An elderly woman seated beside the white-haired old man laughed. “See, dear? As I told you, Zaid is perfectly capable of managing Sarenza’s affairs. He had an excellent mind even when he was small, and now—why, not one of us could hope to rival his business acumen.”
Zaid chuckled. “Oh, dearest grandaunt, your praise is too much!”
A wave of relief washed over the courtyard. Now safely assuaged, those gathered broke into casual chatter, lavishing each other with praise.
“Well, I really must be going,” the white-haired man said. “How pleased I am to know that the strange rumors circulating are nothing more than that. Ensure they are put to rest, Zaid.”
“But of course, granduncle. And as always, thank you for your insightful perspective.”
“I must take my leave as well. You have my full trust to manage the situation.”
“I wish you a safe return, grandaunt.”
Once the elderly couple occupying the foremost seats departed, taking a veritable army of servants with them, the rest of the family began to trickle out as well, paying their respects to Zaid as they went. When only a few of them remained, an aging man in a black suit stepped toward Zaid, whispering into his master’s ear so that he would not be overheard.
“Master Zaid, I come bearing news of great consequence.”
“Well? Out with it, Wize. And make it quick.”
“Despite your esteemed granduncle’s and grandaunt’s assurances, they have already moved the majority of their assets outside the city. And to make matters worse, there are reports that several more of your relatives are making equally unwise moves. Everyone who was in attendance today is already well aware of recent events.”
“Is that all?” In place of a sigh, Zaid exhaled sharply through his nose. “These are just the usual games. Don’t take them at face value.”
“Of course, Master. My sincerest apologies.” Wize gave a slight bow and retreated a step.
Bar a few careless fools, everyone in House Sarenza knew the truth of what was happening around them. No one dared admit it, but the influential members of the family had already begun decentralizing their assets, quietly liquidating their land and property in Sarenza City. The foundation of power that House Sarenza had spent generations cultivating was at risk of coming apart. The country’s status quo now teetered on the edge of collapse.
And thus, a farcical charade had taken shape.
Zaid simmered with self-reproach for having let the situation deteriorate so severely—yet preserving appearances was all that he could do. As the thought passed through his mind, he noticed that two of his sons—the principal cause of the trouble at hand—stood before him, alongside their mother.
“F-Father... We wish to...to humbly...”
“Ari, Nhid.” Zaid turned to his sons, striving to smile gently. “What’s wrong? Why the formality?”
“W-We wish to humbly apologize for our lapse in judgment. We could never have imagined that our blunder would result in... Well...”
Zaid chuckled. “Oh, worry not—it is the prerogative of the young to stumble. But know this: I will not clean up after you a second time.”
“O-Of course! Thank you!”
As he watched his two incompetent sons scurry away with their mother, Zaid coldly considered the truth of his words. There would be no second time.
A long moment passed. Only when Zaid was alone among the remains of what an oblivious bystander might have called a joyous family banquet did he speak into the empty air.
“Lude? Are you here, Lude?”
“I am, yes.”
In an instant, the black-cloaked man appeared behind him. Zaid always found it unsettling how Lude seemed to flicker into existence like a shadow, but he pushed the unease aside—he had more pressing concerns to think about.
“How goes your business?” Zaid asked.
“My business?”
“Don’t make me say it. The golem from the Dungeon of Oblivion.”
“Ah, indeed. It is progressing smoothly, of course. Please, have patience.”
“Well, hurry it up. Things could fall apart at any moment.”
Lude’s face was hidden beneath the dark hood of his cloak, but his eyes were trained on Zaid. “Is that the only reason you summoned me? To confirm my progress?”
“Yes! What other reason could there be?!”
“I am well aware of the current balance—hence my haste.”
“Then make more haste. I thought your lot claimed to work quickly.”
“Very well. But if a faster result is what you seek, I would advise you not to summon me without due cause.”
Zaid had several choice remarks about the long-lived race’s promise of “haste,” but he bit them back. Though he was too annoyed to mask his frustration, he found it painfully clear that the sinister man before him was his last hope. And of course, that weakness only fueled the flames of his irritation.
Once the cloaked man’s presence had vanished, like smoke dissipating into the air, Zaid ground his teeth. “Tsk! Useless incompetents, the lot of them!”
No matter the time or circumstance, Zaid considered the very act of trusting others a grave mistake. Placing his faith in someone else only bred weakness and uncertainty—and uncertainty, like coin, only compounded with time. So, he preferred to pull the strings. Through a single conversation, he could grasp another person’s mindset, then manipulate their intentions by humoring their desires until he got what he wanted. Those he could not sway with words, he simply crushed with force. He silenced any who opposed him, even resorting to lethal methods when necessary. It was how he had preserved the country’s status quo—and how he would elevate House Sarenza even further.