Chapter 63 63 The Povocation
Frederick knew that his son's rash actions could ruin everything that he had worked so hard for. He quickly grabbed Raisman's arm and pulled him back onto the couch before he could attack Zach. He knew that eliminating all possibilities of cooperation with Zach at this moment would be a grave mistake. He needed to keep his options open and wait for the right opportunity to strike.
"No matter what, you should know that YOU are the one at fault here. The engagement had already been agreed upon by the families before you came here." Frederick highlighted the crux of the whole situation as he didn't like how Zach pushed the importance of the engagement to the bottom.
"I never said that I didn't do any wrong. I just stated a fact that whatever the agreement between the two families might have been in the past, there is no need to continue with it since Diana is already my woman. Neither can you control a woman in love nor can you forcefully continue a relationship that does not mean anything. You wouldn't want to destroy two lives including your own son's right? What would the people think about you separating two loving souls just to satisfy your ego and false pride? I wonder if the benevolence of the Sosis family will still be famous after that. After all who would be willing to ask for help from such cruel people?"
"I hope you can see that I'm not trying to be disrespectful, but rather, I'm hoping to find a way for everyone to move forward without hurting anyone," he said.
Zach's demeanor resembled that of the debaters he used to watch on news channels in his previous world. He presented himself as a professional and confident speaker, carefully choosing his words as he explained his perspective to Frederick. Even though Frederick was angry, he remained calm and listened to Zach's argument.
As Zach spoke, Frederick couldn't help but feel a sense of anger rising within him. He couldn't believe the audacity of this dark mage, coming into his home and speaking to him in such a way. His facial expressions changed momentarily, and he began to look cruel and menacing.
What Zach was really implying was a direct threat to the Sosis family's public image that Frederick had worked hard to create. He realized that if Zach were to follow through with his plans, it would have disastrous consequences for the family's reputation. This realization only fueled his anger further, and he struggled to keep his emotions in check as he listened to Zach's words.
"That is just sophistry at best. The prestige of my Sosis family can't be ruined for nothing. It was that shameless girl who despite being engaged to my son, went and got herself a lover. Why should my son suffer a loss for her infidelity? She should pay for her wrongdoings and so should you. How dare you threaten my family when you are the ones at fault?" Frederick felt that he had successfully taken control of the conversation, putting the blame squarely on Zach and Diana. He was proud of his ability to shift the conversation in his favor and defend his family's honor.
Zach, however, remained calm and collected, almost as if he had been anticipating this response. He gave a wry smile and rubbed his hands together, showing a slight excitement as if he was ready to present his counter-argument.
"That's interesting. My man here says otherwise. He thinks that this situation is entirely the fault of your stupid son over here. If he hadn't coveted something that didn't belong to him in the first place, we wouldn't be here. My friend is barely holding himself back from burning everything to a crisp. I would advise you to not provoke her if possible." Zach smirked in a provoking manner in order to heat up the situation as if he intended for some conflict to occur.
As Zach spoke, Frederick's expression turned even darker, he stared at Luna whom he had previously ignored. He might have acted differently had he known that she was a powerful fire mage before.
Frederick gritted his teeth as he tried to control his fury. He could feel his anger boiling up inside him, and if his eyes could shoot lasers, Zach would have been in serious trouble.
"So you wanted to play this game from the beginning. I wonder how strong your companion is for you to be that confident."
He realized that Zach had been playing a game from the beginning, and he wondered just how strong his companion was for him to be so confident.
Raisman was seething with rage, his mind clouded by the thought of getting revenge on Zach for daring to lay his hands on Diana, who was supposed to be his. He didn't understand what Zach and Frederick were discussing, nor did he care. All he wanted was to dismember Zach where he stood, and he glared at him with a deadly gaze.
He couldn't believe the audacity of this dark mage, who had the nerve to threaten his family's reputation and insult his father in his own house. Raisman felt a strong sense of entitlement over Diana, as if she was nothing but a possession that he had the right to claim.
Raisman's eyes flicked between Zach and his father, hoping that Frederick would take action against him.
Frederick looked towards one of the servants and raised his hand. The servant, a tall man with dark hair and a serious expression, came forward and bowed his head respectfully. Frederick whispered something in his ear, his voice low and urgent, and the servant nodded before slipping away to carry out his master's orders.
Zach, a young man with sharp features and piercing eyes, didn't bother listening in on the exchange even though he could have. He was well aware of the power structure, having been briefed on the family's internal dynamics by Bruce. Bruce had explained the intricate web of alliances, rivalries, and shifting loyalties that defined the Sosis clan, in the hopes that Zach would understand the gravity of the situation before he was in too deep with the Sosis family, the Luther family's bitter rivals.
Luna regarded the humans with disdain, seeing them as little more than insignificant creatures that were beneath her notice. Her primary loyalty was to her master, and she followed his orders without question. However, she couldn't help feeling a flicker of annoyance when one of the humans showed hostility towards him. It took all her self-control not to lash out at the offender and incinerate him on the spot. Luna prided herself on her obedience and discipline, but sometimes it was hard to suppress her natural instincts.
After a few moments, the servant returned to his position, and a tall, imposing man entered the study. His steps were deliberate and confident, like the flow of a river that knew exactly where it was going. Zach eyed him warily, wondering how strong and skilled he might be. He cast a quick glance at Luna, who sat calmly at his side, and raised his eyebrows slightly in silent query.
Luna understood Zach's unspoken question and gave him a nod of reassurance. She was a highly trained mage, skilled in a variety of magical techniques and always ready to defend herself and her employer. She had faced opponents much stronger than this man before and emerged victorious. With her at his side, Zach felt confident that they could handle anything that might come their way.
Zach breathed a quiet sigh of relief and turned his attention back to the man who had just entered the room. It was time to get down to business.
Zach couldn't help but feel a small sense of relief.
He knew that Luna was a skilled mage, but he also knew that there were always risks involved in their line of work. He was glad that he had taken the time to assess the situation carefully before allowing Luna to engage in a potentially dangerous battle. He didn't want her to get hurt because of a momentary lapse of judgment or a lack of information on his part.
And he knew that if Luna were to face someone who was too powerful for her, it could lead to an undesirable situation. He had already made up his mind that he would forfeit the match if such a situation arose. He wasn't going to risk Luna's safety, no matter what.