"Well, tell us what this meeting is about," asked Gustaw Pettmont as he looked around the conference room and saw that every head of the Great Houses had already arrived. Strangely, his question did not distract Fabian Bingen in the slightest, as the old doctor remained completely absorbed in the document in front of him. The sight irritated several of the nobles because, while their relationship with the trade families was no longer one of subordinates and masters, proper respect should still be shown during a meeting of this importance. To ignore everyone so thoroughly was bordering on an insult.
"Fabian, are you deaf? I asked you a question," said Gustaw, venom filling his voice. He had no problem with the old doctor reading before the meeting had started because he understood how busy the trade families could become. However, the meeting had already begun, and continuing to ignore everyone was another matter entirely. As the head of one of the Great Houses, he was not willing to let such a slight pass without a response.
That sharp tone finally pulled Fabian out of his immersion, and the doctor slowly looked up from the stack of papers in front of him. "What did you say?" he asked in a cold voice, clearly annoyed at being interrupted. He was already regretting having scheduled this meeting so quickly because all he wanted was to continue reading the information Karl had sold him. Even now, his mind was filled with ideas and possibilities, especially regarding how the magic circle could be adapted to suit the mountainous territory of the Bingen family.
"I asked you what this meeting was about before you ignored me," Gustaw repeated, his anger becoming even more apparent. The old doctor frowned at him as though he had just been disturbed during an important operation. For several moments, he simply stared at the nobleman in complete disbelief. Then he shook his head in disappointment.
"Then why did you disturb me?" Fabian asked before lowering his head and returning to his reading. "They don't even read the messages I send in the chat. What am I dealing with here? Amateurs." The old doctor muttered the last part under his breath, but everyone in the room still heard him clearly. Several people even looked slightly embarrassed.
Of course, nobody responded to the insult. Instead, they all opened their communication devices and checked the group chat. Sure enough, Fabian had already sent a message explaining the reason for the meeting nearly twenty minutes earlier. The entire room suddenly became awkwardly quiet.
The heads of the Great Houses knew the stubborn old goat far too well to waste time arguing with him. Complaining would accomplish absolutely nothing because Fabian had never cared much for social niceties when his attention was fixed on something important. Furthermore, every person present still relied on the Bingen family whenever they needed medical treatment or an expert opinion. Angering the best healer on the continent over something so trivial would be foolish.
Several nobles sighed as they began reading the message that Fabian had sent. Their expressions slowly changed from annoyance to curiosity as they learned that the meeting concerned information that the trade families had purchased from the Sonnenbergs. The Sonnenbergs were not known for selling information casually, and Karl would never ask for a meeting with the Great Houses unless the matter was significant. That alone was enough to capture everyone's interest.
More importantly, Fabian looked far too excited. The old doctor was usually calm and difficult to impress, yet he looked as though he had discovered a treasure beyond imagination. Every now and then, his eyes would widen slightly before a smile appeared on his face. It was honestly a little unsettling to watch.
"I take it that this information is important?" one of the patriarchs finally asked. Fabian did not even bother looking up from the papers in front of him when he answered. "Very," he said simply before turning another page. The brevity of his answer somehow made it even more convincing.
The room became quiet once more as everyone digested that response. Fabian Bingen was not a man who exaggerated, and he had witnessed enough strange things in his long life that very little could surprise him anymore. If he considered something important, then there was a very good chance that it would affect every major faction in Europe. Several of the nobles immediately became much more attentive.
"What exactly did Karl sell you?" another person asked after a few moments. This time, Fabian finally looked up from his papers and studied the people around him. Then, much to everyone's annoyance, he smiled. It was the kind of smile that suggested he knew something they did not.
"I can't tell you," he replied calmly. A collective groan spread throughout the conference room as several people rubbed their temples in frustration. The old doctor merely shrugged and tapped the stack of documents resting in front of him. "I signed a System contract, and for the next two weeks, I can't discuss this information with anyone outside my faction."
That answer only made everyone more curious than before. Some people even considered whether they could somehow convince the Bingen family to let them join temporarily just to learn the details. However, such thoughts disappeared almost immediately because everyone knew how ridiculous that would be. No faction would ever allow something so absurd.
Gustaw leaned forward and looked directly at Fabian. "You called us all here only to tell us that you can't tell us anything?" he asked with a tired expression. The old doctor shook his head and finally put the papers down on the table. For the first time since the meeting had begun, he appeared fully present.
"No," Fabian replied. "I called you because Karl Sonnenberg requested a meeting with the Great Houses, and I also wanted to warn you." The room immediately became serious as everyone focused on him. The old doctor then smiled once more. "He is about to make all of you very poor."
For several seconds, nobody said a word. Then a few people laughed because the statement sounded utterly ridiculous. The Great Houses were among the wealthiest organizations on the continent, and their fortunes had been accumulated over many centuries. The idea that one man could suddenly make them poor seemed absurd.
Fabian did not laugh with them. Instead, he simply picked up his documents and continued reading. His reaction caused the smiles on several faces to slowly disappear. If the old doctor was serious, then whatever Karl possessed had to be far more valuable than they initially thought.
As the room fell into thoughtful silence, several nobles found themselves once again wondering about the strange traditions of the trade families. They could not wait for a younger generation to inherit those factions, although they doubted the results would be much different. The trade families had always been unusual in the way they selected their leaders.
Unlike the Great Houses, the trade families often chose remarkably young family heads. Officially, this was because nobody wanted the burden of leadership and younger candidates were more willing to accept the responsibility. The nobles found that explanation utterly laughable because every one of them had spent years competing for the position of patriarch or matriarch.
Of course, they had not fought in the traditional sense. Any signs of disunity within the Great Houses were punished severely because internal conflict often led to disastrous consequences. Instead, they competed while remaining civil and proving their abilities to the rest of the family. Even those who failed to become the next family head still retained their status and were entrusted with important responsibilities because talent was far too valuable to waste.
Ultimately, however, the Great Houses respected the trade families. In fact, that respect was the primary reason the trade families had been allowed to continue existing independently after the Great Houses had gained the strength to wipe them out completely. The craftsmen, healers, and even the more dangerous families were rarely interested in politics or conquest. They cared only for their respective crafts and wished to be left alone to pursue them.
Even the infamous assassin family was no different.
To outsiders, they looked like a terrifying organization of killers, but those who knew them understood that assassination was merely their craft. They studied it with the same passion that the Roth family studied smithing or the Bingen family studied medicine. Their obsession with perfection made them dangerous, but it also made them surprisingly predictable. As long as nobody interfered with their work, they generally kept to themselves.
To be honest, many of the Great Houses were secretly happy that the assasin families had returned to the public eye. In the old days, they had frequently hired the assassin family to test the capabilities of potential heirs and future patriarchs. According to the records preserved by the noble houses, such tests had proven extraordinarily valuable over the centuries. After all, a person's true character often emerged when their life was in danger.
The records contained many fascinating stories.
There were accounts of candidates who had remained calm under pressure and gone on to become legendary leaders. Others had panicked and exposed their deepest flaws to everyone around them. In at least two cases, candidates had been immediately removed from consideration after their reactions revealed personality traits that would have endangered the entire family.
Every Great House possessed similar stories.
Because of that, none of them truly feared the trade families.
Instead, they viewed them as strange but useful allies who simply happened to have very unusual professions. Of course, there were still disagreements from time to time, but centuries of cooperation had created a certain level of mutual trust. Even their rivalries had become more like traditions than genuine hatred.
The nobles were still reminiscing about those old stories when the communication device activated once more.
A new hologram materialized in the middle of the room.
The moment they saw who had joined the meeting, several eyebrows shot upward in surprise.
Every person present recognized the new arrival.
Karl Sonnenberg never involved himself in the affairs of the Great Houses unless something important had happened. The fact that he had personally requested this meeting and actualy showed up immediately raised the importance of the situation in everyone's minds. Several nobles sat up a little straighter in their chairs.
"Yes," Karl replied calmly. "I was responsible for arranging this meeting, and I intend to give you the same offer that I gave the trade families."
His voice was polite but cold.
Although he had long ago buried the old grudges between his family and the Great Houses, that did not mean he had suddenly started liking them. There were wounds that time could dull but never completely erase. Sitting in the same room with some of these people still left a bitter taste in his mouth.
"Now, don't be so cold," Orazio said with a small smile. "Our families haven't interacted directly in a very long time."
Karl's expression did not soften in the slightest.
"Not directly, perhaps," he replied. "But your dogs certainly have."
The entire room became silent.
"And when are you going to learn to put a proper leash on those dogs?" Karl continued, his gaze never leaving Orazio's hologram.
A slow gasp spread through the conference room.
No one spoke to Orazio Vassevilliers like that.
Not even Gustaw Pettmont, who frequently argued with him during meetings, would use such language. Calling one of Orazio's subordinate factions dogs was bordering on an open insult. Several people immediately looked toward the Vassevilliers patriarch to see how he would react.
Orazio's smile disappeared.
"We are working on it," he replied, his face darkening considerably.
Unlike many of the others, he had never been entirely comfortable with the arrangements involving the Sonnenbergs and the assassin family. Both factions remained frustratingly independent and largely outside the influence of the Great Houses. The noble families had offered them financial support many times in the past, but those offers had always been politely declined.
Because of that, they had never become dependent.
The other trade families had occasionally sold artifacts or accepted assistance in difficult times, creating various obligations and relationships in the process. The Sonnenbergs and the assassins, however, had remained entirely self-sufficient. They answered to no one and had no reason to obey anyone.
That independence made Orazio uncomfortable.
"Are you really working on it?" Karl asked, raising an eyebrow.
The old patriarch's voice had become noticeably colder.
"We caught one of those rats sneaking around our forest two days ago," he continued. "And let's just say that someone became rather angry after finding out."
The room froze.
Several nobles stared at him in complete disbelief.
Sneaking into the Crimson Forest without permission was already dangerous enough. Being caught by the Sonnenbergs while doing so was even worse. Yet Karl's final statement was what truly captured everyone's attention.
Someone had become angry.
There were not many beings capable of making a patriarch like Karl sound so cautious.
Before anyone could process the implications of his words, a chair suddenly scraped across the floor.
Fabian Bingen had shot to his feet.
The old doctor looked utterly horrified.
"Wait," he said, his voice rising slightly. "Karl, are you serious?"
Everyone turned toward him.
Unlike the others, Fabian already knew a portion of the story.
He had met that some one to understand exactly who Karl might be referring to.
"You called her because of those rats?" he asked, his expression pale.
The entire room became even quieter.
Several of the heads of the Great Houses frowned in confusion. They had no idea who this mysterious woman was, but Fabian's reaction alone told them that the answer was important. The old doctor looked as though he had just heard that someone had accidentally set fire to a powder magazine.
Karl slowly nodded.
"Yes," he answered calmly.
Fabian closed his eyes.
Then he covered his face with one hand.
"Oh, you idiots," he muttered, though it was unclear whether he was speaking to the intruders or to the people in the room. "Do you have any idea how much trouble those fools have caused?"
Nobody answered him.
Nobody even knew what question they were supposed to answer.
The only thing everyone understood was that the atmosphere in the room had changed completely.
Whatever had happened in the Crimson Forest was far more serious than they had initially assumed.