"Please, your majesty, subside your anger. We have important matters to discuss. In case you have forgotten, we have lost a Grandmaster. This has not happened in the last three thousand years."
The moment Abel Morningstar heard these words, his face twitched. The twitch was so minute that most of the family heads did not notice it.
Despite wanting nothing more than to rip Hades Agriad to pieces, he reeled in his anger and released a soft sigh.
The instant he sighed, the hall changed and everything went back to normal. No damage was done to the hall and nothing seemed out of place despite the tyrannical pressure of Abel Morningstar, making it seem like all that happened was just an illusion.
Every single noble released a sigh of relief either subconsciously or intentionally.
Hades Agriad slowly unclenched his fists as his gaze remained on Abel Morningstar for a few seconds before he closed his eyes and slowly relaxed.
"I apologize for my sudden outburst. I could not control my emotions after hearing the words of a certain fool."
No comments were made despite the words spoken by the king.
Although they all had words they wanted to say and questions they wanted to ask, they wisely chose to remain silent.
Even Hades Agriades who was known to actively provocate the king, remained quiet and did not give a response.
He knew that if he did, he would suffer.
Abel Morningstar turned to his left, and his gaze landed on a figure at the far end of the table.
"Just as you've said Lady Eris, we actually have more pressing matters to attend to. The news regarding my grandson's desire to undergo his rite of passage is not the main reason for this meeting "
"You're right your majesty. Although it is also a grand event, that should not be our main priority at the moment."
As Lady Eris spoke, everybody's gaze landed on her.
Lady Eris was a woman of such breathtaking beauty that her very presence could spark wars between nations. Her skin was a flawless shade of alabaster, glowing softly in the light. Her hair, a cascade of shimmering gold, framed a face that seemed sculpted by the gods.
Despite sitting, one would immediately know that beneath her clothes was a slender yet curvaceous figure that could move with a natural grace that seemed effortless. She wore a gown of emerald silk that clung to her form, enhancing her allure even further.
When she spoke, her voice was a soothing melody that could calm the fiercest hearts like that of Abel Morningstar. She also wore a delicate diadem of diamonds and sapphires, with matching earrings and a pendant featuring a perfect emerald.
Her very existence was enough to make men and nations vie for her hand in marriage, willing to go to great lengths to claim her as their own.
Even a country like Sparta had fought quite a lot of wars because of her existence.
This woman was Eris Demeter, the head of the Demeter family which was the number nine noble family in the whole of Sparta.
As the eight nobles and Abel Morningstar gazed at Eris Demeter, some briefly lost their composures when they looked at the woman who had caused their kingdom quite a lot of headaches in the past.
When Eris Demeter noticed this, she could not help but shake her head with a light smile,
"Despite staying around me for so long, some of you still react like virgins."
Her tone contained a tinge of mockery as she gazed at the family heads while twirling her golden hair with her finger.
Despite the mockery in her tone, none refuted her or spoke back at her. Although they could, they would rather not, or else their lives would be filled with misfortune.
Despite the fact Eris Demeter's family was the last on the noble ranking, none of the current family heads dared to show a tinge of disrespect towards her.
In fact, the demeanor and expressions of the eight family heads showed that the family heads were fearful of offending this nation topling beauty.
There was a reason as to why she was the only family head to be addressed with respect by Abel Morningstar.
She looked at Abel Morningstar, and if a stranger were here, they would realize that Eris Demeter's eyes were closed.
And that begged a question.
Was she blind or not?
"Can I speak your majesty?"
Eris Demeter did not stop twirling her hair even as she spoke. The smile on her lips was gone and her expression was solemn.
Abel Morningstar furrowed his brows very slightly with a pondering gaze. Three seconds passed and he released a soft sigh.
"You may speak."
"Thank you, your majesty."
Eris bowed slightly then she glanced at the family heads, with her gaze lasting on a particular man.
This man was somewhat unique in terms of physical appearance when compared to the other family heads.
The man could be regarded as a giant with his height and physique.
The man was at least 7 feet tall and had the largest amount of muscles among the family heads. He was wearing a black shirt which was too tight to contain his muscles at a glance.
On his arms were countless tattoos that covered a majority of his arms and even reached his skin. The man also had long reddish brown hair and brown eyes. Also, on his neck was a necklace of various teeth of various sizes.
This man was Nereus Artheus, the family head of the Artheus family which is the number two noble family in Sparta.
"What's wrong Lady Eris?"
Nereus Artheus' deep voice resounded in the entire hall as he gazed at Eris Demeter with raised brows, silently wondering why her gaze lasted longer on him than the others.
Eris Demeter remained silent for a few seconds, then she spoke,
"After the death of your commander, Kael Artheus, I had a vision."
The expressions of every single family head changed instantly when they heard her words. Expressions like fear, anxiousness, anticipation, and hope could be seen on the faces of the family heads.
"What did you see Lady Eris?"
Nereus Artheus asked while feeling like an ominous cloud was gathering above him.
Meanwhile, Eris Demeter gazed at each and every single family head, and then she spoke,
"I saw Sparta fall."