CHAPTER 461: THE ONE THAT’S FEARED.

‎Rasmus was standing still in the middle of the hallway, his eyes focused on the people in front of him. Lazarus, Arthor, and Nior were on their way to the main hall while Rasmus was on his way to leave the palace. There was only silence, no words were exchanged, and none of them were trying to avoid this situation.

‎"You have recovered, young man?" Lazarus asked, his hands behind his back.

‎"Recovered?" Rasmus asked.

‎"Yes, everyone in the palace knew what happened to you. Your previous room, it’s still covered in ice and nothing could melt it," Lazarus answered, his eyes stayed on Rasmus’ eyes.

‎Rasmus didn’t know that everyone knew what had happened to him because Aris didn’t mention that at all. He had just woken up from his sleep not too long ago, and he was trying to get some fresh air after what he had been through.

‎"Yes, I just needed a bit of rest. Thank you for your concern," Rasmus answered.

‎Lazarus smiled softly as he nodded with understanding.

‎"Do you care to join us at the main hall? I remember you promised us valuable information," Lazarus asked with his brows raised slightly.

‎Rasmus closed his eyes and nodded with understanding as he moved to the side to let Lazarus, Arthor, and Nior walk past him. When Lazarus bowed his head out of respect, Arthor and Nior followed suit. Rasmus then followed them from behind without saying a word, without making a noise, and without any presence.

‎Lazarus glanced to the corner of his eyes, noticing how Rasmus hid his presence and his footwork was like an assassin. He found out that Rasmus unconsciously did all that out of habit.

‎When they entered the main hall, everyone was already there, waiting for Lazarus. However, they didn’t expect to see Rasmus join them because they only knew that he was unconscious. Even in the face of powerful figures from four continents, Rasmus was as calm as always.

‎‎"Count, we heard that you were unwell," Aurelia looked at Rasmus, a bit anxious to have him in the same room as everyone else.

‎"Yes, it has been happening a lot. It’s not the first time I was unconscious for days," Rasmus answered as he pulled the chair. "That’s unimportant right now. I’m here to fulfill my promise," he said as he sat down and made himself comfortable on the chair, unbothered by the cold gazes toward him.

‎Everyone looked at each other then looked at Lenin since she was the one who summoned everyone. Not long after that, Carrion, Serena, Erlina, and Aris came into the hall. Aurelia had prepared a spot for Serena to sit beside her, however, Serena chose to sit beside Rasmus. Aris was sitting on the chair beside Rasmus as well while Carrion and Erlina chose to sit beside Serena.

‎Rasmus looked at Aris, and didn’t expect to see her join the table. Aris didn’t need to say a word and only used her eyes to answer his question. She came because she found out that he was brought into the hall, and she decided to join Serena and Erlina.

‎"Thank you everyone, for coming. Our discussion was postponed three days ago because we had to welcome Count Blackheart and his companions," Lenin said as she pulled out the reports from her spatial ring. "There have been more reports in the past three days. The most devastating one is that the Ruzia Empire has fallen, along with three other nations around her," she revealed.

‎Everyone mourned for a moment to pray for the fallen soldiers and all the lives that were taken. For Lazarus, Arthor, Nior, and Monica, it wasn’t surprising because they had witnessed nations fall in just a matter of days before during their battle against the demons. The others on the other hand, they could see the clock above their heads that they were running out of time or had so little time to prepare before the demons knocked on the front door.

‎

"The time is ticking ladies and gentlemen," Lenin said as she stood up and fixed her robe and looked at everyone at the table. "We have lost one continent, and to lose another, it will be a disaster, a loss in opportunity in defeating the enemy of humankind," she said with a serious expression.

"We are still in a preparation stage, and we are definitely not ready for what’s to come. Less and less power that we have here while at the same time the enemy gains more and more power. We need your experience in this, Lord Arthor, Elder Lazarus, and Saint Moriganne because all of you have faced this crisis before while we are all inexperienced in this," Lenin said and looked at those figures with a concern written on her face.

Arthor nodded with understanding and decided to share what everyone experienced in the north. He warned everyone about danger that none of them could imagine, and how powerless they were even with the help of Orthias. On the other hand, Rasmus’ mind was somewhere else, he wasn’t facing at the table like everyone did, he was facing sideways with a troubled expression because he was still trying to understand the power within him and the past he saw when Aristoria received the Overlord’s power.

Eveline glanced at Rasmus and noticed that he wasn’t paying attention. She was the only one that seemed vocal in disliking Rasmus after what she found out.

"Count Blackheart, if you’re uninterested in this discussion, you might leave," Eveline said with a serious and cold expression.

Everyone went silent suddenly, looking at Eveline’s expression before they turned to look at Rasmus who was deep in thought. Monica looked at Rasmus, and she also began to question the man that taught her. Everyone else, they were waiting for Rasmus to say anything because they wanted to hear his answer.

"I apologize if I looked uninterested, but you’re correct, Lady Eveline. I’m uninerested in this discussion," Rasmus answered without denying it. "There’s one thing that we all should consider first before we fight the enemy," he said as he looked at everyone at the table.

"And what’s that exactly, Count?" Moriganne asked.

"Their goals," Rasmus answered. "Of course, they want power, but that’s not the only reason... especially here," he pointed out.

Everyone raised their brows in unison.

"After almost a year I traveled around this continent, I found so many things. Every dark secrets that everyone hid from the people, those things are also what they’re after," Rasmus revealed as he stared into Julius’ eyes. "What kind of dark secrets? The Zevrathi family, the family that once ruled Neva. I found out there are families who know about their existence and choose to protect them," he added.

The moment Zevrathi’s name was mentioned, some of them flinched.

"So, if you think you can’t win against them, why don’t you make a deal with them? Give them what they want," Rasmus suggested with his brows raised.

"To make a deal with them? We don’t have the leverage to make ourselves stand equally with them. Demons are powerful, and they’re cunning. What makes you think if we give them what they want, they will agree to leave us alone?" Arthor asked.

"You do have leverage, me," Rasmus answered with a serious expression. "They know that I’m a threat, and they better be. They will back off once you give them what they want, and they won’t dare to do anything. Just like in the north, they didn’t attack the Orthias, didn’t they?" He asked back at Arthor.

Arthor had a few men that stayed behind to keep an eye on the enemy, and it was as Rasmus said that the demons suddenly stopped invading after they conquered the nations, especially after they all left.

"Your silence means I’m right," Rasmus said as he sighed. "They fear the Orthias, and they also fear me. Why? Because they have witnessed the capability of my companions. They won’t risk sacrificing their force, their power at the moment. They want to build more, not the other way around," he explained.

Lenin narrowed her eyes, knowing that there would always be a but, an exception.

"However, all of you will owe me something in return. Let’s just say, I’m the reason that all of you are alive," Rasmus said with a stoic expression. "Would you choose to owe me something in return or to fight the enemy now, losing half of the people that are sitting right here, making your survival chance even lower in the future," Rasmus stared into Lenin’s eyes.

Rasmus’ words brought their anxiety to the surface, especially the second part because it was a fact that they would lose half of the power if they chose to fight. However, they were skeptical about the first half of his words that didn’t make any sense except for Julius and Arandil who had seen it with their own eyes.

"Are you always this arrogant, Count? Do you believe you’re that special that?" Eveline asked.

"I’m not, but my friends here, they’re the special ones," Rasmus answered with a straight face as he stared at Eveline who had been showing her hostility toward him.

"Of course, so are they your tools? You said that before, tools. Without them, what are you? You’re not special. You’re just like us, powerless. If you treated them like tools, soon enough they all would leave you," Eveline said with a hint of despise in her eyes.

Serena was about to say something with that playful smile on her face, but Rasmus slightly raised his hand, signaling her not to.

"Yes, I treat everyone as tools, and they all know that as well," Rasmus answered without denying it. "But, let me ask them one thing," he paused as he leaned back. "Am I a tool to all of you," he asked without having to look at Aris and the others.

"Yes," Aris, Serena, Carrion, and Erlina answered at the same time. Suddenly a puff of black smoke appeared behind Rasmus and Rullein appeared from it, placing her hands on his shoulders with a smirk on her face as she stared at everyone at the table. "Yes, he’s a tool to all of us as well," Rullein answered as she chuckled mischievously.

Everyone at the table were surprised, especially Eveline who suddenly felt embarrassed.

"They’re following me because I let them use me, and at the same time I’m using them. It’s a mutual interest, a mutual benefit. There’s no trust, and yet it’s more powerful than a mere trust and loyalty," Rasmus said, staring right into Eveline’s eyes. "And what am I without them? I’m still going to be the one the demons fear," he answered with a cold expression.