this?"

The boys instinctively looked around the Grand Plaza again. Rows of Platinum Holy Knights stood like statues around the massive square, their expressions unreadable beneath polished helms. Imperial Knights were positioned near every major entrance as well, broad-shouldered men wrapped in heavy black armor that carried an oppressive aura even from a distance. Nobles filled entire sections of the plaza, while church followers and commoners crowded every open space they could find.

Even the air itself felt tense.

"I don’t know," the calming boy admitted with a shrug. "But it has to be something huge. Maybe some important noble got caught doing something by the Saintess and Imperial Princess together."

"Hah, probably," another smart-looking kid said quickly, eager to sound knowledgeable himself. "If both of them are involved personally, then whoever it is must be finished already."

The sharp-faced boy shook his head.

"No way they’d gather this many people for ordinary corruption."

"Then what?"

"I don’t know."

One of the quieter boys suddenly leaned forward slightly, his eyes widening.

"Maybe Her Holy Saintess and the Imperial Princess caught some huge nobles working together secretly," he guessed. "Like... something against the Empire."

"That can be possible.. Maybe a pillar family betrayal? That can be possible."

That made several others pause thoughtfully.

Honestly

It sounded possible but crazy.

Before anyone could continue, another dark-faced kid suddenly spoke with suspicious excitement in his voice.

"Hey... do you think it might be a public execution?"

Several heads turned toward him immediately.

The boy’s eyes were practically glowing now.

"I heard big criminals sometimes get executed publicly," he continued eagerly. "Maybe that’s why all the knights are here."

The entire group stared at him silently for a moment.

"This fucking weirdo..." several of them thought at the same time.

One boy slowly shifted half a step away from him.

Another muttered under his breath, "You get excited way too easily over terrifying stuff."

The dark-faced kid only grinned.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere across the Grand Plaza continued growing heavier with every passing minute.

The noise of the crowd had slowly lowered from excited chatter into restless murmuring. Thousands upon thousands of people filled the enormous plaza now, yet an uneasy tension had settled over all of them.

Even the wind felt quieter.

Imperial banners fluttered high above the marble structures surrounding the plaza while rows of knights stood perfectly still like statues beneath them.

The sharp-faced boy looked around again carefully.

Nobles stood together beneath decorated canopies, wearing expensive robes embroidered with gold and crystal thread. Wealthy merchants whispered among themselves nervously. Church followers dressed in white robes held prayer books clasping to there chest while speaking in hushed voices.

Further back stood ordinary commoners packed shoulder to shoulder.

Everyone was waiting.

Nobody truly understood why they had been summoned here.

And that uncertainty alone was enough to make people nervous.

Then suddenly

The entire crowd began falling silent.

Not gradually.

Instantly.

It started from the front rows first before spreading outward like a wave through the massive plaza.

Heads turned.

Voices stopped.

Even the children quieted.

The boys in the crowd stiffened instinctively as movement appeared near the main entrance leading toward the central stage.

Rows of tall armored knights had begun walking forward.

Their heavy boots echoed against the white stone pathways while civilians hurriedly stepped aside for them. The crowd slowly parted under the pressure of their presence, creating a long clear path through the center of the plaza.

Nobody dared remain in the way.

The atmosphere changed completely.

One of the boys swallowed nervously.

"They’re bringing someone in..."

Then someone from deeper within the crowd whispered in a trembling voice

"Her Holy Saintess..."

The reaction was immediate.

The eyes of countless church believers lit up almost instantly.

People straightened where they stood. Some lowered their heads respectfully. Others pressed trembling hands against their chests.

Excitement spread visibly through the plaza.

After all

At this moment, there was perhaps no more beloved figure in the Empire than the Saintess herself.

To many common people, she was not merely a powerful figure.

She was hope.

A symbol.

A living blessing of the heavens.

Even the boys near the back instinctively leaned forward to see better.

"She’s really here..."

"No way..."

"This would be my first time seeing her..."

The path through the crowd slowly widened further.

And then

She appeared.

The plaza seemed to grow quieter the moment she stepped into view.

Her long silver-white robes moved gently with the wind while faint golden embroidery reflected the morning sunlight. Golden radiant hair flowed softly behind her, almost glowing beneath the open sky. Several Holy Knights walked behind her, yet none of them drew attention away from her presence itself.

It was calm.

Gentle.

Yet strangely heavy at the same time.

People lowered their eyes instinctively as she passed.

Some church followers even had tears forming already just from seeing her in person.

The boys stared openly now.

"She’s... prettier than the rumors... is this what they say heavenly goddess.."

"No idiot, don’t say that out loud.."

"Look at the Holy Aura around her... She’s like a radiant star.. Like just pure light.. Damm am feeling enlightened just by seeing her.."

Even the sharp-faced boy had gone quiet.

Because honestly

The Saintess did not feel like an ordinary person standing among humans.

There was something strangely distant about her presence.

Pure.

Untouchable.

Yet not cold.

As she continued walking toward the giant stage, the silence across the Grand Plaza deepened further.

Thousands of eyes followed her movements.

Even the Platinum Holy Knights standing guard lowered their heads respectfully as she passed.

One of the boys whispered softly under his breath

"What confession...?"

He couldn’t yet see anyone guilty afterall.

——