Chapter 127

Chapter 127: The Maiden Under the Moon

In the spacious hall, all previous furnishings had been removed, leaving two large tables in the center and rows of wooden chairs on either side.

On one side of the tables sat representatives from the five major guilds, including Tisiphone, Nisos, and the House of Anyemia. On the other side were representatives from the House of Callites and Helios.

“Helios House does not approve of your terms,” Mairu said after reading through the clauses in her hand.

The three houses jointly demanded that Helios House and Callites completely withdraw from Hope Lane and cede nearly half of their assets.

Negotiations quickly reached an impasse.

It seemed clear that Tisiphone, Nisos, and Anyemia’s terms lacked sincerity.

Mairu’s reaction did not surprise the opposite three parties; this was expected.

“Is it you, Miss Mairu, who disagrees, or is it Helios House?” Wick asked.

“What difference does it make?” Mairu frowned.

“I apologize, what I meant to say is that Helios House actually agrees,” Nois said, tapping his thick fingers on the table.

Before Mairu could finish speaking, she suddenly saw a youth surrounded by a crowd step out, and it was her younger brother, Bell.

This youth seemed somewhat nervous, but his elder spoke.

“Mairu, as a girl, you are not suited to lead Helios House,” It was Vito, Mairu’s uncle, who spoke.

Beside him were many elders of Helios House, those who had previously been forced to relinquish power and assets, mostly Mairu’s uncles.

Mairu looked at them indifferently and turned her gaze to her younger brother Bell.

“Why are you here today? Shouldn’t you be staying at home?” she asked.

Bell seemed hesitant to look at his sister and replied cautiously.

“It was Uncle Vito who sent me. They think that as a boy, I should be stronger and protect you better.”

“He has been very tired since becoming the head of the family, sleeping late and often secretly crying. I know these things,” Bell’s voice became smoother as he continued.

“I hope my sister can rest well and live happily without being so exhausted and anxious every day.”

“So, what do you want?” Mairu looked at her brother, someone familiar yet strange.

“I want to become a man, not always hiding behind my sister. I want to be the head of the family and achieve something myself.” As he said this, a look of envy appeared in his eyes.

“So it is.” Mairu lowered her head.

“Does Father know about this?”

“Yes, Father also agreed,” Bell nodded happily.

There was a momentary silence in the hall.

After a long while, Nois continued speaking.

“Miss Mairu need not worry. We will not hold you accountable. You can still live freely overseas in the future.”

“Is this your mercy?”

Mairu raised her head, her eyes slightly red.

Nois sighed lightly, looking at the young girl before him.

“I watched you grow up. Feng Nai and you have been friends for many years. There is no need for you to worry about your future.”

“So, no one even asked my opinion before agreeing?” Mairu turned to look at her cousin Jerald, who seemed guilty and dared not meet her gaze. He genuinely believed this was good for Mairu, allowing her to stay away from this dangerous whirlpool and gain a peaceful happiness in the future.

Jerald still remembered when Auntie came to their house holding the little sister, who had a beautiful smile and held a red fruit, offering it to him.

Then Auntie said, “This is Brother Jerald, come, Mairu, call him.”

That little girl had sweetly called out, “Brother Jerald,” and since then, he had liked this obedient little sister.

Years later, when he visited the main house with his parents, there were many guests and children. Mairu, wearing a dress, came down the stairs and called out, “Brother Jerald.”

She remembered him, and a strange emotion welled up in his heart, like a wild weed on a hillside finally being noticed amidst thousands.

Jerald was mischievous as a child, and his parents scolded him, elders misunderstood him, and peers rejected him.

But Mairu’s call was like a small stone dropped in his heart, spreading ripples throughout his body.

So, someone remembered him too.

Jerald softly replied, “I’m sorry, but I truly hope you can find peace and happiness in the future.”

“But, that is only what you believe to be happiness.”

Mairu seemed about to say something but couldn’t open her mouth. She tightly clutched the hem of her skirt with her left hand and finally lowered her eyelashes in disappointment.

Eadly, seeing Mairu submit, smiled and continued speaking.

“The Callites House doesn’t need to be asked because the Miss Lacy sitting in front of us is not Angus’ daughter.”

As he spoke, exclamations of surprise echoed around the seats. Everyone turned their gazes toward the composed young girl.

“Angus’ daughter is named Elain, who has passed away. And you, Miss Lacy, are just an impostor.”

“Impossible, that Lacy is pretending?”

“I knew it, Angus’ daughter couldn’t be so beautiful.”

“Haha, I wonder what her fate will be.”

Eadly felt a bit of regret. If not for Daniel’s information, he would never have thought that Sares and Chelsea would willingly assist a stranger and claim that Lacy was Angus’ heir.

People around pointed and whispered, even the guards behind them began to waver.

As the words fell, murmurs, jeers, and taunts filled the air. Everyone derived some twisted pleasure from watching the powerful fall, even if it had nothing to do with them.

At this moment, a messenger entered the hall with a document and declared loudly:

“To all chambers and trade associations of Hope Lane, the headquarters of the Veregha Trade Alliance has issued a formal document stating that Tisiphone House will take full control of Hope Lane, becoming the regional authority and the sole representative of the trade association. The seat of Callites House in the trade association will be revoked and will no longer be among the twenty-six seats.”

“Given that the former chairman Angus and his descendants have all passed away, Callites will be fully managed by the trade association.”

As the words fell, chaos erupted in the hall.

“The alliance’s decision violates previous agreements,” Chelsea’s cold voice echoed from behind Lolan Hill.

“Does this mean that the headquarters of the association is no longer the once noble union pursuing justice and integrity?”

She continued, causing further discussion. This decision was indeed unusual.

“The order of the association headquarters cannot be disobeyed,” Wick spoke again.

“But we, the Callites, will not submit. In our hearts, Miss Lacy remains the most legitimate successor of the chamber.”

“And you are the ones who killed Angus,” Chelsea’s words caused several guards from Callites to draw their swords, standing in front of Lolan Hill to protect her.

“It seems we cannot reach an agreement.”

As Wick finished speaking, a group of black-clad soldiers armed with silver fire guns entered the hall through the side door. They stood in formation behind Eadly, leveling their guns at Lolan Hill and her companions.

“You…” Lady Phyllis stood up, but Master Helang moved ahead to block her.

“Lady Phyllis, please do not get angry. According to the regulations of Emanas, teachers and students who have not graduated are not allowed to interfere in the internal affairs of other organizations and countries.”

Looking at the white-bearded old man, several light spheres gradually floated around Lady Phyllis, their radiance flickering.

“It seems I need to move my old bones,” Helang said without surprise, taking a long sword from someone beside him and twirling it.

“It has been twenty years since we last sparred. Back then, I was much younger,” the old man’s aura grew mountainous, wisps of white smoke swirling around his sword, distorting the air slightly.

In the midst of this tense standoff, others finally reacted, panicked cries echoing through the hall as they rushed out frantically.

Outside the mansion, the confrontation between the two guilds’ forces suddenly changed. Helios House withdrew abruptly, leaving Callites House and the other three to face off. Sensing the change, the guards of Callites House began to tighten their formation.

Within the city, bells rang out again, and the forces of the other three houses launched another attack. Helios House remained silent, while Tisiphone House, Nisos, and Anyemia united once more to advance against Callites.

Several blue steel golems rose in the city, firing intense flames at Callites’ fleet, which was preparing to launch cannons. Oil jars from Nisos were thrown onto the sea, turning the harbor into a sea of fire.

Shouts and battle cries resounded throughout the city.

“Fire!”

Warships farther from the harbor fired cannons, causing massive explosions. Some oil jars that hadn’t been launched exploded, engulfing the entire chamber in flames.

But this time, the allied forces did not retreat, advancing steadily towards Callites. Long ladders were set up.

Without Helios House’s support, most of the fleet was engulfed in flames. Callites Chamber seemed on the brink of collapse.

Bang—

In the negotiation hall, the roof was ripped off, bricks and tiles raining down like a storm, causing people to scatter in all directions.

In the spacious hall, a violent gale shattered all obstacles—windows, beams, tables, and chairs—dispersing like a dragon’s breath, vanishing into the sea and sky.

The dark hall was devoid of light, but the cold silver moonlight poured in, illuminating the chaotic and ruined hall.

People lay scattered, mostly pinned under debris. Even the musketeers were dispersed, some nowhere to be seen.

Nois struggled to rise from under a fallen pillar, looking toward the center of the hall at the young girl.

Her silver hair shimmered under the moonlight, constantly dancing in the breeze. Her dress was undamaged, with streams of air swirling around her, and her eyes sparkled like stars, standing alone in her beauty.

How could this be? He muttered to himself, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Outside Hope Lane, a fierce storm began to form, countless waves surging upward, as if the Milky Way was pouring down, directly extinguishing the fires in the harbor.

“Is this what you wanted?” she finally responded to these enemies using cunning tactics.

Thank you, Tianming, Sesame Colliding with Earth, for your gifts.

Sorry for the late update.