"Given Kayneth's offense against you, we offer our deepest apologies. El-Melloi is willing to pay any price to quell your anger."
Finally, after a nerve-racking moment, the immobile Lineas swallowed. She forced a stiff smile onto her pale little face and tried to save herself.
"Please state whatever demands you have. As an intermediary, I will faithfully relay them to the family."
"An intermediary?"
The demon, having shut the doors and windows, turned back leisurely and looked in surprise at the trembling little white mouse.
"Mhm, mhm! You should know from our names that he is an Archibald, while I am an Archisorte. I'm from a branch family and not close to the main house!"
Lineas nodded furiously like a pecking chick. A pitiful trace of grievance surfaced on her fair little face as she poured out the full story like beans from a bamboo tube.
The Trifas campaign had originally been meant as a display of the Mage's Association's authority. Most of those involved had more or less intricate ties to the Twelve Departments and their major factions. Such a lavish lineup had essentially been assembled to pad their résumés at Thousand Tree's expense and gain more influence for the powers behind them.
Kayneth had naturally been the joint representative sent by the Mineralogy Department and the Spirit Evocation Department. He had hoped to further expand the traditional aristocratic faction's influence, or simply replace the Thousand Tree family altogether and seize Trifas in the process.
However, Director Ken, who had held the stronger position and been responsible for leading the group, had rammed straight into an iron wall because of his excessive arrogance and conceit.
Samael had not only struck viciously, but ruthlessly. He had nearly beaten Kayneth into permanent disability, and the divine power that had penetrated his