?”Just what were you thinking?!” Arthur glared at the ten-year-old, who was casually sipping a fruit juice without a care in the world. “Why did you decide to join the Central Government? Are you mad?”
“Grandma, Grandpa is bullying me,” Thirteen shamelessly hugged his grandmother, Lady Callista, and pretended to be scared.
“Arthur, don’t raise your voice at Zion,” Lady Callista said as she hugged her grandson. “Can’t you see that he is scared of you?”
“Him? Scared of me? Nonsense!” Arthur scoffed. “Did you not see him talk to a Majin Prince and Majin Princess as if they are the best of friends? Do you really think someone like him, who fought against the Majin Prince, Arundel the Destroyer, is scared of me? What a joke!”
Lady Callista ignored her husband’s words and patted Thirteen’s head in order to calm him down.
Michael shook his head before fixing his glasses, while Hans only smiled faintly because he found this scene quite amusing.
Thirteen, who had been dragged back by the Agents of the Leventis Family, all the way from Wayside City, enjoyed his Grandma’s pampering.
It had been a while since he had truly let his guard down and simply enjoyed the moment because such luxuries weren’t possible in the world of Solterra, where his life was constantly in danger.
A few minutes later, Arthur finally calmed down, and sat facing the boy and his wife.
“Tell me the real reason why you joined the Central Government,” Arthur demanded. “Were you afraid that I would cast you out just because you are unable to surpass the Rookie Rank?”
Thirteen raised his head to glance at his grandfather, and blinked in confusion.
“Why would I worry about whether or not you would cast me out?” Thirteen asked back in an innocent tone. “Last time I checked, my father was kicked out of this family some time ago. So, I don’t understand how you could cast me out when we’re not even in the same family.”
Thirteen was very tempted to say that it was Arthur who should be worried that he cast him out because in the future, their Family would become the Main Branch of the Leventis Family, and Arthur’s family would become their branch family.
Of course, he didn’t say this out in the open because he was certain that the old man would smack his head silly, which was something he didn’t want to happen.
Arthur, who had just been told facts about their current family relationship, didn’t know how to react to Thirteen’s words because they were the truth.
“Zion, be a good boy and tell Grandma the real reason,” Lady Callista said while patting her grandson’s head. “I know you don’t do things without thinking things through, so I know if you have some kind of agenda by joining the Central Government.”
Thirteen smiled before replying to his Grandma.
“Grandma, right now, the world knows that my father has been kicked out of the Leventis Family,” Thirteen stated. “And I’m sure that even if Gramps invited him back, Pops will reject his offer of reconciliation.
“Because of this, I need to have another backer that will use my fame and popularity for their own use. The Central Government is the perfect place for this because they are always actively looking for Wanderers who want to join their Ranks.
“Also, if I am in the Central Government, the Monarch Clans, as well as the Prestigious Families will keep their eyes away from the Leventis Family. Right now, we need to lie low, especially since I intend for all of you to break through to the next rank.”
Lady Callista, Michael, and Hans looked at the boy in disbelief.
They thought that Zion only wished to help Arthur become a Monarch, but judging on how serious he sounded, it seemed that the boy also had plans to give them a boost in strength.
“What do you mean?” Arthur looked at his no-good-grandson with a solemn expression.
“Gramps, I’m sure that you are desperate to become a Monarch,” Thirteen stated. “That’s fine, but it will be in our best interest if we don’t break the status quo of the Five Monarch Clans, and Ten Prestigious Families.
“I will help you become a Monarch, and let Grandma, Uncle Michael, and Hans become Pseudo-Thrones. But, the Leventis Family will remain one of the Ten Prestigious Families.”
Arthur, who immediately understood what Thirteen was hinting at, frowned.
“You don’t want the Monarch Clans and the Ten Prestigious Families to start a crusade against us?” Arthur inquired to confirm his assumption.
“Yes.” Thirteen nodded. “The balance of power must not be broken, at least for now. There are still a few things that I will need to do, and I can’t afford to be assassinated before my wings have fully grown.
“Also, this will be beneficial for the Leventis Family. The more our enemies do not see us as threats. The more they will suffer when we catch them unprepared. Now is not the time to make waves, Gramps. So, just endure for now, and wait for the right moment to strike.”
The Leventis Family had many enemies, so the moment the Monarch Clans, and the Prestigious Families felt threatened by their sudden rise in power, there would definitely be a confrontation, where their family would be greatly outnumbered.
Arthur understood this, so he reluctantly nodded his head to inform his grandson that he understood.
“While I am forming connections in the Central Government, I want the Leventis Family to focus on expansion and information gathering. In a few years, the Dimensional Gates in the Cygni Continent will open.
“This event will force the Monarch Clans, the Ten Prestigious Families, as well as the Central Government to send their manpower in an attempt to prevent it from getting overrun by Jinns and Majins.
“They know that we can’t afford to yield any more ground to our enemies. The Continent of Antares and Rigel have already fallen. If Cygni were to suffer the same fate, it would only be a matter of time before Sirius and Aldebaran followed suit.
“So, let the Jinn Invasion be a smokescreen, so that we can have the time we need to complete our preparations. Once we are ready, I will not stop you from letting everyone know that there is a new Monarch in Town.
“Until then, we will keep a low profile. This is the best course of action that we can take. Don’t let your desire for fame and recognition blind you from seeing the bigger picture. One mistake and the Leventis Family will collapse before it can even rise.”
Arthur, Callista, Michael, and Hans looked at the ten-year-old, who was currently the hottest topic of discussion in the World of Pangea.
Now that Arthur understood that Zion had joined the Central Government for a reason, and not out of spite towards his family, he was finally able to calm down.
“How long should we lie low?” Arthur asked.
Thirteen smirked as he held his Grandfather’s gaze.
“As long as it takes,” Thirteen replied without giving a definite time period. “But, I promise you this. Once I’m done with my preparations, there will be nothing in this world that we need to fear.”
Thirteen already had a plan in mind, and once this plan was fully executed, there would be no one in Solterra that could threaten him, and his family, ever again.
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