Inside the Draconis mansion, the atmosphere was tense.
It was late into the night, long after most people had gone to sleep, and the streets of the capital had already fallen silent. Yet inside the mansion, lamps and lights still burned brightly as though sleep was the last thing on anyone’s mind.
During the day, the disappearance of the young master had thrown the entire household into chaos, but now that chaos had been replaced by an uneasy silence.
The most vigilant guards and strongest knights were patrolling the estate tonight. To outsiders, everyone assud it was because of the young master’s disappearance.
Little did they know there was another secret Duke Rizwell was desperately trying to keep from leaking out to rival factions and even the emperor.
Deep within a secluded section of the mansion was a eting room protected by multiple anti-spying and anti-assault formations.
Several n were stationed outside as guards.
Inside the room, the atmosphere was heavy and filled with tension.
On one side of the table sat Duke Rizwell and his son Jaden.
On the opposite side sat Emily and Lady Delta. Adam, who would have preferred standing behind his lord, had been ordered to sit quietly in one of the chairs lined against the wall.
Those orders had not co from the duke but the man heading this eting.
At the head of the table sat a single man, the very reason Duke Rizwell was holding his breath so tightly right now.
A man who is wearing a violet raven mask, violet eyes, and violet hair. His wealthy appearance and silk robes were hardly the most striking thing about him. It was his presence that suffocated the duke and his butler.
Rizwell had not needed more than a second to understand sothing terrifying: If this man wished to, he could erase the entire empire in a single night.
The warning instincts screaming inside him were overwhelming. Such feelings usually appeared only when facing soone whose cultivation realm had risen so far beyond one’s own that even looking at them felt difficult.
Of course, he sensed no hostility from the man himself.
But as a veteran warrior, Rizwell possessed sothing the others in the room lacked, which was an instinct sharpened by countless battles.
An instinct that never allowed him to relax around monsters wearing human skin. Even Adam beside him had remained unusually stiff.
Rizwell shifted slightly in discomfort.
anwhile, William, dressed in his Violet persona, naturally understood the situation and quietly suppressed his presence a little. Imdiately, Rizwell felt so of the invisible pressure disappear.
With his voice heavily altered through natural actor talent, William finally spoke to him.
"I believe proper introductions are necessary before we proceed with this eting."
Since he had not entered through the gates, there had been no mont of proper introduction with him.
Everyone had already gathered in the room before William simply appeared in the seat using Blink while concealing himself through Trickster’s Veil.
Appearing out of nowhere after bypassing every barrier and protective seal had left an even deeper impression on Rizwell.
Over ti, William’s plans regarding the corporation he wanted to establish had changed considerably. Now that an entire empire stood behind him, his ambitions had grown much larger. He no longer sought good results; rather, he wanted a monopoly.
To climb that ladder of ambition faster, he needed to create a proper impression in the minds of everyone with whom he was going to deal.
And since he had already devised a comprehensive plan to slowly take over the markets of every empire. Riverdale would rely be the beginning. The Draconis family would act as their partners here and manage the operations of the business within the empire.
William slowly began speaking.
"My na is Violet. After Miss Delta, I will serve as your point of contact with the Eternal Sovereign."
His gaze swept across the room.
"I will also oversee all matters regarding the Business venture we are about to establish with the Draconis family."
Everyone nodded silently.
Violet continued.
"Before we proceed further, I would like to make several things clear."
"First, Emily will beco the Guild Master of the Infinity Guild, which will be considered a subsidiary of the Eternal Sovereign Cult."
"All deals and negotiations that will take place will be conducted under her na. She is my direct subordinate and a high-ranking mber of the Order of Eternal Sovereign."
His voice remained calm.
"Your treatnt toward her should reflect the relationship you wish to maintain with our organization."
As Violet spoke those words, Rizwell imdiately understood the warning hidden beneath the polite tone. Emily was not soone to be looked down upon.
He gulped lightly. Instinctively, his gaze shifted toward Delta.
Apparently, the concerns he had raised several months ago regarding Emily’s qualifications and background had already reached Violet’s ears.
Regret imdiately surfaced in his heart. He made a ntal note to be more careful in the future.
After the public announcent of the Eternal Sun Empire’s establishnt, he had realized sothing frightening.
A mber of the Eternal Sovereign Cult had stood beside both the Empress and Crown Prince. He had imdiately connected the pieces.
The Eternal Sovereign’s organization had been the force behind the neighboring empire’s change in rulership and the restoration of the previous bloodline.
Furthermore, two Primarchs had died during the conflict, another one had surrendered, and even the Astral Warden Council had been dissolved.
These world-shaking events had completely shattered Rizwell’s previous understanding of the Eternal Sovereign’s influence.
Destroying a demonic cult had already been shocking enough for him. But then they had gone further and overturned the entire church of light.
If that wasn’t a step toward world domination, then what was? The realization sent a chill down Rizwell’s spine.
By agreeing to cooperate with them, he had unknowingly stepped into a dragon’s maw. Only now did he understand the enormous difference between his family’s strength and this organization.
He had realized that he and his family had little choice regarding their involvent with this organisation. They are already under a heavenly oath.
Now he could only leave the fate of his family in the hands of destiny itself and hope that the organisation would not be rciless and inconsiderate.
Violet continued.
"Second, Jaden’s life now belongs to the Sovereign. The Sovereign wishes for him to assist Emily rather than hold any official position within the Draconis family."
Rizwell nodded quietly. He had already surrendered his son to the Sovereign previously, so this did not surprise him. He rarely called Jaden to work for the family anymore; most of his ti was being spent inside Emily’s mansion babysitting her child anyway.
"Third..."
Violet leaned back slightly.
"The Draconis family will not be allowed to sell the goods and services provided by Infinity Guild under personal ventures or brands that would be unaccounted for in the profit-sharing system. Only those stores where proper docuntation and profits are recorded shall be used to sell items from the infinity guild."
"If any product sold by the guild directly competes with the Draconis family’s existing trade sectors, the guild will either purchase those sectors at 1.5 tis their market valuation..."
"...or establish independent operations should the family head reject the first option."
Rizwell silently nodded.
This condition was perfectly reasonable.
After all, the Draconis family would be managing the guild’s operations within the empire.
If both parties happened to sell similar products, then it would naturally beco tempting for the draconis rchants to prioritize whichever products generated greater profits, which would obviously be the local family product rather than the one belonging to the guild since profit-sharing entered the equation.
Hence, a conflict of interest would arise, and preventing such issues beforehand was simply the smarter choice.
As Rizwell seed to agree on that condition, William moved to the next point.
User Comments
0 comments from readers