Chapter 122: Rigged (2)

"That was quite right, Pretty Bother," Lily opened her lips finally. "But we can't do anything about it. The image was already established.

Wrik nodded, sipping in the tea for the first time. He almost forgot about it during his speech. "We can't do anything about Scythe yet, but what we can do might be useful later." 

"What do you propose?"

"Simple," Wrik smiled. "We will just copy Scythe. Create a symbol for ourselves." 

"It may sound simple, but it would not be easy to take advantage of this. Scythe is already at his peak, creating something like that would be utterly impossible." 

Wrik nodded, but he smiled as well. He already thought about a solution. All he needed now was everyone's approval. He could not do it alone, nor with only his friends. He needed help from Lily and her companion, and more importantly, he needed Dairyl. 

"I have a solution for that as well, though it may sound a little crazy," he said. 

"I am listening," Lily eyed Wrik. She was clearly interested in the solution he came up with.

"The solution is: we need to capture a lot of slaves. Hundreds of them," Wrik paused for a moment to clear out the crazy part. "And then free them from their slavery."

Another silence followed in the stone chamber. None expected Wrik to say something like that.

"Sister Lily, is this outlander has no brain?" Seriel of the maidens asked. "I can get why we need slaves, but freeing them would not just be hitting our own leg with the spear.?"

"Pretty Brother, I thought you were smarter than this," Lily said, shaking her head. "Do you think they would listen to you, if you just free them?"

"They may not, so we need other things to entice them," Wrik said. It was the idea he came up with while giving the speech to the fellows Jacob saved. It may not be a hundred percent sure thing, but it was promising enough to wage all his chips on. "Giving them freedom will earn us their faith. With that, if we give them a safe place with food to fill their stomach, it might be enough to bring them under us. Work for us." 

Lily frowned for the first time. "But freeing them will not give any reigns over them. There is a good chance they will betray us."

"What makes you think the slave you have would not betray you?" 

The next phrase made Lily silent still. Wrik was right, any slave would choose to betray their master if there's life on the line. Actually, they already did betray Lily when Wrik beat the carp out of them. Lily remembers it, and that's why Wrik said it.

"Sister Lily," Wrik began again. "Remember what I told you before. Slavery breaks the very bones of men, they could not think anything but survival, and they would betray again even with a faint chance of survival." 

Lily remained silent and then looked at Dairyl who chose to be silent as well.

"There is a problem with your plan. Even though it looked quite right from the outside," Sitara said in the quiet chamber, announcing her presence for the first time. "As you said, you need to give them food and other accessories to gain their faith, but the problem is we have those of little amount. It would be finished in a week if we bring in a hundred more people, and you are talking about bringing in a thousand."

The last phrase she said was with a little grudge. Well, Wrik could not blame her. Any woman would herd a grudge against someone who assaulted their place. 

While Lily and others looked at him to see if he had any solution to that as well. 

"I do not have an immediate solution to that, but I have a plan," he hissed. "I will tell you guys later."

Lily nodded and opened her lips. "Let's discuss this issue later," she said. "We need more time to make such a drastic decision." 

Wrik clicked his tongue, but nodded. There was no point pushing it further for now.

"Then let's move to the next threat other than Scythe," he said, having a sharp look at Lily and her sisters. They very well know what he was talking about.

Lily sighed, noticing his gaze. "Yes; it is that damn Gorila," she said, but noticing the sharp look of her sisters, she continued. "Arjamith Adam D'borge, he and we are of the same clan, Mah'shai D'borge. And you see Aeriel and Seriel here are his sisters though, from different mothers."

Everyone of Wrik's group looked at them bewilderedly. Even though they expected them to be of the same clan, they did not think they have such a close relationship. One one of them did not frown or surprise at that revelation. Wrik gave Anton a dismissive look while his dear brother just smiled, embarrassedly. Anton had forgotten to mention something important again. 

"But don't worry. Even though they were related, it won't affect our performance. We have our difference in views and few other private businesses that cause this icy," Lily paused for a moment to find the right word. "Rivalry between us."

'That was not just rivalry,' Wriik thought. But he chose to be silent. It was not his place to voice out in their family business.

"Actually, that man would come at us harder than Scythe, and do everything to eliminate us," Lily continued, looking at Wrik. "His threat is higher than Scythe to us. I heard you guys made a grudge with him, too. It would be killing two birds with one stone for him if he found us."

"Can you tell me what his fraction amounts to in comparison with Scythe?" Wrik asked, raising his eyebrow.

"He pales in comparison if we talk about the men under him, but if it was physical strength or battle power, then he does not lose out to Scythe. The only reason he was so far behind was because he trusts no outlander and makes everyone under him slaves except the men of our clan."

'That sounds just like you,' Wrik almost snickered out. No, he was a little wrong. Lily was more tolerable than that. She chose to make him her ally, though he had to pester a lot. 'I guess it runs in the family. I have to work harder to initiate my plan.'

"Fortunately, he has about a couple of dozen of our clan with him," Lily finished her speech. She seemed quite pessimistic about dealing with him. 

"Well then, we have two of the monsters on our back,'' Wrik scoffed. "Anything else?"

"You forget about Theron," Davin voiced out.

"Oh that guy," Wrik nodded. He already heard about the pursuit the arrogant noble son put after them from Davin, just had not experienced it yet, but he was not worried. Compared to Scythe and Arjamith, Theron is just a child. "Don't worry, I already have a plan to screw him. He will be the first target."

Wrik already came up with a plan to screw Theiron. Well, even if he had not pursuit after them, Wrik would still go after him.

The discussion continued for a little longer on topics such as how to train the men they brought in. At last, Davin, Seriel and Sepiel were selected to train anyone who lacked in any way of battle. Nobody had any problem with that. Davin was training his sword for over a decade and the maidens were born warriors. It just needed a little supervision on how they trained the men.

And for other supervision such as preparing food, looking after the men, and guarding were given to Sitara and Jacob, the two archers. 

Wrik took in the duty of collecting news with Anton and Aeriel.

And at last, came the main topic of today's discussion. The chamber grew a little cold.

"So who do you think should be the holder of the flag?" Wrik brought up the last question, settling all the other problems. 

The room turned silent again. Everyone was looking at each other's faces. Even though they had raised the flag in the cave two days ago, they had not chosen a leader yet. It was a big decision for anyone in the room, as they all know how important the flag is and will be for the entire test. The guide had  told them they would need flags to gain any achievement in the test.

"How about we vote then?" Wrik said, curling his lips.

Before Lily could say anything the adolescent girl spoke out. "Alright then I chose Elder Sister Lily." 

Wrik frowned at that and looked at Lily. Lily turned silent, waiting for his reaction.

"Wait a minute when this little girl gets to vote," Anton said out loud. 

"Since when did slaves get to talk," Lora countered successfully, pointing at the slave brand on Anton's forehead. 

"You little. . ." Anton cried out, but Wrik stopped him.

There was no way to stop this without tearing apart the little cordiality they built. And Wrik did not want to break that. Not regarding the help, Lily put in to keep them safe, and Dairyl's teachings. He still needed them, and they needed him and everyone else. He needed everyone to work together to achieve his goal.

But that does not mean he would give up. He still held the upper hand in the election. 

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