Supreme Magus novel Chapter 1543

Chapter 1543 - Quality Time (Part 1)

"I exploit the criminals to find the weak points of my trading routes and the flaws in my security, be they of human origin or not." Every five years or so, I have a chivalrous knight of the Desert rise against me and challenge my rule.

"Those who have the resources and the will to form a new country always follow him. The knight racks only victories, making his followers grow in number until even the most cowardly among the traitors crawl out of the shadows, certain that victory is at hand.

"At that point, I make my move and get rid of them all at the same time." Salaark shrugged.

"If they have an army so big that they can challenge your authority and such a powerful leader, how can it be so easy?" Tista asked.

"Because I’m that knight, silly Featherling!" Salaark shapeshifted several times into different men and women, each one of them exuding the charisma of a natural-born leader.

"Once every five years?" Lith blurted out in surprise. "How can people not notice the pattern and how can they fall for the same trick over and over again?"

.

"Because I don’t instigate a rebellion, I just ride the wave the moment it takes form." Salaark said. "Hence there’s no precise pattern. As for your second question, no one ever comes out alive of the slaughter.

"The only thing that the rest of the Desert knows is that the Valiant knight falls either due to an ambush of the cowardly Overlord or because of a traitor. I let each knight have a valiant death so that no one ever questions their loyalty to the cause.

"Also, the greater their fame, the greater mine grows with each one I defeat."

Lith had to admit that it was an excellent plan that allowed the Mother of all Phoenix to turn problems into assets. After that, the conversation moved to much scarier topics.

Elina had no qualms asking Salaark when they would meet Mimeria’s daughter and how exactly the pregnancy of a Phoenix happened.

***

Ernas Household. Lunchtime in the Desert, nighttime for the Kingdom.

Friya Ernas checked her dimensional items’ content with a list of provisions she had prepared, making sure to have not forgotten anything. Now that she was no longer a prisoner in her own home she couldn’t wait to get out and have some fun.

"Are you sure that you want to go to the Desert?" Orion asked.

"Yes, Dad." She replied. "What Mom did to all of us, how she manipulated our family to further her plan, made me feel like back when I studied at the White Griffon and I was just a tool in the hands of my birth mother, Drenya Solivar.

"I need to sort out my feelings and I can’t do it in a place that right now feels as toxic as my old household. Thanks to Lith, I can travel to the Blood Desert without any worry of stirring political troubles and deepen my knowledge about Forgemastery."

"Friya, you know that you can tell me the truth. I understand if you want to go to the Desert to search for your mother." The idea of his daughter leaving home so soon after divorcing his wife tore Orion’s heart to shreds.

Actually, the divorce wouldn’t be final until he destroyed Jirni’s betrothal gift. Lord Ernas had damaged and fixed it so many times that he had lost count.