CH.0020 - The Bait And Mr.Fish

"I am awake, Lily. I will come downstairs after changing my clothes."

"Okay, be quick or I will eat your breakfast."

[This silly girl.]

Ezar went to his wardrobe to change his clothes with a smile on his face.

[Old man, until we meet again I will also be sure the enjoy every second of this life.]

When Ezar went to the dining room, the rest of the House of Silverlion were waiting for him at the table.

The main mansion had five floors.

On the first floor were the waiting room, audience room, storage rooms, restrooms, bathrooms, and the servant's rooms.

On the second floor were the retainer's rooms, restrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms for servants and retainers.

On the third floor were mostly guest rooms, dining rooms for guests, kitchens, restrooms, bathrooms, and a huge ballroom.

On the fourth floor were high-level retainer's rooms, personal maid's and personal guard's rooms, dining rooms for family members and high-level retainers, kitchens, restrooms, bathrooms and a huge library.

And on the fifth floor were family members' bedrooms, study rooms, restrooms, bathrooms, a few storage and small treasure rooms, and personal cultivation rooms for family members.

Also, there were underground facilities for indoor training grounds, cultivation rooms, treasure rooms, and seclusion cultivation rooms.

Of course, all of these facilities had different entrances. If a retainer wanted to go indoor training ground for retainers, he had to use the entrance on the first floor.

But if someone wanted to go to the indoor training ground for family members, they had to use the entrance on the first floor. Of course, the main entrance for family treasure was on the fifth floor.

So the main mansion was a gigantic structure that had thousands of rooms.

Please, House of Silverlions was a millennium-old House. Five years before, in the most glorious times of the family, the House of Silverlion had thousands of retainers and tens of elders.

There were other buildings just for retainers, servants, and other mansions for elders and guest elders, and countless facilities and gardens in the House territory.

But all of them were now empty. After Ezar's parents' death, in five years all the elders and the retainers were left one by one. And even some of them stole treasures from storage rooms with the excuse of compensation.

At the moment, all the House members were in the dining room for family members on the fourth floor.

Ezar walked to the table and sat at the main seat that was left empty for him.

"Please."

After they heard Ezar's permission all of them began to eat their breakfast. This was a family tradition. While eating with family members, they would wait for the permission of the house leader to start the meal.

Well, that was valid for House of Silverlion. At the other Houses, servants and retainers couldn't eat at the same table with family members.

They have to eat in another dining room or kitchen. And when family members were eating they had to stand at the back silently.

"Grandpa Bora, when the other Houses rejected your request or should I say demanding an absurd price, did they give you a reason?"

"Young master, they said that age-coming-ceremony was nearing and all the retainers were busy searching for treasures for their ceremony participants or training them.

They said because of that their time was more precious than ever so we should compensate them with at least ten thousand gold."

"Hmph, what precious time! Obviously, it is just an excuse to reject. Did all of them say the same thing?"

"Yes, young master. Except for the House of Wolf, they all said the same thing. As I said before the House of Wolf didn't demand anything.

House Leader Of Wolf said that they can't help us. Also, he mentioned about we shouldn't go to other houses for help. He said that it is useless and this is something beyond us."

"Interesting. Look like there is a boiling cauldron in the clan.

And when did you go to make an audience request with the clan did the guards record your arrival to inform the clan leader when he is available?"

"Of course, young master. After all, we went with the family seal, and by the clan law if the clan leader isn't available they had to record our arrival and inform the clan leader when he is available.

And they recorded our request and gave us the request record letter. But they said we should come back to check the results because no one will come to inform us at this desolate place."

"Good. I need that letter later."

"Sure young master but why are asking these questions?"

"Probably someone came today to inform us about summon order from clan council for an explanation."

"What? Summon order from clan council?"

"Why? Young master, are you sure?

"What should we do?"

"I will fight with them to the end."

Grandpa Bora, Grandma Suma, Lily, and Nuna. All of them panicked when they heard the summon order from the clan council.

How they couldn't? The last time a summon order from the clan council come was that cursed day…

"Hey hey. Don't worry about it. I said probably. I just threw a bait and now I am waiting for fish. So if someone comes to inform us, don't panic.

And Nuna there would be no fighting. You and I will go to the clan council together. The rest of you will wait for our return."

"But, young master, clan council only gathered if there is an important situation. They can't just gather like that and demand an explanation. right?"

Grandpa Bora asked Ezar with a concerning face.

"It is easy to find a reason if you really want to. This time it will be gathered because of the House of Berserker's demand. They probably demand an explanation for their fourth heir Bekro's injuries."

"House of Berserker's fourth heir Bekro? Right we saw him yesterday. He was injured and unconscious.

Nuna, did you beat him? You shouldn't have fought with him. Now, the House of Berserker had an excuse to make pressure on us."

"No, Grandpa Bora, it wasn't me. It… it was the young master who beat them."

"What? Young master? Bekro is a level nine cultivator in the metamorphosis realm. How is that possible?"

"Young master, perhaps, did… did your mana veins heal?

Grandma Suma asked with a hopeful voice.

"No, Grandma Suma, not yet."

Although it was a negative reply it caused a sparkle in their eyes. After all, "not yet" means eventually it will be, right?

They had a lot of questions but they quickly swallowed them back. Their young master definitely would tell them when the time came so there was no need to pester him with their questions.

"Still, young master. You shouldn't beat House of Berserker's fourth heir like that. Right now we should stay low."

"Don't worry, Grandma Suma, everything is under my control.

Besides, that toad tried to swan meat in front of me.

He said he wants my permission about taking Nuna as a concubine. How can I stay low against something like that? He totally deserved it."

"What? What did he want?"

"How dare he? One after another? First the House of Shadow and now the House of Berserker. Did they think that this old man died? They have to cross my dead body to take Nuna away."

Grandma Suma and Grandpa Bora were angered nearly to death when they heard Ezar. To them, both Ezar and Nuna were like their own grandchildren.

How couldn't they be? They raised them from when they an infant till today.

"Right, the House of Shadow also had proposed the same thing. Looks like they want to poach Nuna before disbanding the House of Silverlion. Heh, they will never see that day.

By the way, Grandpa Bora. Why did you go to the House of Shadow? You know, they would never help us." Ezar asked Grandpa Bora.

"I know young master. But at that time we didn't have any choice."

"How, so? Even paying other Houses ten thousand gold is better than begging them, isn't it?

"Ugh, we already did if we have ten thousand gold rather than going to the House of Shadow.

But House's financial situation isn't good at the moment, young master."

"Hmm, I know I didn't pay attention to the financial situation and other House matters for a long time. And I am sorry for that.

But if I remember correctly, we were saving the money coming from my elder sister every month for tough days. It should be enough, right?"

"Ah, that… that…?"

While Grand Bora couldn't find the words to speak, others' faces also panicked.

Ezar looked at them and realized that something was wrong.

"What? What are you hiding from me"

---Hahhh

Grandma Suma sighed.

"Young master, we didn't tell you because we didn't want to worry you. But young miss didn't send us any money for last year. She couldn't.

She still sends us letters monthly. And we are sure about her well-being because of the secret words in her letters.

Looks like his husband forbade her from sending money to us. But don't have much information about that.

And savings before that we use them to buying recourses for Nuna."

[Looks like elder sister also in though situation. I need to check her as soon as possible.] Ezar thought.

"I am sorry, young master."

Nuna apologized while bowing her head to hide her shame.

"Why are apologizing. I am the one who told Grandpa Bora and Grandma Suma to use what is necessary for cultivation. Lift your head. As a retainer of House of Silverlion, you are not allowed to bow this easily."

Nuna lifted her head and looked at Ezar who was smiling at her warmly. And she smiled at him back. Her young master was… really her young master

"I want to see all of her letters she sent to us till today. Please put them in my study Grandma Suma."

"Yes, young master."

"I will read them after I came back. Looks like Mr.Fish ate the bait."

Ezar lifted his head to the direction of House's main gate and smiled coldly.

And after a while.

"People from the House of Silverlion. Pay attention and listen to this summon order from the clan council."