The crowd grew louder, their gazes shifting, their opinions changing under the weight of Louskas' words—even if they weren't the whole truth. He had pulled them onto his path, and without realizing it, they had started agreeing with him. His words made sense, and since no one could find any flaw in his reasoning, they all stood by his side.
Kailos felt it, and rage ignited inside him—not just toward the gathered crowd, but toward the slave standing before him, smiling as if he controlled everything.
How could the grandson of the Great Elder be looked down upon by a mere slave?
He searched for the right words to strike back, but his mind was blank… Nothing came to him, and his anger only burned hotter.
He shouted furiously:
"You worthless slave! How dare you question the Great Elder, one of the pillars of our clan who has given everything for his people?!"
Louskas let out a sharp laugh, then looked at him with disdain.
"His people? So, are you denying everything the Clan Leader has done? Are you saying the Great Elder is the true leader?"
Kailos' eyes widened in shock. He wanted to refute it, to say something—anything—but before he could, Louskas raised his voice, speaking to the crowd:
"Do you see, people of the Solan Clan? The Great Elder and his grandson are trying to spark a civil war, and they want you to be its fuel. They have never cared about your interests or the clan's well-being!"
Kailos froze in place, his eyes wide open… Everything had turned against him.
This wasn't what he had come for… He had ruined everything himself.
He gritted his teeth in frustration, his rage boiling over. Suddenly, his shard activated, and in his hand appeared a purple sword streaked with black lines, glowing with a dark energy.
"I'll cut off your head, slave!"
He raised his sword, ready to bring it down on Louskas' neck, but before he could strike, a cold voice came from in front of him:
"Kailos, remember… I am the Clan Leader's slave. No one has the right to touch another's property—especially the leader's."
Kailos' movements stopped for a moment.
Those words left a bitter taste in Louskas' mouth, but he spoke them with confidence.
What was dignity but a foolish illusion in the face of survival?
"Insolent slave!" Kailos roared. "You twisted my words against me! And worse, you didn't kneel before me as you should! You will be executed, and the Clan Leader will understand!"
But Louskas didn't move. He showed no fear. He simply looked at Kailos calmly and said:
"Everyone here heard what was said. I didn't twist a single word, nor did I add anything. And… you want the Clan Leader's slave to kneel before you? Who do you think you are? Even if the Great Elder himself were here, he wouldn't be able to order me to do that."
At that moment, a loud voice echoed from the sky.
Everyone turned their eyes upward and saw the Great Elder standing high above them, supported by intertwined tree branches lifting him above the crowd.
His face was stern, his white hair shining under the sunlight. His mere presence was enough to silence everyone.
"Are you inciting our clan against us, slave?" he asked in a low voice, yet his tone carried enough weight to quiet the entire gathering instantly.
Slowly, he descended to the ground, his gaze falling on Louskas.
Kailos felt as if a heavy mountain had been lifted from his shoulders. He smiled in relief but didn't dare to say anything when his eyes met his grandfather's… That look alone was enough to silence him.
"You've finally come," Louskas thought to himself as a cold smile spread across his face.
"Great Elder, you must have misunderstood the situation. It was your grandson who spoke those words—I merely repeated them in a louder voice."
The Great Elder studied him for a moment before speaking in a calm tone:
"Stop twisting words… I am not a child who will fall for such tricks."
Louskas chuckled lightly, then said with a mocking tone:
"Well, allow me to twist them a little… It might be in your best interest."
The Elder's eyes narrowed as he watched him cautiously.
"Are you trying to blackmail me, slave?"
But Louskas didn't respond. He simply held that same cold smile.
"Elder, do you know what I love about this clan?" he asked quietly. "The green forests, the lake that reflects the moon's glow, the tree one can sit under to find a moment of peace…"
The Great Elder stiffened, unable to hide his reaction. This was… completely unexpected. He quickly regained his composure, but when he spoke again, there was a slight hesitation in his voice:
"Yes… That is what makes our clan special. The beauty of nature, harmony, peace…"
Louskas watched him in silence.
The Elder took a deep breath before saying firmly:
"Since you are the Clan Leader's slave, I will overlook what happened today. But if something like this happens again… the consequences will be severe."
There was no direct threat in his words, but Louskas understood everything.
He smiled and said:
"Of course, Elder. Now, we must leave—there is a guest we need to prepare for."
Then, he turned around. The slaves who had been kneeling in fear stood up hesitantly and followed him away.
The Great Elder stayed in place, watching him with a complex expression, his thoughts racing.
"Who is this child…?"