Unholy Player

Chapter 462: Dividing Factions to Keep Power in Check

Henry Bates then began to introduce the royal guest to his special guests in a calm and polite way. "Lady Vesha was the first person our Young Master befriended after coming here, and she has been a great help to him ever since."

He then turned to Vesha and bowed his head slightly. "We are truly grateful for that."

"Please, you are too kind." Caught off guard by the gesture and the words of thanks, Vesha bowed her head as well. "It was not even me who was helping him, but the opposite. If there is anyone who should be giving thanks, it should be me and my race, for all the times he has saved us from catastrophes."

She looked genuinely embarrassed, because her words were nothing but the truth. Adyr had not only saved her life; he had saved her entire kingdom twice, first from Colossith and then from Sevrak.

Seeing Vesha’s behavior and the sincere gratitude she felt toward Adyr, not only Marielle and Niva but even Vivienne and Marcus looked affected.

It was no secret to any of them what Adyr had done so far in the Beyond. His actions appeared on the news and in the newspapers on Earth almost every day.

Books had already been published on the subject, and lessons about this new world had started to enter history classes in schools. Young and old alike were hearing about how the Human race was slowly but surely taking root there and about the people leading that process, with Adyr’s name at the very top, repeated everywhere.

Even so, reading about it in reports and hearing it from others was one thing. Seeing it with their own eyes and hearing it directly from the mouth of a native girl from the Beyond felt entirely different.

Henry lifted his head with a warm, sincere smile and this time he turned toward the four Humans, introducing them to Vesha one by one.

He began with Marielle and Niva, presenting them as high-status ladies and as Adyr’s mortal mother and sister.

Though it was shocking to hear that someone like Adyr had a mortal family, it was not something impossible to accept. Even Elder Races did not have the power to turn every member of their families into Practitioners. No one could go against the will of the Gods, and it was ultimately their choice whom to bless with power.

"Nice to meet you, Lady Marielle, Lady Niva.’’ Vesha greeted them with the highest respect she reserved for kings and queens.

Then Henry introduced the other two as well, presenting Marcus as one of the lords of Adyr’s household, responsible for trade and markets, and Vivienne as a lady of the household, an Emissary of Goodwill in name, responsible for relations and cooperation between different peoples.

Although this world was ruled by Practitioners, Henry and the 12 City Managers were well aware that they were not the only ones living in it. The true foundation of kingdoms and regions was always the mortal population.

While Adyr was responsible for managing relations and the social order among Practitioners, they had decided to create a separate structure by choosing capable people to take responsibility for mortal affairs. It was not only about sharing work; it was about building a second pillar of authority that did not stand directly under Adyr’s shadow.

This was especially important in terms of trade. During the construction of the Human City, not all resources could come from Earth, as that would have been far too costly. Traders from other kingdoms regularly visited the Human City, supplying a great deal of soil, stone, and even labor.

To manage those trade relations, Marcus Ravencourt was the best choice to place at the head of this new structure, a decision the 12 City Managers had agreed upon.

And for human and inter-population relations, Vivienne White had been deliberately chosen. She was not only a capable woman who understood how to interact with people but also Selina’s mother, which gave her an additional, valuable connection.

From the surface, Marielle and Niva might have looked like the least authoritative people in the room, but in truth, they were meant to become the main participants in this new mortal formation.

Henry and the City Managers had not invited them to this world just so they could look around and relax. They had much bigger plans.

By involving them in matters of administration, they were planning to use them to keep Adyr in check. It was easier to restrain power if the hand that pulled the reins looked gentle and familiar.

Their plan was to construct two different factions to share the leadership of the newly forming Human Territory: one Practitioner faction and one mortal faction.

Currently, Adyr had full control over everything that was happening and always had the final say. This made him far too powerful in the Human council. Lately, he had even started to act more on his own, going so far as to secretly kill locals and first-generation mutants without answering to anyone or even bringing the matter up for discussion, making it feel as if one man alone was ruling while the rest existed only as puppets.

If they could establish this two-faction structure, they aimed at least to limit Adyr’s control over mortals. Decisions that touched ordinary lives would no longer belong to him alone but would have to pass through a second voice that could oppose him.

That way, if he ever thought about harming or killing mortals in the future, he would have to think twice, because Marielle and Niva would stand on the mortal side.

Any decision that risked upsetting them or hurting the people they represented would directly strike at his family and his own conscience, forcing him to face their disappointment. In Henry’s eyes, turning Adyr’s love for them into a balancing weight was the most reliable way to keep him grounded.

"Why don’t we continue our conversation while we sit and eat?" Henry pointed to an empty seat prepared for Vesha. "Please, take a seat."

The chair looked a little different from the others, clearly designed with the short girl’s comfort in mind.

After making sure she was seated properly, Henry returned to his own place at the head of the table and sat down, giving the order for the meals to be served.

Not long after, the doors opened and chefs and servers entered, pushing trolleys loaded with all kinds of dishes and drinks, filling the entire table.

During the meal, food quickly became secondary to conversation.

Most of the time, Vesha was the one answering questions, explaining the general governance of the kingdoms, their trading habits, and many other matters concerning mortal life. She even shared her thoughts on how certain areas could be improved, how people’s living standards could be raised, and how communication between kingdoms could be strengthened.

Her answers left everyone listening quite impressed by how much she knew and by how clearly she could express her ideas.

The most satisfied among them was Henry. He had not chosen Vesha just because she was a mortal and had a close relationship with Adyr but also because of her intelligence and the natural charisma that made people trust her and feel drawn to her.