Chapter 555: Speech

"Too long have we repaid disrespect with mercy!" Uriah, Patriarch of the Dark Heaven Tribe, shouted at the army below him. "Too long have we averted our eyes for the sake of a brittle peace!"

"Too long! Too long! Too long!" The hundred or so cultivators below cried in unison.

"And for what?" Uriah snorted, pointing at Rachel, who stood a few steps behind him. "To embolden our neighbors to act upon their lust toward the Dark Heaven Tribe’s most prized jewel?"

"Dark Heaven! Dark Heaven! Dark Heaven!" More cries resounded from the army.

"I say it’s time to remind the Invincible Oasis and the Red Sandstorm who rules the Aetacia region," Uriah continued, lifting his massive arm. "A reminder in blood!"

"Blood! Blood! Blood!" The army shouted.

"I say we deliver rightful death upon those who seek to hurt us!" Uriah declared.

"Death! Death! Death!" The army responded.

"I say we bring war to their doorsteps!" Uriah shouted.

"War! War! War!" The army echoed.

"Will you follow me into slaughter?" Uriah questioned.

"Slaughter! Slaughter! Slaughter!" The army responded.

"Will you fight for your Patriarch like hundreds of times before?" Uriah asked.

"Patriarch! Patriarch! Patriarch!" The army cried.

"Make the arrangements!" Uriah shouted, his hand hovering at the army. "At dawn, we depart for battle!"

Even louder cries followed as the army scattered, rushing to attend to the battle preparations, but someone in the scene didn’t share that excitement. All he felt was perplexity.

’How did this happen?’ Liam couldn’t help but wonder. If it weren’t for how precious the powder was, he would have forgotten to inhale the smoke.

There hadn’t really been room for inputs or breaks. Uriah’s half-stammered announcement had resounded throughout the oasis, and its cultivators had reacted instantly.

By the time Liam finished following Uriah, Amber, and Rachel to the palace’s entrance, which was connected to a stone staircase, the army was already there, leading to the speech he had just witnessed.

And Liam honestly couldn’t follow. Even while reviewing everything from behind the family, leaning against one of the entrance’s columns, he just couldn’t figure out how things had gotten to that point.

’Wasn’t slavery common here?’ Liam considered.

After seeing the enslaved magical beasts, Liam had guessed that enslavement was a typical punishment. Given the apparent similarities between Tribes and Clans, he had even assumed the harem part to be common. Grace’s Patriarch had three wives and eighteen concubines after all.

So, Liam hadn’t expected Uriah’s response to be so strong upon hearing what the two Young Masters wanted to do with his daughter. She was even in the wrong, so he should have predicted those repercussions.

Of course, Uriah probably believed Rachel to be exempt from such punishments out of virtue of being his daughter. She likely hadn’t told him the full story, either, tricking him into summoning his protective side.

That actually wasn’t much in question. After all, Rachel’s huge lie was the reason behind that mess.

’Why did she tell the story like that?’ Liam wondered. ’I’m the only one who benefits from it.’

Liam could see that as a way of repaying him, but there was no real debt to speak of. Sure, he had spared Rachel’s life, but he had also used her. Establishing a connection with her Tribe should have already settled the matter.

’She even said she doesn’t want to bring death to her Tribe,’ Liam recalled. ’Isn’t this the same? Am I missing something?’

To make things even more confusing, Uriah began to leave with Rachel clinging affectionately to his arm, but she didn’t forget to flash a smile at Liam before disappearing from his sight.

’What even is happening here?’ Liam cursed internally. Luckily, he had an ally there.

Amber had been at Rachel’s side during the speech, but she hadn’t left with her husband, instead approaching Liam.

"Are my daughter’s lies troubling you?" Amber questioned.

"If you knew, then ..." Liam wanted to ask, but Amber interrupted him.

"Please, just answer me one thing," Amber stated. "Were the Young Masters truly planning to force themselves on my daughter?"

Liam met the sharp green eyes pointed at him, tasting the tension boiling in the air. There was danger there, but not toward him.

"I don’t know how serious they were," Liam admitted. "But their exact words were: You’ll be lucky if you end up as part of the Young Master’s harem."

The tension didn’t explode. It sharpened, growing icy. It seemed the slightest pressure could shatter the very air, but nothing of the sort unfolded.

"Thank you for your honesty," Amber said. "It seems the Invincible Oasis and the Red Sandstorm Tribes need a reminder of what they can’t even think of touching."

’It’s not just the father, huh,’ Liam realized. Honestly, compared to Uriah’s loud rage, Amber’s silent killing intent was far scarier.

Nevertheless, the realization only improved Liam’s impression of the couple. It even confirmed that what he had with Grace could work.

To be fair, what Liam had seen from Grace so far told him that she would grow far scarier than Amber once she became a mother, but imagining it put a smile on his face.

Amber couldn’t miss that random smile. It honestly didn’t suit Liam’s vibe at all, but it also tingled her woman’s intuition.

"Dark Wanderer, do you have family waiting for you?" Amber probed, keeping her question vague.

Liam was almost about to deny that when something Grace had said popped into his mind. ’I’m her real family ... I already see her as the future mother of my children. What even is the difference anymore?’

"She is waiting for me," Liam confirmed, diverting his gaze, also being vague. He even thought about someone else, someone he still had to take responsibility for but wasn’t sure where she was.

Amber looked troubled. She glanced in the direction her husband and daughter had left before refocusing on Liam, choosing her next words carefully.

"My daughter may not act like it," Amber exclaimed, "But she is quite wise. The Young Masters crossed a line. She knows the Tribe can’t let such behavior slide."

’It was politics,’ Liam concluded. Some details were still iffy, but he could at least accept that the situation would have always reached that point.

"I trust her political decisions," Amber continued. "And I knew this one would have come eventually. I apologize in advance, but I won’t be of much help for what’s about to come. I’m afraid I don’t entirely disagree with it."

Liam frowned. He smelled the different topic but couldn’t connect it to anything. He only knew Amber had made it sound ominous.

"About the imminent clash," Amber said, feigning ignorance. "It would mean a lot if you were to join it. Of course, the Dark Heaven Tribe can only request your presence."

The new topic was easier to understand. Amber was basically saying that Liam didn’t have to fight. They hadn’t reached any agreement, so requesting his military power would be asking too much.

Yet, Amber had once again misunderstood Liam, though that truly was something no one could predict. After all, no one in the entire Kingdom could fathom his needs.

"I’ll fight," Liam offered, "As long as I can join in the plundering."