My Lady? Well, that was the last thing I expected. The entire way here I had been preparing myself to meet some massive bald brute with enough muscle to lift a building with one hand. But a woman?! Then again, when you think about it: in a world filled with witches and Authority wielders, why couldn't a woman be the one commanding the hulking giants standing guard at the entrance? At this point, I wouldn't even be surprised if she turned out bald and muscular too.

A calm feminine voice came from inside the room:

"Enter."

The colored haired man gently pushed the door open and stepped in first. I followed, while Corvin lingered behind me, wearing a conflicted expression.

The room looked relatively simple: a polished wooden desk at the center, and behind it a large glass window that overlooked the garden. Seated in a leather chair before the desk was a woman with long black hair tied in a ponytail. A wide brimmed black hat sat upon her head. She wore a black dress, and over her amber eyes rested a pair of spectacles.

The moment her gaze fell on me, she raised her hand and pointed to the chair across from her. I sat without saying a word, and just as I settled into the seat, she suddenly flicked a small knife at my face. I caught it swiftly before it could strike me.

A strange smile I couldn't quite read curved her lips.

"So it really is you."

Really? That same line again? "So it really is you." Does everyone know the original Jevan? I grumbled internally before answering aloud:

"Yes, it's me. Now, how about we stop playing with knives and get to the point? Why did you call me here?"

Before I could finish my sentence, the colored haired man beside me moved. He raised his hand and a sword of ice formed along his arm, its cold edge pressing against my neck in an instant.

"Watch your tone when speaking to the Lady."

I didn't need to respond. The woman raised her hand and said:

"Lower your sword, Quil."

"But, my Lady…"

"Do it. Now."

The sword dissolved into tiny shards that melted into the air.

Then, with another wave of her hand, she said:

"Leave us. I have matters to discuss with him alone."

I watched him turn toward the door, jaw clenched tight, before he finally left and shut it behind him.

"Well, I'd say he's furious now, wouldn't you?" I leaned back in the chair and added, turning my focus back to the woman:

"Anyway, I should thank you. I imagine things would've gotten messy if you hadn't intervened."

"There's no need for thanks. I protected him from you, not the other way around."

I let out a short laugh.

"You give me far too much credit. But fine, let's return to the main point. Why did you call me here?"

She stayed silent for a moment, hands interlocked atop her desk, before finally speaking.

"I want your help."

"My help?"

She nodded.

"You must have heard about the recent gang war."

I stroked my chin theatrically over the mask, feigning thought, before replying:

"When the Claw Gang betrayed your alliance, and when the Skull Gang turned on the Night Wolves?"

"It seems you already know."

I gestured broadly with my hand.

"That's exactly why so many of my plans have been delayed. Chaos without end. So, you want my help in this war?"

"Yes, I know you'll refuse, but..."

I cut her off immediately.

"Agreed."

Her eyes widened slightly.

"You actually agree?"

"Our goal is to bring down the other gangs, isn't it?"

"Something like that."

"Then what's the problem? I said I'm in."

"You want to topple the other gangs? Is that why you've reappeared now?"

"That's one of the reasons."

"And is that why you targeted the Claw recently?"

"Target them? I didn't even know they existed. Their men disturbed my meal, so I made them pay for it. That's all there is to it."

She studied me for a moment, but showed no surprise. That annoyed me even more. Come on I'm not that kind of lunatic. At least show a little disbelief.

I crossed my arms and stared out the large window toward the garden before speaking again.

"Before I join you, I have some questions."

"I'll answer if I can."

"How many Assimilators do you have?"

"Five."

"Five, huh? That's not a bad number. And in terms of strength, can you stand against the other major gangs in the Lower District?"

"You can think of us as the third strongest, after the Claw and the Coffin Men."

"If given the chance to crush all the other gangs and seize the Lower District for yourself, would you do it?"

"Of course. Who wouldn't?"

"The gang war is still ongoing, right? Then why does the city seem relatively calm? I didn't see rivers of blood flooding the streets like I expected."

"That's what they call the calm before the storm. The other gangs don't want to risk an all out war, not like the Claw did against the Bloody Fang. That battle drained them heavily. And unlike the Claw, who had many Assimilators, the other gangs have only a few. But make no mistake, this calm won't last as long as the Claw continues on its current path."

"One last question. Which gang is this, exactly?"

She sighed, lifted her glasses from her eyes, then fixed her amber gaze back on me.

"Are you serious?"

"Kind of."

She didn't waste time arguing.

"The Night Wolves."

End of the Chapter 35: I am unlucky (5)

End of the Chapter 35: I am unlucky (5)

End of the Chapter 35: I am unlucky (5)

End of the Chapter 35: I am unlucky (5)

End of the Chapter 35: I am unlucky (5)

End of the Chapter 35: I am unlucky (5)

End of the Chapter 35: I am unlucky (5)

End of the Chapter 35: I am unlucky (5)

End of the Chapter 35: I am unlucky (5)

End of the Chapter 35: I am unlucky (5)

End of the Chapter 35: I am unlucky (5)

End of the Chapter 35: I am unlucky (5)

End of the Chapter 35: I am unlucky (5)

End of the Chapter 35: I am unlucky (5)

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