Chapter 182: 182. Representative of the Sovereign- 2

“My lord, there is a visitor calling herself the representative of the infinite sun; they were carrying it with them.”

The soldier bowed as he spoke, then lifted both hands and presented a silver emblem engraved with the crest of the Draconia House.

His voice remained steady on the surface, but he was too nervous inside since he had interrupted the duke in the midst of his working hours.

He would not have dared disturb Duke Rizwell during a private discussion unless the matter had bypassed ordinary protocol, but the woman had a silver emblem with her.

Rizwell’s eyes lowered to the emblem resting in the man’s palms. The silver insignia was not decorative. It represented authority granted directly by the House of Draconia.

Over the decades, such emblems had been gifted to allies, honored guests, and individuals whose presence warranted immediate audience regardless of circumstance.

The Draconian Knights were instructed that if anyone bearing such an emblem was seen, the duke had to be informed of their presence immediately. It was a sign that the visitor was not to be ignored.

However, as Rizwell examined the emblem, he could not recall issuing one in recent years, certainly not in connection with anything called the Infinite Sun.

For a moment, confusion clouded his mind as he tried to remember the name Infinite Sun. Then a vivid memory surfaced abruptly.

A few weeks ago he had presented several heads on an altar. The thousand severed heads of demonic cultists were offered in sacrifice to the eternal sovereign in exchange for his son.

He still remembered the strange symbol etched into the white stone altar. the symbol of infinity inside a sun. The name Eternal Sovereign echoed through his mind like distant thunder.

His posture stiffened.

“Bring her in with respect,” Rizwell ordered without hesitation. His tone shifted from calm to urgency. “Adam, inform the butlers to prepare a proper reception. And call Jaden.”

Adam’s eyes widened; calling Jaden was unexpected. Since returning to the mansion after the rescue, the young lord had remained confined to his chambers, isolating himself in shame and guilt.

Rizwell had not forced him out. Adam understood the reason.

Both of them did. The burden of betrayal and its aftermath weighed heavily on Jaden’s conscience.

As Adam turned to obey, a voice transmission reached him privately from Rizwell, clarifying the significance of the Infinite Sun. Adam’s expression hardened immediately. He did not waste time questioning further and left the office with brisk steps.

Meanwhile, Rizwell moved swiftly through the mansion’s corridors. He ordered servants to prepare a sealed chamber, one used only for confidential negotiations.

The Duke personally activated several barriers around the room, reinforcing sound isolation and spiritual concealment.

He then summoned the Knight Commander with urgency, the one who had followed him to the southern forests.

“You will guard the chamber personally,” Rizwell instructed him, earning a surprised expression.

The commander blinked in disbelief. Guard duty at a door was not a task assigned to someone of his rank. Yet Rizwell sent a direct voice transmission explaining the gravity of the visitor’s identity.

The commander had accompanied the Duke during Jaden’s rescue and knew the truth about Eternal Sovereign. He had fought in the massacre of cultists and had taken the Oath of Heaven to remain silent.

Understanding dawned across his face. He nodded without protest and stationed himself outside the sealed chamber; he would not let anyone linger around the room since the upcoming discussion was crucial, and even he could not gauge the potential magnitude of what was about to be said in that room.

Minutes later, Adam returned. At his side walked a human female dressed in modest white attire. A half-mask of plain white adorned with delicate golden engravings covered most of her face; the mask tapered at the bridge of her nose and ended there. The mask concealed most of her upper face while leaving only her eyes visible.

Neither Rizwell nor Adam attempted to scan her cultivation or aura. To probe the envoy of the Eternal Sovereign would be interpreted as hostility.

Behind the mask, Maris steadied her breathing.

She had altered her form into that of a human woman.

The transformation was flawless, courtesy of the shapeshifting talent bestowed upon her by William, though only the Natural Actor talent her lord had given her prevented her nervousness from surfacing.

Outwardly she appeared composed and confident, yet internally, her thoughts churned.

You can do it, Maris. she told herself

Adam led her forward. She approached the Duke and gave a slight nod.

“I am a humble servant of my lord,” she said evenly.

“Welcome,” Rizwell replied politely before gesturing toward the prepared chamber.

The door sealed behind them as the Knight Commander assumed position outside.

Within the room, a long polished table separated the two parties.

Rizwell took one end while Maris sat opposite him.

She did not recline arrogantly nor spread her arms trying to reflect needless dominance. Instead, she maintained a modest posture, hands resting naturally and demeanor respectful. That subtle normalcy unsettled Adam and Rizwell more than overt arrogance would have.

Rizwell studied her carefully. Her eyes revealed no hesitation or nervousness, indicating that she was not weak-hearted.

“May I know your name?” he asked.

“I am just a humble servant of Lord Eternal Sovereign. I have no name. You may call me Delta.”

Rizwell inclined his head. Adam stepped forward and poured tea for both guests.

“May I know the purpose of your visit?” Rizwell continued.

Maris lifted the teacup gracefully but did not drink immediately. Her voice lowered slightly.

“Call Jaden first.”

The request tensed Rizwell; he worried why Jaden was being called here. Did they have a change of mind about killing him? he thought.

He masked the reaction and nodded. “He will arrive shortly.”

Soon, a knock echoed softly. Jaden entered the chamber.

His appearance reflected exhaustion, and dark circles marked his eyes, and his movements lacked the confidence of a noble like earlier. He looked thinner, strained by sleepless nights.

At Maris’ subtle gesture, he sat on a chair while Adam moved forward to pour him some tea.

Her gaze lingered on him briefly before she spoke.

“My lord requires your assistance in establishing his own business venture.”

The statement landed heavily on the three men.

“He intends to form a conglomerate and requires the backing of House Draconia, at least publicly, to ensure smooth operations throughout the empire.”

Rizwell’s eyes widened slightly. He exchanged a glance with Adam. Eternal Sovereign entering commerce was not something they had anticipated. The political implications alone were substantial. Aligning with such an entity in economic expansion could strengthen their house or entangle them dangerously, depending on how the whole idea works out.

Rizwell folded his hands calmly. “May I ask you to elaborate?”

Maris nodded.

“The venture will operate under the name Infinity Conglomerate. Jaden will represent House Draconia on the board and oversee external operations across the Riverdale Empire.”

She continued without pause.

“Production and internal management will remain under our control. Jaden will act as the public face of the enterprise in this empire. He will handle major clients, negotiations, and official documentation.” ”

“While another individual from our side will see through the operations, marketing, and production, the Draconia house is providing initial resources to start the operations until self-sufficiency is reached and also basic security.”

“The profit sharing and other critical terms will be discussed on a later date by an elder,” she said before continuing.

“On the surface, the entire business will appear to belong to House Draconia. The connection between Infinity Conglomerate and my lord will remain concealed.”

Silence followed as she finished speaking; Rizwell let her words settle in his mind for a moment.

He processed each detail. Eternal Sovereign was not planning small-scale trade. This structure suggested long-term expansion beyond a single province. If managed improperly, it could stretch resources thin or draw scrutiny from rival factions.

“Do not worry,” Maris said calmly, as though reading his thoughts. “We will begin in the capital and expand according to demand. Plans will adapt as required, and everything is tentative for now, and the elder will visit soon to carry out the second round of discussions.”

Her composure unsettled him further as she seemed to anticipate his concerns before they were even voiced.

Rizwell exhaled slowly. “Who is the other individual you mentioned?”

Maris’ eyes flickered faintly behind the mask.

“You will meet her in a few hours.”

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