Legacy of Hatred

That was a play the Enforcement Guild had no power over. No Guilds did, for that matter. Sects were above them, and they also wielded a modicum of independence from the Kingdom.

Of course, on the surface, the Sects had agreed to let the Guilds handle the outsiders, but that could easily be a facade. It actually likely was.

Chances were the Sects were overseeing the situation and biding their time, split between wanting to recruit the couple or killing them before anyone else got the opportunity.

As for the Enforcer, he mainly considered Grace’s last statement, finding it undoubtedly accurate. The balance among the neighboring Sects would shift as soon as the couple joined one of them, and there was nothing any Guild could do about it.

At most, it was the couple who needed the Guilds to avoid ending up in a Sect’s clutches.

The Enforcer inspected the two guests in silence. They wouldn’t be threatened, and they were painfully aware of their value. There was no suppressing that force or controlling it through superior authority. Only beneficial deals would suffice.

"I have been impolite," The Enforcer eventually announced. "Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Felix, Chief Enforcer, also known as Black Hound."

"It’s an honor to make your acquaintance, Chief Enforcer," Grace dealt with the pleasantries. "Do not apologize. Your rigor speaks well for the Enforcement Guild."

"It sounds like you have suffered at the hands of my Guild," Felix declared, politely lowering his head. "For that, I apologize."

Now that Felix had shown willingness to talk, Grace didn’t hesitate to go for the kill.

"Have we become trusted sources?" Grace questioned. "I was under the impression you were ready to dismiss our claims."

"Lady Grace, I’m sure I don’t have to explain myself," Felix responded, throwing a stern look at the couple. "Rather than the truth, my job is to choose the path that won’t lead to chaos."

Despite Grace being the branching expert on the scene, Felix ended up focusing on Liam. Of the two, he looked far more unstable, hence dangerous for the current peace.

As for Liam, his mind still hissed. There was no friendship there. Grace had simply cornered Felix, forcing him to drop any open hostility, at least for now. That respect was forced, not genuine, and Liam would treat it as such.

"We welcome your acknowledgment," Grace obviously exploited the development. "Shall we partake in more valuable conversations while it’s just us? We would greatly appreciate earning the honorable Black Hound’s public support."

Liam had to hold back from shaking his head. His woman was already on the offensive, wanting to use the current privacy to build a relationship with Felix, turning the Enforcement Guild into an ally before the meeting could happen.

It was also obvious what Grace’s request consisted of. The Enforcement Guild might not know that Liam likely had a share of the Archbishop’s inheritance, but the couple’s wealth couldn’t be small after everything that had happened on the border.

Sadly, Felix was too righteous to accept.

"The Guilds will hear your offers once all the representatives are gathered," Felix said.

Grace didn’t insist. Her greatest talent was to read people, on top of smelling profit, so she knew there was no getting past Felix’s righteous character. It was a pity, but obtaining Felix’s private acknowledgment was already a good start.

The pleasantries ended there, as did the conversation. Felix didn’t even order his underlings to arrange the table in the meantime.

Liam didn’t understand that last part, which actually made him think that something was off. He wasn’t anywhere near refined, but he had learned the basics of hospitality when it came to cultivators, and Felix seemed to go against them when he didn’t even offer wine.

However, Grace filled that gap in Liam’s knowledge as soon as she sensed his confusion, explaining it in his ear, using the opportunity to lean on him like she always did.

The lack of refreshments was indeed a planned move, but one toward the other Guilds rather than the couple. Felix didn’t want to give the impression that he had started the meeting before the other representatives.

It was Felix’s way of remaining an impartial party in the meeting-to-be, as well as a strategy to shield the Enforcement Guild from accusations. Basically, he had brought his previous refusal of Grace’s offer to the extreme.

As day turned into night, people arrived, escorted to the Barracks’ third floor, their robes highlighting their affiliations.

A yellow-robed old woman with the emblem of a feather was the first to arrive, performing a simple nod before taking a seat near Felix, a long black jade with hundreds of marks similar to Grace’s always in her hand.

What looked to be a man clad in black robes with no emblem and his face hidden behind dark cloth also sat near Felix but didn’t address anyone, his cold, icy-blue eyes fixed on the couple.

Another woman, seemingly in her forties but beautiful and refined, came next, her robe blue and bearing the emblem of a wheel. She sat somewhere at the table’s center, her soft smile often falling on Grace.

The fourth to arrive was a slightly overweight man. He had a big frame, and his robe was brown, with two crossed swords as its emblem. He voiced a loud snort at the sight of the couple, but otherwise sat before the blue woman silently.

That seemed to account for everyone until a group of three donning white arrived. The one in the lead was middle-aged, bald, and with a reassuring smile on his face. The two following him remained behind, sitting on the floor with their legs folded under them, while he sat quite close to the couple, specifically on Liam’s side.

With that, the representatives from the Enforcement Guild, Merchants Guild, Messengers Guild, Mercenary Guild, Assassins Guild, and Church of the Man had gathered. And, except for the two who had sat at some distance from the table, everyone was a branching expert.

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