[Vol. 9] Chapter 107: Night Talk
“Do you know that Ming Yu has made a great sacrifice for you? He broke the rules of the Merchant Guild more than once. Normally, by our tribe’s rules, he should’ve already been sent back to headquarters for punishment.”
Hearing the priestess’s calm and emotionless voice, the exiled princess only nodded slightly.
“Uncle Yu never told me that, but I could guess a little. He’s a loyal and righteous person. He didn’t have to go this far. If he must be punished, I’m willing to take the blame with him.”
“……”
Violet let out a deep sigh. The light in her silver-blue eyes was unreadable, but it felt like a storm was brewing within, a storm strong enough to swallow everything.
“You two… really make things difficult for me.”
Grey didn’t seem to notice the danger in her tone. She frowned, then spoke the question that had long been buried in her heart, something she had never dared to ask Ming Yu. She knew it wasn’t something he could decide or change, and she didn’t want to make him feel guilty. But the girl before her was different.
“Why? I don’t understand. The Spirit Veil Merchant Guild, people like you who hold so much power, you could change this whole country with just a small move. You could save countless people who are suffering. So why do you all turn a blind eye, pretending not to see anything?”
“Have you ever seen the famine in the west and north of the kingdom? Corpses everywhere, people starving by the thousands, even eating their own children to survive. The people there live like ghosts, with no hope for tomorrow or the future. Can someone like you, standing so high above, even imagine such a sight?”
“Those people are living beings too! They have parents, wives, and children, just like everyone else. So why do the nobles and officials in the capital get to live in comfort and luxury?”
“That pack of bastards build their happiness on the suffering of others! Like wolves, they seize more than ninety percent of Preston’s food, trampling on the very people who feed them, while flattering the foreign enemies who covet our land! For their own wealth and comfort, they’re willing to hand over everything our ancestors left behind!”
“Why did my father, who worked himself to exhaustion for this country, have to die under the feet of these trash and traitors? Why can those rotten nobles freely exploit and abuse the people like animals and never be punished? Why does justice never prevail, while the kind and innocent suffer, lose their homes, and die in pain?!”
“Why! Tell me, why?!”
“Was I wrong?! Was Uncle Yu wrong?! Why should we be punished and not them?!”
The girl’s voice grew louder and louder. The rage and hatred boiling inside her surged like a storm, almost turning into something real. Her bright black eyes were filled with blood, and if she hadn’t kept a bit of reason, she might have already grabbed the other girl by the collar.
Looking at the princess’s fierce, almost demonic expression, Violet remained calm on the surface, but deep inside, she sighed softly.
At that moment, she finally began to understand why Dawn always wore a mask whenever she went out, to cut off any connection with ordinary people and their tangled fates.
Those who live long lives, the “immortals”, possess endless time, but that also means they inevitably become entangled in countless karmic ties throughout their existence. A few might not matter, but if too many build up, even the strongest of them will eventually be crushed by the weight, trapped in a web of suffering they can never escape.
This is why Immortal Island has always stayed out of the Ancient Spirit Realm’s business, and why the Spirit Veil Merchant Guild follows the same rule.
Like Ming Yu this time, he did nothing really wrong, and Grey’s goals are not wrong either. But if the Spirit Veil Merchant Guild openly interfered in Preston’s politics, or helped put a new king on the throne, or caused a conflict with the Snow Empire, the consequences would be huge. Maybe once or twice they could use their long history and power to smooth things over, but over time what would happen?
When a powerful, landless neutral group starts to meddle freely in other nations, only two things can happen. Either the united powers that fear it will crush and destroy it, or it becomes so powerful that it rules over everyone and no one dares to oppose it.
That is how cause and effect naturally unfold. Even Violet cannot change that unless, she is willing to take up all the responsibilities herself and become the single supreme ruler who wears the crown.
“Little princess, the Spirit Veil Merchant Guild will not help you. We cannot set that kind of precedent.”
The calm, emotionless voice made Grey’s face go pale. Her spirits sank.
No matter how angry she was, she knew this, given how much Ming Yu respected and trusted the woman before them, if that woman decided against helping, then the most important support behind the rebellion would vanish overnight.
Uncle Yu could not go against this young lady in front of him. Without the Spirit Veil Merchant Guild, the rebels would be like moths to a flame, doomed.
Grey opened her mouth but said nothing. She stood up and walked silently to the windowsill.
“Sigh…”
Violet watched the princess’s stubborn back and sighed again. She could guess what Grey planned to do, choosing death over surrender. Even knowing it was likely suicide, Grey probably would not back down.
Well then. Since trouble couldn’t be avoided, pretending to be outside it would miss the point. Violet only thought she should double the punishment she’d give Ming Yu later for getting involved...
“I can give you a chance.”
The princess froze and turned back in surprise. The black-haired girl had stepped forward into the moonlight. Soft silver light made a faint halo around her, and Grey, who had been sinking into despair, felt her heart beat again.
“...What do you mean?”
“As you said, I do have the power to change this situation. But remember, it is not my duty. I did not cause the suffering in Preston. Helping would be out of kindness, not helping would also be reasonable. If you try to use your country’s suffering and morals to force me to act, you’d better drop that idea now.”
The little princess’s eyes flashed but she did not answer the hint. She asked plainly:
“So, what are your conditions?”
Violet thought a moment, then lifted three pale, delicate fingers.
“First, I need to test whether you have the ability and the heart of a proper ruler. Anyone can shout slogans and wave flags. But whether you can truly bring benefits to the people, and whether you can hold down the nobles and govern the people, that must be shown by your actions.”