Mad God – Reborn

The same silence filled the room for a solid minute, just like when Paoma questioned Zelig's actions. Now every pair of eyes watched either King Kaipan or Ren, though the latter just sat there, gently rocking back and forth in her big chair.

"It is as I described in my letter." Kaipan broke the silence at last. "My territory was the most ravaged by the groups of Ironclaw. I lost over 50 people in the Harmony stage, and more than a hundred who were close to stepping into it. My governmental system is almost on the brink of collapsing. Not just because capable people of mine kept dying, but because 4 out of 5 caravaners of mine were killed. Their shipments were robbed every time they left the borders of my Kingdom," he explained calmly, not holding back anything, telling them honestly how weakened his Kingdom had become.

"It just shows the lack of proper training amongst your men," Frode smirked, but he was ignored by Kaipan and received a spiteful glare from Paoma.

"As my fellow alliance members failed to help me out, I was left alone to fend off something that was backed by someone who was originally from the Naulin Kingdom. As we now know, he also had the resources available to him from the entirety of the Enjin Kingdom." Kaipan explained, leaning forward, resting his chin on his hands, and watching them with cold eyes.

"Are you blaming us?" Horthi asked, King of the Kadence Kingdom, clearly indignant at the accusation.

"I do." He replied immediately. "Wholeheartedly."

"Outrageous!" Horthi slapped his hands on the table. "We were under attack by them just the same as you! Do you expect us to help you and leave our people and territories vulnerable? Are you hearing what you are saying?"

"I never wanted you to send troops for my protection. What I expected was simple: doing your jobs as Kings… and Queen." He looked at Paoma the same as he looked at the rest. "None of you here protected the caravans after entering your territory, not even when you were the one who was ordering the goods from us. I even have a fleeting suspicion you knew about the constant raids on them, receiving shares or organizing them, using Ironclaw as a front."

"Watch what you are saying, King Kaipan!" Frode said, arms crossed, sounding really annoyed. "Those are some serious accusations!"

"Weird, most of your trade routes were left relatively calm while mines were constantly harassed." He shot back, without fear, "Same with the number of assassinations and assassination attempts. I detailed everything in my letter about why I am leaving this alliance of ours. You can read it yourself. The gist is, what are the reasons to stay if there are no benefits to it?" Kaipan asked in a deep tone, clearly questioning them. Some, like Ludwigh or Paoma, lowered their heads, while others, like Horthi and Frode, only scowled at his words.

"So instead of facing your own weakness, you sell out your land, your people... Even selling yourself to become a protectorate? Should I applaud you, King Kaipan?" Horthi asked, crossing his arms.

"If you wish to see it that way, then sure." He replied, without arguing, "When I asked the Immortal Wonders Sect for help, eight Ironclaw camps were destroyed the next day. EIGHT!" He raised his voice, looking around them. "While Heaven's Gate was only-"

"We were investigating the Enjin's connection to Ironclaw. We were occupied and had our hands full. It was not something that could've been made public. You must understand that, King Kaipan." Zelig cut in, sounding like a father reprimanding his child. "For the betterment of the alliance, we decided to focus on the bigger picture. Taking them down was helping everyone, not just one Kingdom. What you are suggesting, that we ignored your plight, is nothing more than bitter resentment because of your losses. Objectively, it is not true."

"Why not tell him?" Ren asked. She had stayed silent so long that the others quickly snapped their heads towards her, forgetting about her presence for a brief moment.

"And risk the leakage of information? Too risky." Zelig shook his head.

"A token of help would have sufficed." Ren continued, tilting her head to the side. "Asking one of the neighbors to help him out. Or send a few elite cultivators… By doing nothing to ease their burden, you pushed them into your rival's arms. Good job!" She chuckled and flashed him a thumbs-up.

"And that so-called rival's pupil is sitting at our table…" Frode joined in

the conversation.

"Yes… Why is that? Is it because she is here to supervise her Sect's new puppet's actions?" Horthi asked with a tone soaked in sarcasm aimed at both Kaipan and Ren.

"No, I'm not here because of that. If you read Kaipan's letter," Ren explained slowly, as if she were talking to a child, mocking him with a smile, "you would already know the connection between the Immortal Wonders Sect and King Kaipan benefits both sides. Especially for him, as his Kingdom is weakened now. He can focus on rebuilding and any internal matters that might pop up; nobody will tell him what to do. Nobody from the Sect has a say in their internal politics. Their mission is simple: protect the kingdom from outside threats and secure all trade between them and the sect. That is all!"

"Outside threat? You are accusing us of hurting one of our own?! What would an outsider even know about how the Kingdom of Ten works?!" Horthi shouted after one glance from Frode, telling him to keep talking.

"Kingdom of Eight." Ren corrected him with a smile. "You dissolved the Enjins, and now the Elroths leave… or is basic math not your forte? I may not have the insight into how you bunch of pompous royal scoundrels work or see the world…" She continued, looking at each and every one of them, "But boy, you are out of touch!"

"You are not part of this alliance to have any say in this matter! By your origin, you are nothing but an outsider! Even an enemy!" Horthi slammed the table with his fists and turned toward Zelig. "Why is she even attending our meeting?!"

"Ahahaha… oh, how wrong you are!" Ren laughed, surprising everyone. Hearing her, Zelig let out a soft sigh before speaking up, a bit forcefully to drown out Ren's laughter.

"Because she is in line to succeed the late King Rudrick as the leader of the Naulin Kingdom." He replied in a flat tone, watching Ren without blinking, and the others couldn't tell what he was thinking... Was this a joke?

"Exac-… huh?" Horthi shook as his mind short-circuited for a moment, but he wasn't alone.

Everyone present tried to make sense of Zelig's words, thinking it was just a joke… but only Ren was laughing. Then, watching his face, they realized it wasn't a prank. When everyone turned toward Ren, she finally reigned in her laughter, but she still grinned like a kid, waiting and watching their faces, finding it highly amusing. Even Kaipan was surprised; his mouth opened wide, and he had to close it with his fingers, pushing it up. The only other person who remained relatively calm was Frode, though his gaze held more anger and resentment than surprise.

"What?" Ren leaned forward. "Is it that big of a surprise? Don't you see my hair and eye color? I am the spitting image of a royal Naulin. Also… none of you knew Rudrick reestablished my name in the family registry?"

"It is true. I checked it myself." Zelig nodded.

"So, on paper, I am eligible for the throne after the death of my great-great-grandfather. Going by how things worked before, the most legitimate candidate, in fact!" She said, licking her lips.

"To the King that you killed?" Frode asked, unable to hold back his anger.

"What, you want to protect a traitor's name?" Ren shot back immediately, silencing him. "Thought so."

"You are still not Queen. Watch your tone." Zelig cut in before it could escalate further, reprimanding Ren on the spot.

"True. My apologies." She cupped her hands, smiling.

"Here is what we are going to do." Zelig said as he ignored her, looking at the others, "We are going to let King Kaipan have special trading agreements with the Immortal Wonders Sect for now. Any trading routes through their territory, or coming from it, may be protected by that Sect's members. Those who are in agreement, raise their hands." He said as everyone did so, including Paoma and Ludwigh.

"That is all nice, but I'm still leaving the alliance," Kaipain said, shaking his head. "My decision is final."

"We are a deeply intertwined organism by now." Zelig shook his head. "It is not like one could just leave because he decided so. Not after 2,000 years of working together."

"Exactly. It would affect every other Kingdom, especially the ones neighboring you directly!" Horthi added after another glance from Frode.

"I am sure of that." Kaipan leaned back, and his words weren't very friendly.

"We can revisit the topic once again in the future. The situation has barely settled down. We are still in the middle of a cleanup. For now, we won't pursue your decision to work more closely with a foreign Sect..." Zelig shook his head as he continued. "But if you really wish to leave our alliance, it is going to need a lot more meetings, ironing out everything."

"So you are open to the idea?" Ren asked, just before Paoma could open her mouth, wanting to ask the same question.

"I am not a dictator." That was the only answer she got, something that almost made Ren laugh again.

"Then when we meet next time to talk about it, I may legitimately have a say in it, huh?" She thought out loud, looking at the others with a half-smile.

"Maybe…" Zelig nodded, focusing on her. "But for you to become Queen… there are going to be a few hurdles." He said, a smile creeping across his face.

"Oh? Like?" She asked, not really bothered.

"I don't think you are going to like them."

"Try me." She leaned forward, not backing down as they pushed their auras against each other. The rest could not even feel it happening, but they had been battling since the start.

"You must go to Rozex and integrate into the city's life. How do you wish to become a Queen if you don't know the people living there?"

"Obviously. Next?" She tilted her head, looking at Zelig as if it were obvious from the start.

"As to who is going to succeed Rudrick, it is going to be decided by who has the biggest achievements. It is not just you fighting for the position; multiple branches are now deciding who will be the new main line of the Naulin bloodline. You can go back, and as it was Rudrick who brought you back to the family, you can pick up the ruined remains of his branch."

"I already expected that. No problem! What else?" Ren shrugged, a bit disappointed.

"To even consider your honesty and determination to become the ruler of the Naulin Kingdom, you must renounce yourself from the Immortal Wonders Sect. The future ruler of any kingdom can't be part of any sect. They can only hold one position of power!" Zelig said, and his words immediately shook the rest, mainly because they were part of Heaven's Gate, without any choice, right from the start… and now they would lose their positions as rulers? What came next was even more shocking: Ren's immediate answer.

"Sure! As long as I am Queen of the Naulins, I won't be part of any sect or other organizations. More so, I swear on my own life, as long as I am Queen, I won't even leave Rozex." She proclaimed with a confident smile, looking him in the eyes without blinking, surprising him, as he hadn't expected anything like this.

"Are you mad?" Paoma whispered, unable to hold back her thoughts any longer.

"Ahaha… sometimes?" Ren chuckled, scratching her cheeks with a playful blush. "Sure thing, my Ancestor. I agree to all of those terms!"

"..." Even Zelig was momentarily at a loss; he had never met someone who didn't act according to his plans. He expected negotiations, arguments, and even a fight… but nothing like this. She even agreed to stricter terms than he proposed himself. "What the hell are you aiming for?" he thought, and he just... couldn't fathom it.

"Now that it is settled," Ren continued. "What about the rest here? I'll be the only one unable to join Heaven's Gate and be only a Queen?"

"No…" Zelig blinked, regaining his composure. "Everyone can choose which position you wish to hold onto. King or Queen of your country, or your position in Heaven's Gate. You have a month to decide and appoint your successor for either the throne or the elder position."

"I assume then you are going to only hold your position in Heaven's Gate, correct?" Ren's voice echoed strongly in the room, asking the same question everyone thought about as soon as they heard Zelig's words.

"..." He looked into her eyes, then said only one word: "Yes."

"Good. I just wanted to make sure!" She chuckled. "Then I'll excuse myself." She stood up and adjusted her clothes. "I'm off; I need to send a message back home. Oh, and tell me a day before when you will finally take me to Rozex! I'm excited to see where my mother grew up." She clapped with an innocent smile as she left.

"..." Zelig just watched her walk out, leaving the door wide open before closing his eyes. He didn't even wait for the others to speak up. "Let us end this meeting here. We are going to gather after a month once again," he said in an authoritative voice as he also left, clearly not in the best of moods.

"What just happened?" Paoma sent a voice transmission to Ludwigh, still trying to process everything.

"Beats me… I let the flow just take me in the end…" came the reply. He looked at Kaipan, trying to ask if he'd known something in advance, but seeing his expression, he already knew he hadn't. "I need a beer…" he sighed, shaking his head as Paoma just nodded from the other side of the table.

"Make it two." She said.

"Make it three…" Kaipan joined in. "I told you she is going to take the limelight… She told me she had something to share to help me navigate this easily, and I shouldn't bother being open about my thoughts… But I was not expecting her to do it this way," he added as he looked at the two, and he finally sighed, smiling a little. "My granddaughter mentioned her Master is a weird one… now I can finally agree with her!"