SYSTEM ASCENSION

While the students were having this conversation, Lady Hinger had managed to catch a generous amount of the conversation even from where she stood.

It only left her with more questions than answers.

The monastery teachings were familiar, but what is the syndicate? And how do they live in Salvador empire and stop the alliance?

She left the balcony and walked inside. The leading family had already woken up, but chose to sit around and enjoy the rare moments of peace.

”We need to talk.” She called their attention.

Lord Joe’s face caught the sunlight as he stared into the sky. Lady Anny sat on the couch, sipping a wine that was delivered to her last night. Lord Tell had gone back to sleep on the couch.

”We need to talk!” She repeated. She looked around. ”Where is Joran?”

”Who are you asking?” Lady Anny asked.

”Rowen?”

”Probably still asleep.”

They haven’t said anything else before Rowen walked out of his own room, yawning, with his eyes closed. His robe dragged around his feet and hair spilled across his face.

”Rowen,” Lady Hinger called. ”Have you heard of anything called the syndicate?”

He continued to yawn. ”What is that? A snack?”

”It’s not a snack! It’s an important topic!”

Lady Anny narrowed her eyes. ”What’s this about?”

”Apparently, a family or origination called the syndicate is stopping our alliance with black empire.”

Lord Joe spoke. ”Why?”

”Yeah, why?” Rowen added.

”I heard they made a pact to stay out of each other’s lives. Apparently, even a child in the black empire knows that, but we don’t!”

Lord Tell opened his eyes.

”This sounds sketchy.”

”It not only sounds sketchy, but they reside in Salvador empire!”

”Now I am starting to find it hard to believe.” Lady Anny snorted. She took a sip of her wine. ”A secret family or organisation in Salvador empire, stopping the alliance, and we are all supposed to just nod? Make it make sense.”

”I don’t know. I find it hard to believe too.”

”There is something about a mark too.” Lord Joe calmly said. ”The king of this place. Richard, was it? When we first arrived, he came in search of his son. He had a mark on his chest.”

”A mark?” Rowen innocently asked. ”Like the girl Carlel?”

”It’s not the same. It’s a sealing stone, I think.” Lord Joe recalled. ”I have a feeling those marks are connected to whatever is happening.”

”Should we ask?” Lady Anny asked a question.

They all glanced at her.

”Carlel or Richard?” they chorused.

”I don’t know...” she shrugged. Her brain replayed the look Richard had given them. ”Carlel...probably?”

”This syndicate topic,” Lord Tell sat up. ”Black empire child knows about it, so it’s not a secret. It means one thing.”

”They are connected to it.” Lord Joe said.

”And if there is a mark,” lady Hinger began to pace. ”and the black empire is involved ... .They have the sealing stone mark. That girl, Carlel, has a sword, and if Salvador is somehow connected to all this...”

”There has to be a mark in Salvador.” Rowen muttered.

”Yes!” She snapped her finger.

”I feel like I’m being played a fool.” Lady Anny sipped her wine.

”First, someone talk to Carlel.” Rowen said, and yawned again. He turned around and walked inside.

Lady Anny’s eyes followed him. ”Hey, is it just me or Rowen seem different sometimes.”

Lady Hinger immediately chipped in. ”Like when he lets his hair down, or wears a robe.”

All eyes turned to her.

”That was surprisingly precise.” Lord Tell muttered.

”Yeah...” Lord Joe added.

”What?!” She snapped.

Lady Anny suddenly grinned. ”Are you...”

”Me?”

”Interested...”

”No!”

”Already denying.” Lord Joe spoke.

”It’s not that!”

”Her face speaks the truth.” Lord Tell muttered.

”That’s not true!”

Lady Anny laughed. ”There is no problem with being interested in someone. Come to think of it, you and Rowen are the only ones without a spouse. Work together right?”

”I don’t have a spouse.” Lord Joe raised his hand.

”Not your turn Joe, pipe down.”

He laughed.

”I’m saying,” Lady Anny continued. ”How about you both just—”

”I said I’m not interested in him!”

”Then let’s ask him.” Lord Tell suggested.

”Good idea.”

”Bad idea!”

”Have anyone seen my communication orb?” Rowen scuffled out of the room. ”For some reason, they can make aircraft here but chose to ignore making phones...”

He glanced around and continued muttering to himself. ”I doubt I can make a call anyways, since the world is different...”

”Rowen.” Lady Anny called.

”Yes?”

”We were wondering....”

Lady Hinger lunged forward, and clasped a hand over her mouth.

”Shut up!”

”We were hmmp! Hmm!”

”...”

He ignored them and continued to search for the orb.

While lady Hinger thought she was safe if she stopped lady Anny, lord Joe dropped the bomb.

”We were saying, so you want to marry Lady Hinger?”

Both women froze.

Lord Tell grinned.

Lady Anny glanced at him and he shrugged. ”I just realised that I don’t mind my business when I’m bored.”

Lady Hinger’s face suddenly turned red. She immediately tried to explain.

”It’s not...”

”Wwwhat? ...No...” Rowen muttered.

His words struck them silent for a moment.

They had expected some sort of drama, but he wasn’t even paying attention to them. He was just scuffling around in search of the orb.

”No?” Lady Anny tilted her head. ”That was surprisingly straightforward.”

Lady Hinger pulled back and folded her lips. She felt like disappearing into the ground.

”Why...” she blurted out before she could stop herself.

”Huh?” He finally returned his attention to them. ”I’m married.”

”...”

”...”

”...”

Deadpan silence....

He continued to scuffle around.

Lady Anny, who had taken a gulp of wine, had forgotten herself, and it was spilling out of her mouth.

”Well...” Lord Tell cleared his throat. ”That was a dramatic twist.”

”Like...you have a wife.” Lady Anny asked.

”Wives.”

”WIVES?!”

She sprang up. ”How many?!”

”Three?”

”THREE WIVES?! You greedy little...”

”And children?” Lord Joe asked.

”Twenty five...”

”TWEN—what?”

”Aah, found it.” He grabbed the orb from under the shelf and walked away without another word.

They exchanged glances.

Lord Tell awkwardly stood up. ”I’ll go...do whatever...”

Lord Joe followed. ”My son called.”

Lady Anny glanced at Lady Hinger who was still seated in silence.

”I...”

Lady Hinger glanced at her.

She smiled softly. ”Let’s go talk to Carlel.”