The Emperor’s Angel of Death

Facing Sherian's question, Illisian simply smiled and responded:

"Alcantara, or rather, Prime Minister Dolar as he's now called, and I are old acquaintances. Our families have a history of intermarriage in the distant past. He happened to ask me for a favor, and taking advantage of that, I expressed my intention to join the Royal Court. They indicated it shouldn't be a problem. Also, there's something you probably don't know: Lord Iron Thorns, Abraham Hack, has already pledged allegiance to the Eternal Royal Court and has been appointed as the Pandemonium Administrator and Earl of Iron Thorns by the Eternal Royal Court."

Sherian chuckled softly and said:

"Oh, so you heartlessly abandoned us and started acting on your own?"

"Haha, it was just some preliminary preparation, afraid of too many people talking and accidentally leaking the information."

Illisian picked up the wine jug and refilled Sherian's glass halfway, a gesture that seemed like an apology.

"That's more like it."

Compared to their seemingly flirtatious exchange, Clarach had a different reaction. He first gasped, then whispered:

"I can't believe Abraham Hack has such guts... Isn't he afraid Victor will discover his conspiracy and slaughter them all again?"

Illisian raised his glass and responded calmly:

"Is fear useful? I admire Abraham Hack because he has the will to resist, instead of being a cowering dog under Victor's oppression. At least he took action and gained some benefits."

"Benefits? It's just an empty title."

Faced with this question, Illisian didn't say anything, but Sherian glanced at Clarach with disdain.

"The opportunity is right in front of us, determining how much we can get in that grand feast. Sherian, I'll continue to contact Dolar. The Eternal Royal Court's secret agents need a new base of operations, and your arena is a good cover. Clarach, I know your family vault holds many ancient empire texts and materials. Your family used to own the largest historical museum in Gomo, which was said to be destroyed by a fire during Victor's rise, but that's definitely a cover, right? These things are useless to you, so they will all be given to the Eternal Royal Court as gifts."

Sherian blinked, not speaking immediately, but Clarach said somewhat reluctantly:

"Old buddy, it's not that I'm stingy, but it sounds like we're the only ones giving, while you're just talking, maybe exchanging letters with that Dolar, and you get the credit and the benefits? That's not fair, is it?"

Illisian sighed softly.

"My dear Clarach, there's no risk in any of these things for you. But me? I have to take the greatest risk by directly contacting the Eternal Royal Court. If something goes wrong, you can find ways to clear yourselves, but I can't clear myself no matter what. Isn't that enough?"

His words made Clarach speechless, and Sherian finally spoke.

"Okay, no problem."

Seeing her attitude, Clarach nodded.

"Alright, those things are indeed useless to me... But old buddy, you have to make it clear to them that the Clarach family painstakingly preserved these ancient empire's data and records at great risk."

"Of course."

Illisian raised his glass.

"Then it's settled."

Sherian looked at Clarach, and the old noble nodded.

"It's settled!"

So the three raised their glasses and clinked them together.

"By the way, Illisian, what did Dolar ask you to do? Was it worth owing such a big favor?"

"Just letting a few people into Comorro from my port."

Illisian took a sip of wine and answered very perfunctorily. Clarach could tell he didn't want to elaborate, so he wisely didn't press further.

At this moment, Sherian, the youngest of the three, suddenly asked:

"Clarach, you said there was a spoiler when Victor rose to power. Who were you referring to?"

Illisian also looked at him.

After drinking some wine, Clarach became eager to show off. He shook his head and pretended to be profound, saying:

"You young folks wouldn't know about the things back then... He was an extraordinary figure. Victor was nothing compared to him. If that incident hadn't happened back then, he might have been the overlord of Gomo now, not Victor."

"Oh? Such a powerful person, how come there's not even a record or legend of him in Gomo?"

"Because Victor ordered the destruction of everything about him when he ascended to the throne, and he implemented the strictest gag order. Even people slightly related to him were killed. I estimate only a handful of people in Gomo remember him. Do you know why Victor did this?"

Illisian leaned over, using his curious expression to satisfy the other party's desire to show off.

"Tell us, old buddy, why?"

Clarach didn't answer immediately, but took a sip of the wine in his glass, seemingly enjoying their curiosity, and then whispered:

"He was afraid!"

"Afraid?"

"Victor was originally a small slave controlled by a cult. It's said he was almost used as a sacrifice, but he was lucky to survive. Then he met someone, his new master, a foreigner. Victor was still an obscure figure in the alleys back then. Later, he became that foreigner's subordinate, or rather, slave. It was thanks to that person that he began to have his own power, and it grew bigger and bigger. But everyone knew that his life was entirely at the mercy of his master, because that person was too terrifying, manipulating the entire Gomo with his own power. If that person hadn't left, Victor would never have had a chance! Do you think he would be afraid?"

"Is he dead, then?"

Clarach shook his head.

"I don't know. After he left Gomo, no one ever heard from him again. Maybe he died, maybe he went somewhere else. Who knows? But if he were alive, he should have returned to Gomo to deal with Victor long ago, so I tend to think he's dead."

Sherian blinked.

"What's his name? Is there really no record of his deeds?"

"No one knows his real name. Everyone called him Phoenix."

"Phoenix? Sounds like he has something to do with those old fogeys from the Ark. You said he was a foreigner, did he come from an Ark?"

"Some people speculate that, but his style is nothing like the ascetics of the Ark. Anyway, it's been ten thousand years since he disappeared, and no one will be interested in him anymore."

After that, the three drank for a while longer and then returned to their respective conspiracy groups. To prevent being discovered by Victor's secret agents, Clarach and Sherian both used secret passages and even disguised themselves as ordinary conspiracy group warriors – Victor's omnipresent surveillance forced the governors to rack their brains to ensure their secrets wouldn't be discovered.

Illisian returned to his governor's palace and whispered a unique incantation into a psychic stone. This incantation required a separate decryption stone to correctly interpret the message, and this decryption stone had been secretly given to Dolar of the Eternal Royal Court.

After entering the message, Illisian summoned his most trusted courtier and handed him the psychic stone.

"Arrange for the most reliable shadow to personally deliver this to Dolar."

"Yes, Master."

Just as the other party was about to leave, Illisian suddenly stopped him.

"By the way, has that ship arrived?"

"It's already docked, entered through secret passage number nine."

"Keep an eye on the people who come down, but don't interfere with them. Report at any time."

"Yes."