Six people sat around the table, excluding Tabbatha. Five were nobles, with the leader of the city guard standing behind Baron Railey. Amir could already tell that the nobles were trying to downplay the situation.
"The real issue here is Finral," Amir thought, his mind racing. "He was supposed to be the strongest, if not the second strongest, in the city. But he didn't show up, and now the nobles are using his absence to put us in our place."
Amir didn't even want to be stuck in this city. He wanted to leave, but the roads were swarmed with packs of heroic beasts. Leaving now would be asking for death. Instead, he had to endure the nobles' condescension and an impending gang problem in the city.
As the conversation droned on, he noticed how everyone backed Tabbatha, though it didn't mean much in the grand scheme of things.
"The fact is, they're alive and safe now, so we should focus on more pressing matters," a black-haired woman said, her tone dismissive. "The magic beast cores we've been leaving around can't stay there anymore. The beasts have been collecting them, according to your reports."
Tabbatha sighed but let it go. Her only leverage was the nobles' fear of Finral. They saw him as a wounded dog, but they had no idea how he would react if pushed too far.
"Yes, the Minotaur has been ordering the beasts to gather the cores and consume them. My party witnessed it firsthand."
The black-haired woman fell into thought. "How is that possible?" she wondered. "Only disaster-class beasts have that level of control. There's no way it's a disaster-class, or we'd all be dead. The only ones who can handle a disaster-class beast are the six greats or the royal family."
"Come on, how can a magic beast control others like that? Your party must be mistaken," Baron Railey scoffed.
"I understand your skepticism, Lord Railey, but my party doesn't make mistakes," Tabbatha replied coolly. "This is a unique situation, and using common sense won't help."
The black-haired woman sighed internally. Railey's ignorance was frustrating, especially in a situation that required flexibility. She could see Tabbatha was smarter than they gave her credit for.
"You're right. This is a unique situation, so we should consider all possibilities before dismissing anything," the woman said calmly, subtly rebuking Railey.
Baron Railey's face twitched, realizing the jab.
"If your party saw the Minotaur, we should hear their account," Baron Krasner chimed in.
All eyes turned to Tabbatha's group, waiting for them to speak. Robby stepped forward and recounted the battle with the Minotaur, including what Ryla and Amir had witnessed.
The table was stunned into silence.
"You fought the Minotaur and survived? Impressive," Baron Krasner remarked.
"So, you're saying the Minotaur is smarter than we thought? That could be a problem," Marquis Aron said, a troubled look crossing his face. The room grew tense. If Aron was worried, everyone else had reason to be. He was the strongest among them, their only real protection.
"We should stop leaving the cores immediately. It won't help us win this war, and we could use the cores after it's over," the black-haired woman suggested.
Everyone jolted slightly, realizing the true value of the cores. There were thousands of noble-rank beasts and many heroic-class beasts. The wealth and power to be gained from this war's spoils were staggering. Greed flickered in their eyes, even in the midst of war.
After finishing with Tabbatha, they dismissed her and the party. But just as they were about to leave, Marquis Aron called out.
"Wait a moment. How old is that boy with you?"
The group paused, turning back to face him. The question caught them off guard, and they quickly realized bringing Amir had been a mistake.
"He's a 12-year-old at E-rank," Robby thought, annoyed. "Of course, they're going to be interested in him. We should've left him behind."
Amir stepped forward, meeting Marquis Aron's gaze.
"I'm Amir, Lord Aron. I'm 12 years old," he said respectfully.
"I see. Not bad, kid. You've got talent. E-rank at 12 for a commoner is impressive," Marquis Aron replied.
Amir had tried to keep his rank hidden, but it hadn't worked.
"I do my best," Amir said with a slight smile.
"You have potential. You'd make a good servant for my son," Marquis Aron stated plainly.
Amir's face twitched. The idea of being a servant to someone like Aron's son repulsed him.
"I would make a terrible servant for your son or anyone else, Your Lordship," Amir replied, keeping his tone calm.
The room fell silent, surprised by Amir's outright rejection. He was clearly annoyed by the Marquis's offer.
"Hey, boy, you should be grateful someone like the Marquis is offering you this opportunity," Baron Railey snapped.
Amir looked at him, his face hardening.
"Becoming a dog to one of you people would make my food taste like dirt, and I've grown to enjoy good food these days," Amir said, his tone dripping with annoyance.
Everyone's was absolutely stunned to hear the boy speak to them with such disrespect.
"The Hell did you just say to me boy!" Baron Railey roared as a crushing pressure fell on Amir almost sending him to his knees but he refused to fall.
Suddenly the pressure disappeared as he felt Robby combat it with his own pressure. A blade suddenly got swung at Amir arm but was deflected by Ryla's sword.
"Stop your actions, the boy needs to be punished for his actions." A man in silver Armour said
It was the man that stood behind Baron Railey.
"You won't be touching him. Find another way to reprimand him." Ryla said coldly
"Amir what the hell is wrong with you are you trying to get killed!" Robby said to Amir as he pushed back the Baron's pressure
Everyone outside the tent felt the pressure and a few ran in. A few of them in silver Armour
"Men capture that boy and bring him to me." Railey said
"Wait a second everyone calm down." The black hair woman said
"Stay out of this Ellia, The boy needs to learn his place."
The men in silver Armour moved to grab Amir but Griff stood in their path and released his pressure as well overwhelming them.
"We said your not getting the boy."
The men drew their swords and face Griff. They were all B rank but Griff seemed unfazed. Marquis Aron simply just watched as the scene unfolded
"What would make your feel like you could ever disrespect a noble or me of all people boy." He asked
Amir shot the Marquis a disgusted look. As he stared him directly in the eyes
"You see I don't care about you people my master told me I shouldn't bend my head to weak mutts that pretend to have strength."
Everyone was now surprised to hear the boy say he had a master as that changed how they looked at him now. There were many powerful Cultivators in the empire that taught young children and made them their students and, in the past, angering them ended badly for others.
Amir smirk as he saw the looks on all there faces. He thought about the best way to screw with the nobles as he couldn't hurt them or that would mean his death but he could hurt their pride while also keeping them of his back.
Angering five noble families with one of them being an S rank individual was very stupid and most would already consider him dead. Though in his eyes the nobles meant nothing as he believed he would surpass them all.
"A spider doesn't speak to the insect it will trap and eat." Amir said in a calm and cold voice
Everyone in the room except for Marquis Aron and Ellia Farrel didn't understand his statement but it made a shiver run down Ellia's back.
"Cut your act boy and go on your knees and beg my lord for forgiveness." The man in silver Armour said
The room became even more tense as everyone in Amir's group prepared to fight.
"Let the boy go."
Marquis Aron's aura surrounded the tent but it was overbearing and crushing like others Amir has felt before. It was dark and creepy and felt like death. It was hard to explain outside of that term. He felt like he was in a graveyard.
Amir felt his distaste for the man increase as the energy in the room felt very uncomfortable like something disgusting was touching him.
"Lord Aron why would you let this disrespectful brat go." Baron krasner said
"Just let them go. That boy is apart of something we don't want to be tangled with. He's not worth it." Ellia said
Baron railey was going to interject but Marquis Aron gave him a look and he became mute.
"Tell your master that they shouldn't let you slink around the rabble as it can be hard to distinguish the difference sometimes." Marquis Aron said
Amir scoffed as he touched Robby and signalled to him it was time to leave. They all began to walk out under the gaze of all the nobles and soilders.
Amir threw a glance back at Marquis Aron once more before leaving.
"Put me in situation where I may die off negligence again and you will learn what it's like to be trapped in a Web."
Amir walked out of the tent after that and left with the group as the left under the gazes of all the soldiers.
He didn't need to look back to feel the piercing gaze from all the nobles and the Marquis. Imagine a bug that you could crush tell you that you were the prey in its eyes. That's probably how they all felt but what could they possibly do when he threw one of the six great families names around like that.
They could do absolutely nothing until they confirmed if what he said was false. Amir had planned on using Valerie's family if necessary and this was the perfect opportunity. Now the nobles couldn't mess with them but it put him on the radar if all the nobles.
'I can live with the pressure of having them watch or hate me as long as I know they can't touch me.' He thought
That's just how powerful the insinuation of being tied to a six great family was. It could stop any one no matter how powerful in their tracks.
One thing Amir was sure about was that he and the Marquis weren't ever going to get along. The man demeanor and how he behave felt so calculated and his energy rubbed him the wrong way.
Soon they all go back to the guild tent on their side of the forest and sighed of relief.
*Doom*
As soon as they got back and weren't worried about being attacked anymore Ryla punched Amir in the face.
"Just what the hell Is wrong with you. You almost got us killed why would you be so stupid!"
Ryla lifted her hand again to punch Amir but Cathy and Robby grabbed her.
"Hey Ryla calm down let's hear him out first." Robby said
Calming down Ryla backed off as they all looked at Amir waiting to hear what he was going to say.
"I'm sorry I just couldn't stand to see the way they were treating us." Amir said
Robby walked up to him before punching him in the face as well making him get a slight bruise.
"What the hell is that supposed to me you think none of us cared about how they were treating us or Tabbatha! What makes you think we didn't care this is life and death were talking about here." Robby said angrily
He was infuriated by his actions as everyone could have died easily for that encounter.
Robby also went on and on about how dangerous it was and Tabbatha also spoke to him but Amir was happy even though they were upset.Amir smiled just a little as he heard Robby.
He had only known them for a short time but they were will to risk their lives to protect him when they thought the Marquis was going to take him. That was something truly unexpected but it cemented in his eyes that they were either truly good people or truly stupid.
He had decided right then and their that these people would be the first among the group he was creating or the better word the clan he was about to make.