Chapter 13: Who Says a Good Person Card Can’t Backstab?
Elder Norton sat at the head of the table, his gaze sweeping over the individuals below. The oppressive weight of his stare caused everyone within its reach to bow their heads respectfully.
“You are all orphans I have taken in over the years, having lost your parents to war or the disaster of beast tides.”
“Now that you have all grown up and at least formed your first Soul Pact, entering the ranks of official Beast Tamers, you can truly be considered to have stepped into the extraordinary.”
“This is all thanks to the cultivation provided by Elder and the Family!”
“Even if we achieve something in the future, we will wholeheartedly serve the Family.”
Elder Norton’s words were met with immediate agreement, or rather, flattery, from many. This was understandable; having no one to rely on within the Brunnhildr Family, Elder Norton was their greatest support.
“Is that so—” Elder Norton was unfazed by the sycophancy. He paused for a moment, then continued, “Then I ask you—”
“If, one day, I stand in opposition to the Brunnhildr Family, which side will you choose to help?”
An eerie silence fell over the room, no one daring to answer. The orphans Norton had taken in were undoubtedly gifted in Beast Taming, or more accurately, in spiritual aptitude. Coupled with over a decade of life within a Grand Duke’s family without a safety net, they possessed a fundamental political awareness. Elder Norton’s question was akin to asking, “If we both fell into the water, would you save me or your mother?” It was a pure life-or-death dilemma.
If they answered they would help Elder Norton, the Elder might then declare it a test of their loyalty to the Family and question their allegiance. On the other hand, if they chose to help the Family, they would be directly opposing the Elder, and who knew when they might face subtle retribution.
Time ticked by in the suffocating silence. It wasn’t until a flicker of displeasure crossed Norton’s eyes that the dead stillness was finally broken.
“Elder, I have only one answer.”
“And that is, to be loyal to you!”
The others turned in shock to see Shaya, his eyes red, standing up.
“Shaya, you…” Leonard, stunned, tried to stop Shaya, but was shrugged off.
“I lost my parents at a young age, and my hometown was swallowed by beast tides. If not for the Elder taking me in, I might already be on the road as a refugee, buried by the mouths of those monsters.”
“The Family has indeed been kind to me, but if it were for Elder, I would spare no effort, even to become an enemy of the Family!”
Shaya recalled his tragic romantic past from his previous life, his eyes reddened, his performance heartfelt and sincere. Unlike the others who kept their eyes closed, Shaya, as an awakened player who knew the future fate of the Azure Court Duchy, had already marked Elder Norton as a traitor in his heart. He was in league with the Twilight Evil God, a complete double agent. He might even be the leader of a cult, and the Azure Court Duchy’s downfall would undoubtedly be linked to him.
Because of this, Shaya knew that Norton was not testing their loyalty to the Family at this moment. He was selecting his confidants, his loyal followers. Orphans taken in from childhood and with no one to rely on within the Family… could there be more reliable personal soldiers, or rather, death warriors, with higher loyalty? Therefore, to interfere more with the Brunnhildr Family later on, and to better complete the system’s tasks—Shaya had to backstab now. And he had to do it ruthlessly, acting to the extreme, to win Norton’s trust.
The subsequent developments did not deviate from Shaya’s expectations.
“Absurd!” Elder Norton looked at Shaya and slammed the table. “The Family Head of the Brunnhildr is my elder brother, and this is by no means my personal domain!”
“Your thinking is utterly misguided!” Despite the reprimand, Shaya could tell there was little genuine anger in Norton’s voice. Norton turned to the others who dared not speak, “You must also remember, the glory of the Brunnhildr Family surpasses everything!”
“In the face of the Family’s righteousness, even I can be sacrificed.”
“You are all adults now and are qualified to leave the Royal Capital and take up positions in other territories of the Duchy, to share some of the responsibility for the Family.”
“Pack your things in the next few days, and depart after completing your Coming-of-age Ceremony.”
“Yes, Elder!” The others meekly accepted their orders, casting sympathetic glances at Shaya. Fortunately, they had played it safe and hadn’t rushed to declare their allegiance like Shaya, thus avoiding trouble. In their eyes, Shaya, having made the wrong choice and being made an example of, was bound to face severe punishment within the Family. Only Leonard cast a hesitant glance at Shaya before reluctantly leaving after being completely ignored.
Elder Norton stood silently at the main seat, while Shaya remained by his side, head bowed, watching everyone bid their farewells. He naturally understood the intention behind Norton’s words. Since ancient times, when has a second-in-command dared to openly display rebellious intentions? Regardless of their inner thoughts, pleasantries were essential. He was putting on a show, as if he were the only one capable.
“The performance you should be seeing, I pretend not to notice~”
As for Leonard and the others—although they were expelled from the Royal Capital by Norton, effectively losing their greatest backing—given their strength, it might not be a bad thing to escape the chaotic quagmire of the capital. At least in the upcoming disaster of the Duchy’s downfall, they might survive.
After everyone had left, Norton finally looked at the silent Shaya again. “Do you now recognize your mistake?”
“If it is your will, Elder, then I gladly accept the Family’s punishment.” Shaya spoke with unwavering resolve. Since he had decided to backstab, he would do it more thoroughly.
“However, my previous feelings will not change.”
“You are my benefactor, a greater benefactor than the Family. Even if you ordered me to die for you now, I would not hesitate.”
A flicker of satisfaction crossed Norton’s eyes, though he didn’t show it. “Die for me?”
“Easy to say.” He took out a small bottle of murky liquid and placed it before Shaya. “This is a secret medicine from the Alchemy City that can speed up Soul Cultivation. You are not far from becoming a High-level Beast Tamer, are you? If so, drink it.”
Damn it, this old man is quite vigilant. Shaya cursed inwardly. Who would believe this was a secret medicine to enhance the soul? It might have some effect, but the old man’s purpose in giving it to him was undoubtedly to ensure absolute control over his confidants. It was like the ‘immortal pills’ or ‘hidden backup power sources’ Shaya had seen in various films from his previous life. If he drank it, his life would no longer be his own.
Though his thoughts raced, Shaya’s movements were unhesitating. He stepped forward without hesitation and took the potion. The act of backstabbing naturally carried immense risk. After all, spies have always been caught between two worlds, facing the danger of discovery while worrying about their own organization disowning them. Moreover, Shaya had not yet earned the organization’s trust.
“My Lord Grand Duke, your brother intends to rebel!”
“Hmm, and the evidence?”
“No evidence? Heh.” Even if he were to report to the Grand Duke stationed at the border, he would likely be treated as a spy trying to sow discord within the Family. However, Shaya dared to act this way because he felt a “sparkle” of a hint from the Soul Pact. At a crucial moment, Sparkle could forcibly extract him from “Echoes of History.” However, such forced extraction would greatly increase temporal law’s repulsion towards Shaya. Re-entering “Historical Echo” would then become incredibly difficult, meaning Shaya’s years of preparation would be in vain. Therefore, Shaya would not consider this option unless absolutely necessary.
Shaya opened the potion bottle and let the murky liquid flow down his throat. With a Master Grade Rank 4 Beast Tamer watching, the flimsy drinking tricks from Shaya’s previous life’s drinking parties wouldn’t fool him.
However, Elder Norton could not have predicted that an orphan who lost his parents at a young age and was raised by the Family would possess a second Familiar with the Space attribute. The moment the potion entered Shaya’s throat, Sparkle, located within the Soul Pact Space, used “Spatial Pocket” to teleport it to a Sub-dimension. The actions of Shaya and Sparkle were so subtle and precise that even Norton, standing before them, did not notice the slightest deviation.
“Very good.” Seeing Shaya drink the potion without hesitation, a disheveled smile finally appeared on Elder Norton’s weathered old face. He waved his hand, and his attendant retreated, leaving only Shaya and Norton. After completing this, he summoned a lizard-like Familiar exuding immense majesty, creating a soundproof barrier around the space. Then, Norton spoke to Shaya again.
“Since you have such resolve.”
“Then, I do indeed have some matters for you to undertake.”
“The Family Head’s only daughter, Silvia Brunnhildr, you must have heard of her, right?”
Shaya’s heart stirred, and he nodded. It was as if his thoughts had become reality. Norton, this double-agent king, was competent. It was worth acting along with him.
“Very good.” Elder Norton’s disheveled smile deepened. He clasped his hands behind his back, paced twice, and his old face showed a look of profound wisdom. “Silvia is a key.”
“A key to liberate the Master’s other half, allowing the Master to regain freedom and once again reign over the world.”
“And what I need you to do—”
“Is to ensure this key is firmly in our hands.”
