In the dark of the night.
Flap! Flap!
Just after reaching the city and taking his transformation off in a secluded area, Norman found that Violette had already left the city.
After asking their family guards at their manor gate about the direction they went in, Norman once again in secluded place shapeshifted into an owl to catch up with Violette entourage.
After flying for a while, Norman found her group and the carriage with their family insignia. Dario was also there but his carriage was traveling fifty meters apart with his own guards surrounding his carriage for safety. Again he transformed back into his human form somewhere far and ran up to the group.
"Butler Norman!!" The guards surrounding the carriage did not stop Norman when he ran past them as they knew of him and quickly gave him space.
"My lady, where are you going?" Norman asked after getting into the carriage.
"Uncle Norman, you finally came." Violette sighed in relief when she saw him. She didn't know what would she say to Dario when he doesn't find Norman in her group.
Violette then went on to explain to him the particulars of the meeting in detail.
Norman immediately understood the situation they are in. The Merchant was now in dire straits after being sandwiched between two enemies. They cannot fight them both simultaneously as they are lacking in numbers after their two thousand soldiers got captured by Alex.
"My Lady, before you really head towards the battle, I need to tell you about my meeting with the boy named Alex," Norman said. He wanted her to know of the two choices so that she can decide whether to head into the battle to help the Merchant Union right now or not.
Norman started telling her what went on at Alex's manor excluding the embarrassing events that happened right when he reached there.
Violette frowned when she heard the two choices suggested by Alex. She felt that Alex was looking down on her.
But she still thought over the two choices very seriously for a while.
"Uncle Norman, what do you think?" Violette asked.
"...My Lady, truthfully when I first met with Alex, I found that he does not act like his age at all. He is quite level headed and also intelligent. Also, I felt no malice from him when he gave out those two choices. I think he meant what he said and that we can trust him." Norman said.
Violette, of course, understood what Norman meant, but she hesitated.
One look at Violette and Norman understood her hesitation, but he didn't blame her for it. Trusting a stranger is a very tough thing to do.
"My Lady, I know it's very hard to trust others when all you have met are two-faced scheming people like Count of Nehmor, Old man Kon, etc in all your life. But what I can say is that this boy is different from them. Also, he is Master alchemist Clayton cliff 's disciple. You don't need to be skeptical about his intention this time. His meaning is also very clear and straightforward. Either take him as your Lord like normal citizens would do after cutting off our relationship with the Merchant Union or become free people somewhere else. "
Violette looked at the night sky through the window before looking back at the druid.
"Uncle Norman, I might not trust others but I trust you and blossom more than anything in this world. I hope he keeps his words as you said." Violette said as if she had already made her decision.
"But Uncle Norman, can he even defeat the Frey's and the Merchant Union by himself. From where does he even that confidence?"
"This... I don't know but one thing that I had noticed was that Master Clayton was not an early stage Dantian Formation realm cultivator like it had been rumored. When we were sitting together, Master Clayton had pressured me using his cultivation stage as I had made a slight mistake and had disrespected the boy. He is a late-stage Dantian Formation Realm expert. Also, coming out on top after the civil war to become the ruler of a city and his army defeating and capturing almost the Merchant Union whole army at the borders in just a night without incurring many casualties themselves while also taking over five of our villages without any problem. Do these feats seem normal to you and say nothing about his strength?"Norman explained why he felt Alex was the right choice.
Violette couldn't help but agree with him on these matters.
"If that is so, then it should be alright... Let's deal with him first. We will discuss what needs to be done after that." Violette said while pointing her finger towards Dario's carriage.
"As you say my lady, but once we start this, we cannot go back"
"Hmm, I know. I have made my decision " Violette said in a determined tone.
"Alright then, this one should easy for me," Norman said after which he jumped out of her carriage.
He then walked up in the direction of Dario's carriage. He was still not stopped by the guards in the other group as they also knew him. But when Noman reached near Dario carriage, he was finally stopped from coming any closer.
"What is it, Butler Norman?" Dario 's voice sounded out from inside the carriage when his guard let him know of his presence.
"My lady had sent me to tell you something. May I have permission to come inside, it's important?"
"...Why don't you say from where you are standing now? I can hear you loud and clear." Dario chuckled.
"Well, it's not something I can say in front of everyone... I hope you understand." Norman said.
"Hmmm, alright you may enter. Guards, let him come."
The guards were watching his every move like they were giving him warnings not to do anything funny.
Norman ignored them and entered the carriage after its door got opened. Inside Dario was sitting with three other people while drinking something from a glass cup.
The other three were Dario's personal guards and their cultivation level was at the peak of Body Tempering Realm. Only one seat was left empty, so Norman just sat there.
"Tell me then, butler Norman. What does your master has to say?" Dario impatiently said after finding Norman just sitting there along with his guard and not saying anything.
"My Lady, wants me to tell you that she will not forget you ever and hopes you find peace after you die today."
"...!!" Before Dario could understand the meaning of that sentence, he saw Norman suddenly deforming and expanding outwards.
Booom!!!
...
Old man Kon and Hazmos were sitting together in his office. They were discussing further steps they need to take in order to normalize their situation.
"Old man Kon, it's getting late. We will discuss this further in the morning. Send someone to my place if anything crops up. Ok. You should also go rest now." Hazmos said.
"Alright," Old man Kon said while rubbing his eyes.
It was almost midnight, therefore Hazmos took his leave from Old man Kon's office. He was going back to rest in his own manor as tomorrow was going to be a long day for them.
Old man Kon rested in his chair for fifteen minutes before calling out.
"Guards, go and tell the maid to send something for me to drink"
The old man shouted once again but he did not get any reply instead he heard some kind of noise from outside his doors.
"Guards, what happened. Answer me"
This bizarre situation suddenly sent President Kon's heart pounding. A foreboding feeling of unease started to spread out within his heart.
This kind of situation made Old man Kon feel more and more uneasy.
"Not good!"
The old man Kon paled as an intense sense of danger began to surge out of his heart and envelop his entire body. He wanted to fall back and flee, but it was already too late.
Bang
The door blasted into pieces ad a body rolled to his legs.
"Ahh..shhh" the body lying on the ground moans in pain.
"Hazmos, is that you!?" The old man was shocked when he saw that the person who came flying in through the door was none other than Hazmos who had not gone out long ago. He recognized him only after seeing his luxurious robe in tatters.
"President Kon, I am so sorry for destroying your door like that and coming uninvited" A voice came from the dark hallway behind the door. It was dark because the candles keeping it lit were blown out.
Alex walked into the office with Master Clayton just behind him.
"You... who are you people? How did you get in? Guards!! Guards!!" The old man shouted on top of his lungs no answered.
"Calm down. No one can hear you, they are all sleeping." Alex said while he took a step aside to let him see his guards knocked out onto the floor. While stepping over their bodies, Alex's puppets came out of the hallway. They stepped inside the room one by one and took their positions while surrounding the old man from all sides.
Including Alex and Master Clayton, all of them were garbed in black clothes. Even their faces were covered.
Alex unfurled the scarf on his head and so did Master Clayton.
Alex felt like a deja vu as he stood in his enemy's room. He knew why he felt that.
The old man surprised to see the handsome face and age of Alex though he did recognize him in any way but he found the other person a little familiar.
"My name is Mordrake, Alex Mordrake." Alex smiled while showing his white teeth as he introduced himself.