Chapter 308 - The Ark Of The Opposing Party

Rie was silent as she tried to recollect her feelings and thoughts. This was when Mavislin knew she had to turn the conversation another way, lest Rie lashes out again.

"If I'm not wrong, this place has been doing the breeders for how long?" asked Mavislin.

"For about a few years, but it wasn't always like that. This place has been functioning ever since the Congregation fell. We've been under the radar because we only took those that opposed the authorities. We work well with the Kings, in the beginning."

"You used the opposition parties to do experiments, right?" asked Mavislin, as her eyes darkened.

Rie nodded solemnly. Bryan felt shivers down his spine as he recalled being in the cross-fire in the early days of the Arks and the humans. Trying to fit during that period was hell on earth. A period where no one could trust anyone. But he did not know about the opposition parties.

"What were the opposition parties?"

"They were the few groups of humans that protested and rioted about being governed by the Underworld. They were the ones that refused to allow the Five Kings to rise. At first, they declared war on us Mages when we made the Arks."

"They had just taken down the Congregation after so many decades and another one was forming again. They hated the fact that we wanted to live amongst them. So, they protested and tried attacking the Old Chapel."

"Which human would have the right mind to challenge a being that can make the sun appear in their faces? That's when they switched target and aimed their pitchforks at the Five Kings instead."

"But, you were the one who founded the Five Kings, right?" asked Bryan, looking down at Mavislin.

"At that time, no. I was not the one who pulled the Five Kings together. That was the head of the Knights, Baldwin. He had some ties within the Underworld and decided it was better to ally with them to help blend Mages in easily."

"It's hard to think that Sir Noble would be able to work with anyone who wasn't a Mage."

"Believe me, it was a nightmare for both Mages and humans at the start. He had a hard time with working with Mages, let alone humans. Gillian told him that he was better off jumping from the cliff behind the old Congregation."

"That wasn't very nice of him, Sir Noble must have been angry."

"Stubbornly angry as the next day, he sent out a message to look for Minwoo. The future Marquess of the Campania. It was the very first time the Old Chapel had humans around."

"Then, you've got nothing to do with the Five Kings, then?"

"But I was the one who continued to handle matters under the guidance of Baldwin. After a few years, a year before the Umbra incident, I could decide independently for the Five Kings. As in, Baldwin gave me full permission to activate the Five Kings if the need arises."

"This also grants me the direct command for the Five Kings. Basically, the Kings answer to me now. I can order them to activate their Domains to prepare for war if need be. And my Ark is the only one that can help them without asking permission from Gillian."

"That explains why during the Umbra incident your Ark was the only present. The others did not help at all, because you never asked?" asked Bryan, trying to guess the past.

"No. I had a big fight with Ysabeau and Gillian about the Umbras incident and chose to run away. That's when I did my own sting operation under the radar and against Gil's direct instructions. It cause a whole mess since we were late to find out that Benjamin had appeared."

"More correctly, Benjamin had been in Minwoo for the longest of time, ever since he was in the Five Kings. But back to the point, I operated without their permission. It was only when Benjamin came into the picture that Gillian asked for Z and Baldwin to help."

"Ah, now I know why the High Queen was going quite harsh on your during that training."

"That has got nothing to do with the running away part. She has been always merciless and strict when it comes to duels. Anyway, once the opposition parties laid their fingers on the Five Kings," said Mavislin, turning to look at Rie.

"The Kings handed the whole gang to us," continued Rie, agreeing with Mavislin.

"More specifically, they challenged Minwoo. All 500 of them. They were armed with different ranges of weapons while Minwoo was armed with the two katanas that Bryan is using. And guess who came out on top," said Mavislin, shaking her head as she remembered that scene.