While it didn’t seem like it on the surface, all of the chamberlains’ guards were keeping watchful eyes on the exchange. Most were wary of Lyra, who was at the second level of the Genesis stage and not an easy person to deal with in a jovial social setting like this.

“Okay, great.”

Nolan rested his cup on the table and created a small staircase that he used to walk over the barrier to their private section of the pool, descending on the other side to walk past Kendal without casting so much as a glance in his direction. Calmly and with a bit of swagger, he approached the two chamberlains with drunken confidence.

“Nolan, wait!”

Looking over at Welson, he raised a honey-shaded eyebrow. Not caring for his clothes, Welson scrambled into the water with a large splash and hurried over to him with frantic feet. Coming up close, he put a hand over his mouth to block others from reading his lips and then whispered with a nervous voice. “Daren’s faction announced today that they would be siding with Angram in the coming war. Unless the Banker’s Faction comes out in support of the king, there’ll be open hostility in the city from this day onward.” Evidently the Banker’s Faction was the fourth great power within the CMA, and the only one that had yet to side with any of the main camps.

Understanding the implications of such news, Nolan gave a slow nod. “I’ll keep that in mind while I’m talking with them.” Seeing how frightened Welson looked, Nolan reassured him with a pat on the shoulder. “I’ve got your back if a fight breaks out. My friends are here too, so it should all be fine.”

Inwardly, Nolan was a bit annoyed that the faction of the CMA that he’d decided to get himself and his friends involved with was now significantly outclassed by the merchant lords that sought to usurp Merchant King Markham’s throne. Kendal’s undeserved ire complicated things further, since it essentially put Nolan at odds with his father and by extension their faction as well. Since he and his friends planned to spend a decent amount of time on North Island, this petty animosity could have very impactful consequences in the future.

Why did you have to exist, he thought as he glanced from Kendal to his father. At least be reserved about it, like Connick.

Speaking of Merchant Lord Kalvin’s chamberlain, he was the first to greet Nolan from where he relaxed atop an underwater bench at the pool’s centre. Alongside him on this long, circular seat were all of the beautiful women that he had brought along with him, their alluring bodies and flawless complexions momentarily drawing Nolan’s gaze.

“Nolem, was it? A pleasure to see you again.” Sipping some unknown but no doubt expensive wine, he added, “I didn’t expect to run into you here, of all places.”

Nolan ignored him and looked at Daren. “My name’s Nolan. You’re Daren, right?”

The man nodded, looking around as if in search of something precious. “Connick had much to say about your companions. Are they here as well?”

“Why?”

“It’s rare that Connick speaks of a woman so highly, let alone several. Even someone as satiated as I can’t help but show some interest.”

Nolan’s lip curled up in a way that caused Daren to narrow his eyes for a brief moment, while Connick remained quiet with a reserved look of anticipation despite having just been outright ignored in front of everyone present. The surrounding women all quieted down from the light conversations that they had been having while pretending not to listen in on the exchange, their attentive ears betrayed by the sudden silence.

“It’s nice to meet you too,” he said in an overly sarcastic voice. “Hi, I’m Daren, can you bring your girlfriends over? I’m interested in fucking them.” Nolan looked at the thinly-robed women as if hoping to find some support. “Really, who introduces themselves like that?”

“I’ll let you live out of consideration for the respected consul that you seem to have some relation to,” said Daren in a level voice. “My son says that you have some business with me. Speak it now or return to your friends.”

“He hosted a competition earlier for arrayment practitioners, and my disciple won. I bet on the exact outcome and so did two of my friends, but in front of hundreds of people your son just weaseled off and skipped out on paying us.”

“Is this true?” he asked Kendal, who gave a reluctant nod after a moment’s hesitation. “And how much does my son owe you?”

“He owes each of my friends 22,000,000 spirit stones.”

“That’s a little much for a friendly competition, isn’t it?”

“If you don’t like that then you’re about to be real annoyed because he owes me 550,000,000 spirit stones, and I’m not leaving here until I get them.”

“Is that so?” said Daren, who looked at those around him and began to laugh. “Did you all hear that? He’s not leaving until he gets his money.”

The women began to laugh as well, as did Connick.

“Even if it was five-to-one odds, how could you expect us to believe that a kid like you would even have the capital to place such a bet?”

Nolan turned around to see his company watching with wide, anxious eyes. All save for Lyra, of course, who was whistling an upbeat tune while pouring herself another glass of golden spirits. From the way she constantly caught herself leaning too much to one side, she had clearly had too much to drink. This left Welson even more frightened, with Melissa suddenly frightful at the likely realization that she was openly friendly with people that were doomed to draw the anger of the most powerful men in the city. Katerina appeared very solemn, her hands white as they clutched her cup in a dual grasp. For her, this was probably the moment that her metaphorical dice roll would reveal its outcome, having not only associated with Nolan and Welson but also entered into business dealings with them. The consul was a black sheep at this event and had drawn attention—mostly indiscreet comments of derision and ridicule—from a number of people. Being seen alongside him had led to Kendal’s initial harassment, after all, so it could be imagined how the girls were currently feeling.

“I used the money you gave me, Connick.”

“That you gave him?” said Daren, playful in tone but pressuring in demeanour. “What’s he talking about?”

“He’s just lying to save his skin. I didn’t give him any…”

“But you did. Around seven million spirit stones.” He pulled out the half-face mask that he’d worn at the auction, putting it off and on for comparison before stowing it away with an incredulous smirk. “Wow, those elders didn’t recognize me without it either. That’s crazy.”

Something clicked in the man’s mind, his walnut eyes looking at Nolan with a new level of wariness as he said, “So you are them, then.”

Picking up on the man’s realization, Nolan said, “Who else would have had so many of those flying swords?”

Daren’s eyes flashed in comprehension. “So you’re the one who auctioned off those weapons. It was the talk of the town for a while. Humph, even if you did place that bet, there’s no way I’m giving you nearly 600,000,000 spirit stones. I was going to give you a reasonable amount but you’ve shown too much disrespect, and from what I’ve heard, you’ve attempted to publicly humiliate my son at our own event and you’ve also been courting the girls that are accompanying him. I’m afraid that you are no longer welcome in this city, so I hope that you don’t make things difficult and instead leave while reflecting on your own poor conduct.”

Sensing a buildup of powerful energies coming from the nine cultivators that stood stone-still nearby, he immediately contacted May with a sound transference talisman. Stop hiding in that corner and come here already. Things are about to go down. Of the nearby cultivators, five were at the first level of Genesis, three were at the second level and two were at the third. Evidently, the five guards that protected Daren were all superior to the men that guarded Connick.

Next, he contacted Ian and told him what was happening. All of his friends had sound transference talismans, and the next one he contacted was Sean. A fight’s about to break out. Go look after Esteban, Alicia and Aine. You four hang back while we deal with this.

Are you sure? The girls are pretty good with arrayments now, and me and the kid can at least deal with one of those guys.

Dude don’t even worry, it’s about to be a nightmare for these people.

Don’t overdo it.

After remaining silent for over half a minute, Connick suddenly growled, “He’s contacting his friends.” Nodding at where Lyra sat just a way’s away, he added, “That girl’s brother is also at the Genesis stage. If they join up, it could cause a lot of problems for your guests.”

Daren snickered. “So we should let him be?”