Chapter 171
Chapter 171
Dividing the Pie (1)
After that, about a week passed.
By now, there was no one active in Bennett City who did not know that a new wind was blowing through the city.
Kairus Featherwing.
Most people did not know when he had come to Bennett City. It was not as if only one or two ruined lives had rolled into this city, and Kairus had simply been one of them.
It was just that he no longer was. The people of the city had already come to know, one by one, that Kairus was expected to become a committee member filling the vacant seat of Pathfinder Tapas.
“Has the Survivor still not shown himself?”
“Well… wouldn’t attending the temporary meeting scheduled for today come first? He’ll start moving after that.”
Boss, Representative, Elder, Siblings.
The people of this city were rather fond of pronouns. More precisely, they always referred to the members of the Canal Operations Committee with such pronouns.
A pronoun had naturally attached itself to Kairus as well.
‘Survivor.’
It was, in its own way, an appropriate title for Kairus, a Featherwing who had not died and had survived even after receiving a Red Ticket.
Even the office where he currently stayed and worked no longer came to be called simply an office. It had been given the name Nest.
“Oh my, did you cough? Survivor.”
Irena, who had entered through the door, called out to Kairus in a tone that sounded slightly teasing.
“Yeah.”
Kairus, who had been sprawled out on the sofa, waved his hand lazily in response to Irena’s words.
His voice was soaked in fatigue.
“Not going well?”
“Seems that way.”
Kairus sprang up from the sofa and brewed coffee as he answered Irena. What he had been concentrating on before attending the meeting was getting used to handling the Veil of Plumed Mist he had obtained.
‘Still.’
He had not been able to achieve results that satisfied him. His flight remained unstable, and Cloud Seizing Art could only be transformed into large-scale natural disasters like hurricanes or microbursts under the condition that it was raining or that the weather seemed like it would rain.
On a clear day like today, using Cloud Seizing Art meant that maintaining cumulonimbus clouds and making use of them was the best he could do.
“Isn’t your greed a bit too much? Even now, you can drop twenty lightning bolts within five minutes.”
At Irena’s words, Kairus replied,
“When I know how strong I can become, how could I be satisfied?”
That was precisely the part he disliked. In most situations, he planned to use Flicker, and only in absolutely necessary situations would he use the Veil of Plumed Mist.
“When’s the meeting?”
“In the evening.”
“Lucky you. I wanted to go too.”
As Irena and Kairus were talking like that, the door burst open with a bang.
“Oppa, unni, hi! I’m back.”
It was Nora Galatea.
“Did you get the tattoo removed properly?”
“I cleaned it up neatly.”
She looked extremely pleased, because she had finally stopped by the Rose Garden today and erased the tattoo that had bound her.
Just the fact that her head would no longer go flying off with a pop was enough for Nora to feel her freedom.
“You said you’re getting department-head-level treatment now. Anything changed?”
At Kairus’s words, Nora plopped down into a chair and nodded.
“Access authority, and some improvements to the equipment I use.”
At Nora’s words, Kairus let out an impressed sound.
“Then are you changing your battle gear too?”
At that, Nora shook her head and casually showed the kitchen knife she simply called No. 563 because its actual name was ridiculously long.
“I’m going to keep using this. It’s better than the equipment they can provide.”
On top of that, she had even received some personal guidance from Younia.
Younia, who had highly evaluated Nora’s achievements so far, had placed her among the candidates to be appointed as president after her retirement.
There were several candidates, but Nora was indeed the youngest. Compared to the others, her rank was even on the lower side.
If Nora reached the level Younia desired, she might inherit the presidency of Moon Sand and Lunaseeker.
Of course, she did not bother telling Kairus or Irena about such internal company matters.
“It’s nice seeing everyone’s faces and talking like this after a while.”
After checking the time, Kairus rose from his seat to attend the meeting.
“Let’s talk about the rest after the meeting.”
To determine their future course of action, he first had to finish the meeting held by the Canal Operations Committee.
“Well then.”
The moment he stepped outside, the atmosphere of the city greeting Kairus was intense. It was similar to when he used to deliver food to the Rose Garden.
The difference was that back then, people had worried something might happen to the food being delivered, but now they kept their distance out of fear of upsetting Kairus.
‘It’s funny that there are six kings.’
Still, one way or another, Kairus had become one of the kings of this city.
The atmosphere of Bennett City in welcoming Kairus had changed.
And it was not only this city whose attitude toward Kairus had changed.
In the imperial bedchamber of the Valorn Empire, the Emperor was also in the middle of discussing the current situation.
“So, it ended up that way after all. One could say the sword has found its rightful master.”
The Veil of Plumed Mist that the Vasella family had diverted had ultimately returned to the hands of a Featherwing.
“Is this truly acceptable, Your Majesty?”
At Denver Hudson’s cautious remark, Philip IV smiled.
“Did you covet it as well? In any case, it is not a weapon one could use even if one possessed it.”
At Philip IV’s words, Denver shook his head.
“I am well aware of your stance regarding the Veil of Plumed Mist. Still, is it truly acceptable to leave it as it is….”
“It is acceptable.”
In any case, to use Cloud Seizing Art at the level Philip IV desired, the output of the Veil of Plumed Mist was required, and at present, there was no one besides Kairus who could use Cloud Seizing Art.
Judging coldly, Philip IV’s plan to keep Kairus beneath him and use him had not changed in the slightest.
“Rather, is it not commendable that a subordinate is preparing on his own what his master requires?”
The fundamental issue lay elsewhere. The fact that Kairus had obtained the Veil of Plumed Mist could not even truly be called a problem.
The real problem was how to keep him beneath them. If he could be kept beneath them, then Kairus possessing the Veil of Plumed Mist merely meant that the chess piece they kept below had become more useful.
“And the Treasury Chief?”
“It does not seem far off. I believe he may make his move soon.”
The Emperor nodded and continued.
“In your view, how is that fellow’s skill?”
He was referring to Kairus. After a brief moment of thought, Denver spoke.
“There is no need for me to step in. Dana Watson should be more than capable of capturing him. She has the skill, and does she not have sufficient justification to move as well?”
Denver Hudson’s duty was to protect the Emperor. If Philip IV did not move, then neither did Denver.
He devoted all twenty-four hours of the day entirely to guarding the Emperor.
Listening to this, the Emperor let out an understanding sound and nodded.
“The Treasury Chief’s daughter was with the Scarlet Leaf Order, was she not? Indeed, sharp insight.”
The Treasury Chief was preparing a rebellion. Irena was the daughter of a traitor. Even if she was in Bennett City, the Empire had sufficient grounds to demand the transfer of Irena’s custody.
It would also be a reasonable course of events for Dana Watson to move personally in order to capture a traitor who had once been a squire of the Scarlet Leaf Order.
After pondering briefly, Denver opened his mouth.
“If, by any chance, the Captain of the Scarlet Leaf Order fails, or if Kairus obediently transfers custody of Irena, what shall we do?”
The Emperor considered the possibility that Kairus would obediently hand Irena over to be low. And in truth, that judgment was not wrong.
Kairus had promised to guarantee Irena’s safety should Simid’s rebellion go awry. If the Emperor sent Dana Watson, Kairus would inevitably cross blades with her.
Avoiding that fight would be impossible. The only issue would arise if Dana Watson failed.
“Since we have used all convenient and favorable means, we must now employ bold and dangerous methods.”
With those words, the Emperor lightly waved his hand, issuing a dismissal.
Denver bowed, rose from his seat, and backed out through the door.
In this world, there are those who are given only a single opportunity, and those who are given countless opportunities.
If Simid, whose rebellion would mean death if it failed, and Kairus, for whom failure in revenge would mean the end, were people with only a single chance, then the Emperor belonged to the latter category. Even if he failed several times, he had ample leeway to try again and again.
“I’m sleepy.”
After turning off the lights, the Emperor lay down on the bed and closed his eyes.
And in Bennett City, the meeting began.
“Everyone’s here. Let’s begin.”
After confirming that all were present, Lukas spoke briefly.
For an opening remark, it was astonishingly bland.
“We’ll consider the first agenda item passed. We’ve all already agreed to it anyway.”
Kairus would take Tapas’s vacant seat. That had already been agreed upon by everyone.
“Anyone opposing it now?”
No one reacted to Lukas’s words.
“Then it’s decided. Let’s move on.”
Listening, Kairus made an ambiguous expression.
“That agenda moved along a bit too quickly, didn’t it?”
At that, Lukas let out a cold laugh.
“Why, did you think we’d put a crown on your head?”
“You have one? If you prepared it, hand it over.”
Kairus did not back down at Lukas’s sarcasm and shot back immediately.
“The next agenda is more important to us.”
Cecilia, who had been listening, spoke briefly.
“You mean the division of Tapas’s businesses.”
It was a matter that meant little to Kairus, but for the others gathered here, it was an extremely important agenda.
“It’ll be announced after the meeting, so there’s no need to rush your thoughts.”
As soon as Cecilia finished speaking, Lukas sat down and said,
“Let’s begin.”
The enormous legacy left behind by the Lantern Gang was now to be divided among people who were not even family. Everyone wanted a bigger slice of the pie, and no one wanted the tasteless parts.
“Let’s start with the businesses in the Aylan Republic.”
And in situations like this, the first thing placed on the table was always the least appetizing portion.
“Anyone want them?”
Silence settled over the room. Even if one took them, the businesses and cultivation sites Tapas owned in the Aylan Republic came with more than one or two headaches.
“Hey, insurance peddler. You’ve got some things laid out in the Republic already, don’t you? Why not take this too and make use of it together?”
The one who finally spoke was Lumis Barenza.
“If you’ve got no intention of taking it, keep your mouth shut.”
Cecilia was not the type to accept that quietly. Kairus simply watched the situation unfold like an audience member watching a play.
It was not a topic he particularly needed to concern himself with.
“I’m planning to take the poppy fields in the Daeyeon Kingdom. Anyone got a problem with that?”
At Lukas’s words, Donovan let out a scoff and glared at him.
“Who the hell said you get to take that as you please?”
“Because I’m the only one here who can claim to have connections in the Daeyeon Kingdom, you senile fence.”
Lukas did indeed seem to have deep ties with the Daeyeon Kingdom.
‘Even the martial arts he used were from the Daeyeon Kingdom, and he participated in the hunters’ rites.’
Among those here, Lukas was the one most capable of managing the businesses in the Daeyeon Kingdom.
“Hah, can’t you run a business without connections? It’s not like the Daeyeon Kingdom is that strict a place.”
It seemed Donovan, too, had considerable interest in Tapas’s businesses in the Daeyeon Kingdom.
Of course, it was not only the two of them arguing. Everyone was picking at each other.
“This’ll never end at this rate.”
Letting out a deep sigh, Cecilia glanced around at the others and spoke.
“The businesses in the Aylan Republic. I’ll take them. Since no one’s willing to yield, we’re not making any progress. In return, give me a bit more elsewhere.”
At her declaration, everyone turned to look at Cecilia.