Demetre paused for a moment while looking at her husband's pleading eyes before shaking her head as she spoke, "No, but he is still the father of my child. That is the one undeniable fact I cannot hide... So!" Looking up she looked at Cynthia with determination.
"Miss Cynthia! Please let me join your organization The Black Orchids! I promise to never betray you like my foolish husband! I simply ask you to cripple him completely so he cannot walk without aid. I would also like you to cripple his speech if only temporarily.
I know you still need people to hold positions of power, and... AND I am a perfect candidate for it! I have always idolized you! I would give my everything to be by your side!" On her knees and bowing while still tightly clutching her baby Demetre asked from the bottom of her heart.
"DEMETRE! YOU BITCH!" The once-crumbling mentality of Vincent suddenly sprung up to life as he started thrashing around in Cynthia's grasp. Finding strength from seemingly nowhere he clawed and struggled in her grip, yet she didn't allow him, instead she destroyed one of his arms with a loud *CRACK*!
"WAAAHHH!" The baby who seemed to sleep through everything suddenly woke up, yet it didn't change their mother's stance as she kept her head bowing down to Cynthia.
"YOU BLACK-HEARTED RUINOUS TRAMP!" Despite losing strength to struggle, Vincent didn't allow that to stop his rambling.
Cynthia annoyed slammed her knee on his throat making the street become quieter, "So... What is your real plan? How do you plan to explain your husband's condition? How do you plan to join my organization when your partner has such a disastrous reputation with me? Keep in mind that the only reason I am even considering this is because of what I have found through my own research...
Through that, I know you only now found out about this. Due to that I know are intelligent, but trusted this monster till the end. Heh- You trusted him so much that he didn't even need to try to convince you to look the other way whenever he didn't want you to know something... So tell me... What Is Your Plan?"
Only the sound of the crying baby could be heard as silence descended on the group.
Only after a long pause did Demetre speak, "I don't know how to join your organization, and I thought it would be good enough to know that at least my husband had already joined, but indeed I was simply a gullible girl who didn't understand the horrors my husband did, so all I can ask is that you trust my ability to lead. My ability to plan. The ability that was dampened by that fool who didn't know how to use people right."
For the first time since she started kowtowing, she straightened her back and spoke with confidence, "I can convince everyone to follow me. Which is why I asked you to disable his voice temporarily. So long as I have control for a year, I can guarantee I can pass on the control to your organization at any time so long as you desire! I will work the hardest I can just to make sure the Black Orchids will truly rule the Handinberg Dutchy! Please just give me the opportunity!"
Cynthia seemed to pause before she nodded, "Very well. Feed your child. I will disable this monster. Then, tomorrow I will visit you to see how you did in your first step. So long as you satisfy me, I will make sure you stay in power for the next three months. If you can keep your promise for that long, well..." Cynthia paused as she smiled widely, "I will welcome you to the Black Orchids!"
Demetre smiled brightly as she kowtowed once more and spoke excitedly, "Yes! Thank you! I will not let you down!" Only after moving up and down three more times did she focus on her, still screaming, child.
**
"Lord!" x5
"Good, you are all here. We have good news. Demetre will likely become our new ally. She seems to have started her work perfectly. Tomorrow, we will see her basic improvising skills. In three months we will find out if we can fully trust her.
Everything seems to be going perfectly. The books showed those who betrayed us. And... They showed us a way forward... Now! Vanessa, why don't you tell me about the other suspects?"
"Lord, Three of the suspects are confirmed. The other five need more in-depth investigation to confirm, but at least three other are likely to be hiding their ugly interiors."
Cynthia frowned as she spoke again with a sad tone, "I had really hoped it would be less, but it appears we were simply frogs at the bottom of the well. No idea of what the giants really do besides what they throw down to us..."
***
"Everything is going so well!" Alma exclaimed as she looked at the people moving large stones.
"Indeed it is Lady Alma. But are you certain you want to build such a small church?" Orion asked while looking slightly worried.
"Small? These are just the main buildings! Soon you will see what I mean! That said you should really talk to David to know more. He really has an affinity to design despite claiming he was a guard."
"David? I will have to look into it. What about Lord Alex? Has he given us any divine decrees?"
Rolling her eyes Alma spoke casually, "Please, like the great Alex is anything like those useless gods who send down decrees casually to be abused by their church members. We are an organization built for the progress of man! Where orphans will no longer feel hungry enough to eat dirt! A place where delicious food will thrive!"
"HAHA! I am sure it will be so."
"Oh, sorry I almost forgot, do you know what is happening with that crazy kid Issac?"
Orion paused before letting out a tired sigh"I hear he is almost everywhere working with every person to find out who they are and what they are best at. It is crazy how well he can organize people. In just one day we have many people working to make a bakery, spindles, looms, dye processes, and even a training regiment! The crazier part is that he understands all the intricacies! It is like he has all the knowledge in the world and only needed the right environment to showcase his talents."
"Huh... So he isn't as stupid as he first seemed..."
"HAHAHA! He definitely seems all over the place! HAHA! Well, that just means he was born eccentric."
***
Walking around, Kanbu wondered what was happening. He had spent less than a month and had already stepped into the realm of a cultivator. The more he thought back to the technique he learned from the family, the more he realized it was just a way to have energy move around the body in a certain wavelike manner. It is almost like that book was made to perfectly encapsulate what it meant to learn cultivation without giving any hints.
Now he's already on his first real mission entrusted to him by the lady of the house, his master. There were three other people joining him on the journey with two being his half brothers. Buck, Ben, and the servant Drent.
Everything seemed so... strange... being so used to not controlling, yet he was forced to control an entire mission! Sighing to himself he wondered if he could truly find the promised land that may or may not exist.
Even with all of that in mind it didn't stop him from completely focusing on the mission at hand. Granted most of the mission was really just him trying to get to know more about his half brothers. After all, a silent journey might be calming, but with other people, it becomes uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, his half brothers didn't seem to take him much in consideration. "So... When did you start training?"
"When I was five I was introduced to Cultivation." Short, consise, not giving any extra information.
Turning to his other brother he asked the same question and got the same consise answer. Turning to the servant, the servant didn't start at all! The servant was just a pack mule for the brothers.
This type of awkward coversation style continued until night. Sitting around a fire the group ate and prepared for bed in silence...
Unable to stand it Kanbu tried to start a conversation again, "Are there any monsters in the forest? We have been walking all day, yet we haven't come across anything."
"Why do you think we need to be warriors for this journey? It is because the monsters are here. Did you ever wonder why it was so quiet? It is because they are watching."
'OK longer answer... Wait quiet? Oh, I guess they just can't hear it. I better tell them.'
"There is only a large group of rabbits that have been following for the entire day. There is nothing dangerous around as far as I can hear."
"Huh? I didn't sense any rabbits..." Suddenly Buck stood up quickly in surprise.
Ben spoke seriously to Kanbu, "Don't talk nonsense. That is a serious situation you are talking about. We are using Qi in the air to sense around and we definitely don't sense anything, so how are your shitty ears hearing all of this?"
Confused Kanbu could only explain, "I use sounds to see, which comes with many problems, but it also comes with perks. I can see the back of a tree with sounds. Yet you need to look around to see it..."
"I Said We Are Sensing! We Should Notice It!"
"Oh, you said sense? Well... I can't say much but indeed, this Qi doesn't allow to see them. From what I can tell Qi is strangly avoiding them."
"Avoiding them?... Invisible to Qi sense?... Shit Moon Rabbits. They are one with the night and are impossible to notice with Qi sensing!" Suddenly Ben stood up like Buck. The servant quickly ran to their side for protection.
Buck frowned as he asked, "Kanbu, how sure are you that there are rabbits following us?"
"100 percent. Why are Moon Rabbits that dangerous?"
"Well, they are very good at hiding from our senses, so their sneak attacks almost always work! So I say if they are following us they are simply waiting for..." Looking up Ben suddenly had a look of horror as the cloudy night was clearing to show the bright full moon.
"Huh? They are charging at us." Confused at the danger of the rabbits, Kanbu picked up his sword and prepared for a fight.
"SHIT! KANBU! WHERE ARE THEY COMING FROM!"
Kanbu calmly pointed his sword in the direction and used his other free hand to show that they were slowly surrounding the group.
***
Sitting at his desk Preston looked over a stack of papers. His secretary nearby processing whatever he gave her. Having spent a month restructuring his company he still couldn't leave the office to sleep in his own bed. That said his stacks of paper were slowly running out. He was nearly there!
Thinking of this he seemed to be revitalized and started typing, reading, and signing faster. The last stack of papers he was going to finish today was almost done!
Just as he was enjoying his progress his phone rang pushing him out of his hyperactive work thoughts. Frowning he saw who was calling.
"Fenrir group huh... Hey Sally, when was the last time we talked with them?"
Sally who had barely caught her breath looked exasperated as she spoke, "Sir, I have been telling you we need to have the meeting scheduled to continue with the big project. This is the twentieth time they have called you this month with the last few calls coming all today. You have asked me this every single time, and I always answer the same, so please. Just answer them and either deny the project or accept if possible. And please, For The Love Of GOD! JUST SCHEDULE A MEETING!"
Seeing Sally fall back upon a chair dramatically, Preston paused before sighing, "I guess I can't avoid this any longer can I?" With that said he answered the phone.
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