Chapter 9: The Unseen Threat

The royal chamber was quiet for a moment after the king's inquiry. Asher sat there, beads of sweat still tracing down his forehead, though his face remained calm and collected. His heart raced, not with fear of the nobles or even the king's scrutiny, but with the weight of the situation at hand. He knew exactly what the consequences of his clones' actions could be, and it wasn't the nobility or the throne he had to fear—it was the chaos they had set in motion.

Asher's silence was unsettling, and the nobles around him took notice. Whispers began to spread, mocking his stillness and his apparent nervousness. His lack of response only fueled their doubts. A few nobles even smirked, exchanging looks that hinted at their amusement at what they perceived as a young, inexperienced boy on the brink of panic.

"Look at him," one of the older nobles whispered to his colleague. "Just a boy afraid of his own shadow. The Eryx heir is nothing but a child."

"Perhaps he's not fit for such a responsibility," another noble murmured with a sneer.

But Asher, despite the sting of their words, did not flinch. Instead, something within him cracked. His lips curled into an unexpected grin, and before anyone could say a word, he erupted into loud, mocking laughter. "Haaahhahahahahahh" with his left hand on his head

The sound reverberated through the room, startling everyone, especially the king and the nobles who had been looking down at him.

The nobles exchanged confused glances, unsure of what to make of Asher's outburst. To them, it appeared as if the heir to House Eryx had lost his mind, a young noble overwhelmed by the gravity of the situation. But Asher's laughter was not that of a frightened boy—it was the bitter, knowing laughter of someone who had seen things they could never understand.

"You think I'm afraid of you?" Asher he thought in his mind, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Afraid of you or your petty schemes? You all talk about war and strategies, about these so-called threats… but none of you truly understand the real danger." His laughter subsided, but the edge to his voice remained sharp, cutting through the room like a blade.

The nobles recoiled slightly, . "The real danger," he mummured, almost to himself, "is not sitting on a throne or making deals with other kingdoms. No, the true threat is the havoc my clones could wreak on this kingdom—my versions, the ones I've trained with, fought with, and—" His voice trailed off, but the implication was clear.

He turned to the king then, no longer masking his thoughts. "And you, Your Majesty," Asher said with a steely gaze, "what do you plan to do about it? What exactly do you think you're going to accomplish with your noble plans? What will you do when the very ones who've caused this global chaos come knocking on your door, demanding more than just land or power?"

The king, slightly taken aback by the young man's boldness, straightened in his seat. His eyes locked with Asher's. "We will unite with other kingdoms. We will fight the new leaders—these conquerors and guilds that have destabilized everything. It's the only way to restore order."

But Asher's response was quick and forceful. "No," he said firmly, cutting the king off. "That's a mistake. You can't fight them. Not yet."

The room fell into stunned silence at Asher's audacity. Even the king looked momentarily taken aback by his insolence.

Asher, however, was calm, his gaze unwavering. "You don't understand. These new leaders—they aren't just conquerors or criminals. They're chaos. They're not some faceless army to be wiped out. They have individual goals, wants, desires… Some of them want power, others want revenge. But they all share one thing—they're all pieces of a puzzle that can be solved without bloodshed."

"Ridiculous!" a noble exclaimed, rising from his seat. "Do you suggest we negotiate with them? After everything they've done?"

Asher's gaze hardened, his voice low and filled with resolve. "Yes. I suggest you stop thinking like rulers and start thinking like strategists. What do they want? Why have they killed so many leaders of the world's most powerful organizations? Why have they waged war on small nations and turned against the guilds? Until we understand that, we cannot fight them. And if you go to war with them now, you'll only make things worse."

Despite his impassioned argument, the other nobles remained unconvinced. They whispered among themselves, dismissing his thoughts as naïve and impractical. They saw only the threat of war and the desperate need for control. Asher knew this—he could see their disdain, their refusal to listen to anything that didn't align with their own sense of power. It was a sad, predictable outcome.

The king, too, seemed unmoved by Asher's reasoning. "You may have a point, Lord Asher," the king said slowly, "but your ideas don't change the reality we face. We cannot ignore the devastation caused by these clones. They're a threat, and they must be stopped. I have already reached out to other kingdoms. An alliance will be formed. It's the only way forward."

The nobles nodded in agreement, all praising the king's wisdom, their voices in unison.

Asher, however, was unfazed. He had expected this response. The king's stubbornness, the nobility's self-interest—it was all predictable. But Asher wasn't interested in arguing further. He had made his point, and now it was time to act.

"You can all go ahead with your plans," Asher though, his voice suddenly cold. "But know this—I will not sit idly by if the peace of my territory is threatened. If any of my clones cause harm, I will eliminate them. Even if it's my own flesh and blood, I will do what needs to be done."

The king's eyes narrowed slightly, but he made no reply. The nobles, meanwhile, exchanged uneasy glances. They had witnessed Asher's strategic brilliance before, but they had underestimated his resolve. The young noble who had once seemed like nothing more than a puppet in his father's shadow had now proven that he was not someone to be taken lightly.

Asher stood, his decision made. "If you want to fight, then fight. I am and will never be against the royal family.

Soon the meeting was over and he left immediately while some of the nobles gossied about how rude of a child he was.