Chapter 355 - Negotiations For The Underground (1)
After Dina and I finished talking, I left the palace.
I did not forget to tell Lena I would come for her at night. To go together to our new home.
Ysnay and I then moved across space and arrived at the headquarters of the Red Skull Gang. I was using my identity as Clark, and Ysnay used fate to disguise herself.
There, we met with Marana and Akilah.
Together, the four of us boarded a carriage and departed towards a restaurant located in Hidden Cave, one of the most luxurious sectors of the capital.
We were going there to attend a meeting with some of the most powerful people in the empire.
The atmosphere inside the carriage was pretty awkward. On one side, Akilah was glaring at me and gritting her teeth, still angry for what happened yesterday.
On the other side, Marana was trying her best to feign indifference. Occasionally, though, I could catch her looking at me from the corner of her eye.
This pair of sisters...
Mm… I should find an opportunity to eat them together soon.
Ysnay was looking at that scene in amusement. She seemed to find my interactions with other women funny.
According to her, it was weirdly human for an Immortal.
I did not like it when she finds fun in my affairs, but it is better than she trying to mess up with my plans or she going against me, so I let her.
Shaking my head, I decided to ignore these three girls until we reached the meeting place.
When we arrived at Hidden Cave, we were guided by a servant to a private room inside a restaurant.
There, several familiar faces were waiting for us.
The Riea family's Earl Carson Riea and his son, Al Riea, followed by two bodyguards.
The Ferret family's Alice, followed by her buttle Aaron and her Knight, Hannah.
The Carmell family's Albert Carmell (The young master of the family), and two of his followers, including a twelfth-layer powerhouse.
And for the Imperial family, my eldest brother, Prince Alan Quintin, followed two of the empire's ministers.
It was such a high-end lineup.
As soon as we entered the private room, all the people inside stared in our direction.
Most of them glared at us with eyes full of animosity, killing intent, and rage, as though we would have killed their grandmothers.
Of course, I treated these gazes like a breeze. But it was not so easy for Marana and Akilah.
In front of the killing intent coming from powerhouses like Earl Riea, butler Aaron, and the powerhouse of the Carmell Family, Marana and Akilah could not help but pale.
I furrowed my brows and grunted, dispersing their killing intent and replacing it with my own pressure.
Instantly, the expressions of the people in the room turned serious. Now that they got a feel my strength, they knew what kind of monster they were facing.
At the same time, Marana and Akilah shot me grateful looks.
"Welcome, Mr. Clark." Alice was the first one to talk. She looked at me with a mischievous smile and winked to me secretly.
I nodded to her before moving my gaze around each person in the room.
"The First Prince of the empire, the Earl of the Riea family, the heir of the Ferret family, and the young master of the Carmell Family. I wonder why are big shots like you interested in me?"
None of the people in the room were surprised by the fact that I recognized their identities. After all, they knew that someone that managed to uproot the original four gangs of the empire was definitively not someone simple.
"Don't play the fool, Mr. Clark." Earl Riea said without hiding his killing intent. "We hope you can give us an explanation for what happened last night."
I chuckled amusedly. "You seem in a bad mood, earl. Could it be that you have been having trouble recently? I heard that your wife and your daughters ran away with Prince Claus. Could it be it's true?"
"You…!!!" Earl Riea's expression instantly turned ugly and his face became red. Moreover, released his mana angrily, destroying the chair he was seated on.
It was obvious he was about to explode. Obviously, the fact that his wife and daughters left him for another man, moreover his enemy, was a very sore and painful spot.
I wanted to laugh. To think that just a few words were enough to mess with him so much.
I worry about your mental health, father-in-law.
"Mr. Clark. Show some respect." Young master Albert said coldly, signaling the earl to calm down. "You don't want to make us your enemy."
I stared at Albert for a few seconds before shaking my head with a smile.
"You're mistaken, young master Albert. To be honest, I don't mind making you my enemy."
"Oh?" Albert looked at me curiously.
I grinned and moved my gaze around the room. "Do you think I don't know the reason you are here? You want to make the Red Skull Gang abandon the city right? If I'm not wrong, you are planning to threaten me to leave the city or to die!"
"… If you know that then–"
"But," I interrupted Albert. "You are not enough to make me leave this place… Instead, you should worry about yourself more than me, young master Albert. Your lost two beyond-twelfth-layer powerhouses last night, right? I'm sure that is a great blow to your house's strength."
"Insolent!" Alan bellowed at that moment. "Who do you think you are to speak to us like that? Just a punny commoner with a little bit of strength! Do you truly think you are untouchable just because you destroyed a few gangs!? Mister Clark, I assure you that if you don't leave the city before tonight, we, imperial family, are going to do everything in our power to hunt you and your men!"
I could feel Marana and Akilah paling behind me. Even if they were confident in me, they could not suppress their instinctive fear of a colossus like the imperial family.
But I don't need to be afraid of them.
"… Is that everything you want to say, prince?"
"… Well, there is a second option. You and the Red Skull Gang can swear allegiance to me. It's a good idea, don't you think? I'll be the next emperor soon. If you swear allegiance to me, I promise you that you will be untouchable in this empire and the Red Skull Gang will be the only ruler of the capital underground."
I wanted to laugh out loud.
This fool. He sure is confident in himself.
Look, even Alice seems like she wants to laugh. And Albert and Earl Carlson are looking at Alan with uncomfortable expressions.
After all, he just showed interest in taking the entire cake for himself.
I chuckled softly. "Prince, could it be you didn't hear the report of last night?"
"Report? What report?"
"The report that mentions me, prince." A voice came from outside the room. Then, a woman dressed in a white habit entered the room. "Have you not read it?
"You are…"
"Nice to see you again, Prince Alan, Earl Riea, Young Master Albert, and Miss Alice.. My name is Safelia Ainida, Saintess of the Church of Order."