Chapter 546
Chapter 546: Chapter 546
"Master Argus." The red-haired Zurk politely greeted him as soon as he entered the study, and Keith, who was standing by the side of the window, looking at the Nemerus Estate through the rain-streaked glass, turned around to meet the man.
"Lord Zyron." He smiled when he saw a little boy following his father into the study, who curiously looked around to see if Kiara and the rest had come as well.
A flash of disappointment passed through the kid’s eyes before he respectfully bowed to him.
"How are you feeling?"
"I am fine." The boy replied with a smile. "Did the older sisters not come?"
"They were busy." He said and then gently patted the boy’s head, whose blue eyes curiously stared at him. "For you." He said after he took his hand off and handed something to him.
Zyrios curiously looked at the scroll that was now in his hand, but instead of opening it, he looked back up at Keith.
"Go and study it. Practising it will help you become stronger and healthier."
"Thank you!" Happy at the gift, even though he did not know exactly what it was, the young Zurk ran out of the room to check it out, completely forgetting all etiquette in his moment of excitement.
Both Keith and Zyron smiled at his antics before they walked over to take their seats at the table.
"Was the City Lord involved in what happened to the Solarian Prince?" He asked, catching the Zurk off-guard.
"Jaun was from a branch family." The Nemerus Patriarch frowned, and Keith understood from his use of past tense that he was aware of Jaun’s death. "His father was an illegitimate child."
"He was still a Prince, and important to the Crown because he was wedded to the Orayen Princess." Keith reminded the man, making him sigh.
"The City Lord was not involved in the death of Jaun and his Family. He only stayed silent, knowing what was about to happen. The Four Founding Families, including us, were told to stay out of the matter."
"Why?" He asked.
"A few weeks ago, the City Lord visited the Vulcan Kingdom, and he reached a peace deal with the Vulcan Crown. The terms proposed included no wars between the two sides for two hundred years, and the trade restrictions were to be lifted. It was what the Vulcan Crown promised. The people of the city don’t know it, but the Vulcan Kingdom has geared up its forces and substantially improved its military prowess. In case of a war, the Crystal City is bound to fall. So, the deal was the best option for us as it was going to earn us time to prepare and grow stronger. However, we always knew there had to be a catch. The Vulcan King assured us that he was only offering this deal under the condition that the Crystal City would remain neutral when the Kingdom marches on its surrounding Independent Cities. We had our concerns since we knew about the Vulcan’s ambitions, which included our city. The Nemerus and the Ameer were against the signing of the deal, but the other two and the City Lord agreed. The agreement was signed."
"A mistake." Keith shook his head at their stupidity.
"Yes, and we fell into the trap. When the Vulcan and Elysian sides approached us, informing us about what they were going to do, we felt that it was not our headache as it was a feud between Solaria, Elysia, and Vulcania. Staying out seemed to be the wisest option at that time. However, what we were informed was that their goal was to capture Jaun and his Family as Political Hostages, not to kill them openly. We realised too late that we were a target as well."
"Vulcans."
"Yes. They were working with the Elysians at that time. Now, with the war between Elsyia and Solaria, and the Solaris and Orayen Families after the Crystal City, blaming us for colluding with their enemies and intending to make things even, we have been left vulnerable. Vulcania is not going to attack us because we have a deal, neither can we attack them or side with their enemies, but that deal did not state that the Vulcan Kingdom would not absorb us into their Kingdom to create an Empire. Their plan was always to force us into submission without a war."
"Has a new offer come?" He smiled.
"Yes. The Vulcanian Crown has offered the City Lord to merge the City into the Kingdom, forming an Empire. In return, the City Lord will be named the King of the Crystal Kingdom, and we will get all of the Grasslands to form up the new Kingdom’s territory. The Vulcanian Crown has also promised to help all five families for the next two centuries against all foreign enemies. And they have promised that we will be free to manage the city as we have always been doing."
"And you are considering it?"
"Even if I don’t speak about the entire city, the Nemerus Family does need their help against the Elysian Crown. It is what they have promised us. And as much as we hate to admit it, if the Orayens really came after us, we would be eradicated."
The man sighed, looking quite distraught with all the political upheaval, his shoulders slumping slightly under the weight of the decisions pressing upon him.
"Have you considered the possibility that it was always what the Elysians and the Vulcans intended?"
"I have, and there is a high possibility of it. However, the world always conspires in such ways. What we know for sure is that the Vulcans and Elysians are not friends even if they do cooperate from time to time. They only look after their interests. What happened in Elysia to our Family was not started by the Vulcans. And we have no personal enmity with them either."
"So, you have made up your mind." Keith smiled at the man, who honestly nodded his head.
"The City Lord has decided to accept the offer on behalf of the city, but the merger will take several months to complete as the terms are currently being negotiated."
"I see." He nodded his head and then looked at the emblem of the Nemerus Family, which bore the sign of a raging lion. Back in the background was the Crystal Tower, where the City Lord’s court was. "How close are you with the City Lord’s Family?"
"Why do you ask?"
"I am curious why you are confident that you won’t be betrayed." He said, looking into the man’s eyes, and then meaningfully continued, "When things turn for worse, sacrifices are made."
Zyron shook his head at the words.
"They are family. When the Four Founding Families created the Crystal City, we chose to create a fifth family to rule so that there would be no friction between us. A Nemerus son was wedded to an Ameer daughter, and an Ameer son was wedded to the Nemerus Daughter. Their children were then married to each other. On the other side, the other two families did the same, and then we joined all four families to create the House of Crystol. The years have not been smooth, and there have been attempts to hijack the power, but never have the five families stabbed each other in the back. Even as we vie for control over the city, it is more of a competition than an enmity."
"All it takes is one weak ruler and even the mightiest of empires can fall." He smiled. "But I am sure your family has prepared for the worst."
"It is good to be prepared." Zyron meaningfully smiled back, not denying his words. "Out of curiosity, are you the one that the Sword Doctor is looking for?"
It was what the letter had mentioned that the Sword Doctor had approached the House of Nemerus to inquire about him.
"You already know the answer to that." He said, looking into the man’s eyes. "And I hope you won’t do anything that could cause me disappointment."
"Rest assured, Master Argus, we honour our benefactors even more than our family."
"That’s good to know." He nodded his head and then took out the OmniWatch that belonged to Kiara.
Pressing a few commands on it, he generated a holographic screen, which showed the image of a Zurk Girl.
"Reha Nemeron, granddaughter of Sylos Nemeron. A survivor." He said, and before Zyron’s surprise could wear off, he continued. "I hope you can help us create her a new identity as the daughter of the Nemerus Family of the Crystal City so that she can freely live here and be part of my daughters’ Guild."
"The Nemeron?" Zyron hopefully asked, his voice wavering a little.
"They lost the battle. Only a little over three hundred managed to survive. Lord Sylos and his two Grandsons are the only living adult males left. The Golden Army slaughtered all male kids aged 10 and above along with the adults. The only reason Sylos and his two Grandsons were left alive was to watch the females of their family get raped. Sylos’ daughter and grandniece were among the victims who were defiled."
As soon as his words fell, Zyron angrily clenched his fist, and his face visibly burned with rage, the veins in his temples throbbing faintly under the strain of his fury.
"They are in a safe place now, but I will soon move them out of Westesia. I will take them with me to Orenesia."
"You are from Orenesia?" He furrowed his brows after nodding his head to the arrangements, not raising any objections as he understood how dangerous it would be for the Nemeron Family to stay here.
"No. But if you need to find me or want to visit the Nemeron Family in the future, you can come to Arcadia Archonos."
Hearing the name of the Supreme Organisation that was the overlord of Orenesia, Zyron’s heart palpitated in alarm.
His mind ran wild once again to guess Argus’ identity, but the guesses that now came to his mind terrified him.
"I will prepare the perfect identity for Reha," he answered after thinking things over and finding a perfect plan. "My uncle has not been sighted in Crystal City for nearly two decades. He left with his wife to explore the continent. The last news that the public received about him was that he and his wife were expecting a child. And they know this because he had thrown a lavish party at the Cirian Capital. However, soon after, their entourage was attacked by some of his enemies, and as a result, my aunt later suffered a miscarriage. Both of them have been living in isolation since then, grieving the loss of their unborn child and companions whom they lost in the attack. Reha looks to be around 15, which fits the timeline, and she can easily pass as their daughter. I will call them, and they will be back in the city within three days."
"Will they be willing to do it?"
"Master Argus, every member of my family will lay their life to protect their kin. My uncle and aunt would never shirk from their duty."
"Very well. You can contact me when they are about to arrive, and we will arrange their arrival in a manner where Reha is seen entering the city with them."
"Zilya and Zyrios will visit you at the Black Nest for tonight’s dinner with an answer from my Uncle and Aunt and possible plans. You can discuss the details with her."
"You won’t be coming?" Keith curiously asked.
"I have an important meeting at the City Lord’s Palace." He said, and after hesitating for a few seconds, he said something that caught Keith off-guard. "The Key to the Prison Realm has been found. All the major powers of Westesia are now heading to the Frozen Wasteland to claim it."