Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: Just Deserts
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"I see now."
Kaide scoffed.
"It wasn't enough to lose the succession, so you tried to spirit Aileen away."
Dumbfounded, Kaide let out a hollow laugh.
He tried to spirit me away? But where? And why? Was it because I have two types of pheromones?
The news was staggering.
At the same time, I was puzzled.
For Gray to defy the Artban family's orders and try to spirit me away meant I must be valuable enough to warrant it.
Does that mean my pheromones hide some other power?
His intentions instantly laid bare, Gray's expression hardened.
Then he began spouting absurd justifications.
"I merely judged it necessary for the prosperity of our clan."
"The prosperity of the clan? Or was it just to maintain your own power?"
"...For the greater good, the sacrifice of a few is inevitable. That child is of the Bird Clan. It's only natural that for me and my family—!"
Suddenly, Gray's eyes flew wide open. He gaped, gasping for air.
What's wrong with him? Everyone but the Astrofel family members shot to their feet in shock.
"*Cough!*"
Gray's body pitched forward.
His face turned pale. His golden eyes, wide with horror, slowly began to turn bloodshot.
Gasping raggedly, Gray began to claw at the tabletop.
Unable to watch any longer, Aser shot to his feet.
"Why is the Gaju in this state? What have you done?"
"He seems to have forgotten his place."
"...What does that mean?"
"Don't delude yourselves into thinking your heads are safe."
Kaide's expression soured with annoyance.
"Whether the Loisar family remains on the map will depend on what you say next."
Aser flinched.
"The reason I'm letting you live for now is simple. I can't very well show Aileen your heads flying off, can I?"
He was saying that if I weren't here, this room would already be a bloodbath.
Kaide stared blankly at Gray, who was now collapsed on the floor.
He seemed to be in even worse shape than before.
He was muttering to himself, though I couldn't make out the words.
His bizarre state was starting to frighten me. What was happening to him?
"...Why does the Gaju continue to be in this state?"
"*Gasp... gasp...*"
Gray let out a pained groan, the veins on the back of his hand standing out as it trembled.
"I've blocked his pheromone channels. His own pheromones will turn inward, poisoning him from within."
"...What did you say?"
"He'll reach a point where death would be a mercy. In the end, he will lose his mind."
So he would completely lose himself. I looked at Gray. Even after hearing Baon's explanation, I felt no pity for him.
Gray's golden eyes darted about nervously.
As if unable to feel his own pheromones, he repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists.
"My... my pheromones..."
he mumbled, dazed.
To a Su-in, pheromones were more significant than one could imagine.
This was especially true for a man like Gray, who had led a family and wielded great power.
Having lost all his power in an instant, he ground his teeth, his eyes glaring.
"My pheromones... haha, my pheromones... Just... just kill me! To humiliate me like this... How dare you! How dare you!"
"I believe I just explained why I'm letting you live. Weren't you listening?"
"How am I supposed to live in this body! I can't do anything like this!"
"Perfect."
"...What?"
Gray asked numbly. He looked as though he was going mad.
Watching him slowly lose his sanity was a grotesque sight.
The Loisar family elders swallowed hard.
His guilt was undeniable, and they knew that defending him would seal their family's doom.
"You won't have any use for that power anyway. I'll see to it that you rot in a prison cell for the rest of your life."
"Me? In prison? ...This can't be happening... It can't!"
"You're unbearably loud."
Kaide said, covering my ears.
I gazed at Gray as he screamed desperately.
His fall from grace was instantaneous.
So this is what happens when you do wrong. I'll make sure to never do anything bad.
I swallowed nervously and looked up at Kaide.
He tilted his head as if to ask why I was staring.
No matter how I looked at it, it was unbelievable.
I knew Kaide was strong, but I never imagined he could overpower someone so effortlessly.
The difference in their power was simply overwhelming.
"Now then, let's continue with the negotiations."
"...How can we possibly negotiate in a situation like this?"
Aser said, his voice thick with emotion.
It certainly seemed difficult to continue the negotiations as things were.
Gray was far from calm, and conversation with him seemed impossible.
Besides, the members of the Loisar family, who had only just learned of Gray's actions, looked utterly bewildered.
Only Aser managed to keep his composure.
"First, we should deal with that noisy nuisance."
"I'll take care of him."
Durias volunteered, rising to his feet.
At that, an old elder from the opposing side quickly stepped forward to block him.
"What do you think you're doing! Even if the Gaju made a mistake, this is... This unilateral approach is unacceptable!"
"Elder, that man is now a criminal. And where do criminals belong?"
"Y-you mean to take the Gaju to prison?!"
The old elder was aghast. He wasn't the only one.
Every member of the Loisar family looked stunned.
They seemed speechless at the declaration that the head of their clan would be treated as a common criminal and thrown into a southern prison.
"This is unheard of! He must be given a proper trial! He is the Gaju!"
"How tedious."
Durias ran a hand through his hair in annoyance.
"Then make your choice."
"Wh-what choice?"
"You can either take this criminal back with you, or you can let us throw him in prison."
"Well, obviously we—!"
The elder began to answer as if the choice were obvious, but Durias cut him off with a thoughtful 'Ah' and added a clarification.
"The moment you choose to take the criminal back, the South will declare war."
"Wh-what did you say!"
"It's only natural. Did you really think you could wreak havoc on another family and walk away unscathed?"
The elder cleared his throat and fell silent.
With an air of 'I thought so,' Durias continued to explain the other option.
"However, if he pays for his crimes the Southern way, we will be... lenient. At the very least, the Loisar family will not be annihilated."
A chilling silence fell over the room.
Everyone exchanged nervous glances, each hoping someone else would step forward and resolve the situation.
A young-looking man from the far corner quietly called out to Aser.
"Lord Aser, what should we do?"
All eyes in the room turned to Aser.
Excluding Gray, he seemed to hold the highest position in the Loisar family.
After all, Baon and Durias, who sat on either side of Kaide, held the second and third highest positions in their family. It stood to reason that Aser held a similar rank.
He let out a sigh. He seemed conflicted.
Torn between choosing his family's survival and loyalty to his Gaju, Gray.
Aser's golden eyes slowly moved to the raving Gray.
And finally, Aser made his decision.
"We will continue with the negotiations."
At the same time, Gray looked up at Aser, his face a mask of disbelief.
"...What did you just say? You... how dare you!"
"I'm sorry, but you are no longer our Gaju."
"You bastard! You!"
"I cannot serve a man like you."
"A wise decision."
Durias approached Gray with a bright smile.
Gray struggled to get away, but it was useless.
"When you next open your eyes, you'll be in a prison cell. If you've heard the rumors, you'll know the Southern law is an eye for an eye."
"Let go! Let me go...!"
Gray's body went limp. Having subdued him with ease, Durias slung him over his shoulder.
"I hope you have a satisfactory negotiation, then."
Durias left the room. Silence fell once more.
In contrast to the gloomy atmosphere on the other side of the table, Kaide and Baon looked quite pleased.
Kaide let out a short laugh.
"Durias must be fuming. He's been stuck with all the dirty work lately."
"What can he do? An order is an order."
"True enough."
It couldn't be helped, as neither Kaide nor Baon could be expected to handle such menial tasks.
The matter with the Loisar family was still being kept under wraps, so the other elders hadn't been permitted to attend.
Baon adjusted his glasses and stretched lightly.
"Now then, would everyone except for Lord Aser please leave the room?"
It was time for the real negotiations to begin.