The atmosphere around the table grew tense as Anass, Elisa, and Fray exchanged serious glances. Anass broke the silence with a penetrating question, "How did you do it?"

Fray, maintaining his composure, replied, "Don't worry; soon enough, I will provide you with the entire project, including plans and method details."

Anass, acknowledging the trust placed in Fray, sighed softly. "I still don't understand. Why did you do it? What's in it for you? This move could bring you more trouble than good."

"Just to strengthen the city. Soon, we'll need every ounce of power we've got," Fray explained calmly.

Anass, his tone serious, countered, "Strengthen the city? Whatever. Can you comprehend the trouble this will bring? The rich families monopolized all the farming lands after the closure of the cursed land. They won't appreciate you restoring one of the biggest farming lands in Iskar territory."

Elisa, grasping the gravity of the situation, questioned, "Do you think they'll come for us? While powerful, they aren't brave enough to directly confront Dalma family members, right?"

Anass, with a stern look, reminded them, "They have a member of the Dalma family on their side. And he won't reject their demand to attack you."

As the weight of potential consequences sank in, Fray's thoughts turned cold. (Yes, he will come for me for sure. It seems it's time to act like the villain I am), he mused, a hint of determination flickering in his eyes.

. . .

Oliver sat with a stoic expression, his piercing gaze fixed on the three middle-aged men. Their big bellies shook with each silly smile, creating an odd contrast to the gravity of the conversation.

"So, what do you think, young master? What the young lady is doing can't be ignored," one of them said, breaking the tension in the room.

Oliver, leaning on his hand with a bored look, entertained his own thoughts, (The cursed land, huh? My men implicated Fray who's responsible, not Elisa. But it doesn't matter; the actions of those two have become annoying.)

Another man chimed in, emphasizing the gravity of the situation, "Yes, and that land is under Anass's control. As you know, young master, he always targets us. I'm sure he will use it against us."

A surge of anger swirled within Oliver. (So, they want to use me to get rid of their problem,) he thought, trying to keep his stoic facade. (Although these bastards' words fuel my rage, I can't afford to lose their support now. Besides, I was already planning to deal with Elisa and that bastard Fray. It seems I just need to hasten my plans.)

With a glimmer of deadly intent in his eyes, Oliver responded with a calm voice, "Alright, I will take care of it." The three men's faces lit up with gratitude as they expressed, "Thank you, young master." The atmosphere in the room shifted, signalling the beginning of a dangerous game.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

. . .

Exiting the room, Oliver led the way with Liam and Jared flanking him. Jared, ever inquisitive, broke the silence, "So what's the plan, Oliver?"

Oliver's face remained as indifferent as ever as he calmly responded, "Fray isn't a big problem. Let's ask for an organized duel and have one of the siblings take care of him."

Liam, with a mischievous grin, chimed in, "Do you want me to take the role? I'll be happy to."

Oliver's gaze hardened as he replied, "No if I sent one of you against him, I would be acknowledging him. Let's just give the mission to Suezel."

"Suezel and Fray had an interesting past. I'm sure he'll be happy with this mission," Liam added with a knowing smile.

Jared, however, redirected the conversation, bringing up the other lingering issue, "What about Elisa?"

"Elisa!? Well, it seems that the time has finally come to use that," Oliver said stoically. "You know what, Jared, go take care of Suezel's matter. I will visit Elisa."

. . .

Elisa and Rin continued their dance in the training yard, the clash of Woden swords echoing in the air, a unique scene of stoic expressions and indifferent movements. Both were dressed in light training clothes, engaged in a dance that transcended the physical realm.

After half an hour of training Elisa, and Rin stood facing each other. Elisa breaking the silence asked "So, as you know, Fray asked me to train you. He says you can't yet summon your spirit, is that true?"

Rin, maintaining his stoic demeanour, replied, "Yes, I'm also finding it difficult to communicate with it."

"Alright, can you tell me what's the rank of your spirit?" Elisa inquired, her eyes focused on Rin.

Rin's expression remained stoic, a thoughtful look in his eyes as he mused, (Can I tell her? Fray sent me here, but he didn't say I could trust her?) Sensing his hesitation, Elisa spoke, "Rin, I can't train you if you can't trust me."

Understanding the necessity of trust for effective training, Rin finally spoke, "It's a summoning spirit from the eighth rank."

"Eight ranks!?" Elisa's eyes widened with surprise. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I already told Master Fray, and he said it was very rare. But I still can't understand why it's unique," Rin calmly stated.

Elisa, deep in thought, sighed softly. "In the entire history of the Dalma family, only one recorded Patriarch had a spirit from the eighth rank. Did you ever hear of the Witches' kingdom?"

"The Witches' kingdom!?" Rin mumbled, his confusion evident.

"Almost a millennium ago, there were four kingdoms, not just three. One kingdom was located in the Dark Hollow and had the name of the Witches kingdom. But for some reason, the kingdom was attacked and destroyed in one night, by one person—the head of the Dalma family. The same Patriarch that got the eighth-ranked spirit. A Spirit of the eight ranks is very powerful, but at the same time, it will take a lot of work to use its full power."

Rin listened to Elisa's words with a calm expression, though beneath the surface, excitement stirred within him. Becoming powerful enough to face an entire kingdom, perhaps then he could finally take his revenge.

"Summoning type spirits demand substantial energy. Utilize the experience points we earned from the last mission to elevate your energy levels," Elisa instructed calmly.

In compliance with Elisa's guidance, Rin raised his energy. Subsequently, he closed his eyes and whispered his spirit's name under his breath. In an instant, a bright light enveloped his closed eyes, transporting him to another realm with a swift, disorienting shift.

He emerged in the most luxurious and enormous throne room he had ever seen. Gold adorned every inch, from the intricately patterned walls to the massive chandeliers hanging overhead. The air was heavy with the scent of opulence, and the room resonated with an imperial atmosphere that was both imposing and overwhelming.

At the centre of it all, an emperor sat on a grand golden throne, his hand lazily resting on his cheek, a look of deep melancholy etched on his face. The throne itself was a masterpiece, adorned with intricate engravings and embedded gemstones that sparkled in the ambient light.

Beneath the towering throne, a row of knights stood in impeccable formation, each clad in golden armour that reflected the grandeur of the room. Their weapons varied, from gleaming swords to ornate spears, creating a dazzling display of martial prowess.

"We finally meet," a deep, heavy voice resonated from the emperor's mouth as he fixed his gaze deeply on Rin.

...

Meanwhile, Elisa stood before Rin in the training yard. Suddenly, a potent aura enveloped him, and out of nowhere, a knight materialized and approached her. He spoke, "Young lady, the first young master has demanded to meet you."

( Oliver! I can't anticipate his moves. If I don't meet him, he might come looking for me. I can't afford for him to see or interrupt Rin. Damn it, it seems I don't have any choice,) Elisa thought calmly. She replied, "Let's go."

Thus, Elisa made her way until she reached the reception room, where Oliver and Liam were waiting. Sitting across from Oliver with a stoic demeanour, she asked, "What do you want?"

"I want to make a deal with you, Elisa," Oliver said with a confident smile.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .