Free Web NovelChapter 121: Chapter 121: The MAGNA CARTA
Damon opened the letter under Hermes and Athena’s expectant gazes. Neither of them could fully hide their curiosity. The Greek pantheon’s relations with outside forces had always been almost nonexistent, so receiving a formal message from one of the leaders of the biblical Underworld was not exactly common. The handwriting was elegant and well-kept. Damon began to read in silence.
Lord Damon,
On behalf of the Four Maou, I am writing to you regarding the recent disappearance of one of our own within Greek territory.
We understand that his presence may have been considered a trespass of your borders. However, the complete disappearance of a member of our faction, without the return of a body or any formal explanation, has caused great concern among our people.
Our intention is not to start an unnecessary conflict. On the contrary, we wish to maintain a professional relationship between our factions. Even so, we cannot ignore an act of such severity without receiving a proper explanation.
For that reason, I request a meeting with you in Kuoh, Japan, within two days. I will be waiting for you at the Ham Halal restaurant.
I sincerely hope you accept this invitation. Your absence will be interpreted as a refusal to negotiate and as a lack of respect toward the basic rules that uphold relations within the supernatural world.
If we receive no response, or if you decide not to appear, our faction will be forced to consider this matter with the seriousness it deserves and act accordingly.
Damon held the letter in silence, staring at it.
Inside his mind, the reaction was immediate. "Ahhhhhhhhhhh, without a doubt, who the hell do those devils think they are, Damon?" Shukaku shouted wildly. "You should go there and teach them a lesson! Show them who’s in charge!"
Before he could continue shouting, the other bijuu silenced him, though none of them seemed to truly disagree. Even they were dissatisfied with what they had read. The letter tried to sound respectful, but beneath every word, the arrogance, the veiled threat, and the attempt to blame Damon for defending his own territory could be felt.
Damon closed his eyes for a moment, listening to the bijuu’s complaints inside his mind as the letter disappeared into ashes with a pulse of his power.
The truth was, part of him wanted to listen to Shukaku right then and there. Because, who did those bastards think they were? Even while trying to sound diplomatic, the contempt was obvious. They had entered Greek territory, tried to touch people under his protection, and now they wanted to act like victims.
"Well?" he heard Athena’s voice. freeweɓnøvel.com
Damon opened his eyes and looked at her. The goddess was watching him with a raised eyebrow. "What did the letter say?" Athena asked curiously.
Damon pushed his thoughts aside for a moment and sighed. "The devils want an explanation for the death of their people in our territory."
Hermes frowned. "That sounds reasonable."
"It’s not as reasonable as you think," Damon replied calmly. "First, how do they know it was us? Yes, it happened in our territory, and obviously it was me, but they shouldn’t have a way to confirm it that quickly. For all we know, it could have even been a monster... Yet the letter already comes written as if they’re blaming us."
Hermes blinked, processing his words.
Damon continued, amusement in his voice. "Second, they admit one of their own entered Greek territory without permission, but at the same time, they offer no apology for the act. And they have the audacity to speak of professional relations while demanding an explanation, which is very funny because we’re not the babysitters of a group of devils."
"I’m curious to know how they’ll explain that their devils tried to touch people under Greek protection... In simple terms, what they want is to blame us and get something in return when, in reality, I’m the one who should be demanding answers."
Athena nodded with a serious expression. "It is a common tactic in political matters. When someone believes they have the advantage, they try to place the blame on the side they consider weaker. If it works, they gain compensation without having to lift a finger. If it does not, they at least measure the other side’s reaction."
"Ahhh..." Hermes let out, blushing slightly at not having seen the obvious from the beginning. "Well, yes. If you put it that way, it makes a lot of sense." The god let out a nervous laugh.
Ignoring Hermes’s momentary ignorance, Athena turned her attention back to Damon. "Then this situation is worrying. What will we do?"
Damon remained silent for a moment. "Obviously, I’m not happy with the message, but I’m not surprised either. I know devils well. And I also know this is how many factions operate."
Athena said nothing, but her gaze made it clear she agreed.
"I don’t intend to give them anything," Damon continued. "I’m sure that if they could ask for something, they would ask for a demigod as compensation, or anything that would allow them to insert Greek blood into a high-class devil bloodline."
Athena nodded slowly, satisfied with his analysis.
"That said," Damon crossed his arms, "I think going to the meeting could be useful. It would be a good way to step outside our bubble and show the supernatural world that, at the very least, we have the guts to defend ourselves."
Besides, Japan was Amaterasu’s territory. If he went to Kuoh, he would have the chance to visit her. The simple thought made a small smile appear on the redhead’s face.
Athena noticed the gesture, but decided not to comment. "And if things go south? I don’t think it will be that simple. They are devils for a reason."
"I understand your concerns," Damon replied. "But things won’t escalate just because they want them to. If they truly wanted war, the letter wouldn’t have been so careful. Besides, why the hell would they care so much about a group of weak devils? They weren’t important enough to provoke a crisis between factions out of simple pride."
Athena narrowed her eyes, understanding where he was going.
"That’s why this sounds more like someone trying to appease many people at the same time," the redhead continued. "I imagine devil society isn’t ruled by Lucifer alone. There’s probably a group trying to take more advantage of this than others. After all, situations like this usually appear when you have to sound reasonable without admitting you made a mistake."
Damon paused briefly, remembering some of his past lives and the times he had dealt with similar conflicts. "I know because I’ve seen it before," he added thoughtfully. "And also because I’ve done it myself."
Hermes grimaced. "Wow... that sounds like a pain in the ass to deal with."
"It is," Damon replied, letting out a small laugh. "So as long as I don’t raise my hand first, an open conflict shouldn’t happen. But that doesn’t mean I’ll back down if they try to force my hand."
Not to mention that, if things really reached that point, Damon doubted the devil’s faction could stop him. The original Satans were dead, and he doubted the current Maou were on the same level as the original Lucifer or the other Satans of old.
In fact, Damon even doubted that the biblical side as a whole could cause the same damage they would have caused in the past. He had not heard from Elohim in a long time, and for all he knew, he could even be dead. Of course, he did not want to let arrogance cloud his judgment. The biblical side was still a force to take into account. But compared to what they had been before, the current situation seemed much simpler.
Damon began walking toward the library entrance, making Hermes raise an eyebrow. "Eh... where are you going?" asked the messenger god.
"I have a few things to do before I leave," Damon replied without stopping. "I’ll do them quickly, so stay alert. I’ll call a meeting in a few minutes."
Athena watched him for a moment, understanding that he was not going to discuss the matter any further. Hermes, for his part, simply nodded. "Understood," Hermes said.
Damon added nothing else. The space around him distorted, and the redhead disappeared in a burst of light.
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"I hate all of this," Artemis murmured as she watched her Hunters settle into the cabin they had now been given inside the camp. She still could not believe she was being forced to do something like this. Help a bunch of brats. Stay near men... The idea alone was enough to make her feel like vomiting. freēwēbnovel.com
Phoebe placed a quiver on one of the beds and looked around with obvious disgust. "My lady, did we really have to come here? This place reeks of men." Several Hunters nodded silently, disgust clear in their eyes. "It’s not as bad as you girls say. We shouldn’t give Lady Artemis more headaches," Zoe said, though her tone made it clear she was not comfortable either. Phoebe crossed her arms and did not reply, but she clearly had no desire to be here.
Artemis did not even bother correcting them. After all, she thought the same. Her Hunters were used to the forests, to freedom. Not to staying locked inside a place full of men. "This is Lord Damon’s order, and we will obey it," she finally said, trying to sound firm. "We will train the demigods, and we will leave when Damon decides our presence is no longer necessary."
"And if one of them tries to get too close?" Phoebe asked. "Then you’ll break his nose," Artemis replied without hesitation. That earned a few smiles from the Hunters, though Zoe did not seem entirely convinced. The daughter of Atlas let out a sigh. "Lady Artemis, with all due respect, I don’t think Lord Damon would like that. I think it would be better to avoid trouble as much as possible."
Artemis frowned. She knew Zoe was right. It would be better not to provoke Damon’s anger right now. "I know, Zoe. You don’t have to tell me," the goddess said as she left the cabin to get some air, followed by Zoe and Phoebe. They were greeted by the curious gazes of the demigods, though most looked away when one of the Hunters returned the gesture coldly.
Artemis was about to say something when she suddenly went completely still. In the distance, near the dining pavilion, a familiar figure was surrounded by several demigods. Some of the younger children looked at her with curiosity. Others seemed to speak to her with confidence, while the woman smiled calmly, leaning down slightly to listen to a little girl holding a spear far too large for her size.
Artemis’s chest tightened.
"Mother..."
The word left her lips before she could stop it. Phoebe and Zoe followed her gaze, and both instantly went tense. The mother of their goddess was here, surrounded by the very demigods they had been complaining about just a few minutes ago.
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Lol its a matter of perspective )
P@treon: Brotato up to Chapter 133
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