Chapter 788: Those Who Stand Among Us. 3
Victor's and Vlad's groups were gathered in an abandoned building, on the upper floors, in one of the best-preserved rooms. Each of them sat in their designated places, with only a few standing, mostly their respective "servants."
"We have gathered here to decide what to do with Samar, and for this reason, I brought Maya with me," Victor began speaking as he sat on the Ice Throne he had created.
Maya narrowed her eyes when she heard what Victor said.
Vlad slightly opened his eyes when he realized what Victor was doing.
"I understand... That makes sense," Vlad said.
"You're right. Among the two current rulers, Maya is more capable of making a decision that will benefit everyone in general," Victor replied.
He said nothing more, merely smiling faintly. He believed that statement was incorrect, as Tasha was also capable of making such decisions, but she was unavailable due to various circumstances at the moment.
"... I don't understand. Can you fill me in on the subject?" Maya asked.
"Before talking about that, let me ask you something. What do you think both of us are trying to do with this planet and society?" Victor inquired. "Someone like you must already have some theories about what we're attempting to achieve, right?"
"Hmm..." Maya looked around, her gaze shifting from Vlad to Alexios, then to Victor's group, until it finally settled on Victor and Leona, who sat next to him.
"Considering the agreement you and The World Tree have with this planet, I think you're trying to control or rule over us."
"Wrong," Victor and Vlad said simultaneously.
"...." The two Progenitors looked at each other for a few seconds until Victor spoke.
"It's better if you explain; it will sound more convincing coming from you, considering you'll be more involved in these matters," Victor said as he leaned back, assuming the role of an observer.
"Very well..." Vlad nodded and then looked at Maya.
"I don't want to rule over The Werewolves, Maya."
"I simply want to have influence among the Werewolves and, if possible, diminish the foolish rivalry that has developed between the Werewolves and the Noble Vampires over millennia," Vlad spoke with a regal eloquence. "Coexistence... That is my goal."
"The mighty Vampire King, once known as the Impaler, desires 'coexistence'?" Maya spoke as if she had heard the greatest absurdity of her life.
"... My past condemns me... But I assure you, my intentions are not malicious," Vlad said.
Her expression showed she wasn't buying Vlad's words.
"Let's speak realistically. When this conflict between Tasha and Volk is over, do you think I could have influence in Samar as a possible 'conqueror'?"
"Do you think I have that much time on my agenda, Maya?"
"I'm already completely occupied with my current problems. Adding the Werewolves to the list would only overwhelm me. What I want is not conquest, but coexistence, influence, and an ally," Vlad surprisingly revealed his true intentions.
This caught Victor, Natalia, and Kaguya completely off guard, not expecting this attitude from Vlad.
When they looked at Alexios, they saw him wiping tears from his eyes. The old man was deeply moved, looking as if he were witnessing the growth of his grandson.
An incredulous expression appeared on the faces of the three, and they looked at Vlad with a gaze that said: What in the name of The Seven Hells is happening right now?
Maya, however, remained suspicious precisely because Vlad was being so honest. She knew all too well how controlling Vlad could be, always trying to have everything in his hands and everyone under his control. He was the kind of paranoid man who craved control and wanted everything to go according to his orders.
"... I don't believe you," Maya was completely honest.
Vlad sighed softly. "Think, Maya, think. I am a very powerful potential invader. Do you think I could enter this city if Fenrir and The World Tree did not allow it?"
"....." Maya opened her eyes slightly when she realized Vlad was right. She had been so concerned about Vlad's intentions and trying to understand them that she had forgotten something so basic.
Fenrir thoroughly despised when a stranger entered his Territory, but when those Beings were weaker or not a significant threat, he wouldn't care much since he knew Tasha and Volk would deal with it. But someone like Vlad? He would definitely do something about it.
Maya looked at Victor with a glance that said: You did this, right?
Victor smiled faintly and nodded. "Yes, I did. I made the plan with The World Tree, and she agreed. And if she agrees, Fenrir will also agree." He intentionally didn't speak the name of The World Tree, as that information should come directly from the Tree herself, not him.
"Why did she permit this...?"
"Because she understands the level of threat we may face in the future."
Maya fell silent.
"We're talking about an entire civilization under the command of one person, Maya. And when I say civilization, I mean everyone, from Mortals to Gods."
"The level of danger that these 'Emperors' pose is immense. Because of that, the more High-Level Elites we have at our disposal, the better it will be when the day of invasion arrives."
"I have something I don't understand about this," Anna suddenly spoke, drawing attention to herself.
"Why are you acting so passive, Victor?" Anna said and then continued, "The Victor I know would already be doing something to invade this civilization first, bringing the danger to their doorstep before they come here, right?"
"You're not wrong, my dear mother," Victor smiled. "That was exactly my initial thought, but... I encountered several problems."
Victor raised his finger. "First, the only people I know who have the ability to travel between planets like this are the Alioth Clan."
"But even the Alioth Clan cannot open a portal to a place they've never been to before. Precise information is crucial for them to do that, am I right?" Victor looked at Alexios with a knowing glance as if they both knew something that only they shared.
Alexios raised an eyebrow when he saw Victor's look, pondering his words and their hidden meanings. He quickly understood what Victor was referring to. When he grasped those hidden words, he couldn't help but give Natalia a disapproving look.
"What? He's my official Husband; you signed the contract, so he can know this information about the Alioth clan," Natalia spoke naturally.
'It's not an exaggeration to say that he's already part of the family.' Natalia gently touched her belly, remembering how many times he had planted his seeds in her fertile ground.
'With my Husband's Power to touch and influence the Soul, I'm confident that my future child will be fully human, thus continuing The Lineage of The Clan. And possibly, in the distant future, I might even turn into a Vampire myself.' Natalia thought.
She wasn't in a hurry to become a Vampire. With her family's Magic and the Eyes she would receive from her father in the future, she could maintain her youth for a long time, just like him. She could even choose to remain eternally young if she wished, as long as she didn't use her Power on a large scale as her father did several times to help Vlad.
Alexios grumbled internally; she wasn't wrong, but that didn't mean he liked it very much. Setting that issue aside for now, he nodded, saying, "Yes, correct."
"Second, even if we open a portal to the Empire of these people, what guarantee do we have that they won't use our portal to track our location? Such a reckless action could bring the possible war to us faster than planned."
Anna, Vlad, Maya, and the others nodded when they saw Victor's words were logical. Jumping into enemy territory without information would not only be imprudent but also foolish.
"Of course, I won't just stand still and wait for the enemies to attack. I will do everything possible to learn about them; knowing the enemy is crucial."
Everyone nodded in agreement upon hearing what he said.
"And finally, third... Instead of worrying about a possible war that will happen in the distant future, we should focus on strengthening our forces."
"Maya, I'll be candid with you... The Werewolves haven't impressed me much." Victor's words were quite modest.
"... What do you mean they haven't impressed you, Demon King?"
"They are weak." Victor didn't mince words.
Maya's face twitched slightly.
"The only ones who can be considered 'Elites' among this society currently are you, Adam, Tasha, Volk, and Hassan."
Fenrir wasn't included because he wasn't an Elite; he was a damn Force of Nature, incomparable.
"The rest are merely good or mediocre at best," Victor concluded.
"The Werewolves are currently the weakest Faction, and that needs to change," Vlad said.
Maya gritted her teeth but didn't do more than that. She knew the two were right; compared to the current Faction of Noble Vampires, which had two damn Progenitors who were alive and quite active, the Werewolves lacked very strong Elites.
"Very well..." Maya accepted the truth, swallowed it, and moved on. "I understand your reasons. Now, let's get back to why I'm here?"
"That's simple. Vlad and I have decided to divide our modes of operation."
"As I don't lack military strength, I will just take The Lykos Clan and Tasha for myself."
"While he will take Volk and all the other Werewolves for himself."
"....." Maya looked at the two with strange glances, especially at Vlad, who wanted only the men.
Vlad's eyebrows twitched when he saw Maya's expression. "Woman, stop thinking with your lower parts for a few seconds, okay? I thought your fire had cooled down because you already have so many husbands and children, but it seems that hasn't changed."