"What exactly are you trying to imply, Don Giuseppe? Perhaps that the newflame's disappearance from the inauguration room is somehow more important than Brunetto's treason?" another voice boomed, hostility seeping into every word that was spat out.

Havon turned to face the owner of this voice and came to lock eyes with a large white-haired man. The smile on his face had a devilish quality to it, and his eyes gleamed the same red as Havon's.

Another chosen? Havon thought to himself in disappointment. The thought that he wasn't as rare as he had first thought was a massive blow to someone of his ego.

All around the white-haired man were others of white hair as well, all of them standing at least 2 meters tall, perhaps the most physically imposing figures in the room.

"Are you trying to say it's not?" another voice boomed, this one more composed. It came from a bronze-skinned man with blonde hair at the other end of the room. Much like the first speaker, he was surrounded by others with similar features to him.

"He's a fucking triple anointed, three divine graces, do you not understand that? He could have been playing house with God for all we know. Things like these were bound- and are bound to happen. He's special. Something that Brunetto was well aware of before he sent him into the testing grounds without informing anyone," the first speaker responded, still eyeing Havon like he was some sort of prize.

~I don't like the look of him,~ Havon thought to himself right as he was about to open his mouth to speak.

"A new flame has no voice in the court of executives," the bronze-skinned man snapped, before pointing at Havon.

With that, the bronze man's finger instantly erupted into crimson flames, and Havon felt a searing pain spread through his lips.

~I-I can't open them,~ he thought to himself, more in awe than fear.

~This magic... it's insane,~ he continued. If they could seal people's lips together, there was no telling what else they'd be able to do.

"Use of spells against umbrastriders is forb-" the white-haired speaker was about to say.

"You said it exactly, Umbrastriders. Special or not, he is a Moros, no more than a sword for the House of Executives. Something you seem to have forgotten, Don Lamorte," the bronze speaker interrupted.

Right then, the air in the room seemed to go up a few degrees, and Havon could feel his heart falter. As if it were a candle about to go out.

~I have no idea what's going on, but it seems that these are the leaders of this world,~ Havon thought to himself as he did a slow turn to get a view of the entire room.

It was structured much like an auditorium, with him at the center, and the man referred to as Don Giuseppe at the speaker's stand.

The figures at the stand were all divided into small cliques, all of them sharing similar features with the other members of their group. Each group seemed to be sitting in order of hierarchy, with a single person at the front holding up a banner.

There were five groups present, with nine banners in total. It seemed that three groups were absent... with the white hairs not having a banner of their own.

"Perhaps it is time that the bastard blades be reminded of their place in this council," the bronze-skinned man added. His banner being that of a white stag.

While their leader debated with the white hair, the other members of the group stared at Havon intently with their bronze eyes. One would think that Havon had killed their mothers the way they were gazing at him.

"Enough! The Moros is correct; the existence of such a valuable asset should've been brought to the attention of the House as soon as it was discovered. Brunetto's acts are those of treason, especially at a time like this," another member in the room shouted.

This voice came from the group under the banner of the bear. Their members were hairy figures that stood at around the same height as the Moros but were generally bulkier in build.

As their leader spoke, the other members stared at Havon with curious gazes. However, this did not serve to make their stares the slightest bit unnerving.

"Valuable asset? Thus far, the only proof of this is the words of someone being accused of treason. Look, the thing has barely moved since it came here; perhaps it died at the mere residual heat of our soul flames," another voice interrupted. The voice sounded slimy; in fact, Havon felt a chill travel down his spine as he listened.

He instantly turned to the source of the vile sound and found it to have come from the group under the banner of snakes. Their people were thin, pale, and green-eyed.

~Are they trying to intimidate me?~ Havon thought to himself, noticing that the members of that group were all licking their lips as they stared at him, as if they were staring at a meal.

~What the fuck is this anyway? I finished the trials before anyone else; shouldn't I be in some hall getting some kind of medal?~ Havon thought to himself, annoyance boiling within him.

Though he kept his anger to himself. He was no fool and understood that the entities in this room could erase him if he proved to be more trouble than he would be worth. Besides, he was yet to learn how to use his powers yet.

~Hmm, wait, I remember that strange voice say something. Quest was it? Activate soulblade I'm sure it said,~ Havon remembered. However, he also recalled that there were no instructions on how to go about this.

"Don Giuseppe perhaps you should exercise some of the power given to you as head speaker. It hurts my ears to hear so many speak without being given permission," another spoke up.

This was a woman, her voice soothing, enthralling. In fact, Havon had the slightest thought that he wanted to marry her. Which served to make the woman somewhat repulsive in his mind.

~Mind magic?~ he thought to himself. Understanding well that such a thought was not something that could have originated within his mind.

Once he got rid of the thought, he noticed the woman smile at him ever so slightly.

She had pink hair, and like everyone in her group, she had a veil draping down her face till just above her lips.

~The banner of flowers~, Havon thought to himself as he side-eyed the banner right next to her. Out of all the banners there, somehow she had managed to make the pink rose seem the most dangerous.

"Enough of this. I didn't leave the comfort of my manor to listen to you children squabble. Treason, no treason, it doesn't change a thing. That weapon belongs in the capital with the actual House of Executives, it's beyond our clearance level," a voice boomed from a corner of the room, its tone presenting a sort of finality, as if it held a higher authority than everyone else present.

He was the final representative present, and the only person currently standing under his banner.

His was the banner of the lion.