233 OR NOT
"Lillye! Brother!" Lillann's cries echoed through the halls as he was taken from the room, his voice filled with despair.
The rest of the family watched in stunned silence, their faces pale with horror. The heartless son had taken control, denying his father a proper burial and the respect of mourning.
The air was thick with tension, the weight of Leo's ruthlessness settled over them like a suffocating shadow.
Lilleo Gullee was no longer just a man—he was a monster.
"I don't want to see any fucking leechers in my house by tomorrow", Leo commanded.
"Aye, sir", Kasshyek replied and complied. All the Gullee family members were chased away unceromonously.
-----
Several distinguished gentlemen arrived at the Gullee family residence for what was supposed to be General Lillye's funeral.
Instead of a somber gathering, they were ushered into a quiet, secluded room within the estate. The former residents of the home had been unceremoniously chased out, leaving the halls eerily empty.
The three men—Minister Alem, General Nahum, and a veiled figure—entered the room where Leo waited. The atmosphere was tense, the air thick with unspoken plans and shared secrets.
"Was it necessary to chase everyone out so soon?" Minister Alem asked, his tone a mix of curiosity and concern as he glanced around the deserted space.
Leo leaned against a table, his expression calm but resolute. "They were of no use to us. Good riddance," he replied dismissively.
General Nahum nodded in agreement. "You're right, Lilleo. It's better not to involve them in what's about to come. The fewer people around us, the better."
Leo's gaze shifted to the veiled man. "What's the Eunuch's response?" he asked, cutting straight to the point.
The man removed his veil, revealing the stern face of Governor Zeru.
"He's furious," Zeru said, his voice low and measured. "Shocked and utterly enraged. Your actions have thrown a fucking wrench into his plans."
"As expected," Leo said with a faint smirk. "Did he really think we wouldn't see through his bloody schemes?"
Minister Alem crossed his arms, his brow furrowed. "Do they truly believe they can manipulate us into turning against each other? It's almost laughable."
"That was their plan, alright," General Nahum interjected. "The Emperor has had his eyes on Sodom City for years. Now, they've finally decided to act."
Governor Zeru's expression darkened. "This won't be their last move. They'll keep coming, trying to destabilize us from within."
"So far, we've managed to foil most of their plots," Alem said, his voice tinged with a hint of pride.
"Remember when they tried to steal the Giga Codex from Eoloth and pin the blame on you, Governor? They hoped to turn Eoloth against Sodom. That didn't go well."
Yun-Yun extracted a full confession from the dead assassin brides from the Temple of Hera. Their original plan was to steal the Giga Codex then frame Siphonia and Governor Zeru as the culprits. That would persuade Eoloth against the city.
"Thanks to you, Lilleo. Now Siphonia is happily married and Eoloth is our firm ally", Governor Zeru said to Leo.
"Well, that was my mission, and I was rewarded well for it", Leo smiled.
"Then there was the Cergontyn family," Alem added. "The Temple of Hera backed them, hoping to turn them against you, Governor."
"Well, what they didn't expect was we made the move first against the Cergontyn, weakening them before they got involved," Leo said, his voice cutting through the room like a blade.
"Precisely," General Nahum said, his tone grim. "But their plans have all been foiled—thanks to our vigilance."
"Of all the major families in the city with significant military influence," General Nahum began, his voice steady and thoughtful, "there's still one that hasn't declared their allegiance to us—the Deghad family."
The room fell silent as the weight of his words sank in. Governor Zeru leaned forward, his expression grim. "The Eunuch's next move will undoubtedly involve them. We need to be prepared."
As they strategized, Governor Zeru turned to Leo with sympathy. "We are sorry about what happened to your father. We couldn't save him in time."
"Well, you won't be sorry for me if the rumors about me is true", Leo replied to him with a smirk.
"Lilleo Gullee would murder his father to become the lord of the family."
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Suddenly, the air shimmered, and a figure materialized before Leo as if conjured from thin air. It was Special Administrator Colleen, his presence unexpected and jarring.
"What the hell?" Grammers exclaimed, his hand instinctively reaching for his weapon as he took a step back, his face a mask of shock.
Leo raised a hand, his voice calm but firm. "Don't panic. He's not the fucking eunuch."
Before their eyes, Colleen's form began to shift and dissolve, his features melting away like a mirage. In his place stood Letcha, the Kappa changeling—a strange, bald-headed demonic creature with the features of a rat and a turtle.
His sly grin widened as he addressed the room.
"Sorry I came uninvited," Letcha said, his voice tinged with amusement. "I came to collect my due."
"Letcha!!", Grammers asked.
"I promised him a reward for his help," Leo explained handing Letcha a large and jingling pouch.
"That's more like it," Letcha replied, his grin turning smug.
With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the pouch into the magical space behind his back, where it vanished without a trace.
Letcha made extraordinary progress in his magical abilities. The potent magic-gathering potions provided for him fueled his ascent to the mid-tier of Svad that transformed his racial magic.
His illusions had become so refined and intricate that he could morph his appearance into anything he desired or anyone, fooling even the most discerning eyes.
Recognizing this, Leo enlisted him to impersonate Lillye in the prison of Sodom's Court. The plan was risky, but Letcha's mastery of illusion made it possible.
When the moment arrived, Letcha executed his role flawlessly.
He staged a convincing death in front of everyone. The illusion was so vivid that even the most skeptical observers were left without doubt.
The ruse worked perfectly.