NOVEL NEXT B1 | Intermission 4
Somewhere in the Capital of Val
“Now that we’re all here, let’s get this meeting underway,” the Successor of Order, Cedric Arran, declares with his arms crossed as he sits at the end of a long table looking at the dozens of other guild representatives sitting all across the table. Each of whom lead a different guild. “As we’ve decided in the previous meeting, every guild will manage the territory belonging to the Spire Lords and Ladies within their guild. No user will be allowed to enter a Domain outside of the first ten minutes unless they have the explicit permission of the guild managing that territory. All users who somehow manage to circumvent these rules will be punished by the guild whose territory they invaded. All users are allowed to slay monsters as they please on Val itself outside of the Domains. And users must be represented by a guild in order to have a say in this council.” His eyes narrow. “The council of the capital.”
The guild representatives – each leading a hunter’s guild of their own making on the world with the permission of the Hunter’s Guild itself – all give their own forms of confirmation as Cedric watches them.
Over the course of the time that’s passed since the Tutorial ended, all of the guilds formed by the strongest users of Val – both new faces and old ones from before the System – took full control over Val. Whether it’s through its economy, through the Gates, or even through sheer brute force power.
And it’s left Cedric’s desire for order fulfilled.
However, his gaze still turns sharp when it comes to two of the representatives.
The Black Enforcer, and his eldest daughter, the Winter Storm.
The Successor of Order has never thought much of the Sinclair family. And he thought even less of them after hearing about their drama. About how the Black and White Enforcers neglected their kids and didn’t even realize it until after their second eldest was in a coma.
He doesn’t care one way or another about the youngest two siblings, but the eldest sibling, who remained oblivious despite what was happening to the twins, and the parents, who neglected them all?
Cedric doesn’t like them.
As for the Successors to Magic and Chaos?
He feels pity for them.
But not enough for him to change the way he treats them.
For he is the Successor of Order, and he will treat everyone the same regardless.
With equal fairness that fulfills his sense of order.
“The first item on this meeting’s agenda,” Cedric declares as the guildmasters look his way. “Deciding the right course of action regarding the Tower of Chaos and their recent actions regarding the Successor of Chaos’s territory.”
“We should push them out of the world,” the Guildmaster of the Arvan Guild declares as the gruff man crosses his arms and frowns at the other guildmasters. “There’s nothing more to it than that. Kick them out.”
“I’d like to see you try,” the Guildmaster of the guild neighboring Ashley’s territory, the Raldan Guild, says with a snort as she leans back in her seat and glances at the larger man with a brow raised. “I’ll just be sitting on the sidelines watching you fall apart.”
“The Tower of Chaos is a major power within the universe for a reason,” Cedric states, bringing both of their attention to him while the other guildmasters focus on the other two notable people in the room. Neither of whom have said anything just yet. “Whatever we decide, we need to make the decision quickly. And I don’t think I need to warn you about what they may do if a decision is not made.”
“Decide what you want,” the Black Enforcer declares with a cold expression on his face. “Know that the Twilight Guild will be siding with the Tower of Chaos regardless.”
“And the Winter Guild will also be aiding the Tower of Chaos,” Elizabeth Sinclair, the Winter Storm, declares without even opening her eyes to look at the other guildmasters.
Every guildmaster in the room looks at them, completely unsurprised by their declarations since it’s the Successor of Chaos they’re talking about.
And even if their family is filled to the brim with drama, there is one thing they all share at this point in time.
One obvious thing to everyone else.
The desire to do whatever they can for the Successor of Chaos.
Although Cedric isn’t sure if it’s due to guilt over the past or genuine care for their daughter or sister.
Most of the guildmasters fall silent at their show of support for the Successor of Chaos, but a few of them still express their desire to attack the Tower of Chaos. Specifically the factions who are trying to overthrow the Black Enforcer’s influence and become the new strongest on the planet after finding their new skills in their Skill Tree thanks to the System.
A new way to grow stronger and surpass the strongest family of the planet.
But no matter what they say, the Black Enforcer and Winter Storm both ignore them without saying a word. With the Black Enforcer simply staring at Cedric as if waiting for him to move on to the next topic, and the Winter Storm keeping her eyes closed as if she doesn’t care about the meeting.
Cedric looks around after the resisting faction finally finishes speaking before declaring, “As the majority of the guilds have remained neutral or supported the Tower of Chaos, nothing will be done about them by the council.” He turns to look at the ones who spoke out their desire to destroy them or kick them off the planet. “Those of you who spoke against the Tower of Chaos may do as you please to them, but the council will not aid you.”
After seeing them grow irritated from his words, with some of them even standing up and marching out of the room in anger, Cedric turns to the rest and declares, “Now onto the second topic of the meeting.” He glances outside the window at the end of the room, where he can see a large, crimson Gate floating high in the sky above the largest park of the city. A Gate that has grown larger since Ashley and Blake had first entered it. “How we will deal with the breaking of the Unique Domain, The First and Last Hell of the King of Destruction.”
“If it comes down to it, I will personally handle protecting my daughter’s territory,” the Black Enforcer declares, implying that he doesn’t care about anyone else’s territory so long as Ashley’s is safe.
Cedric also quickly realizes another implication behind his statement.
An implication that makes him understand that the Black Enforcer isn’t even considering the possibility of his daughter and son dying within the Unique Domain.
“I will as well,” the Winter Storm declares, still without opening her eyes. Implying the same things as her father in the process.
After that, numerous guildmasters declare their willingness to help keep a border around either the Unique Domain or the Successor to Chaos’s territory itself.
Cedric feels a little relief at that, since he knew he wasn’t going to be able to hold the Unique Monster’s forces at bay on his own. Much less the UM itself.
“My opinion stands,” Justicar declares, the Primordial of Order still just as insistent on Cedric simply leaving the world to its inevitable destruction instead of risking his life on a world with a UM.
I refuse.
Why he’s refusing, he’s not entirely sure.
But something in him leads him to believe that there may be a chance to save Val.