Chapter 161

Jan 25, 2024

* * *

The next day, Jeremy left the conference room scowling. The clan masters and respective heirs had decided to meet that afternoon for a round of more productive and serious discussions. His hopes that the fire from the previous day would be grounds for canceling their meeting had been completely shattered. Thus, the old-fashioned leaders all gathered once again to discuss trade deals, territory lines, and other political matters.

Each clan was also required to select participants for that summer’s mass demon monster raid ahead of time. In his opinion, the older leaders had an accursed ability to needlessly embellish even the most trivial words. Even so, he had become so skilled at controlling his expressions to the minutest detail that he could at least pretend to understand the conversations floating past him. Of course, it was also the sort of achievement that yielded next to no significant benefit.

“I trust these meetings must be quite unfamiliar to you still, Black Master, however, you seem to have already found your groove.”

The voice sounded from behind him only a few moments after he had left the room. He turned to see the speaker was none other than the red-haired, purple-eyed Red Castro master. Her son Luzark also stood behind her as if he was acting as her personal guard.

Up until that moment, the Red Master had been carrying on as if the Black clan leader didn’t exist. However, anytime she was forced to acknowledge his presence, her expression was always filled with disdain. As it were, there were rumors that she and Lante Agrece’s relationship was less than amiable. Although no one made mention of it being any worse than hers and Roussel Pedelian’s.

In truth, Jeremy had initially assumed Castro would be the loudest to object to the reinstatement of Agrece. But to his surprise, Badrisha had voted in favor of him filling the role of new Black Master. It was only recently that he had gained an understanding as to why she did.

“Well, I have been known to be quite quick to adapt.”

Luzark squinted slightly at the younger man’s shameless self-promotion. His mother also narrowed her gaze.

“True... Adaptability is one of the many virtues required of a clan leader.”

She ignored his pompous attitude as if she had already accepted that his youth was what made him so cocky. “If you aren’t busy, why don’t we have some tea?”

His blue eyes flashed with a hint of sharp radiance as he studied the pair in front of him. The two Castros were doing their best to hide their true intentions.

He offered a mischievous smile before answering. “It’d be foolish for a multitude of reasons for me to reject such an invitation.”

* * *

“Roxana.”

Cassis approached her as she stood before a flower bush.

Her scarlet eyes that were cloaked in shadow slowly turned toward his voice. He had come to find her as soon as the meeting had adjourned. They had promised to meet in front of the castle’s greenhouse.

He had actually asked to see her the previous night after the fire incident, but she had refused. For some reason, he could sense why she had done so, thus simply gazed silently into her eyes.

“Are you still upset with me?”

Her gaze suddenly became chilly. Despite that, Roxana did not brush away his hand as he reached out in an attempt to appease her and pull her in closer.

“I’m sorry. Please don’t be mad at me.”

“Do you even know why I was?”

She finally felt compelled to speak. “I do. Had the roles been reversed, I would have felt the same way you do now.”

Since they were able to converse while maintaining eye contact, it was clear that she wasn’t completely furious.

“My going into the Castro wing during the fire wasn’t a very pleasant experience, was it?” he asked.

She winced as the familiar sensation of his energy flowing from his hand into hers caught her attention.

“I was also worried when I saw your butterflies in there. I fear I may have forced you to exert yourself even further.”

She gave no answer.

“Well, I’m at least relieved to see your face now.”

She didn’t let it show, but he was certain it couldn’t have been an easy task for her to have her poison butterflies show him the safest way out of the fire. The Blue Heir’s power was also affected by the magic circles, thus he couldn’t summon his full strength to imbue the healing energy. Even so, what he could manage was still effective.

“Now who’s the one making who worry?” She teased him to show that her frosty disposition was starting to melt away at least one layer’s worth from when he had first arrived at the greenhouse. It was clear that she was poking fun at him more than being sincere in her chastising.

As he knew this as well, he tilted his head to meet her eyes again. “I promise I won’t ever do anything like that again, so don’t be mad at me anymore, okay?”

The blond stared at him for a moment before pulling his hand toward her even more. They continued toward the greenhouse together. Quite a few people caught sight of the two.

It wasn’t the first time they had been spotted together either, and word about their relationship was already spreading throughout the castle. Many were speculating that either their feelings toward each other were mutual and they were merely in the courting process, or that the Agreces and Pedelians were attempting to augment their alliance by showing forgiveness toward one another through an arranged marriage.

Both Cassis and Roxana were aware of the rumors, but neither seemed to mind in the least. In fact, they had intended for things to go that way from the start.

“By the way, when did you start corresponding with Grizelda?” Roxana asked, curious about his contact with her sister casually, as they reached the furthest end of the greenhouse. He glanced at her before checking to make sure that there were no prying ears around them. To his relief, there proved to be nothing concerning he needed to pay heed to other than the woman standing before him.

“I ran into her some time ago and she informed me of a few things.”

The two stopped when they finally reached an area covered by green vines that were forming a roof. Yellow flowers were also sprouting up to reach their waists. She had already heard the details from her sister, so simply wished to hear Cassis’ side. He considered the events that had taken place two nights prior.

Is she referring to the night that butterfly brushed against my cheek in front of the lounge?

It occurred to him that perhaps Roxana had sent one of her winged demon monsters to strike him after learning that he had encountered Grizelda. He had anticipated such a moment would eventually come though, so he answered her abrupt question calmly.

“‘Corresponding’ may not be the best way to put it.” This was true since both parties had simply been trying to find the whereabouts of the other in order to extract crucial information. “She provided me with some much-needed information, but that was only once.”

“When was it?”

He paused for a moment to look at her directly.

“Last winter. Right before you and I had reunited at the last gathering.”

She stood in silence as she considered his words. The only pertinent information her older sister could have provided to him would have been regarding the plan to kill Lante after staging the coup.

Suddenly, the pieces she hadn’t been able to place were coming together. She had obviously chosen to take action at the most opportune time after analyzing the Pedelians’ movements, yet he had still managed to act when she most needed him to. Even so, a thin coldness began to fog her scarlet gaze.

Grizelda had committed a rather atrocious transgression.

How dare one of my chess pieces move without my express consent? Not to mention she did so without me being any the wiser... Perhaps I’ve placed a bit too much trust in her. I clearly let my guard down enough for her to slip under my radar.

Although her half-sister’s actions had eventually proven beneficial to her, that fact did little to improve her sour mood.

“I also heard that Grizelda spoke to Isidore. How did you know she would be in Vertium? Did you perhaps... read the letter she sent to me while I was at the Blue castle? Or have you been tracking her movements ever since you and your men left Agrece last winter?”

Panic passed over Cassis’ face as Roxana’s questions began to sound more and more informed. He could tell that she was in the process of confirming what she already seemed to know. All that while, his greatest hope had been that she would never find out about him looking into those around her behind her back.