Chapter 260 Scheme to Divide -8
Chapter 260 Scheme to Divide -8
Alex clenched his fist on the table, glaring at Jiha with bloodshot eyes.
But what could the young master really accomplish just by getting angry?
Jiha ignored him and played it cool.
"Even if I join Ouroboros, I'd need to pick the right faction, wouldn't I? Is your line really a solid one? Honestly, going through Lowchen seems like a better bet."
"......."
Among people who treat their members as disposable tools, there was no room for loyalty or affection.
The so-called Five Kings surely distrusted and kept each other in check.
"......So you intend to make an enemy of Ouroboros."
"You're middle management. Does picking a fight with you mean I'm declaring war on the whole organization? Are you the Sun King instead of the Five Kings? Are you the nation itself?"
Alex trembled, then rose furiously from his seat.
"This conversation is over."
"Sit down, jackass. It's just getting started."
As Alex fumed, Jiha spoke with a sly grin.
"If you hate both options, there's a third choice."
"......And what is that?"
Alex swiftly quelled his anger and sat back down.
The moment Gashiel was mentioned, he flew off the handle, but otherwise, he was a cold, capable man.
'Unbelievable...'
Jiha was inwardly dumbfounded.
Alex had martial strength, a sharp mind, and excellent eloquence. His social skills were top-notch, and his political standing was solid.
He had the perfect makings of a high-ranking officer in a secret society aiming to overturn the world.
But all those strengths became utterly useless the moment the name Gashiel came up. He turned into a boy riddled with vulnerabilities.
"There are things I know that your fellow members probably don't."
"......."
"Even if they don't know yet, secrets don't stay buried forever. It just takes a little work."
Alex looked like he had something to say but remained cautious.
He was holding his tongue because he didn't know how much Jiha knew.
Having slapped him once and now playing the appeaser, Jiha spoke smoothly.
"Your rivals will start catching on soon enough. Let's bury it before that happens."
"......What exactly are you proposing?"
"An important figure from Ouroboros has already entered this city. A man who had the qualifications to be one of the Five Kings but failed."
Jiha, having brought up Lowchen, smiled meaningfully.
"We pin everything on him."
"......He is a terrifying powerhouse. Not someone to make an enemy of lightly."
"You can't beat him either?"
At Jiha's provocative question, Alex fell deep into thought.
"We've never fought at full power. Still, the odds are about four to six."
Alex coolly admitted he'd be at a slight disadvantage.
Those who reach high positions usually let their pride swell, making it hard to admit inferiority, but he had no such qualms.
He was that cold-blooded.
'He really is a decent guy, as long as Gashiel isn't involved.'
Jiha filed that fact away and spoke.
"Even so, if the two of us join forces, couldn't we eliminate him?"
"......Why are you so set against Lowchen?"
"Our personalities don't mesh well, and... there's the issue with his little sister."
"You mean Pairan Amaut?"
Jiha lied through his teeth without a second thought.
"Pairan and I grew close, but Lowchen had to butt in for no reason. And it didn't stop there—he tried to kill me. I can't just sit back and let myself die, can I?"
"How foolish."
Alex spoke as if it were someone else's business.
Despite being the type to become a completely different person when his own sister was involved.
"But Lowchen isn't a man who listens easily to others. He's something of a lone wolf."
"If the two of us combine our strength, we can hunt him. With my troops and your political power, we can eliminate Lowchen and tie his disappearance to Gashiel's."
"......The dead tell no tales."
Alex adjusted his posture and looked at Jiha with newfound interest.
His gaze was probing. Jiha spoke naturally.
"In exchange for my help, I have one condition. That business of offering a Unique to Ouroboros—I'd like to postpone it."
"Why?"
"I'm still in the middle of enjoying myself. Once I've had my fill and get bored, I'll hand her over then. I'd like your understanding, and I need you to put in a word for me. You're one of the Five Kings, so you already have a solid position and some sway, right?"
"......."
Alex stared at Jiha before slowly nodding.
Given his mindset and values, he bought Jiha's story without a shred of doubt.
It never crossed his mind that Jiha would have the guts to defy a massive organization like Ouroboros, nor could he imagine a reason to refuse an offer of such a high-ranking position among the Five Kings.
Jiha tossed out a feeler.
"Women are a dime a dozen in this world, aren't they? If you get tired of one, you just find the next."
"Quite right. You know how it is."
Alex smiled genially... but to Jiha, he looked like a complete madman.
'He's obsessively fixated on Gashiel, loses his mind at just her name, but it never even occurs to him that other people might be able to do that?'
Alex's words and actions only held up under that warped logic.
"Good. Then let's think of a way to scheme against Lowchen. Though he may be alone, we must not let our guard down. Because he... is the Shade's Prince."
"No wonder just looking at his face pissed me off."
"We seem to be of a similar mind. I've always wanted to say that, and hearing you say it clears the air for me."
Alex flashed a smile brimming with camaraderie.
Even knowing it was just empty flattery, Jiha felt his mood ease a little.
'This guy's rhetoric is something else.'
His choice of words, the harmony of his tone and smile—it melted people's hearts.
No matter how cold and cruel a person was, it was hard to treat someone poorly when they knew just how to scratch that hidden itch. Alex had an exceptional sense for gaining empathy.
"So what is this Prince's ability?"
"He's powerful on his own, but... he can summon Shades into Warsland."
"Without a magic stone?"
A magic stone was required to call forth beings from another dimension.
But the fact Alex was making a point of this meant Lowchen could do it without that catalyst.
"Yes, it requires a price of its own, but he can do it. That is why Ouroboros granted him the special position just below the Five Kings."
Alex said this in an offhand manner.
"The Shades don't just meddle with human children to create a race called Yogwi for no reason. They're trying to create a passage, a kind of tunnel, to summon themselves back into Warsland. The most successfully created Yogwi among them is Lowchen."
"And his sister, Pairan?"
"Hmm, I don't know much about that. In fact, Ouroboros tried to eliminate Pairan a few times, but Lowchen openly opposed it and substituted other plans. There was dissatisfaction with Lowchen's actions, but since those substitute plans succeeded, there wasn't much to say."
Alex spoke freely, as if he already considered Jiha an ally.
'But he's not telling me his own weakness. Even though he knows it's not just me but my faction that's powerful, he definitely has a countermeasure ready... but he's keeping it tightly hidden.'
But it didn't matter to Jiha.
'I'll extract Lowchen's intel from Alex, and Alex's intel from Lowchen. Then I'll make them clash, turn it into a full-blown fight, and use that as a pretext for independence while dealing with them both.'
With this plan, he would finally raise his flag.
Having made up his mind, Jiha nodded.
"Good, I appreciate the intel on Lowchen. So what's this cost you mentioned?"
"I lack information on that as well. It's certain he can't summon them indiscriminately, but just because he's alone doesn't mean you should take him at face value."
"I won't."
Jiha nodded.
Alex smiled and raised his glass.
"Shall we have a toast, then?"
"Sure."
Jiha clinked his glass.
All while smiling at the man who would soon be a corpse.
After a hollow, amicable exchange, Alex rose from his seat.
"This has been a truly enjoyable meeting. Jiha, I'll prepare the submission ceremony for meeting the Dragon, so let's stay in close contact."
"Send me word if any intel on Lowchen comes in."
"Of course."
Alex smiled meaningfully and turned away.
The eagle beastman, Jutem, who hadn't said a word, followed after him with a sullen look.
Yura whispered softly so no one else could hear.
"Lord Jiha, shall I call for them?"
"Just let him go."
If they attacked now with the troops stationed nearby, they could capture Alex, but the time wasn't right.
'No, we might not even be able to capture him.'
Alex had hyped up Lowchen and described his abilities, but he'd said absolutely nothing about himself.
If Lowchen was a man who could have been one of the Five Kings, Alex was already one of them.
He was no pushover.
The only time he fell apart was at the mention of Gashiel's name... aside from that, the man had almost no gaps. It was safe to assume he had a safeguard in place for when Jiha tried to crush him with numbers.
'Lowchen probably knows a fair amount about Alex. The problem is that Lowchen and I are on very bad terms...'
Their relationship had started with blades drawn the moment they met; even if they met again, there was no chance of a peaceful conversation.
Jiha returned to the conversation he'd been having with Yura earlier.
"What was that about Pairan again?"
"Lady Pairan would genuinely do nearly anything if Lady Asira asked her to. In the first place, it's incredibly rare for Lady Asira to ask anyone for a favor."
Jiha knew that well enough.
Yura leaned in seductively, pressing her lips to Jiha's ear and whispering hotly even though no one else was close enough to hear.
"She'd probably even be fine with being asked to become your plaything, Lord Jiha?"
"That's not it."
When Jiha cut her off flatly, Yura looked flustered.
She must have thought he was lusting after Pairan. If that were the case, he would have taken her long ago.
'Lowchen has a soft spot for Pairan. Whatever else, he listens to her and even tries to protect her.'
If Alex's weakness was Gashiel, then Lowchen's weakness was Pairan.
'Then I'll use Pairan to meet Lowchen and pump him for information.'
Jiha nodded.
"Yura, contact Asira and tell her we should have tea. And during that meeting, casually make sure Pairan joins in."
Since Yura had said she was building a rapport with Pairan, it should be no problem.
Jiha had already subdued Pairan with the whip. Now he needed to toss her a carrot to handle her more freely.
At Jiha's command, Yura nodded happily.
"Yes, is there anything else you wish of me?"
"What kind of underwear do you wear?"
"Excuse me?"
The revealing top and bottom Yura normally wore essentially doubled as underwear, so she didn't wear anything special underneath.
"I do have some, though. Ah... are you wanting to enjoy taking them off me?"
Yura, embarrassed yet hopeful, lit up with anticipation.
She was getting ahead of herself, thinking she might be embraced by Jiha tonight, but that wasn't what he meant.
"Go to Barjet and make sure she gets some proper clothes and underwear to wear. She's at the inn—check the location with Uben."
"Lady Barjet? Yes, sir."
Yura nodded, though she didn't quite understand.
Yura was gentle and docile, so she'd likely be able to get close to Barjet with relative ease.
They both had extraordinarily voluptuous figures, so they could probably share tips on choosing underwear.
'To think she'd make me give out such trivial orders. I'll know what to expect next time we meet.'
Jiha gave a wry smile and cleared his head.
"Now, then...."
If Jiha started a fight with either Alex or Lowchen, the two would likely join forces and attack him together.
It would become a two-on-one fight.
There was no need for that. He would drive a wedge between these two cold, distant men, who were in the same organization, and make them fight each other.
He'd instigate a major clash, behead them both, and reap all the spoils.
It was the beginning of his independence plan.