Chapter 685: Unexpected Demand
This was Reiger’s second encounter with Spurgen.
The last time he saw Spurgen was during the wedding with Morgan in Camelot.
At that time, Spurgen had attended the wedding, and naturally, Reiger had seen this clan leader of the Earth clan, though they had no direct interaction.
Of course, under such circumstances, Reiger had had no chance to observe Spurgen closely.
This time, Reiger took the opportunity to carefully examine the Earth clan’s clan leader.
The other party had a pair of sharp ears, a slim figure, and was not short in stature; with long blonde hair, he looked nothing like a fairy of the Earth clan, rather more like a wingless member of the Air clan.
In fact, Spurgen truly wasn’t a fairy of the Earth clan.
The reason he had become the Earth clan’s clan leader was simply that he had overthrown the previous clan leader.
In other words, Spurgen had seized his position through a coup, seemingly having no connection with the Earth clan.
His strength was not formidable, and, to be frank, was rather weak; not only compared to the likes of Elf Knights, but his strength might even be deemed insufficient against an average fairy. If it weren’t for his normal body size, he could have been mistaken as a fairy from the Wing clan, known for their famously weak combat strength, right?
Before the ringing of the Pilgrimage Bell, Altoria was also a weaker fairy, inferior to normal fairies; however, compared to Altoria in those days, Spurgen might be even less capable.
From this, one could see just how insignificant and inconspicuous the Earth clan’s clan leader was.
Upon seeing Spurgen, both Matthew and Da Vinci revealed a look of surprise and suspicion in their eyes.
Altoria and Alberon, on the other hand, kept their expressions unchanged, but stared at Spurgen continuously.
Reiger, with an expressionless face, even when addressed as "Your Highness" by Spurgen, who did so with great respect, appeared indifferent.
"How should I address you? Lord Spurgen? Or Your Excellency, the clan leader?"
These words, devoid of any form of respect, were met with an even more cunning smile from Spurgen.
"Of course, as you please, Your Highness; even if you see me as a mere insect from the sewers, I would gladly accept it, for such trifles are of no importance," Spurgen said. "More than that, what I care about is the change your arrival could bring to me and Norwich, and hopefully, it is something beneficial for both parties."
A simple statement made the clan leader of the Earth clan seem utterly driven by self-interest.
This also reminded everyone of Alberon’s assessment of Spurgen on their way to the Treasury City.
It was a question posed by Da Vinci.
"What sort of person is the lord here?"
In response to Da Vinci’s question, Alberon had given this assessment.
"His position is very ambiguous, not as obedient to the Queen as Woodworth, nor as openly hostile as Mourine, giving off a feeling that he’s unpredictable."
"Aurora would decide to overthrow the Queen in secret due to her tyranny, the King’s clan has declared open rebellion, and the Mirror clan is nearly extinct; therefore, among the current six major clans, only this man’s stance is unclear."
"Sometimes he is overly compliant with the Queen, and sometimes he schemes against her behind her back. To be honest, I have no clue what he’s thinking."
"But whatever he does, it seems like he always ends up profiting handsomely."
"Perhaps it’s his stance, this nature, that has transformed Norwich into a place where anything can be bought or done if one has money."
Recalling Alberon’s evaluation, everyone began to view Spurgen with a slight shift in their eyes.
They all had a feeling that this clan leader of the Earth clan might not be so easy to deal with.
Except for Reiger.
"That’s not something we need to consider," Reiger stated blandly. "We’re here just to ring the Pilgrimage Bell, not to conduct business with you."
To Reiger’s remark, Spurgen shook his head.
"I believe this is a transaction in itself," Spurgen said with a leisurely smile and a meaningful tone. "Your Highness wishes to ring the bell, and the bell is in my hands."
"As such, Your Highness must put forward some tempting chips to make me happily hand over the bell."
"See, isn’t this a business transaction?"
Everyone’s expression changed slightly.
They realized that Spurgen was planning to demand the handover of the Pilgrimage Bell as a condition to achieve some unspoken objectives.
Finally, Alberon could no longer maintain his silence.
"No wonder you agreed so readily to Aurora’s mediation, granting us the opportunity to meet and negotiate," Alberon said, looking intently at Spurgen with narrowed eyes. "It seems you’ve had plans all along."
"No, no, no, how could it be called scheming?" Spurgen shook his head, declaring calmly, "This is mutual benefit. I provide what you need, and you fulfill my conditions; this is perfectly reasonable, isn’t it?"
Indeed, mutual benefit is perfectly reasonable.
But seeing Spurgen’s cunning smile, everyone felt uncomfortable at heart.
Simply because Spurgen’s demeanor was too much like that of a sly merchant, the kind with a particularly black heart, giving off the impression that by agreeing to his conditions, their own side would end up exerting efforts far exceeding the inherent value of the Pilgrimage Bell.
"What do you want us to do?"
Altoria asked this question.
Yet what Spurgen said next took everyone by surprise.
"My demands are actually very simple, nothing but two points," Spurgen began, raising a finger.
"First, I wish for Your Highness to protect me, or rather, to protect my Treasury City," Reiger said.
Upon hearing this, everyone was taken aback at first and then immediately understood.
"So, you are worried about the ’Calamity’?" Da Vinci murmured softly, voicing everyone’s thoughts.
Because of the arrival of the ’Calamity’, Norwich had become a flickering candle in the wind, on the brink of destruction at any moment.
In such circumstances, Spurgen naturally had to think of ways to protect himself.
Although the Treasury City was the most tightly guarded place in the Fairy Country of Britain, said to be impregnable even to the Elf Knights, with the millennium ’Great Calamity’ impending, who could dare to claim they were absolutely safe from threat?
That was why Spurgen had to leave himself a way out.
However...
"If you are concerned about the threat of the ’Calamity’, why not simply evacuate?" Altoria said to Spurgen: "And the residents of Norwich, the ’Calamity’ is about to erupt here, why not choose to evacuate?"
This was a question in the minds of everyone who knew of the situation in Norwich, including Matthew and Da Vinci.
True, the queen had given up on saving Norwich, but didn’t Norwich plan to save itself?
Especially for Spurgen, the clan leader of the Earth Clan, this was his territory, his people were here. With the ’Calamity’ about to burst forth, shouldn’t he be organizing the people, calling everyone to evacuate Norwich and seek refuge in another place?
"Or do you have reasons for not wanting to leave Norwich?" Alberon, seemingly intent on uncovering Spurgen’s schemes, said: "If that’s the case, you should also make a request for us to repel the ’Calamity’, not just to protect you, to protect this Treasury City, right?"
In the prophecy, the prophesied child was capable of repelling the ’Calamity’.
If Spurgen believed that, as the prophesied child, Reiger could protect him when the ’Calamity’ erupted, then he should also believe that the prophesied child could repel the ’Calamity’.
So he should make it a condition for Reiger to repel the ’Calamity’, instead of just like this, only protecting him, only protecting the Treasury City.
As everyone was thinking this, Spurgen’s next words surprised them greatly.
"I think you have misunderstood me," Spurgen said with a calm smile: "I do not wish to repel the accumulating ’Calamity’."
"Quite the opposite, my second demand is to request that you all do not interfere with the ’Calamity’."
"Especially Your Highness the Prince."
Spurgen looked at Reiger and laughed with a huff and puff.
"I do not know whether the prophecy of the Mirror Clan is accurate or not, and I do not care about such things."
"But just in case, I still hope you will heed my request and turn a blind eye to the ’Calamity’."
"If so, once the ’Calamity’ has passed, I will offer the Pilgrimage Bell to you with both hands."
"What do you think? Can you agree to that?"
At these words, expressions of astonishment immediately appeared on everyone’s faces.
Spurgen doesn’t want to repel the ’Calamity’?
He doesn’t want to save Norwich anymore?
"Why?" Alberon asked, frowning: "Isn’t Norwich your territory?"
"Indeed, it is," Spurgen replied with a grin: "But precisely because it’s my territory, what to do with it should also be my business, shouldn’t it?"
His implication was that he had his plans, and he didn’t need anyone else to interfere.
He also didn’t need anyone to repel the ’Calamity’ because he had other intentions in mind.
So, he had not only ensured that he had a backup plan but also wanted Reiger to promise not to repel the ’Calamity’, as foretold in the prophecy.
"You all just need to stay in this Treasury City, wait for the ’Calamity’ to pass, and then you can have what you desire as you wished."
"Personally, I consider this to be a no-lose deal."
Spurgen’s smile remained sly as he spoke.
"What do you think, Your Highness the Prince?"
At these words, the crowd exchanged glances, frowning subtly without a trace.
They looked at Spurgen with doubts and uncertainty, having no idea what he was really planning.
Only Reiger looked deeply at Spurgen, then turned and walked away.
Clearly, he was no longer willing to continue the conversation.
Altoria and the others were taken aback but said nothing, following suit.
Spurgen did not stop them, watching as Reiger and his company departed.
After a while, the smile faded from his face.
"It seems that things have become somewhat troublesome," he mumbled to himself.
The sky over Norwich suddenly turned darker and more oppressive.