Chapter 569 Council Summit [Pt 5]
The meeting didn't take very long.
After their greetings, and a few casual conversations between Rey and the Council Members, the rest of the Otherworlders also joined in on the conversation.
They followed Rey's lead and acted very familiar with the higher-ups.
This did two things for both sides.
One was establishing the position of the Otherworlders, associating them with the highest position of power in the United Human Alliance. In essence, they weren't just lackeys, but actual partners with the Royal Council.
The second, and perhaps more crucial thing, was making it so the Royal Council had a deep bond with the Otherworlders; hence warding off any scavengers who desired to poach any of them to the other side.
Plus, since it was possible that the nobles were beginning to act very cocky and more entitled due to having Otherworlders on their side, by presenting Otherworlders on the side of the Royal Council, it would serve to caution them.
When comparing quality, it was clear who had the superior allies.
Hence, it was even possible for the opposite to happen—at least, in the mind of the nobles. Their Otherworlder employees could end up switching to the other side as a result of the temptation.
That alone made the move brilliant.
If the Nobles were smart enough, they would quickly recognize this and back off as soon as possible; that was the rationale of both Rey and Conrad.
On that note, the meeting ended with the presentation of the Otherworlders to the Nobles, and vice versa. It was clear that its purpose was more of an exhibition, and also a formal recognition of the heroes of humanity.
Once it was over, the Otherworlders were dismissed, and this time Brutus was the one who escorted them back to their residence.
Lucielle stayed back with Conrad and Vida to deliver a supplementary address to the nobles present. Whatever else was discussed there was anyone's guess.
**********
"Thank you, Rey. No, all of you." Brutus bowed his head the moment they entered the Otherwordlers' residence.
He remained at the entrance, and while everyone was excitedly proceeding in, either relaxing on the parlor's couch, or opting for the comfort of their rooms, those words of gratitude made them all look in the Head Warrior's direction.
"You all have my gratitude." He re-emphasized his position before raising his head before the young ones.
"Stop overreacting, Brutus." Justin laughed. "We didn't even do anything. Just showed up and went with whatever Rey had going on."
Brutus didn't know whether Justin was truly oblivious of the significance of what Rey did, or he was just playing dumb on purpose, but hearing what he said only made the warrior smile even further.
"Right now, there are a lot of internal problems within the Alliance. It is none of your concern, of course, but your presence in that meeting has helped support the cause of the Royal Council." Once Brutus spoke these things, the students got a bit of perspective on what was going on behind the scenes. Still, one student in particular wasn't satisfied.
"Why can't the Royal Council just get rid of those guys? They have the most power in the Alliance—both politically and in terms of force." The only blond girl among them asked. "If they're getting in the way, why not eliminate them thoroughly?"
Once everyone heard this, their eyes widened in surprise as they looked at her with shocked faces. Belle was the cutest thing in the room, yet the vile words that proceeded from her lips completely betrayed her appearance.
It seemed she recognized this very quickly, as she swiftly began to rephrase her words so they would be more palatable.
"W-what I meant was… like strip them of power and stuff. Like, if they are a threat to the kingdom… cut them off… from power, I mean. Ultimately, allocation should belong to the Alliance, right? They can just destroy… I mean, sever the nobles from the wealth that makes them so influential, to begin with… right? Right?"
Her panicked face leaked a bead of sweat or two, and the constant gaze of everyone around her made her nearly shriek under pressure.
Thankfully, it seemed her cute side won and everyone managed to buy her bumbling excuse for proper context.
"Yeah… I was wondering about that too." Clark added. "Those nobles seem to be doing more harm than good. If it's resources the Alliance needs, they can just tax them harder or forcibly take the resources they need for the betterment of everyone. We are in a time of war, after all."
The rich weren't particularly bothered in this world, especially if they paid their dues, but nobles had some responsibility to render. If they proved to be overbearing, stripping them of their title was ideal.
Plus, since the Council had ultimate political power, the loyalty of the Nation's strongest, and five Otherworlders who were readily on their side, they could find a way to obtain the resources they required without needing to buckle to the pressure of the nobles.
So why? Why were Conrad and Vida tolerating these people?
"Firstly, things aren't as simple as your words make them seem. Actions like those cascade down and cause consequences that would be difficult to contain, even by the Royal Council." Brutus began, but then he offered a deeper sigh.
"Unfortunately, even if we were willing to take the risk, there's also the second restriction…"
Everyone waited silently, watching as keenly as possible, to listen to the troubling reason that caused the Head Warrior to display signs of distress.
"Before the establishment of the United Human Alliance, there was a binding vow made among the Councilors and the aristocrats of the time, which preserved their lives and resources if they were to ever agree to the agreement."
The only reason for the termination of this agreement would be if they were found doing something borderline illegal—that is, against the outlined laws of the land—as documented in the Royal Wryths.
So far, the nobles had done no such thing; at least, not to the knowledge of the Council. "They are an obnoxious bunch, yes, but the binding vow prevents us from taking any radical action against them, or any new noble faction that forms afterward."
What served as a show of trust among Nations willing to band together for the common benefit of mankind had now grown to become a burden.
"What happens when the Royal Council breaks this binding vow?" Rey finally spoke up, causing attention to shift to him for a moment.
He had been standing right in front of his room's door, but now he drew closer to the rest. His arms were folded as he finally halted his approach.
Staring at Brutus with a serious demeanor, he waited for a response.
"A curse will be activated."
"I see. So the Grandmaster and Councilor's life could be in danger if they break the vow?" "I doubt it's that simple." Rey interrupted Clark as he turned back to Brutus. "Those two wouldn't risk the entire Alliance just to preserve their lives."
Once Brutus heard this, his expression darkened.
"There's something else, isn't there?" Rey's gaze, coupled with his serious demeanor made it clear just how badly he wanted to know what was going on.
"Tell us."