The door to Gary's spacious office creaked open, and in walked a young man with a calculating look in his eyes, just like his father's.
Who could it be other than the son of the guild's owner, Tristan Wesman, who stepped into the room with a confident smile.
Tristan was a tall, lean man with sharp features and cold black eyes. His hair was dark and styled neatly, and he wore a black leather jacket over a crisp white shirt, the collar of which was popped up.
As he approached his father's desk, he gave a small nod of greeting, "Father. You wanted to see me regarding that deal?"
Gary turned around and looked at Tristan with a small smile hanging on his lips, "Have you completed all the preparations for going to the Hunter Academy?" He asked, his voice deep yet carrying a hint of pride.
Tristan nodded confidently, "Of course, father. I also took care of Remy. What a moron he is. He really thought he could join the academy along with Isabella and me just to keep an eye on us. But I planned things so that he would overhear me and run towards Isabella only to see how she didn't even believe him. He has no support now and has officially hit rock bottom. He is all yours now, father."
Gary's smile widened as he sat on his chair and leaned back, "Good job, my son. I couldn't be more proud of you. Remy has enough potential to become an S Rank Hunter in the future, just like his forefathers. His grandmother would have also become one if not for getting injured and deciding to retire early to raise her son. Fortunately, it all worked in our favor. Now that Remy is a slave to my guild, within a couple of years, I can grow my guild to the next level with his help and the others."
Tristan's lips twisted into a cold smirk, "You are really a genius, father. You single-handedly brought down the Eleanor Family and swallowed all their wealth and power. I don't think anybody else could have brought down an Elite family like that and even made their only descendant succumb to you."
Gary nodded with a proud smile and said, "It is all thanks to Grace's son for being a fool. But his wife…" Gary's eyes hardened as he continued, "...She was even more foolish for sticking with him. If only she had chosen differently…" Gary's voice had a hint of bitterness as certain memories flashed in his mind.
"Father, it was that woman's loss. I am sure you had plenty of fun with better women," Tristan said with a shrug.
"No…she was special in a way you won't understand now. I am sure you would also find someone like that one day," Gary said with an absent look.
Tristan raised one of his brows, not expecting his father to be still attached to a dead woman, and said, "Probably, but till then, I am going to have my fun with Isabella," He then furrowed his brows and asked, "But one thing I don't get. Why did you not do anything about Remy's grandmother since you took care of the rest? If Remy didn't have her, it would have been easier to pull him in earlier."
Gary's pupils subtly shook as he looked at his son, "Way before you and I were born and when Grace was at her prime, there was a saying every single person in our country and people around the world knew - 'Beware the storm that ignites, for its wrath spares no one who provokes it'. Everybody knew this saying stood true for only one person…Firestorm Huntress. That was her alias. I still remember the seniors around me when I was a kid, talking about her in awe and fear even after she retired."
Tristan furrowed his brows, hearing his words while his father added, "People used to say that she was a storm in human form, a force of nature that couldn't be tamed or controlled. And anyone who dared to provoke her, well, they would be reduced to oblivion before they could do anything."
Tristan shrugged and asked with a confused look, "I don't get it. If she was that powerful, why did you do it despite knowing all this?"
Gary scoffed as he stroked the edge of his table, "I was a baby when she retired for good. The serious injuries she suffered in her last quest also put her out of commission long enough for her to decide to retire forever and look after her only son. And by the time I grew up, she was nowhere as strong as she was during her younger days. It only became easier for me to trick her son and use the public to target the Eleanor Family. With the public seeing me as a grieving and disappointed friend of her dead corrupt son, what can she possibly do to me even if she knows the truth? She was old at that time to be any threat."
Tristan smiled with a subtle scoff as he said, "That's a brilliant move. But you still didn't say why you let her be."
Gary stroked his sideburn as he said casually, "I just didn't want to take any risks no matter how small. I got what I wanted, and going after her will be a waste of my time and effort. She is weak now, and…" Gary's eyes subtly rippled as he shook his head and added, "She is old enough to end up in a coffin any day soon," He then looked at Tristan and said, "You should go to the hangar and make sure the deal goes smoothly. It is a very important deal and I am giving you this responsibility so that you can get an idea of how I do things. You are a big guy now, and everything I built will be yours one day. So I want to prepare you for it. You know how hard it was for me to build everything, right?"
Tristan nodded with a serious look as he nodded, "I understand, father. You can have faith in me without any worries. I will make sure the deal goes smoothly. But I was wondering…How did you end up making a connection with the bigshot who reserved two seats at the Hunter Academy for Isabella and me? Knowing him, I thought people like him wouldn't mingle themselves with any guild below Legendary Tiers."
Gary subtly smirked and said, "Let's just say I happened to get lucky to have the right connections and our guild is prepared to do things other lofty guilds won't. This is why I always tell you to never stop forming connections with those who can bring some sort of benefit to you, no matter how small and not be shy to do whatever it takes."
Tristan could see that his father didn't want to reveal more details. But he didn't mind since he knew his father would tell him things at the right time.
"I know, father. You always tell me that. I will see you right after I close the deal," Tristan said with a thumbs up as he turned around and left.
…
An hour later,
An old woman wearing a long, plain white dress that hung loosely around her thin frame entered the building of the Blade of Brotherhood Guild.
She held her brown walking stick tightly as she walked in with a slight limp.
The guards, who stood at the entrance of the building, looked at her skeptically as she approached.
"State your purpose," one of the guards barked, his eyes scanning her from head to toe.
Grace looked up at the guard, her brown eyes shining with a hint of amusement, "I am here to see my old friend, Gary Wesman. Or am I at the wrong building?" She asked with a chuckle, her voice gentle but firm.
The guard narrowed his eyes, still unsure, "What's your name?"
Grace smiled, "He knows me as Grace. I am sure he must remember this name unless I am expecting too much from such a big man."
The guard typed something into his tablet and then looked at Grace, "Wait here," he curtly said, feeling that this was probably another demented old person who usually tries to enter the building and steal something.
Grace leaned on her walking stick, her eyes wandering around the building's entrance.
After a few minutes, one of the receptionists came forward, her eyes fixed on Grace, "Hello, ma'am. Please come in. The Guildmaster is expecting you," She gestured at Grace to walk in through the scanner ahead.
Grace simply nodded as she walked in through the scanner.
*Beep!*
A single beep sound echoed, but that was the end of it.
"Please follow me," The receptionist said with a smile.
Grace hobbled along behind the young woman, her walking stick tapping against the tiled floor.
Finally, they arrived at the door with the nameplate "Gary Wesman | Guildmaster".
A minute or two ago,
Gary was still in his office, his eyes scanning the computer in front of him while using his tablet simultaneously.
*Ring!*
He squinted his eyes upon hearing his landline suddenly ringing and picked it up, "Yes?"
One of his employees spoke on the other end, "Sir, a woman named Grace says she wants to meet you. She is quite old and says she is an old friend of yours. Should I let her in?"
"Grace?" Gary mumbled with a confused and taut look as he wasn't expecting her to come here just like that. He took in a deep breath, and after some hesitation, he said, "Of course, let her in."
Gary rubbed his sideburns, wondering why she was here. The last time he met her was when he went to her son's funeral. But he still couldn't shake off the look she gave him that day, making him still wonder if she knew anything.
He kept trying to think of various reasons she could be here but figured he shouldn't overthink it. It was not like it would matter to him. There was nothing she could do anyway.
*Knock*
"Come in, please," Gary said as he got up from his chair.
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