Luna was biting her nails in worry as she pulled on the hem of Zach’s shirt from time to time.

Zach tried to ignore her as he deliberated on what to do. Trapped in the carefully crafted plan of Prince Kolt, he had no other option but to agree to his demand. As such, he needed to get the maximum benefit even if the whole deal was against him to begin with.

Before Prince Kolt could truly lose patience, Zach had already formulated a plan that might not help him immediately but would prove to be useful in the longer run considering that this wouldn’t be the last time that someone came knocking on his door to demand their pound of flesh for him just because he had become successful now.

“Fine, I will do as you say.” Zach announced as soon as he saw that Kolt was about to say something and that worked like a charm. Prince Kolt looked obviously pleased as he signaled to Braxton who started to flip pages immediately in order to lead Zach through the pile of papers.

Prince Kolt could barely suppress the wave of happiness surging through his innards. The smile on his face this time wasn’t forced but of genuine happiness. His scheme had worked and he had gotten his hands on a working mule that would keep on bringing him money as long as he could control it.

But Zach wasn’t about to take all Kolt’s punches without throwing one back at him.

“BUT I have a condition.” Zach stopped his hands right before he was about to put his signatures on the first page of the business contract.

Prince Kolt who had been looking forward to it was visibly disappointed and displeased at this sudden hindrance. He looked at Zach with annoyance visible on his visage as he asked, “What is it now?” as if he was unsure about what Zach was asking for.

“I said I have a condition that you need to fulfill before I put my signatures on any of these papers.” Zach didn’t stutter as he confidently repeated his words while staring into Kolt’s fuming eyes.

“What did you say…condition? Are you not forgetting something? Should I remind you that you are in no position to be stating conditions with me?” Kolt threatened Zach as his voice rose in resonance with the boiling anger inside of him.

“I couldn’t care less about what you can do now that it is all out in the open. If you want me to sign these papers, you better fulfill my condition or you can forget about the shares in my business. I would rather destroy my business with my own hands than to let you get your hands on it for nothing.” Zach on the other hand replied in a calm and unaffected manner as if the heavy atmosphere in the room had nothing to do with him.

“What is it…this condition of yours? You better know your place before putting in some ridiculous request.” Prince Kolt had visibly calmed down but on the inside he was seething. He had not expected that this Zach would be so hard to deal with. Nothing was going his way as Zach seemed to sense his intentions one step ahead.

“I want his life. Give him to me as a gift for the start of our alliance and you can have what you want.” 𝐨𝘃𝗹.

Zach was eighty percent sure that Kolt would fulfill his condition before he even asked him. The reason was that he had figured out the kind of person Kolt was. For his own benefits, this person was capable of doing anything. He was a snake in human form that would bite anyone regardless of who they might be.

As if to cement Zach’s judgment regarding him, Kolt only froze for a single moment after hearing his demand. A rosy smile appeared on his face that expressed his delight. He had been thinking that Zach would demand something like a change in policy for his business which he would be unable to do without the approval of his family but all he wanted was his good for nothing brother-in-law’s life.

Prince Kolt stared at Zach as if to ascertain if he was serious regarding this condition. Zach didn’t back down either and replied in kind.

In that moment, Prince Kolt came to an understanding regarding Zach as well. Just as Zach had been trying to get a read on Prince Kolt, the latter had also been trying to understand how Zach’s mind operated. Kolt realized that Zach was a tougher enemy than he had expected. Just from his behavior earlier, Kolt was sure that Zach would not mind even if he had to destroy all the trucks in existence if he couldn’t have his way just to spite Kolt for not acquiescing to his demand.

As Kolt became more inclined to let Zach have his way, Braxton began to see his demise in the distance. He became more and more fearful that Kolt would throw him away since he could tell that Kolt was actually hesitating in the face of Zach’s demand.

“Hahaha~ Do you really think that you can have my life so easily? Let me tell you how absurd that notion is. My sister is Prince Kolt’s current concubine. Do you still believe that my brother-in-law would give up on me just for your measly business? He has come here on my behalf to get me my vengeance that was long overdue. You can only regret for the rest of your pathetic life for not killing me when you still had the chance.” Braxton needed to emphasize his position as his brother in law just so he could keep Kolt’s mind from swaying. His voice kept on increasing in volume as if he gained confidence for every word he uttered about his own importance but that was only another means of self-preservation that he subconsciously developed as a means to keep his fragile mind from fracturing in the face of his death.

In his heart though, Braxton was clear regarding his own importance in his brother-in-law’s house. If not for his magic talent, the royal family wouldn’t even have allowed him to enter their household. Therefore he was fretting over the decision that Kolt would make regarding Zach’s condition. Braxton could only hope that he was more important than a singular business deal in Kolt’s heart.

Kolt on the other hand felt that this wasn’t even a choice. There was no disadvantage whatsoever. He finally stood up from his chair as the mage behind the seat followed right after him as Kolt made his way to Braxton who was standing beside Zach with a bunch of papers in hand like a secretary.

Raising his hand, Kolt patted the side of Braxton’s face as if he was a baby.

Braxton too felt a little odd because Kolt had never shown such intimacy towards him before. Braxton felt that maybe Kolt was reassuring him that he would never throw him under the bus and happiness surfaced on his previously crestfallen and fear stricken face but the next words that came out of Kolt’s mouth froze his very soul as if the beasts of Niflheim had cast their breath on him.

“Your sister would be so proud of you when she finds out how you sacrificed yourself for her happiness and mine.” The words hadn’t even come out of Kolt’s mouth completely when a solid kick into his sternum sent Braxton reeling towards Zach’s feet.

Even though Zach had been sure that Kolt would eventually agree to his condition due to his snake-like nature, he had expected at least a little resistance. Turns out that Kolt didn’t even have that much humanity left inside him and Zach had overestimated him.

Braxton had wanted to take his vengeance on Zach ever since his return from the forest. But ironically, the one at the edge of the knife turned out to be him instead of Zach, his hated enemy. While in search of vengeance, it seemed that Braxton had found his own death instead and that too as he groveled at the feet of that very same enemy.

Braxton felt primordial fear seep into his soul as he lay trembling at the feet of the enemy he hated more than anything in the recent past. But today he could not help but feel that the same hatred was nothing in comparison to what he was feeling for his brother-in-law.

“Pl… please spare me brother-in-law. For my sister who has faithfully served you all this time…think of her please.” Braxton bawled his eyes out as he tried to appeal to Kolt’s emotions but regretfully he didn’t truly know this brother-in-law of his. Kolt was someone who wouldn’t bat an eye while killing his entire family if he could achieve his own ends or the benefit was great enough, let alone someone like Braxton whom he didn’t even consider family.

As expected, Kolt didn’t even spare him a glance despite his tearful countenance. The only thing Kolt’s face revealed was his indifference towards Braxton’s fate.

Neither Christina nor George could have expected things to take such a turn. They couldn’t understand how Zach could be so confident in front of Kolt even though the latter had some kind of leverage over him.

George couldn’t help but admire Zach at this moment. His negotiation skills could only be top notch for him to have forced Kolt to such a point despite being at a lower vantage point.

When Zach became sure that Kolt wouldn’t go back on his words, he signaled Luna with his eyes. Luna understood what he wanted with a single glance.