Arriving at the entrance of his home, Albert Grey frowned as there were many empty cars parked outside his gates. The vehicles of the great family each had their own unique crest engraved to represent their house.
Albert immediately recognized them as belonging to the other three great family due to their defining crest.
"What the hell were they doing at his home?"
The moment he stepped inside his courtyard, he was stunned at the sight, before shaking with anger as dark clouds loomed over his head.
"What have you done to my courtyard!?" Albert roared, before coughing incessantly.
"Father! How are you??" Edric supported him.
His once beautifully decorated courtyard was ruined by the heads of the three other great family. The flower garden in the center was cleared out as it was replaced by newly erected stone chairs tables. He felt his heart ripped to shreds as he glared at them. His beautiful and delicate flower garden looked like it was ravaged by wolves as it was scattered throughout the four corners of the courtyard.
How dare they casually have a tea party on that spot!
He didn't care much for the courtyard itself, but the small flower garden was a totally different story. It may seem strange for a cold and ruthless person like him to place so much importance on a mere flower garden, but not to those who knew the inside story. The flower garden belonged to his dearly beloved wife, who passed away during childbirth. He also shared a love and hate relationship with his son as a result of that incident.
"Yo, look who showed up. Where is the rest of your servants? Looks like the Duke made you suffer big time." Marquis Gregory of house Weld taunted as he looked at Albert's pathetic appearance.
"Y-You!" Albert pointed at him with 7 parts anger and 3 part confusion. "The Duke did? Hmph! So what if I suffered loses to the Duke!? You would have suffered just as badly, had you gone up against him as well!"
Albert admitted shamelessly to being defeated by the Duke. Being defeated due to a sneak attack by a junior was an embarrassment and a stain on his life. He would not admit to that fact, less he wants to invite humiliation upon himself.
Albert had no idea the Duke had mobilised his forces and rushed to the Lower West District for the same person he had tried to kill. He was fortunate not to bump into the Duke on his way back.
"Hahaha...perhaps. But that is a 'what if'. The fact is that you were defeated miserably and I have yet to be." Marquis Gregory satirised. His laugh sounded very grating on Albert's ears.
A chilling light could be seen in Albert's eyes as his expression turn frighteningly calm. The atmosphere felt very gloomy.
A person blinded by anger isn't scary. What is scary is when their anger is clearly beyond boiling point, but they could still control it and think with unprecedented calmness.
Although, they were all 7th step awakeners, Gregory felt chilled by Albert's calmness.
Albert knew he was being bullied. Intolerable bullying! But he can still the bigger picture. His family could not afford to have a falling out at this juncture. If he has the opportunity in the future, he would let Gregory die a dog's death. What they did to the flower garden was unforgivable by his books.
"Gregory, stop it. We are after all guests. We should not disrespect the host." Marquis Rae of Esmond family interceded on Albert's behalf. But of course he didn't really mean what he say. He couldn't be happier if the two of them fought it out. If they build their grudge now, his family would stand to benefit as his family would less likely be a target during the fight for the throne. They would be too busy fighting each other. He was calculating and a hypocrite.
"Tch. Whatever." Gregory shirked his hands of the matter. He was too lazy to deal with Rae's hypocritical act.
Rae's family was different to Albert's. The house of Grey was easy to bully because they have yet to have a powerhouse guarding the house. Albert wasn't qualified to be treated on the same level as them.
"F*cking hypocrite." Albert murmured. Verbal insults was still alright. It wasn't enough to break up the alliance, but getting physical potentially can.
"What did you say? Say it again." Rae's facial expression turned vicious, but he restrained himself from resorting to violence.
Marquise Luella quietly sipped her tea as she choose not to involve herself in the quarrel between these men. Disdain was written on her cold face as she watched them like she was watching a bunch of dogs. All bark and no bite. Men are such pathetic beings. There's no need to waste her breathe on them.
"Enough! You're all grown men. Do you have nothing better to do than bicker like children?!" An elderly man roared as he walked out from the mansion. Two other and an elderly woman followed behind.
"We were wrong." They were quick to admit their mistake and accept their scolding from their respective fathers.
In the eyes of their parents, they will always be children though. Rae thought.
"Mother." Marquise Luella greeted.
"Mmm." The old lady nodded. Her daughter's temperament was much like her own. There was nothing to scold her for.
"Father, did they force you out of your secluded training?" Albert asked his father, Lord Grey.
The eldest and most authoritative figure of each noble family were addressed by their family name as they were the real leader in the family. The head was just the representative.
"Mmm, but there is a golden opportunity for our alliance to topple the Royal faction. I had to come out for it."
Albert had no idea for what reason all their fathers were forced out of their seclusion, but he trust his father would explain further."
"With the Queen locked in her own palace, the Royal faction is mainly spearheaded by the Duke and his wife. We couldn't do anything to them before because they were in their own territory and too close to the palace.
They could escape to the palace and join forces with the queen should we try to fight them. We would be locked in a stalemate, while exposing ourselves if we fail to kill them before then.
However, now the Duke and his wife have entered the Lower West District, they are far from their home territory. It's impossible for them to escape our clutches should we make our move.
This is a good chance for us to take them out with our superior numbers and strength."
If the Duke and his wife fell, the Royal faction would only be left with one peak existence left; their queen. There was actually one more, but that person has been in a vegetative state for many years.
"I see. This is a really good chance for us to turn the tables..." Albert said, but he still had his worries. His father have yet to reach the 9th step. They were at too much of a disadvantage, should they start fighting the other great family for the crown afterwards.
"Why did you bring all your servants to the Commoner's District?" Lord Weld suddenly interrogated Albert. Although, he created such an opportunity, there was something fishy about the matter.
The others had finished their little talks and gathered around to listen in.
"My pawn in the Commoner District was killed and replaced by some arrogant brat. I came to show the little runt our overwhelming differences and kill him after I make him despair and regret for making an enemy out of me." Albert spoke with half truth. He dare not frown and show his displeasure in front of Lord Weld, less he invoke his ire.
"Considering such large reaction from the Duke, that kid must be a secret talent the Duke's household had nurtured. Looks like it was the Duke's secret move to cut off our sources of income from the Commoner Districts." Lord Esmond assumed.
Albert found this assumption plausible. It would explain how he manage to enroll into Crawford University with his humble background. He was part of the Duke's household.
"Mm. The Duke have made a move against our alliance first. He cannot blame us for retaliate back. We are on opposing sides after all." Lord Grey commented.
"Yes. We should mobilize all our forces quickly and give them no chance to escape. They must die tonight."
"Mm. All in favor, say I." Lord Weld nodded and stated.
"I." "I." Lord Esmond and Lord Grey both answered.
"Is there something wrong, Lady Harriet?" Lord Weld did not address the lady as Lady Acker. Marquise Luella's mother had insisted on having them address her as Lady Harriet. She did not like the sound of 'Lady Acker'. She was an eccentric old lady. Despite being such a dominating person, she preferred to be addressed by her first name.
"There is something wrong with this matter. How could the Duke make such a stupid move? Could it be a trap?" Lady Harriet brows creased into a fold.
"Even if there is, they would still not be a match for us 4. We have hidden ourselves for too long. They shouldn't have known that we are still alive nor guess our present level of strength."
Lord Weld's words were very reasonable. Lady Harriet could not refute it and nodded. They really have hidden themselves for far too long.
"Alright, let's set out immediately. Time waits for no one."
Their noble houses did not possess superior training methods like the Duke household and Royal family did, which could make the King, Queen, Duke and Duchess all possess the same level of strength as them despite being a whole generation younger.
They had completely relied on pills to propel them to their current strength. Logically speaking, they should all be dead due to all the pill exhausting their lifespan. However, they are very much still alive.
Who knew what secret methods they used or untold evil they have committed to extend their lifespan.