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They had wanted to call Ruin as well, but his conversation with the apprentices seemed unus.ually serious, so they deliberately didn’t interrupt.

Regardless of what anyone said, Ruin was currently in charge of Samael’s combat strategy.

The elders, seated around the table with solemn expressions, remained silent for a while before one of them finally spoke up.

“In the end, Patriarch’s prediction was correct.”

“Bayern’s, or rather, Urgon’s intentions have become clear. They’re not after money.”

“They were waiting for us to be unable to repay the debt.”

“Not only do they want to drive us out of Khaoto, but if we resist, they’re prepared to crush us with force… and even…”

The elder’s eyes sank as he spoke.

“…annihilate our clan.”

The oppressive weight of the unspeakable word, too dreadful to even utter, filled everyone’s faces with deep sorrow. Kazen spoke up with a calm expression.

“That was their goal from the beginning.”

Kazen met the elders’ eyes and added,

“We can no longer stand idly by.”

His heavy yet composed tone calmed the elders’ hearts.

After a long while of further discussion, someone said,

“…Come to think of it, perhaps Ruin foresaw this whole situation.”

Hearing this, another elder nodded in agreement with admiration.

“I wondered why he suddenly created that strange mercenary group…”

The rest of the elders nodded in unison.

While the elders were preoccupied with the magic stones, Ruin went out and created a mercenary group. In a short period of less than a month.

At first, they were dumbfounded when they confirmed that the mercenary group was the Dark Souls, who had been operating in Khaoto.

Driving out the Dark Souls was remarkable enough, but even more astonishing was how he managed to tame those unruly individuals, who were now showing utmost respect to the elders.

They couldn’t fathom what he had done.

However,

The elders finally realized the reason today.

The mercenaries standing beside them, swords drawn against Bayern.

They were…

Samael’s reinforcements.

Moreover, Ruin had even brought in the main branch of the Dark Souls as reinforcements.

The woman who was wielding her dagger like a madwoman, pushing Bayern back, couldn’t be anything but reinforcements.

“It’s unbelievable.”

Indeed.

It was unbelievable.

They weren’t just talking about the level of the mercenary group.

It was Ruin’s ability to predict Bayern’s actions and organize reinforcements in the meantime that they couldn’t believe.

How was that even possible?

Ruin’s previous preaching about Samael’s will and his talent for magic were surprising, but they paled in comparison to this.

He had accomplished something that even the elders of the family couldn’t.

As if to prove his determination,

He was leading the charge, clearing the thorny path ahead of Samael.

“He’s admirable.”

“The word ‘admirable’ doesn’t even begin to describe it.”

While pure admiration continued for a while, only one person, Elder Norman, remained silent, harboring completely different thoughts.

‘…He’s a terrifying one. The elders don’t know Ruin’s true nature. He’s a truly terrifying individual.’

Norman unconsciously clutched the magic stone in his robe tightly.

A moment later, Kazen tapped the table at the head of the room, drawing everyone’s attention.

“We need to start preparations tonight.”

“What would be the best course of action?”

“Waiting is a poor strategy. We have the justification. However…”

Isaac continued Kazen’s words.

“…It ultimately comes down to money.”

The elders simultaneously let out a sigh.

“If we can’t secure a loan, Urgon will find a way to intervene.”

Suddenly, Falcon looked at Kazen and asked,

“Is there a deadline for the funding that the Valpong Merchant Group promised to send?”

Kazen shook his head.

“It will be difficult for now. We can’t rely on Valpong.”

As the elders fell into contemplation again, Kazen spoke with a heavy heart.

“Elders.”

Everyone’s attention focused on Kazen.

“There’s no way to avoid this any longer. Even if Urgon intervenes…”

“….”

“Samael will not back down.”

The moment the vague threat they had imagined materialized,

Elder Norman spoke up with difficulty.

“Do you believe there’s a chance, Patriarch”

“It will be difficult. But we cannot give up Khaoto.”

“….”

We cannot give up Khaoto.

That was the conclusion.

Samael’s identity. Samael’s source.

Even though a clan exists wherever there are people, Khaoto Mountain was the fundamental foundation where Samael’s spirit had resided for countless years, transcending all else.

Both Kazen and the elders instinctively knew. If they surrendered Khaoto, the spirit of Samael, which had endured for hundreds of years, would also come to an end.

Because they knew that,

Samael would not back down.

Just then,

The door to the main house slammed open, and the chief attendant lined up in front of Kazen.

“What is it, Wright? I told you not to let anyone in during the meeting. Don’t tell me Bayern has returned already.”

“No, sir. It’s… Young Master Ruin…”

“What about Ruin?”

A familiar young man sauntered in from behind.

“Come on, seriously. I told you I have something to say. Why are you blocking me like this?”

“….”

Ruin bowed his head towards Kazen and the elders.

“Esteemed Patriarch, and respected elders. I have arrived.”

Kazen looked at Ruin with a stern expression.

“Ruin. There are proper manners to observe. I was about to call you to the meeting, but…”

“Oh, yes, yes. Of course. But from what I heard outside, it all comes down to money, right?”

“Are you saying you were eavesdropping on the meeting?”

“That’s not important. What’s important is money right now, isn’t it, Patriarch?”

Kazen, feeling as if he were seeing the reckless Ruin from his younger days again, scolded him sternly.

“Ruin! We are in the middle of a meeting that concerns the very survival of our clan. Wait outside until you are called.”

“Just a moment.”

Ruin gestured behind him, and the crazy woman they had seen in the morning struggled to drag in a small box.

“What are you doing?”

“I’ll just leave this here. Then, I’ll be on my way.”

While Ruin went back outside, Elder Norman, as if in a trance, approached the box and opened the lid.

“…Go- Gold bars?”

“What did you just say?”

“Gold bars? Gold bars? Gold… bars?”

Elder Norman started tilting his head from side to side like a madman, repeating the same words.

Kazen and the other elders, concerned, approached Norman.

Suddenly, they all shuddered as if struck by lightning.

“….”

“It’s gold bars! Gold, why are there gold bars?”

“What in the world… Someone, quickly bring Ruin back!”

The chief attendant dashed out and dragged Ruin back in.

“Hey, what’s this? You told me to leave.”

Kazen quickly stepped forward and grabbed Ruin’s hand.

“…Where did you get these gold bars?!”

“It’s nothing special. I bought an empty house in Leon, and out of boredom, I tore down a wall and found these gold bars.”

Meanwhile, Falcon, who had quickly finished his calculations, looked at Kazen with a trembling face.

“…Patriarch.”

Everyone’s eyes turned towards Falcon’s mouth.

“…It’s twice the amount of the loan.”

“….”

* * *

When absurd things happen consecutively, there comes a point where you just accept it.

That’s exactly how the elders felt.

They were dumbfounded by the sight of the gold bars, but since it was Ruin, they somehow found themselves nodding in acceptance.

“…You’re amazing, Ruin.”

“Oh, it’s not that much.”

Seeing Ruin speak so nonchalantly, the elders felt a pang in their hearts.

They knew that Ruin’s flippant words were actually out of consideration for them.

The rest of the meeting went smoothly.

The atmosphere was heavy, but there were no obstacles.

Only Elder Norman remained silent, occasionally glancing at Ruin with a strange look in his eyes.

As the meeting finally came to an end, Kazen and the elders left the main house one by one.

By the time the last remaining Elder Norman slowly stepped outside, the sky over Khaoto had already darkened.

‘…What a terrifying young man.’

Elder Norman shuddered once and started walking towards the Elder’s Council.

Someone quietly fell into step beside him.

Elder Norman tensed up and straightened his posture.

The movement beside him was so silent that he hadn’t even noticed their approach.

He slowly turned his head…

Gasp—

It was him, that boy.

“Elder Norman, how have you been?”

Norman instinctively clutched the magic stone in his robe and looked at the boy.

“Do, do you have something to say to me?”

“Oh, it’s nothing much.”

The boy looked around and then slyly extended his hand towards his chest.

“No, you can’t!”

Norman, thinking the boy was after his magic stone, quickly stepped back.

But faster than that, he felt something heavy in his robe.

“Shh! It’s a secret from the others, Elder Norman.”

Norman stared blankly at Ruin’s retreating figure, then suddenly pulled something out from his robe, feeling a foreign object inside.

His pupils shook.

An ingot the size of his palm was emitting a golden light.

Norman gasped and quickly hid the gold bar in his robe.

* * *

‘Is that something to be so happy about?’

Elder Norman, hurriedly hiding the gold bar and looking around, resembled a thief concealing stolen goods.

I watched from afar as Elder Norman tiptoed into the Elder’s Council, then resumed my walk.

Come to think of it, the other elders’ reactions weren’t much different.

‘Honestly. Over something so trivial.’

I had only brought less than half of the gold bars from the wagon to the main house.

Seeing the elders looking at me with such touched expressions, I felt a sense of unpleasantness for the first time in a while.

Anyway, it seemed the treasurer’s words were true.

Judging by how happy they were with just those few gold bars, it was clear that the amount of slush funds Shepiro had hidden was quite substantial.

Walking under the dark night sky, I stopped at the railing of the lodging and looked down at the opposite side.

‘Hmm.’

From the railing, I had a clear view of the Samael estate.

The training ground was still packed with locals.

Bonfires were scattered throughout the training ground, and the locals were huddled around them in groups of three or five, escaping the mountain’s chill.

Mercenaries and servants were moving among the training ground, serving food or distributing blankets and makeshift pillows.

Meanwhile, it seemed Donkey was showing off his cooking skills, as each group had a chicken stew placed in front of them, steaming hot.

‘…This is practically a refugee camp.’

While I was observing the training ground with a mixed feeling, someone gently placed their hand on my shoulder.

For some reason, I knew who it was without even looking.

“Have you eaten?”

“Not yet.”

A moment later, I heard his voice again.

“…They are ordinary people.”

“Yes.”

“Why the gloomy expression? I accepted them. They are people who have lost their homes.”

“….”

“They have done nothing wrong.”

“I suppose so.”

Perhaps because my voice sounded cynical,

The grip on my shoulder tightened slightly.

“Ruin. We fight to protect ourselves, but it means nothing to them. They might even be suffering because of us. Don’t ignore the pain of ordinary people. That’s not what Samael is about. Remember that.”

Suddenly, something welled up inside me, and I glared at the owner of the hand.

The moonlight reflected in their eyes.

“….”

Without saying a word, I turned my head back to the training ground.

Kazen was walking down towards them.

———-