Tales of the Endless Empire Chapter 30: A Gathering of Nobles

Lady Nerissa Selwyn sat at the head of the long, polished table, her keen eyes scanning the faces of the noble families gathered in the grand council chamber. The room, dimly lit by crystal chandeliers, felt heavy with the weight of uncertainty. The recent attacks had unsettled even the most composed among them.

"These assaults on our operations cannot be ignored," Lady Nerissa began, her voice steady but edged with frustration. "While we may not yet know who or what is behind them, what we do know is that soone is trying to weaken us."

Lord Reynard Valis, a veteran of many battles, his dark hair streaked with silver, leaned forward. "It’s not just the attacks. A group of ten slaves managed to escape just days ago. Whoever is behind this is not rely targeting our resources. They might be humans from Earth with the goal of liberating their enslaved brothers and sisters."

Lady Miranda Ashford, her dark eyes cold, spat out her words. "Escaped slaves and raided supplies—this is an insult. We need to make an example of those humans from Earth. They must learn that defying us cos with consequences."

"But we still have no clear idea who is behind these actions," Lord Edric Faulkner interjected, his tone cautious. "Our enforcers have found no trace of the culprits—no bodies, no identifiable patterns, nothing. We’re dealing with soone who knows how to move in the shadows."

"It doesn’t matter who they are," Lady Ashford retorted sharply. "What matters is that they’re defying us. We should deploy more troops, tighten our security, and crush them with overwhelming force if they attempt to attack us again."

Lord Faulkner shook his head. "But we must be prudent about this. In two days, we will execute all the slaves anyway. Why now? Why such a sudden and coordinated effort? Perhaps they are aware of our plans."

Lady Nerissa nodded, aligning her thoughts with Faulkner’s. "This isn’t just about stealing supplies or freeing slaves. Soone is trying to demonstrate that they can stand against us. I still want to extract all the resources this land has to offer. I agree with Lady Ashford, these attackers have killed our people and taken our resources. We thought sending larger groups would solve the problem, but we should add guards to ensure the safety of our workers."

The nobles murmured in agreent, their resolve hardening. Lady Nerissa stood, signaling the end of the eting. "We have our orders. Let’s ensure these matters are resolved before we ascend."

As the nobles began to rise and depart, Lady Nerissa remained, deep in thought. Whoever was behind these attacks was bold and dangerous. They weren’t just striking at resources. Why would they go to such lengths to free those worthless slaves? If those otherworlders have indeed banded together, which is entirely plausible considering the size of the second stage, this could beco very perilous.

With a final glance at the map spread across the table, she turned and left the chamber, her mind already racing with strategies to root out this unseen enemy and ensure that everything proceeded according to their plans.