Building My SSS-Rank Universal Empire: From Trash to Cosmic Overlord-Chapter 214: Waiting

By the time Tiber returned, it was dark out, and Slya was sprawled on the bed she conjured with her power while Vale was still sitting, bent over the technique book.

He sensed when Tiber entered, but he paid him no mind until the man cleared his throat. Vale rubbed his eyes and looked up, frowning slightly at the darkness that crowded the room.

"It’s dark already?" Vale asked, his voice rough.

Tiber was carrying several packages in his hand, and he set them down. "Yes. I was unexpectedly delayed. They want to know the entirety of your plan and if there’s any chance of supporting it."

Vale yawned and leaned back on his seat. He rubbed his eyes and nodded. "And?"

"They will support you," Tiber said.

Vale’s eyes lit up, and even though he was expecting it a little, it brought a warm glow to his chest, and he smiled. "Then you have more work to do, Tiber. But first, what plan do you have?"

Tiber pushed a package wrapped in brown papers towards him, and Vale’s mouth watered from the smell that came out of it. He smelled fatty meat and baked bread.

"You’re a lifesaver, Tiber," he said with a mouth full of food.

The smell that now covered the room woke Slya up faster than Tiber could shake her, and her blurry eyes locked on one of the packages immediately, making her stomach rumble. Tiber pushed it to her without hesitation.

There was a moment of silence while they all got busy with the food. None of them said anything, and the sound of chewing filled the air.

Tiber brought out water and wine as well, making their dinner a complete feast.

He sighed as he brought down the wine. "The one thing we have to make sure of is that the Clan Lea... your brother should never know that you have the support of two Master Knights. At least, he shouldn’t know till you make the army close by yours.

"If he learns about this, then he will act swiftly and bring everything he has down on you before you can gather any allies. They will tear you apart, even with all of us. So until you have the support of Chief Rikon and that army, you shouldn’t show any signs of strength."

Slya raised her cup of wine towards them. "That’ll be difficult, considering they want you dead, Vale."

"I noticed," Vale said dryly. "I’m not planning to die, though."

They were silent again, and Vale shook his head. "This goes in line with what I’m planning. First, you will spread the information that the two Flagbearers are not in support of me. Don’t make the rumors too obvious. Plant it in dreams, subtly.

"We will also make sure that I won’t be helped when they come for me," Vale said. "If I was the assassin, I would first test to see the type of support my target has."

"You mean they are going to fight you to see if you will be supported?" Slya asked.

"Something like that. I need a good illusion Knight. It would be easier with Scuffed Bones Flagbearer here. Well, we’ll make do with what we can do. I have to die, after all."

☆☆☆☆●●

The next morning, Vale’s prediction happened. Not the exact way he expected, but the intention was clear, to see if the Flagbearers were supporting him.

It began when, early in the morning, Captain Orin sent word to Vale that he was needed for a meeting. Turns out the meeting was with the other Flagbearers.

Captain Orin began to talk about how he needed Vale to follow him back to the clan because the Clan Leader would like to see him as a guest. And all through this, he was subtly watching the two Master Knights to read their expressions, but the two remained expressionless throughout.

Captain Orin rambled on and on about it until he finally got to the reason he wanted said he called the meeting. He told the two Master Knights that he wanted their permission to take Vale with him.

As practiced, Vale leaped up and disagreed, saying he would go back to the Clan only by his own will. Captain Orin ignored him and focused on the two Master Knights.

Pomora shrugged and said it’s none of her business, that she was trying to put things in order in the borderland, while Takoda showed obvious hesitation but finally sighed and shook his head to say he couldn’t involve himself in matters of the Clan, that they should settle it elsewhere.

Vale flared up again and pointed at the Master Knights, asking them if they’ll just leave their commander be, but their reply was that they didn’t want to involve themselves in matters of the Clan at all.

At the end, Vale warned Captain Orin seriously and told him to remember that they are in the borderland and that anything can happen. Then he stormed out of the room.

☆☆☆☆

Later in his room, Vale grimaced. "Do you think my acting was genuine?"

He was asking his two subordinates who were with him but kept quiet during the meeting. Slya looked at him curiously. "You are too angry to be acting anything less genuine."

"What’s that?"

Slya shook her head. "You might think you hid it very well, but you are angry, very angry, and you look as if you wanted to rip Orin limb by limb earlier."

Vale stared at the two of them and slowly nodded with a grimace. "You are right. I am angry."

He had been keeping the anger buried and hidden, but it seems like anything can set him off at any time. The reason he was keeping his cool was because the one he really wanted to kill wasn’t available.

"... maybe I should follow Orin... that way, I will be able to kill my so-called brother faster..."

"Understandable," Tiber said. "But I think the little show is enough. At least, it set the tone with the rumor that’s slowly circulating. They will be more inclined to believe you are not supported, but the next thing they will do is test this."

Vale took a deep breath, his hand twitched by his side. "I will be waiting then."