Chapter 159: Then We Leave

Sector 488. Freedom Province.

A circular tower stood a thousand meters high in the center of a Domain. Its gleaming structure housed the headquarters of the Free Will Consortium.

All twelve directors had gathered in the conference room at the top.

A deeply wrinkled gentleman spoke with measured elegance.

"Word from Sector 428. Celestine, the Dowager who holds power in the Jade Court, has announced the abandonment of Tidecrown Province in the newcomer realm."

Smiles spread around the table.

A richly dressed woman turned to the old man beside her. Even her earrings were exceptional Legendary equipment.

"We owe your descendant a debt of thanks, Wolfe. His death gave us our reason to put pressure on the Jade Court."

Elias Wolfe wore an expression of grief.

"My poor Adrian. One of my most cherished descendants. I had such hopes that he would inherit my will."

"Oh, stop it. You have eighty thousand descendants like him. A hundred thousand, perhaps. Without this affair, would you even have known Adrian Wolfe’s name?"

Across the table, a stern blond youth spoke.

"Don’t worry, Wolfe. Your family will have exclusive rights to ten percent of Riftward Region."

The old man’s face blossomed into a smile.

"Dear Ross, we’re the closest of partners. There’s no need to put it like that." He looked his companion over appreciatively. "Such a vigorous young body. Perhaps I should find a younger one to inherit my will too."

Ross, the Consortium’s chief executive, ignored him and looked around the room.

"Be patient for another month or two. Once the Black Banner wins the Governorship, it will honor our agreement and hand Riftward Marches over to us."

His tone remained calm.

"With Fortune Consolidation, we can turn Riftward Region into the newcomer realm’s first Region with a thousand Fortune. A nursery for the next generation of our strongest Lords."

"A very profitable deal," the woman said. "Who would have expected a Region like that to appear in a Marches less than two months old?"

"We should still guard against the Black Banner changing its mind," Wolfe said. "Riftward is worth too much."

"Changing its mind?" She gave a cold smile. "We’re merchants. We helped them because they offered the best price. If they break their word, they’ll pay for it."

——

In Glory Battlefield, Cassian listened to Mira’s explanation, his brow drawing together.

"Free Will and the Black Banner pressured the Jade Court into abandoning Tidecrown?"

Adrian’s death alone should not have brought the Consortium’s directors into the matter.

"Then they’re after Riftward Marches. More likely, Riftward Region itself."

He understood quickly.

The Marches contained over a thousand Regions, each with at least two Fortune. Gather that together, and the value would be enormous. Riftward Region already had sixty-two.

A Region with such a foundation less than two months after the realm opened might not appear once in a century on the Homeworld.

The Jade Court’s declaration was more than empty words. It claimed official authority over the Crown’s forces in the Seventh Realm. Abandoning Tidecrown meant it would provide no military support if the Province was invaded.

Especially if the invaders descended from older sectors or higher Realms.

A Lord from a sector ten years older could be forced down to the same Level as a newcomer and still be far beyond an ordinary newcomer’s ability to resist.

Mira knew that too.

"Boss, what do we do?"

"What else can we do?"

Cassian smiled faintly.

"If the Jade Court has abandoned Tidecrown, then we’re leaving the Jade Court. Riftward will no longer recognize its authority over the Crown in the Seventh Realm."

"Leaving the Jade Court?"

Mira stared. He had said it so calmly that, for a moment, she struggled to take in the defiance behind the words.

In name, every Crown soldier in the Seventh Realm, from Sector 1 to Sector 666, fell under the Jade Court’s authority.

Over the past century, other newcomer Lords had broken away in disgust at its corruption. White Lotus Province. Peace Province. Haven Province. Without support from above, they had all been crushed by foreign Lords descending from older sectors.

Only established powers could stand against established powers.

"Yes," Cassian said, confirming that she had heard correctly. "Was there anything else?"

Mira steadied herself.

"Yes. The envoy brought a decree from that old hag Celestine. She orders you to change Veyra’s name. To Little Ivy."

Cassian’s eyes widened.

Little Ivy? Where had the old woman found a name like that?

He opened a brief video call to Forgotten Shrine. Veyra appeared on the screen, still at home.

He tried to imagine calling her Little Ivy. Would she lose her temper?

"What is it, Lord?" Veyra touched her cheek. "Is there something on my face?"

"Ivy, apparently."

Other Lords with good sources were receiving the news too.

[Colonel Mercer: Abandoning Tidecrown means abandoning Riftward! Have the Jade Court’s rulers lost their minds? They’re throwing away the foremost Marches on the Homeworld!]

Corin, Lydia, and the other Crown Commanders were stunned.

What was all their effort worth if the Jade Court had already given up the Province? Even if one of them won the Governorship, what would happen when veteran Black Banner Lords descended?

Lydia was close to losing control.

[Lydia Venn: I fought through everything they put in my way to become Commander. Now the Jade Court can just throw it all away? Without a Marches, how am I supposed to restore House Venn?]

[Lydia Venn: Do I withdraw and try again next year? What about the billions of Aether we’ve invested this year? All for nothing?]

Darian was just as furious.

[Darian Frost: A disgrace. An utter disgrace! I thought Cassian was the only person who could make me this angry. Apparently I was wrong!]

[Cassian: Insult the Jade Court all you like. Why drag me into it?]

Darian did not answer. He was apparently too busy being furious.

Soon, Mira announced Riftward Marches’ withdrawal from the Jade Court in the Marches Channel.

Tobias and Cassian’s other staunch supporters backed the decision without hesitation. If he had proposed marching on Sector 428, more than two hundred years old, they might well have followed him there.

Other Lords were worried.

[Forget a sector ten years older. What if Lords from Sector 665 descend? They’ve only had one extra year, and how would we stop even them?]

Darian returned to the Channel.

[Darian Frost: Well said, Cassian. That took courage. If the Jade Court won’t support you, House Frost will!]

[Seraphine Valcrest: I can’t speak for Moonlit Dominion. But I can speak for the seven Valcrests in Riftward. We’re with you.]

[Elara Vayne: Don’t panic. Lords who descend here have their Levels suppressed by the system.]

Many understood that perfectly. It did little to reassure them.

Level was only one part of strength. Skills, troop Quality, equipment, special items, Lord Talents, Heroes—an older Lord could hold overwhelming advantages in all of them.

The ruler of White Lotus Province had once been known as the White Lotus Saint. She had dozens of Legendary troops and hundreds of Epics. Even she had met a miserable end when the older powers came for her.

Cassian pinned a notice in the Marches Channel.

[Cassian: We fought the Black Banner together, won Fortune together, and took this Marches together. That’s how we reached this point.]

[Cassian: You can all see Tidecrown’s position now. We don’t know when the Black Banner, or even Free Will, might send Lords from older sectors. We have no military aid to count on.]

[Cassian: So I’ll say it again. Relocation out of the Marches is open. If you want to leave, I won’t stop you. I wish you well.]

In the management group, Tobias hesitated.

[Tobias Reed: Boss, why does that sound familiar?]

[Rowan Ashford: He told our Region the same thing after the Boundary War. More than half the Lords left. They’ve been regretting it ever since.]

[Tobias Reed: ...]

That was exactly what Cassian had in mind.

He would gladly welcome every Crown Lord who chose to stay under these circumstances. Nor would he blame those who left.

But once he had weathered this crisis, coming back to Riftward would not be so easy.

This was a chance to find out who would stand with the Marches.

Then Elara called out.

"Darian’s rank is up!"