Sure enough, everyone from the Loisar Clan was dumbfounded.
No one spoke first.
How much time had passed like that?
Asher, who was stiff in shock, slammed the table with a bang and glared fiercely at Durias.
âI demand that you apologize immediately. This is a blatantly disrespectful remark to House Loisar. This is nothing but a threat!â
âI think you owe me an explanation for this.â
Grayâs voice was thick with displeasure.
âTo think that the South canât control the lesser ones. Disappointing.â
His golden eyes narrowed vertically and a terrifying sense of intimidation filled the hall.
Cade used his own pheromones to block it before it reached me but I was starting to get worried. The atmosphere was getting more and more heated, so it would not be strange if punches and blows started to come and go at any moment.
âCalm down, this isnât going to do any good.â
âAre you ignoring me now?â
âYouâd better take a look around first.â
ââŠâŠTsk.â
Gray reluctantly collected his pheromones.
It was because the Loisar clan was struggling under his energy. When the pressure disappeared, everyone breathed in relief.
ââŠMy Lord, Isabel has fallen.â
The man sitting next to Isabel cautiously opened his mouth.
Isabel, who had to deal with Grayâs pheromones right beside him, eventually fainted. Even her pale complexion, which had previously looked glamorous, had now disappeared, drained in color.
ââŠâŠWhat should we do?â
The man looked into Grayâs eyes and asked.
He had a frowning look, so everyone was looking at Grayâs eyes without batting a lash at Isabelâs condition.
Gray rubbed his eyes in irritation and spoke briefly.
âTake her away.â
âWhatâŠâŠ? Yes, I understand, sir.â
That was it.
The man quickly left the room with Isabel in his arms.
If Gray had been a good housekeeper they wouldnât have paid attention to his mood in such a situation.
Somehow, I felt sorry for the people of the Loisar family.
âHow are you, Durias?â
âWhoa, that was a close call. I could have really gone to the next life this time.â
âCrybaby.â
Cade glanced at him and turned his attention away.
I called out to Durias anxiously.
âDurias.â
âYes, Miss Irene.â
âAre you okay?â
âOf course Iâm fine.â
So why did you say such a thing? No matter how you look at it, that was a threat.
Durias covered the wound on his neck with his collar. It was made at the moment Gray released his pheromones. Duriasâs complexion was not looking good, probably because he strained himself while keeping Grayâs attack at bay.
âNot bad.â
Grayâs golden eyes, sitting across from us, traveled to the wound on Duriasâ neck.
âThen, shall we hear your explanation?â
His eyes flashed.
âIf you donât convince me, let me tell you in advance that there will be no next time.â
I realized that what Gray said was a lie.
He didnât seem to have any intention of being convinced of whatever Durias said next. This was just to create a justification for driving Durias away.
Iâm sure everyone here knows that.
âSince he says that there will be no next time, I suggest we end this once and for all, Durias.â
âAs a matter of course.â
At Baonâs words, Durias rose confidently from his seat.
A piece of paper was in his hand.
âWhat is that?â
âThis is the data we have been researching. Recently, something unsavory has happened to the Astrophel family.â
âSomething unsavory?â
âThere was a spy.â
Grayâs brow twitched at the word spy.
âWhy are you telling me what happened to the Astrophel family?â
âBecause Lord Gray must also know about this.â
Durias smiled brightly.
âItâs because someone left the egg of the bird clan in the room where the Astrophel heir eggs were kept.â
It was a significant start. At Duriasâs words, the expressions of some of the Loisar clan stiffened.
In a way, it was like saying that the Loisar family could have been involved in this spy affair.
âI donât know what misunderstandings you have, but we are not involved.â
An old elder of Loisar was quick to retort. However, Durias shrugged his shoulders as if he was not interested in the old manâs words.
He seemed to be looking only at Grayâs reaction, whose expression sank terribly when he realized there was a reason to begin such a story with that attitude.
âHa, thatâs funny. Are you saying youâre doubting my family?â
âUnfortunately thatâs right. Itâs a reasonable suspicion on this side.â
At those words, the hall became silent as the Loisar clan held their breath.
Grayâs eyebrows rose.
Durias cleared his throat and held up the next piece of documents. This time, it was several sheets of paper, each with quite a bit of writing on it.
âThatâs why I did some research. Who the hell could do this? As a result, Iâve narrowed it down to three families.â
Durias spread three fingers.
âThe first was the Miat family since wolves can camouflage themselves with other peopleâs pheromones.â
The first candidate was the Miat family? It was a fact I didnât know until now. It was also the first time I learned that wolves have the ability to camouflage.
âBut no matter how I look at it, thereâs no way they can infiltrate while tricking the Astrophel family.â
âYou just said yourself that they could cheat.â
âThatâs because those who are weak enough to be tricked by the Miat Clan are not allowed to work for our Clan.â
Durias answered as if it was a simple fact.
At the same time, the faces of the Loisars crumpled in disbelief.
The families that practically ruled the Eastern area were the Miat Clan, a wolf family, and the Artban Clan, a jaguar family. It was obvious that the Astrophels could care less for the Loisarsâ opinion when they treated the Miat family as nothing.
âThatâs a cheeky answer.â
âHaha, donât get me wrong. I know that the Miat family canât even afford to disperse their power right now so they canât afford to touch the South.â
Baon intervened and added a reason. It was a plausible excuse but it seemed like the Loisars were already very upset.
Durias folded his second finger.
âThe second candidate was the Artban family. In fact, this place is not much different from the Miat family, but it was the most suspicious.â
âWhy?â
âBecause the spy we caught was a half-breed of the Artban Clan.â
As he explained, Duriasâs mouth came down in a straight line. The smile that had made him seem so friendly just moments ago was nowhere to be found.
âBecause of that, our family also had to lose our hostess, Lady Estella.â
âThatâs unfortunate. But when will the main point come out?â
Gray asked in a bored tone as if saying âHow long do I have to listen to this?â
âI understand thatâs not the topic of this meeting. How long do we have to listen to that nonsensical argument?â
âOops. Iâve told you this far, but you still donât know?â
âYou seem to want to die.â
The corners of Grayâs mouth twitched at Duriasâ sarcastic attitude. But Durias didnât care as if he had something to believe.
âIâm asking if the Artban Clan and the Loisar Clan are accomplices.â
âWhat?â
Grayâs body stiffened and the sound of gasping could be heard from everywhere.
Eventually, the old elder of the Loisars jumped to his feet and cried out with bloody veins around his neck.
âWhat kind of nonsense are you talking about! House Astrophel, you should be polite! Do you even know how to speak?!â
âI apologize if I offended you, but wouldnât it be better to be clear?â
âT-Thi-This-This!â
The old man grabbed the back of his neck in anger. Judging by his reaction, he seemed to know nothing.
I was getting a little worried because Durias deliberately chose provocative words.
It was obvious to anyone.
Why the hell is Durias scratching the nerves of the Loisar Clan so much? Wouldnât that only make the position of the Astrophel family more embarrassing? It felt like walking on a tightrope. What the hell are you thinking?
I glanced up at Durias.
He was keenly observing the old manâs reaction and at that moment, I had a crazy idea.
No wayâŠâŠ.
I quickly looked at Baon next to me who had a similar attitude to Durias. He was also carefully watching the Loisar clan.
Only then did I realize.
Why did Durias provoke the Loisar clan to such an extent?
Now he was looking for the culprit and the one involved in this matter.