Chapter 179 - Request (1/2)

He quickly used the link to enter the virtual room where he found Jack, Rudra, Slaine and a few others talking to one another in loud voices. ”I guess the discussion isn't going on amicably,” said Balthazar sarcastically in a very loud voice getting the attention of all the attendants of the meeting.

”Who are you? What are you doing here? I thought this place was supposed to be secure and no random person could enter the place. This is as bad as the courthouse,” started rambling a person beside Jack dressed as a lawyer while Jack himself had a horrified expression on his face.

”Hi Jack! How are you doing,” greeted Balthazar smiling widely creeping out his cousin.

”What are you doing here? You were supposed to be on your trial for at least 5 more hours,” said Jacking pointing at Balthazar. He was very afraid to do this as his family wouldn't support his actions. Any conflicts were to be resolved within the family and with Balthazar who currently owned the guild, his family would not support him for inviting trouble to the family business from outside. This is common irrespective of how small a business might be.

Moreover, Balthazar has already accepted and won his challenge about the cyber cafe related business. So, Balthazar could also twist it as Jack undermining the authority of the people who presided over that challenge, especially Arthur. This caused a feeling of panic in Jack as soon as he saw his cousin enter the virtual room. He had waited till Balthazar exited the game and only then sent the invites and tried to finish it up before Balthazar returned. He knew that the trial would take a minimum of 24 hours time to complete.

But soon, he realized that his cousin did exit the trial before the time of 24 hours was up. He himself took about 40 hours to complete his own trial satisfactorily. He had realized that since his cousin had exited, before the trial minimum time of 24 hours was up, there was a high chance that he had failed it.

”I got out of it a bit quickly and luckily heard that you were trying to do something stupid,” said Balthazar. ”How come you decide to talk about the guild matters without inviting the owner?”

”Got out a bit quickly?” sneered Jack surprising Balthazar. He didn't know the reason for the sudden change in Jack's expression. ”More like you failed the quest,” continued Jack.

”I didn't fail the trial,” replied Balthazar looking at him in confusion.

”You passed within a day? No one did that ever before. The best was 28 hours,” said Jack making Balthazar realize a few things. It was true that Harek informed them that their trial was different. Moreover, they weren't given any information of the trials of the people before them. Their own trial was fixed to end by 24 hours, but it probably couldn't have been the same of the trials that happened before.

”You do know how records are made don't you?” asked Balthazar as he realized the reason for his cousin's confidence.

”Anyway, if you want to have any claim to the name, you contact me. I am the one that decided to continue to use the name Crimson Realm. If you have any issues, let us deal it as we decide all family conflicts. Like we decided the last one. Moreover, I believe this comes under purview of the bet of that challenge as the guild is also a part of the business of my workshop,” continued Balthazar.

Jack didn't know if Balthazar really passed the trial or not but looking at his confident speech, he wasn't sure what to do. His cousin also indicated that the guild is a part of his workshop which frightened him more. He already knew Arthur was on Balthazar's side and he didn't want to provoke him. Balthazar also looked very angry. Balthazar was actually livid that his cousin would use the time that he wasn't present to pressure his friends.

”I. I can, can,” faltered Jack unable to come up with a reasonable explanation. He didn't want to anger Balthazar and hoped that his cousin would leave him a way out but looking at the livid expression on Balthazar he didn't feel very hopeful.

Balthazar started walking towards him in the room. A couple of people came in the way, but Balthazar simply pushed them off their feet to the ground. He caught his cousin by his neck and pushed him against the wall of the room.

”Are you the administrator of the room?” he asked in a whisper.

”Huh?!” expressed Jack before nodding.

”The only one? No one else has administrative privileges.”

”Yes.”

”OK. Who put you up to this?” he continued with his questioning. ”I know you are a bit greedy, but you aren't a stupid one. Someone offered you something in return for your help. Who was it?”

”It is the guild leader of the Divine Swords. He offered me a post as a guild leader if I manage to get this done,” said Jack. He didn't want Balthazar to take this to Arthur. So, he immediately gave up any thoughts of hiding information and gave up the name of the person who put him up to it.

”Divine Swords? If you are lying you will regret it badly,” said Balthazar shaking his cousin.

”Yes. I am not lying. I don't want you to inform Arthur. It would be nice if we could put an end to this between us and don't involve anyone else,” requested Jack. Balthazar felt that his cousin wasn't lying, and he didn't think that Jack had any good reason to lie to him about this.

”They are quite far away from us in the game. They are nowhere near, in another empire. Why would they want to trouble the guild?” he thought. He couldn't understand the reason for a first-rate guild who mainly occupies the fae empire were trying to mess with him. At this low level, they had no decent reason to waste their resources for something like this.

”This meeting is done, and Jack doesn't want to pursue this any further,” said Balthazar looking at the others in the room. ”Go back and play the game, I will handle this,” he said to Rudra and Slaine.

”Kick all the others out. We need to talk,” he said to Jack who immediately complied.

”You know why the Divine Swords wanted to do that?” he asked Jack.

”No clue. I asked the same. I didn't want to enter a deal which he could renege and didn't want to be someones tool, but their leader Muramasa told that the owner is willing to give me the role of an elder 1% of their shares just for getting the name. He even had papers with signatures done,” replied Jack.

”Who owns the shares. Whose sign did you see?”

”It was Ryan Rowley. Ryan Rowley. He was an old investor of the guild during his youth and had helped establish that guild. His name was Joyeuse in the War god's Tempest and older games. I only know Muramasa. His name is Sengo Watanabe. I can arrange a meeting between Sengo and you if required,” suggested Jack. He had already heard about the incident concerning Balthazar's near death and the fact that the ship which exploded was tracked to one of the Rowleys when the Rowley family disowned him and dusted their hands of the matter.