Chapter 166

CHAPTER 166. That Thing…?

A private reception room within the sprawling Brando property.

Henji had ventured away from the arcane division for the first time in quite a while to fulfill a request for Aster.

The leader of House Jiloks, Carmel von Brando, had graciously cleared his schedule to accommodate Henji’s unannounced arrival.

“So, what brings you to my quarters?”

“Do you want me to give it to you straight? Or would you prefer I dance around the topic for a bit?”

Hearing Henji’s deflected reply, Carmel’s lips twitched upward into a faint smile.

“Is there really a difference in how it ends?”

“Your disposition while listening might vary, I suppose.”

“Hmph.”

Carmel leaned back against his seat, observing Henji with newfound curiosity.

Though his expression remained relaxed, his gaze pierced forward like sharp steel.

“This is starting to sound remarkably like… you’ve come to strong-arm me. Am I misinterpreting your tone, Henji?”

“Haha, did it truly come across that way? Then you understood me perfectly.”

Both individuals maintained their bright expressions, yet the temperature in the room instantly plummeted to sub-zero levels.

Had anyone else witnessed this interaction, they would have gasped in absolute terror.

Carmel reigned as the Head of House of Jiloks. He was the older sibling to the reigning patriarch of House of Brando, a powerful figure who had established his own domain of influence.

Regardless of Henji’s high status as a direct blood relative of Brando and the Deputy Tower Lord of the arcane division, this level of disrespect was far beyond what rank alone could excuse.

The suffocating stillness persisted heavily in the air until—

“My lord, I have brought the refreshments.”

“…Enter.”

The moment the attendant stepped inside, the icy hostility vanished from both of their countenances as if it had never existed.

“Then I shall take my leave…”

“Could you also fetch some tobacco? I seem to have misplaced what I brought along.”

“I can offer you some of mine.”

“Ah, if that is the case, do not worry about it.”

“…Understood, sir.”

Once the attendant departed, Henji pulled a cigarette from his inner coat pocket and extended it toward Carmel.

Carmel accepted the offering silently and brought a flame to it.

“Are you not partaking?”

“You are my senior, after all.”

“How respectful of you.”

It was almost comical.

He was flashing smiles while issuing threats just a minute prior, and now he was turning down a smoke out of pure “deference to his elders”?

“Cut the performance. State your purpose. You wouldn’t have traveled all this way for a minor grievance. Let’s hear it. And… I am quite eager to see exactly how you intend to blackmail me.”

“Haha, I possess quite a few leverage points, but perhaps it is best to introduce the mildest one first?”

“Proceed.”

“Shall we discuss the current commercial enterprise of House Jiloks? If I recall correctly, the debut of your latest Artifact collection is currently stalled, awaiting safety clearance from the Engineering Association, correct?”

“I was unaware you kept such close tabs on the affairs of Jiloks.”

“How could I not? We reside under the very same family banner. By the way, are you aware? A significant number of my former academy peers currently hold positions within that very Association.”

“……”

“I understand you have poured a massive amount of capital into this venture… and while a swift approval would be ideal, safety compliance is not something one can simply bypass, is it?”

“…And your point is?”

Carmel’s brow furrowed as he locked his eyes onto Henji.

His expression turned predatory, but Henji remained completely unfazed as he pressed onward.

“I merely pondered the consequences if House Jiloks’s enterprise were delayed by half a year… or perhaps even just a month or two. Haha! A grim prospect, is it not? It appears you have heavily leveraged your resources to secure that funding.”

His demeanor remained perfectly genial, but the weight of his words was incredibly heavy.

Disrupting a cornerstone business venture of a prominent family was tantamount to threatening the stability of the entire house.

Then again, Carmel was not an adversary to be underestimated.

“Do you truly believe my network is less influential than yours? Do you honestly think House Jiloks would collapse so easily from a mere setback?”

His assessment was valid.

Though he lacked the concentrated school alliances that Henji possessed, Carmel’s web of connections was vast and deep. In comparison, Henji’s personal ties might even seem minor.

Furthermore, House Jiloks was far too sturdy to be brought down by the failure of a single enterprise.

Even so—

Henji did not lose his composure when his opening gambit was deflected. Instead, his amusement only seemed to grow.

“I did preface this by saying it was the mildest option available, did I not?”

“So you have deeper cards to play?”

“I will leave that entirely to your imagination. Haha.”

His laughter rang out cheerfully, causing Carmel’s expression to darken into a heavy scowl.

Only then did the lethal intensity in his eyes begin to recede.

“Henji, you insufferable brat.”

“Yes, sir. I am right here.”

“What is your ultimate goal? Looking at your performance, it is obvious you require something from me.”

His voice had softened significantly compared to moments before.

And the shift wasn’t limited merely to Carmel’s vocal inflection.

“My request is actually quite simple. In comparison to the business matters we just discussed, it is utterly negligible.”

“And yet you choose to strangle your elder brother over a negligible matter?”

“Strangle you? You are being dramatic. No matter what leverage I hold, someone of your stature would barely blink.”

He spoke the truth.

Though he currently occupied the role of a subsidiary branch leader, Carmel had once been a fierce contender for the primary leadership of Brando.

His achievements with Jiloks were vast, and his personal foundation as a powerhouse far exceeded that of any ordinary vassal leader.

No matter what schemes Henji devised, Carmel possessed the strength to brush them aside.

Be that as it may—

“I am well aware you have kept your weapons concealed for a long time. If anyone possessed the capability to sever one of my limbs, it would undoubtedly be you.”

“Haha, you give me far too much credit.”

“That is enough. State what you want. If it truly is a minor issue, then as your elder, I might find it easy enough to accommodate.”

He spoke with genuine intent.

Though they belonged to the main and side branches respectively, with a noticeable gap in age, Carmel viewed Henji similarly to a younger brother.

Though how Henji perceived him remained a mystery.

Henji hummed softly in contemplation, appearing to mull over his thoughts for a brief second before giving his reply.

“Are you familiar with Aster?”

“The drifter originating from the Black and White Zone?”

“I would appreciate it if you ceased any actions against him.”

Carmel exhaled a plume of smoke and adjusted his posture, a cautious sharpness returning to his eyes.

“That is hardly a minor request. You are fully aware of my goals. Did Lord Gamo command you to come here?”

Carmel paused mid-thought and gave a slow shake of his head.

“No, that cannot be. Lord Gamo would never operate in this manner. This means you are acting on your own volition. Have you decided to align yourself with him?”

Even a power like Brando was rife with political fractures. And those internal factions had grown deeply entrenched over time.

Carmel deduced that Henji was offering a token of alliance to gain entry into Gamo’s faction.

New elements required a grand offering if they wished to secure a position of power, regardless of how “negligible” it claimed to be.

As Carmel attempted to dissect Henji’s true motivations, Henji shook his head as though the deduction was entirely comical.

“I currently hold a neutral stance, and I intend to keep it that way.”

“Then what is your motive?”

“Consider it a matter of strictly confidential personal affairs.”

“And if I demand to know what those affairs entail… you will simply keep them hidden, correct? Typical. You have always possessed a fondness for secrecy.”

“Haha, I am grateful for your understanding. Oh, and I never intended to ask for this favor without offering fair compensation.”

“Which is?”

The oppressive aura radiating from Carmel diminished slightly.

Henji might be difficult to read, but he was never one to make hollow declarations.

If this wasn’t driven by a simple whim, it meant he had arrived with a valuable trade in hand.

In truth, Carmel found his curiosity piqued.

He remained quiet, awaiting Henji’s proposition.

“Should the crisis you anticipate eventually manifest, I will throw my full influence behind your cause.”

The declaration far surpassed anything Carmel had anticipated.

“Are you implying… you will step into the public eye?”

“Indeed. If it serves your purposes, I will take up a position on the front lines.”

Carmel let out a sudden, booming laugh.

“What could have possibly altered your nature so drastically? I was under the impression you would spend your remaining days buried under research texts until your demise.”

“Does the underlying motivation truly alter the outcome?”

“The motivation… no, I suppose it changes nothing. If you are prepared to offer your backing, the reasoning behind it is irrelevant.”

A great many individuals undervalued Henji because he chose to remain hidden from the grand stage, but the version of Henji that Carmel kept tabs on was incredibly formidable.

He resembled a serpent masking its venomous fangs.

When a crisis emerged, there was no ally more dependable than him.

Even so, feeling curious was only human.

“On that note, I shall take my leave.”

As Henji stood up to depart without a moment’s hesitation, Carmel called out to halt him.

“Hold on.”

“……?”

“Is there some secret regarding this Aster youth… that has completely escaped my notice?”

“As for that…”

“Never mind. Forget I asked.”

Though Henji offered no spoken reply, his silence provided Carmel with all the confirmation he required.

It was an exceedingly rare occurrence for Henji to falter or withhold his words.

Had Aster truly been devoid of value, Henji would have plainly stated so and departed without another thought.

“Aster, is it… It seems I must monitor him more closely moving forward. Or perhaps, arrange an in-person meeting.”

“Hmm.”

Henji halted his steps and cast a brief look back over his shoulder.

“I would strongly advise against doing that.”

“And why is that? Do you intend to groom him to inherit your position or something of the sort?”

Carmel’s gaze sharpened with intensity.

He was actively trying to force Henji’s cards into the open. Henji appeared to evaluate his response for a fleeting moment before finally uttering a reply.

“Please refrain from making such terrifying proclamations.”

“Terrifying…?”

His bewilderment lasted only a split second.

“Switching subjects, regarding Lady Lana.”

“What of my daughter?”

Carmel’s brow twitched slightly at the abrupt mention of his child.

“It would be wise to brief her sooner rather than later. She possesses a sharp mind, does she not? She is the type of youth who acts on her own accord. Just look at how she handled the situation regarding that Tulk piece of trash.”

“You were privy to that matter as well?”

“How could I possibly miss it?”

It made perfect sense that he would know.

Carmel gave an understanding nod and dismissed the topic with a wave of his hand.

“Very well. I will have a discussion with her.”

“That would be the wisest course of action.”

Having concluded his business, Henji exited the private chambers.

Click.

Carmel kept his eyes fixed on the entry point for a brief period, then crushed the remains of his cigarette before retrieving a fresh one.

In direct contradiction to the statement he had made to the attendant earlier, he produced a brand-new, untouched container.

Setting that aside—

“Aster, huh…”

What hidden potential did that youth possess to make Henji erect such defensive barriers around him?

To be perfectly honest, Gamo’s choices regarding the boy had left him equally bewildered. However, Gamo’s foresight had never proven flawed, so Carmel had chosen to defer to that wisdom.

And if Henji was taking such extreme measures, there had to be an underlying factor he wasn’t seeing.

‘I must ensure he is monitored—with a favorable outlook.’

Favorable, rather than adversarial.

Setting social standing aside, welcoming a magnificent prodigy into the ranks of Brando was an outcome Carmel could readily celebrate.

Naturally, Carmel remained completely oblivious.

…Oblivious to the fact that the individual Henji feared for was not Aster at all.

Regardless, once his meeting with Henji drew to a close—

An attendant arrived to inform him that the festivities were commencing, right as Carmel finished consuming his third cigarette.

“Lord Carmel, the assembly is gathering in the main hall.”

“Understood, I will be right there.”

Carmel discarded the cigarette remnant, employed a spell to cleanse the aroma from his garments, and stepped out of the room.

Walking behind the attendant into the grand celebration hall—

He paid little attention as the master of ceremonies announced his arrival, stating “The Patriarch of House Jiloks…” and allowed his eyes to scan the environment.

He was scanning the crowd for Aster, a task that proved incredibly simple.

There was a stark reason for that.

“…Sigh, unbelievable.”

Over in a remote section of the grand room.

The boy was crouching low on the ground despite the abundance of vacant, elegant seating, looking precisely like a common street dweller from the Black and White Zone.

In spite of the opulence surrounding them, that singular patch of space resembled a grimy alleyway, causing Carmel’s gaze to tighten.

‘That creature… is supposed to be Aster?’

What could that brat possibly have to offer?

For the very first instance, Carmel found himself questioning the mental sharpness of both Lord Gamo and Henji.