These three had absolutely no intention of hiding their discord in front of Rute!
Rute's embarrassment was merely for their benefit, not genuine... so, after giving the three Eighth-Circle Mages enough time to put on their show, he quietly looked around and nodded to each of them.
Of course, there was no smile, only composure.
Until all three reined in their excessively brazen behavior, he also chose to remain silent... although their conduct held no real malice, that did not mean they were not testing him.
Although they had come on an official mission to establish relations, that did not mean they had no desire to sound out Rute's attitude... if the Black Enigma Tower showed a little weakness, there would be plenty they could do.
Although they were at odds with one another, they still shared a certain understanding when it came to common interests... this proved that their hostility, while serious, was not fatal.
That also meant Tower Master Xiya still held real power... although someone could keep her in check, they could not overpower her.
Rute could understand that. No matter how powerful Xiya was, as long as she rarely handled everyday affairs, those beneath her would naturally build up their own power.
Even if that person, or those people, had originally been her loyal subordinates, the same held true... after holding power for a long time, especially when a capable individual became a capable little group, sensitivity over the boundaries of their authority was inevitable.
Every Mage Tower began as some Archmage's home.
But in the end, all that remained were factions, large and small.
Rute simply had not expected Sia Tower to display its internal struggles so openly.
It seemed Sia Tower had no intention of letting the Black Mystery Tower enter "in the dark."