Gregor and Ayaka exchanged glances with one another. The silence between them already conveyed their stance.

Both of them had clearly expressed their disagreement with the proposal to accept Glorious Sword into the alliance.

No matter how it was viewed, the reputation left behind by Glorious Sword was far from clean in their eyes.

Neither of them wanted to cooperate with someone who had once been affiliated with Silver Star.

That name alone was enough to stir unease. Silver Star had carved deep wounds across the eastern cities, and the memory of their actions had not faded with time.

The enemy of LionArk was also their enemy. That principle had long been established between them, and Gregor and Ayaka had no intention of betraying it.

Taking risks for uncertain gains was not a habit either of them favored, especially when those risks involved a former ally of a hostile force.

Yet, on the other hand, there was no denying the potential benefit.

If Glorious Sword, as the ruler of Arkban City, agreed to join the Eastern City Alliance, the alliance's influence and reach would grow significantly.

Arkban was strategically located, wealthy in resources, and home to skilled fighters.

Accepting the Glorious Sword could strengthen their collective power in ways that were difficult to ignore.

That contradiction planted a dilemma deep within their hearts.

"I've already stated my opinion," Gregor said calmly.

"If you want to share yours, I don't mind at all."

"Sir Gregor is right," Ayaka added.

"We can't simply ignore your perspective. We're an alliance. Shared decisions are what matter most."

Ethan nodded in response. He had already anticipated reactions like theirs. Gregor and Ayaka were not impulsive people.

Their caution was expected, even reasonable. Ultimately, however, the choice rested with him.

Whether Glorious Sword would be accepted or rejected depended on how he chose to weigh risk against opportunity.

He rose from the sofa and stepped away, returning to his work desk. His movements were slow and deliberate.

His eyes closed briefly as his thoughts churned. Fingers tapped softly against the wooden surface of the desk, forming a steady rhythm as he considered every angle.

If I shut the door completely, Arkban may become a threat instead of a neutral party. But if I open it too wide, I invite betrayal.

After several seconds, he finally spoke.

"Glorious Sword will join," Ethan said, "but as a non-active member."

"Non-active member?" Gregor repeated, clearly curious.

Ethan nodded. He turned around and faced Sir Gregor and Lady Ayaka directly.

There was a clear purpose behind that designation, one that had taken shape in his mind during those silent moments at the desk.

The non-active member status was designed to recruit as many guilds as possible into the alliance without granting them voting rights.

It allowed the alliance to grow in numbers and territory while keeping decision-making power firmly in the hands of trusted core members.

"LionArk, Star Shield, and Yotsuba will be permanent members," Ethan explained.

"They will have voting rights to determine alliance decisions. Non-permanent members will not."

Gregor listened carefully, arms crossed, his expression thoughtful rather than opposed.

"What other benefits would they receive?" Gregor asked.

"They can request protection if an emergency situation occurs," Ethan replied.

"However, they can only make such requests to fellow non-permanent members."

"And we?" Gregor asked.

"You may provide protection to them if you agree to do so," Ethan continued.

"But it won't be mandatory."

He paused briefly before continuing, his tone firm.

"It's different for permanent members. If one permanent member requests aid, every guild in the alliance, whether permanent or not, must comply."

Gregor suddenly stood up and pointed toward Ethan. The gesture carried no aggression.

Instead, it was filled with admiration. He had not expected someone younger than himself to possess such a broad and carefully balanced way of thinking.

"That's brilliant," Gregor said with a laugh.

"We won't be overburdened."

"If that's your idea," he continued, "then I fully agree with making Glorious Sword a non-permanent member."

Ethan smiled and nodded in response, then turned his gaze toward Ayaka. She returned the smile, her expression calm and approving.

She agreed with the proposal as well. Establishing clear boundaries over who could speak and who could not was essential for maintaining stability within the alliance.

"With non-permanent status," Ayaka said, "Glorious Sword won't have significant influence within the alliance."

"That's exactly my intention," Ethan replied.

"I want to limit them. I'm worried they might betray us and side with Silver Star again."

Gregor stepped away from the sofa and stopped in front of Ethan.

"I have friends who lead guilds in smaller cities," Gregor said.

"May I invite them to join as non-permanent members?"

"We should first finalize who will be permanent members," Ethan replied.

"I hope you don't mind staying a little longer to hear me out."

Gregor and Ayaka nodded without hesitation. They remained in Ethan's office, listening as he laid out his ideas in detail.

The discussion continued for hours, stretching from morning until evening.

Both Gregor and Ayaka contributed suggestions of their own, though most of them involved recommending guilds for non-permanent membership rather than permanent inclusion.

They debated influence, territory, loyalty, and military capability. Every name was weighed carefully. No decision was rushed.

Eventually, the three of them reached a conclusion. Gregor and Ayaka had no objections.

"It seems we've finalized the permanent members of the Eastern City Alliance," Ethan said.

"They will consist of LionArk, Star Shield, Yotsuba, Avalon, and Trident Sea."

Both of them nodded in agreement.

Ethan then asked them to immediately send letters to potential guilds in their respective cities, inviting them to join the alliance.

Non-permanent membership would be accepted automatically, as the alliance was in urgent need of numbers and presence across multiple regions.

The meeting between the three guild leaders ended before the sun dipped below the horizon.

Ethan shook hands with Gregor and Ayaka, thanking them sincerely for taking the time to participate in the alliance discussions.

"You're welcome to rest for one or two days in our guest residences before returning home," Ethan said.

"Thank you, Sir Ethan," Gregor replied.

Gregor took his leave shortly after. Ayaka, however, remained behind in Ethan's office. Ethan turned to look at her, slightly curious.

"Is something wrong, Lady Ayaka?" he asked.

"There's something I need to discuss with you," she said.

"It concerns Kuniko City."

"What is it?"

Ayaka fell silent for a moment. She took a deep breath before beginning to explain what had truly been happening in Kuniko City.

"For the past few days, there have been many mysterious murders," she said.

"We managed to capture several suspects, but they all denied involvement."

Ethan narrowed his eyes, his interest clearly piqued.

"Mysterious murders?" he asked.

"Were the people you captured assassins?"

"Yes."

Ethan grew quiet. He rested his chin on his hand, thinking deeply.

If his instincts were correct, then these assassins belonged to the same group that had attacked him in the city not long ago.

"Based on what you've told me," Ethan said slowly, "I suspect they belong to the Shadow Guild."

"I've heard that name before," Ayaka replied.

"It's not actually a guild name," Ethan explained.

"It's a term used to describe them. They aren't bound to any guild."

He went on to explain how the Shadow Guild operated. He described their structure, or rather, the lack of one.

They were individuals connected by contracts and shared methods rather than loyalty or hierarchy.

Ayaka listened intently, her expression gradually shifting to shock. She had never imagined that there could be a group capable of exploiting the system in such a way.

"The main culprit hasn't been found yet," Ethan continued.

"I'm certain they're someone important, someone being protected."

"For now, I can offer you some advice."

"Enforce a strict curfew. Focus on improving your members' skills. I might be able to send my best assassin team to help you."

Ayaka felt a wave of relief. She truly needed an assassin team to deal with assassins.

Only those who lived in the shadows could truly understand how others like them operated.

"I'll do as you suggest, Sir Ethan."

"Mavelard is still recovering after the Silver Star invasion," Ethan said.

"I hope you can wait one week before I send a team to Kuniko."

"I can wait for that."

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.