Chapter 481
Chapter 481
Chapter 481
WHOOSH!
The sound of the sword cutting through the air echoed throughout the training ground.
"HAAAA!"
A woman thrust her sword forward as she stomped her foot. The entire atmosphere trembled from the tremendous force emanating from what appeared to be a delicate frame.
"HAAAH."
The woman sheathing her sword and catching her breath was none other than Kali Draker, a guardian knight and direct pureblood of the Draker family.
Kali Draker gazed at her silver sword with a complex expression, as if something was bothering her.
Just as she was about to wield her sword again...
CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!
Startled by the sudden applause from behind, Kali turned around. She was shocked to see an unexpected figure standing there.
"Zeke?"
Her youngest brother had appeared at her castle in Jason without any prior notice. Kali could hardly believe the situation.
Zeke approached the somewhat dazed Kali.
"Sister, have you been well?"
He embraced her warmly.
Zeke held Kali's shoulders and said,
"I heard the news about Father."
Kali's face darkened at Zeke's words.
While all that Arthur Draker had done to maintain the Draker family's power deserved condemnation, she had never wished for his death, nor had she imagined he would pass away so pathetically.
Given her complex feelings about Arthur Draker's death, Kali didn't know how to respond to Zeke.
Then Zeke asked her.
"Sister, do you really believe that Arthur Draker died from illness?"
Kali raised her head in surprise at Zeke's question.
"Are you saying... Father isn't really dead?"
Zeke shook his head at her question.
"I don't know that yet either. But the Arthur Draker I knew doesn't seem like someone who would suddenly die from illness like this."
Kali interpreted Zeke's words differently.
'Zeke must find it hard to believe Father's death too.'
Such a reaction was understandable, given how powerful Arthur Draker had been.
Kali raised her head again and said to Zeke.
"Let's think about Father later. For now, let's go have dinner. Helen will be very happy to see you."
Zeke shook his head at her suggestion.
"Sister, no one must know that I'm here."
"Huh? What do you mean all of a sudden?"
Zeke looked at Kali with a serious expression and asked,
"Is there a place that's completely secure, where no one else can enter?"
After pondering for a moment, Kali nodded.
"The memorial room at the top of the tower—no one can enter there."
"That would be perfect. Please bring Helen to the memorial room. Absolutely no one else must come in."
As soon as he finished speaking, Zeke's body grew blurry and then completely disappeared without a trace.
Kali blinked several times at the spot where Zeke had been standing.
'Zeke... surely I wasn't seeing things.'
Just then, a voice echoed in Kali's ear.
—We need to move quickly, Sister. There's no time.
Receiving Zeke's telepathic message, Kali left the training ground and moved swiftly.
* * *
Kali brought Helen up to the memorial room.
The memorial room was a space dedicated to honoring Tali Prana, Kali's mother.
As it was Kali's personal space that no one dared to approach, it was perfect for a secret meeting.
When Kali and Helen entered, Zeke appeared in the previously empty space.
"Zeke!"
Helen ran toward the manifested Zeke and embraced him.
He found momentary comfort in the warm embrace of his blood relative that he hadn't felt in a long time.
Zeke looked at Helen and said,
"Have you been well, Sister?"
Though known outside as the famed Steel Knight, in front of Zeke, she was just an ordinary sister who doted on her brother.
He sat at the table prepared in the memorial room and began speaking while serving tea to Kali and Helen.
"The Council of Elders, including Howard Draker, intends to appoint me as Commander-in-Chief and order me to occupy Jupiter."
Kali was shocked by Zeke's words and asked,
"Jupiter? But that place is guarded by Jiemens and Castro Pollock,it won't be easy to break through."
Zeke nodded.
"They know that. They're doing this to create a pretext to send me outside the Four Seasons Castle."
Kali caught on to the situation after hearing Zeke's words.
"...So they want to make me the family head instead of you, Zeke."
"That's right. Council Member Howard Draker is leading this effort."
Kali understood the Council's situation.
'They fear that if Zeke, who has already reached the realm of the Black Knight, becomes the family head, a new hegemon surpassing Arthur Draker might emerge.'
Kali too was no pushover, but they probably judged that dealing with her would be better than facing Zeke.
Kali looked at Zeke and said,
"There's no need to follow such an unreasonable decision from the Council. You should be the next family head, Zeke."
She had already firmly decided to yield the position to Zeke.
While Arthur Draker had led the Draker family to become the strongest on the continent, he had committed too many wrongful deeds in the process.
If Zeke became the family head, she expected that he could rectify the wrongs that Arthur Draker had committed in the past.
But then Zeke shook his head.
"I shouldn't be the next family head."
He looked directly into Kali's eyes and said,
"You should become the family head, Sister."
Both Kali and Helen were shocked by Zeke's words.
Kali spoke with a trembling voice,
"What are you saying, Zeke?"
"If I become the family head, I'll just become a second Arthur Draker, ruling the Draker family through fear. After you take the position, please create a new Draker family. I'll support you from behind."
A new Draker that wasn't synonymous with fear.
Zeke thought that the person who could create such a Draker family wasn't himself, but Kali.
Additionally, there was another intention behind this.
'I can't be tied to the family when those Abyss bastards are trying to resurrect the Demon King.'
To counter the Abyss, who were summoning new demon tribe members moment by moment to resurrect the Demon King, he needed to use the Draker family's power without being bound by it.
Zeke planned to entrust the family's management to Kali while asking her to mobilize necessary military resources.
For this to happen, the Draker family needed internal reorganization, and with the confusion caused by Arthur Draker's death, now was the most appropriate time.
'Arthur Draker might have faked his death. If so, we need to handle things as quickly as possible before he shows himself again.'
Howard was a perceptive person, so Zeke couldn't give him time to think deeply.
This was why Zeke wanted to move quickly.
Kali couldn't help but deeply consider Zeke's request to take on the role of family head.
Eventually, she slowly nodded.
"If that's your wish, I'll do it."
Even as she agreed, she added a condition.
"However, once the situation stabilizes, I'll hand over the position. At that time, you, Zeke, must lead the Draker family as its head."
"Understood, Sister."
After agreeing, Zeke turned to Helen who was beside them.
"I have a request for you too, Sister Helen."
Helen nodded imploring Zeke to continue talking.
Zeke looked at her intently and said,
"Please take on the role of Commander-in-Chief against Jupiter in my place."
Helen was shocked by Zeke's request for her to become Commander-in-Chief.
"What are you saying? I'm not qualified to be Commander-in-Chief yet."
"If Sister Kali becomes the family head, she can grant you the qualification of guardian knight. If she negotiates with the Council of Elders as a condition for taking the family head position, it's entirely possible."
Kali nodded at this.
"That shouldn't be too difficult. But Zeke, what's your real reason for doing all this? Giving up both the family head position and the Commander-in-Chief role to us."
Kali and Helen were curious about Zeke's intentions.
Zeke looked at both of them and said,
"I want to catch the spies hiding in our family."
Their eyes widened at his words.
Kali looked at Zeke and asked,
"Spies ... Are you saying there are informants in the Four Seasons Castle? Who are they working with?"
"I don't know exactly. But there are those who use the Draker name to pursue their own interests. Howard Draker, who leads the Council of Elders, is a petty man who moves only for his own benefit while wearing the facade of a war hero."
Zeke's gaze sharpened.
"Please help me, Sisters. I'll set a trap to catch him."
* * *
Howard Draker entered the Four Seasons Castle hurriedly after receiving a sudden message from Kali Draker.
Kali Draker, who had been shut up in Jason, had finally begun to move.
Howard's mind was racing with complex thoughts as he headed to Kali's office in the fortress.
'When Zeke Draker made his move, it seems Kali's side became anxious too.'
As a pursuer of power, Howard couldn't imagine that Zeke would yield the family head position to Kali and join hands with her.
He opened the office door and entered.
"Council Member Howard."
Kali Draker rose from her seat and greeted Howard warmly.
"Thank you for coming in person."
Howard inwardly smiled with satisfaction at Kali Draker's respectful attitude.
'As I thought. Kali Draker must be trying to secure the family head position through me and the Council.'
With Kali reaching out first, it would be easier for Howard to take control of the situation.
He nodded toward Kali with feigned politeness.
"Of course I had to come when Lady Kali contacted me."
Howard sat in the seat of honor that Kali offered, and soon attendants brought in tea.
"Please enjoy. I've prepared some precious tea from Ishtar for you, Councilor."
Howard was startled by Kali's words.
"Tea from Ishtar? I wasn't aware that you had connections with them, Lady Kali."
Kali gave a faint smile at Howard's response.
"Initially, I was able to make their acquaintance through Zeke."
Howard pressed his lips together at Kali's words.
He already knew that Zeke had formed some kind of relationship with Ishtar through the Black Operations Division.
However, it was unexpected that Kali Draker, not just Zeke, had established a relationship with Ishtar.
She looked at Howard and said,
"What I wanted to discuss with you is related to this..."
After Kali paused, Howard gestured for her to continue.
"If I become the family head, I've received word that Ishtar would be willing to officially pursue an alliance with the Drakers."
Howard's eyes widened significantly.
'Ishtar, one of the transcendent families, forming an alliance with the Drakers?'
Ishtar, one of the continent's pivotal transcendent families, was essentially the master of the southern region.
If Ishtar were to declare an alliance, they could put pressure on Jupiter, which was situated in the southern region.
Above all, if Kali Draker could secure an alliance with Ishtar, it would provide a sufficient justification to install her as family head instead of Zeke Draker.
Howard's mind was racing with complex thoughts.
'So Ishtar has chosen Kali over Zeke Draker...'
Like the seasoned politician he was, Howard concealed his true thoughts and said with a serious expression:
"An alliance with Ishtar... Those heartless killers are like double-edged swords."
He planned to diminish Kali's advantageous position and imply that things could get complicated, aiming to make her rely on him.
However, Kali nodded as if she understood and replied with resignation:
"You have a point. If you think so, Councilor, perhaps it's better to forget about the alliance with Ishtar."
Howard was taken aback by Kali's unexpected response.
He cleared his throat and spoke again.
"However, in the current situation, if we can join hands with Ishtar, it would greatly help in keeping Jiemens in check, which would also help you ascend to the family head position."
Howard had backed down for now.
Hearing his words, Kali slowly nodded and said:
"Indeed. But even if we form an alliance with Ishtar, one problem remains."
"What problem, Lady Kali?"
"Zeke Draker."
She looked at Howard with cold eyes and said:
"For me to become the family head, I need to eliminate him."