It's been less than three months since our departure from the Umbryan capital. That's about the same time the Umbryan Patriarch estimated he would need to settle everything on his side before he could officially join the coalition we proposed. Having relayed that estimated timespan to Goblin through his little bird, he gave a similar timeline to the Aurian Matriarch and the Patriarch of the Ferron family. So, when I arrived here a few days ahead of the agreed time, I fully expected the Umbryan to be the last to show, especially considering everything his capital had been through.

  When I asked, after he had agreed to this coalition, how long it would take for him to be ready, I braced myself for him to ask for at least a six-month delay. To my surprise, he was fine with just three months, even though I thought that was a bit rushed. That's why seeing him here so soon wasn't just unexpected, it was a very pleasant surprise.

  Since everyone had come to join the party, we wasted no time organizing a summit to devise a proper strategy against the one this coalition was created for or to be exact "against".

  I was seated at the table where the first talks would be held. In the middle of the forest, a circular table had been arranged with the meticulous care of the Ferron Family Patriarch. Frankly, he could have suggested holding the summit in his flying fortress, or even in ours, but to keep things neutral, he had wisely chosen this location. To my immediate left sat Aquaflora, and to my right sat Blondie. Behind me stood Honey, Goblin, and Bortz. Across from me was the familiar face of the Umbryan Patriarch, who had two of his elders standing by his side, both smiling courteously.

  Glancing briefly to my left, I saw an empty seat. It was a spot that, judging by the two Terran elves standing nearby, would normally belong to the Ferron Family Patriarch. However, he was nowhere to be found. At the polar opposite corner of the table, a figure caught my attention.

  The Aurian Matriarch stood apart from her kin in ways I, or anyone blessed with sight, couldn’t ignore. Her golden hair was typical of her people, but her warm, sun-kissed skin and radiant golden eyes were anything but. While most Aurians bore the delicate, pale features of their neighboring elven families, she carried a subtle bronze glow and sharper, more defined lines in her face. She looked as if she belonged to a different elven lineage entirely. This uncommon complexion created a striking contrast with her golden hair and the bold, gleaming attire she wore, making her stand out in an undeniably magnetic way.

  Unlike the Aurian elves accompanying her, whose fashion favored thick, fur-lined garments suited for frigid climates and tragically out of place in the mild, almost tropical surroundings, the Aurian Matriarch was dressed perfectly for the weather. She wore attire that embraced the warmth, unapologetically highlighting her voluptuous form.

  As I studied the unique specimen that was the Aurian Matriarch, I felt a nudge to my left.

  "You're staring too much," Aquaflora, seated beside me, scolded in a low voice.

  "Staring?"

  "Don't pretend with me, you were literally—" Aquaflora started, but her words were cut off by none other than the Aurian Matriarch herself.

  "Is there a problem? I couldn’t help but notice you glancing my way," she asked directly, her sharp gaze fixed on us.

  "See?" Aquaflora whispered pointedly.

  Smiling, I responded, "Oh, here I was thinking I was sly. Forgive me for that, Matriarch, but I couldn’t help myself. You are rather different from the idea I had of you."

  "And what do you mean by that, Miss Arianna? Or should I still call you Queen Arianna?"

  "Arianna is just fine, but I don't mind either. And Matriarch, what I meant is that I expected you to be a little different. You see, when my little one over there," I said, motioning at Goblin, "came back from the Aurian capital, he didn't tell me the Aurian Matriarch was such a sight. When I saw you, I was surprised to see how you look. Take this as a me displaying, you’re unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, Matriarch."

  The reaction to that statement was mostly silence, but each silence carried its own meaning. Aquaflora’s silence was one of disapproval, almost scolding. The elf’s gaze stayed fixed, unmoved, as if my words were just another sound in the room, but I knew from the way he glanced at the Matriarch that he was curious at what would be her reaction. And as for the Matriarch herself, her silence was contemplative, seizing the moment as if weighing my words, before letting out a small chuckle.

  "Is that so?" she finally said.

  "Yes," I replied. Then, glancing at the Aurian elves standing behind her, I added, "It was very selfish of you to not pass your beauty onto your subjects."

  "Selfish, huh?" She chuckled again, this time with a smile. "I would call it something else."

  "Oh? And what would that be?"

  "...Mercy."

  Without knowing much about the Matriarch’s history, it was obvious that she was fundamentally different from the elves now known as Solvan Elves. At the very least, she was once part of an elven family from which she inherited her unique appearance. The common Aurian elves, on the other hand, seemed to reflect traits of another lineage altogether. Her words only confirmed this. For someone like her, who had most likely usurped the monarch who originally created the Aurian elves, choosing not to impose her image upon her subjects spoke volumes. If she had gone down the same route as the Umbryan and Argyrian Patriarchs, ensuring all her subjects resembled her, she would have had to push these elves to extinction to allow her own kin to thrive. Allowing them to be themselves was, as she said, an act of mercy.

  "Indeed," I said simply.

  "Speaking of intriguing," she continued, "you too intrigue me. I’ve heard about you, but you’re not quite what I imagined."

  "What about me isn’t as you imagined?"

  "It’s not so much what has been said about you, but rather what hasn’t been said." Pointing at me, the Matriarch asked, "How exactly did you get that title?"

  Without her naming it, I knew exactly which title she was referring to. There was only one that might concern a monarch like her: Demon Slaughterer. At first glance, it might appear to be just another title, but scrolling further into my stats would reveal the chilling ability tied to it, a clear indication that I had once killed a Monarch.

  "Which Archduke of Hell did you manage to kill?" she pressed. "I haven’t heard news of a demonic monarch’s death. You?" She turned to the Umbryan Patriarch seeking for confirmation.

  The Umbryan Patriarch shook his head.

  The Aurian Matriarch’s gaze returned to me, expectant, just as an elf dressed in an eccentric outfit interrupted the discussion. His appearance strongly reminded me of French aristocrats, minus the wig. Though, given his excentricity, a wig would’ve been no less out of place than the long, rust-colored ponytail he had wrapped around his throat like a scarf.

  "Death of a monarch? Did you all start plotting the demise of a fellow monarch without me?" he quipped as he took his seat, the chair belonging to Farmi, the Monarch of all Terran Elves and Patriarch of the Ferron Family.

  "You’re late," the Aurian Matriarch pointed out, clearly annoyed.

  "I hope you’ll find it in your heart to forgive me. So... what were we discussing?"

  Since no one offered an answer, the Aurian Patriarch, still eager for a response, stepped forward to explain. "We were asking Arianna over here where she got her Demon Slaughterer title."

  "Oh?" Farmi mused, slowly turning to exchange his first glance with me. Smiling, he asked, "Madame Arianna, may I?"

  May he what? The answer was obvious. He wanted to do what the other two Patriarchs had already done without asking, appraise me.

  "Since you're courteous enough to ask," I said with a smile, "go ahead."

  "Well, forgive me for the intrusion," he said, wasting no time. After a quick inspection, he mused, "Those are some impressive stats you've got there, Ma---."

  "Her stats are not the point," the Aurian Matriarch cut in sharply. "The point is her Demon Slaughterer title and the ability it gave. You, who are closest to the demon border, have you heard of the death of one of their monarchs?"

  "Nope, not at all," the Ferron Patriarch replied with such speed that his answer sounded more like a question than a statement.

  The Aurian Matriarch didn’t bother to hide her mistrust of his answer, though the Ferron Patriarch pretended not to notice. Turning her attention back to me, she seemed ready to ask directly which demon monarch I had killed, but then something seemed to dawn on her.

  "You two know each other," she said, narrowing her eyes.

  I exchanged a look with the Ferron Patriarch and nodded, confirming that we did indeed know each other.

  "Madame Arianna was, for a short time, a neighbor and a very faithful client of mine," the Ferron Patriarch explained.

  "Client?"

  "For artifacts and such," I clarified, glancing upward where his flying fortress was stationed.

  Being an elven monarch who acquired his ancestral tree through the artistic main affinity, the Ferron Patriarch and, by extension, his subjects were the absolute authority when it came to obtaining interesting artifacts. Metallurgy, Alchemy, Rune Weaving, Engraving, these were all sub-affinities of the artistic main affinity, the very foundation of his power and influence as a monarch.

  "She was a very pleasant neighbor and a generous client," he continued, "one of the few I received from such a faraway corner of the world."

  At these words, the Aurian Matriarch glared at the Ferron Patriarch. "Aren’t you literally confirming to my face that you know which demon monarch she took down and that you were involved in it?"

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  "No," he denied, "Come on, you know me, you know what I do. Perhaps, as you claim, I know who it was that she took down. But my trade is my craftsmanship and selling said craftsmanship. Though, I’m more of a craftsman than a seller, but I have enough pride as a seller to say that I’d never betray a customer’s trust unless their secret was no longer a secret to them." He glanced at me with a sorry expression, and I shook my head slightly in response.

  "See? My hands, feet, and most importantly my mouth are tied," he said with a theatrical sigh. "But let me make this clear: while I may have sold a few artifacts, I had no direct involvement in the slaying of any Archdemons. I would never involve myself in something like the killing of another monarch."

  This declaration drew the gazes of everyone at the table, a table built explicitly for us to plot the demise of exactly what he just claimed he would never involve himself in.

  "This is a different scenario," he defended himself immediately. "This is, in fact, a case of force majeure. I’m only here because I have no other choice. I can’t imagine my capital going through what Patriarch Linh’s capital endured."

  That last statement visibly annoyed the Umbryan Patriarch, who had been mostly silent until now. So much so that he finally interjected. "Can we finally start discussing what we’re here for? I would like to be done with this."

  Though the Aurian Matriarch didn’t seem to appreciate the glare he sent her way, she made no fuss about it, allowing us to transition to what should have been the main focus of the discussion from the beginning: taking down the crazed Argyrian Patriarch.

  Standing from my seat, I said, "Since I was the one who proposed forming this coalition, I hope no one has any objections to me taking the lead here at this... summit."

  ***

  The summit was organized to figure out a plan to effectively deal with the rogue Patriarch. That was exactly what we attempted to do next, or at least, that was the ideal outcome. Naturally, it was not the one we achieved.

  I can’t say I was expecting anything different. While everyone agreed that the Argyrian Patriarch had to go, each had their own ideal way of achieving it. These ideas, while essentially similar, were fundamentally different in execution, as each party sought to take on the task that required the least effort on their part. This led to a complete lack of agreement among the coalition members.

  From what has been gathered, taking down the Argyrian Patriarch requires more than just defeating him. We also need to eliminate the Stampede that constantly surrounds him. It sounds simple, but the reality is far more complicated. The Umbryan Patriarch, who once fought against him, explained it clearly: when facing the Argyrian Patriarch, you’re not battling two separate entities but rather him and his Stampede as a single, unified entity.

  How does that make sense? It doesn’t, not conventionally. It only makes sense because the Argyrian is a monarch. Somehow, he has the ability to use the monsters under his control the same way a typical monarch can draw energy from their subjects. In other words, he uses them as a battery. This was the Umbryan Patriarch’s biggest mistake when going against the Argyrian Patriarch.

  He believed that, like himself, the maddened Patriarch’s reserves would be drawn from the people of his capital. Since the distance between the Argyrian and his supposed source of energy was so great, the Umbryan Patriarch assumed the Argyrian Patriarch would be at a disadvantage. Instead, the reality was the opposite. Not only was the Argyrian Patriarch’s reserve much larger, but the distance had no discernible impact on the energy he could draw, as he was drawing it from the monster around him.

  To take down the Argyrian Patriarch, we need to ensure both he and his Stampede are defeated completely. Otherwise, he will always recover by fully exploiting his ability to draw energy from his monsters. That’s where the true disagreement among the Patriarchs and Matriarch lies: deciding who will handle what.

  While we must view the Patriarch and his Stampede as a single problem, it’s clear that handling it requires splitting the task into two halves, one team to handle the Patriarch and another to deal with the Stampede simultaneously.

  "Ladies, gentlemen," the Ferron Patriarch continued, "you know what I am, what my Cinnabar Tree is good for, and it’s not offense. How about I handle the Stampede along with Madame Arianna, while Patriarch Linh and Matriarch Jay, the two spearheads of our coalition—"

  Sneers of contempt echoed from both Patriarch Linh and Matriarch Jay.

  "Are you taking me for a fool?"

  "I would never entrust my life to someone who just admitted to being inept. We’ll be long dead before you’re finished with the Stampede."

  "Come on, I—"

  "Shut up. There’s no way I’m going with that," the Umbryan Patriarch snapped.

  "Neither am I," the Aurian Matriarch agreed curtly.

  "But someone has to fight the Patriarch," the Ferron Patriarch protested.

  "Why don’t you see for yourself?" Jay countered coldly.

  "I’ve just explained why I’d be a terrible choice, Matriarch. The most useful I’d be is against the Stampede’s monsters."

  "Then who’s going to face the Argyrian Patriarch? Because while none of us want to take on that task, someone has to," the Matriarch demanded.

  Under normal circumstances, neither of the two elven monarchs would shy away from confronting the Argyrian Patriarch, whom they both likely still considered their equal in strength. However, the situation was uniquely different here.

  One of them knew she’d be overpowered, while the other had learned from his own mistakes that the outcome would not be in their favor. Despite knowing that together they might stand a chance, there were two key reasons why neither wanted to take on the role. The first was the necessity of simultaneously defeating the Stampede, as explained earlier. The second reason was far simpler: they were too far away from their own subjects to fight effectively.

  The elven sigil known as the Ancestral Tree grants monarchs a high rate of energy flow from their subjects when drawing ressource such SP, MP and HP. However, this flow diminishes with distance, making elven monarchs most effective when their subjects are nearby. This proximity also makes their subjects vulnerable, as a smart opponent would quickly realize that eliminating the monarch’s subjects is the easiest path to victory.

  Each of the elven monarchs had chosen to leave their subjects in safety, far away from the conflict. This decision, though wise, came at a cost: they were now significantly weakened when it comes to available ressource, making a direct confrontation with the Argyrian Patriarch a near-impossible battle of attrition. With this understanding, it’s no wonder they hesitated.

  Done watching this summit go nowhere, I spoke up. "How about I do it?"

  At my words, all eyes turned to me, even Aquaflora, who had been thoroughly silent throughout the summit. She nudged me, urging me to retract my words, perhaps thinking I’d spoken out of frustration. But I didn’t. I had made up my mind.

  "What do you mean?"

  "Let me handle the Argyrian Patriarch while the three of you deal with his monsters. Anyone against that?"

  The three elven monarchs exchanged looks before coming to a collective understanding, which they expressed with a nod.

  "Now then, since no one objects to this suggestion, I have terms I need to discuss with you," I added with a sigh.

  ***

  I took my time to lay out my terms, yes, "my" terms, because this was no small undertaking. In essence, I was going to deal with the Argyrian Patriarch on my own. There’s no denying it: two elven monarchs could manage this far more effectively than I could, and even if I did somehow match them, I’d still be haunted by the same reservations that led those monarchs to reject the role in the first place. That’s precisely why I decided we needed clear conditions on how all of us would approach our fight on two fronts.

  Ultimately, after much discussion, my terms were agreed upon. A strict deadline was imposed on me, and I secured at least a minimal commitment from the other three. It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough for us to move forward.

  Once these terms were thoroughly discussed and settled, the Aurian Matriarch brought up a topic I was certain she had been itching to address from the moment we sat down: how the loot would be divided. Each of us stood to gain something from this coalition, some more than others. Before anyone could speak, I made my expectations clear.

  "Naturally, upon the demise of the Argyrian Patriarch, his ancestral tree is to be inherited by Aquaflora, the current ruler of the Argyrian realm and wielder of one of the Elemental Ancestral Trees."

  "Naturally, huh?" the Ferron Patriarch mused.

  The Aurian Matriarch let out a sneer. "Why don’t you just say you plan to recover it for yourself instead of pretending you’re restoring it to its RighTfuL place?"

  "You might have opinions on my intentions," I replied evenly, "but I am simply aiming to return an ancestral tree, currently in corrupted hands, to its rightful heir."

  The Aurian Matriarch sneered again, her expression sharp. "Let’s just pretend I believe those beautiful words, that you’re not doing this because you have use for an elven monarch."

  "I take it you don’t have any complaints about this decision, then, Matriarch?" I asked, keeping my tone measured.

  Her silence was my answer, as it was for the Ferron Patriarch and, finally, the Umbryan Patriarch.

  "I’m glad we all agree on this point," I said, somewhat relieved that we had avoided another wave of disagreement.

  I had fully expected complaints from at least two of the three monarchs. After all, the prize I intended to claim, the Argyrian ancestral tree, would allow the rise of another elven monarch to replace the current Argyrian Patriarch. Their silence, however, spoke volumes. It wasn’t due to lack of objections but rather because they recognized the level of participation I had offered in this coalition. Not only had I brought forth the suggestion, but I had also agreed to take on a dangerous and active role, one they had refused.

  Their greed may have urged them to object, but their pride and reason restrained them, knowing that if they did, I would not hesitate to reopen negotiations about the risks I was taking.

  "I have no other demands," I declared, sitting back to prompt the Aurian Matriarch to voice hers.

  "I want the Ancestral Tree the fool tried to accommodate," she said.

  Another sneer echoed from the Umbryan Patriarch. "That fool, as you call him, didn’t just try to accommodate an ancestral tree of a different affinity. He actually managed it."

  "At the cost of his sanity," the Ferron Patriarch pointed out. "Are you sure you want to attempt accommodating such an ancestral tree, knowing it drove a fellow monarch mad, Matriarch?"

  "Hmph. I’m not a fool like he was," she replied with her usual condescending tone. "I’ll be fine."

  This coalition, the madness of the Argyrian Patriarch, everything had led us here. The Argyrian Patriarch had completely conquered the elemental affinity and attempted to accommodate an ancestral tree from a nature sub-affinity. In theory, this should have resulted in his instantaneous death, but he had survived, though at the cost of his sanity. Certain points, like the involvement of the authority Rule and Overrule, were worth mentioning, but none of the monarchs knew of that authority’s existence. It was simpler to pretend it didn’t exist.

  "Which nature sub-affinity did he manifest his ancestral tree from?" the Umbryan Patriarch asked with a frown.

  "That’s actually a good question," the Ferron Patriarch agreed, turning to the Aurian Matriarch.

  The Aurian Matriarch clearly preferred not to answer, but as all eyes were on her, she conceded. "I’m not certain, but the options are few as far as nature sub-affinities go. Based on his new abilities, I suspect the ancestral tree originated from Biocatalysis."

  "Biocatalysis?" both Patriarchs echoed.

  "That’s the nature sub-affinity that enhances one’s likelihood of acquiring skills and abilities related to using another creature’s biological aspects as catalysts, right?" the Ferron Patriarch asked after a thoughtful pause.

  The Aurian Matriarch confirmed with a nod.

  Deep in thought, the Umbryan Patriarch pointed out, "That doesn’t seem... What about the ancestral tree that’s allowing him to control all these creatures?"

  Though the Umbryan Patriarch tried to be subtle, his concern was clear. He feared that by acquiring the Argyrian Patriarch’s ancestral tree, the Aurian Matriarch might gain the ability to control the stampede, currently the biggest threat.

  She shook her head. "I have no clue how he’s able to do that."

  "Is there no nature sub-affinity that allows one to control monsters?" the Ferron Patriarch asked.

  "There is. In fact, there are more than one," the Aurian Matriarch admitted, "but I have already manifested an ancestral tree from one of these sub-affinities, so..."

  "...So no one else could have done the same?" the Ferron Patriarch concluded.

  The Aurian Matriarch nodded in agreement.

  "What if it were the product of a skill?" Aquaflora surmised, speaking for the first time since the beginning of the summit.

  Though her suggestion sounded bold, it was clear that the sharp gazes from the three monarchs made her recoil in visible shyness.

  "No skill can be that powerful!" the Umbryan Patriarch denied sharply. His response carried an edge of emotion that betrayed a deeper personal stake, more than mere pragmatism.

  "Are we certain, though?" the Ferron Patriarch mused. "As an ancestral tree wielder, you couldn't appraise him. So, what if it really is a skill? One that he's acquired and managed to level to an exceptional degree? That could explain his attempt to accommodate an ancestral tree from a different sub-affinity, could it not?"

  At these words, the two other patriarchs gave far more consideration to the Ferron Patriarch than they had to Aquaflora.

  "That might make sense," the Umbryan Patriarch and Aurian Matriarch admitted reluctantly. "Though it doesn't make the decision any less foolish."

  "And I never pretended it wasn’t," the Ferron Patriarch replied smoothly.

  As the patriarchs continued exchanging their reasoning and theories, I sat there silently. I already knew the answer and had achieved the outcome I wanted. There was no real need for me to take part in this conversation anymore. I only had to pretend to listen, everything left to discuss at this summit was completely irrelevant to me.