Contract With The Alpha King

Thomas didn't know that Elijah would not even show them any respect and would directly attack Elise. However, he was quick to use this to his advantage. "How could Your Highness hurt the next leader of the Rosenthal Family? Just what is Your Highness's intention?" A sneer interrupted the words he was about to say. He turned toward the sneering Cassian.

"Today, you, Lord Rosenthal, have truly opened my eyes," Cassian casually said. He was leaning against his chair, a smirk apparent on his face.

"What?" Lord Rosenthal turned toward Cassian. "What does the Young Lord mean?"

"It seems that Lord Rosenthal is a bit slow." Cassian leaned forward, his smirk deepening as he gestured toward Lord Rosenthal. "What truly surprises me, Lord Rosenthal, is your bias. Your daughter, Elise, publicly insults her own sister-someone of significant value to the Five Great Families-and yet, the moment someone holds her accountable, you immediately leap to her defense. Have you lost all sense of fairness? Or is it possible that you, the current Lord of the Rosenthal Clan, have already gone senile?"

Lord Rosenthal's jaw tightened, but he kept his composure. "Young Lord Blackthorne," he began, his gaze shifting to Elijah before returning to Cassian. "I witnessed my daughter being struck by the Prince. What father would stand idly by in such a moment? Tell me, what was I supposed to do?"

"Perhaps," Ash suddenly said, her expression cold and calculating, "you should have slapped your own daughter for saying such nonsense. How could she speak so recklessly about her sister, calling her a whore as if it were nothing? Isn't it because you didn't teach her better?"

Lord Rosenthal's face darkened. "Teach her better?" His voice rose as he straightened his posture. "Elise is the next leader of the Rosenthal Family! She speaks the truth as she sees it. If anyone has an issue with her words, they should address them with logic, not violence."

Miyumi Huang of the Silvermane Clan, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke, her white hair catching the soft glow of the chandelier. "The truth, Lord Rosenthal?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. "Is it the truth that Lady Fiona is a whore? That she abandoned her family for status? Or is it simply Elise's biased interpretation? Words have power. And Elise's words just now have shown the Five Great Families that the Rosenthals' values remain as fractured as ever."

Lord Rosenthal turned to Miyumi, his hands clenching the edge of the table. "You misunderstand. My daughter simply spoke her mind. Is it a crime now to express one's observations?"

"It is," Cassian interrupted, "when those observations tarnish the reputation of your own blood in front of the most powerful families in the supernatural world. You've essentially allowed Elise to insult her own sister as if it were a casual remark. And what's worse, you defend her actions as if they're justified. I grew up thinking that the members of the Rosenthal Family are dignified. I guess I was wrong."

"You" Elise slammed her hands on the table, rising to her feet. "Which part of what I said was wrong?" she demanded, her eyes darting between Cassian and Miyumi. "Everything I said is the truth! Fiona abandoned us, ran away from her responsibilities, and chased after a prince. She-"

"Enough." Elijah's voice cut through, cold and sharp as steel. He turned toward Elise, his presence commanding as he took a step closer to her. "Fiona has endured far more than you will ever comprehend. She survived your family's abandonment, the abuse of her first husband, and the poison that nearly took her life. And yet, here she stands, stronger than ever. If you cannot respect her for what she's been through, then you have no right to speak her name at all!"

Elise clenched her fists, her body trembling with frustration, but she didn't respond. How could people defend Fiona as if... as if she was some important character? The prince slapped her just because she said some few words and these people... these people who have yet to meet Fiona were already defending her! Why?

She looked to her father for support, but Lord Rosenthal seemed momentarily at a loss for words.

Seeing this, Ash leaned back in her chair, her gaze still fixed on Lord Rosenthal. "Lord Rosenthal," she said, "this is not just a family dispute. This is a reflection of your leadership. If your daughters cannot respect one another, how can you expect the Five Great Families to respect the Rosenthal name?"

"My leadership is not the issue here. My daughters-"

"Are a reflection of you," Miyumi interjected calmly. "If Lady Elise speaks like this so easily, it is because she knows there will be no consequences. Respect and unity start from the top, Lord Rosenthal. Without them, your family's reputation will crumble, no matter how strong your abilities are. Perhaps it is time that you teach your daughter some... basic manners."

"Well said, Miyumi," Cassian added. "Lord Rosenthal, you've truly entertained us today. Perhaps the Rosenthal Family should focus less on flaunting their power and more on fixing their internal conflicts." Elise's face flushed red, her breathing heavy as she glared at the room's occupants. "How dare you-"

Before she could finish, Lord Rosenthal raised a hand to silence her. His gaze shifted from Elise to the members of the Five Great Families, then to Elijah, who stood unwavering beside him. Slowly, he exhaled and lowered his hand. "This conversation has gone too far," Lord Rosenthal said, his tone stiff. All he wanted was for these three people to leave! "I will ensure that my family addresses these matters internally. Let us not lose sight of why we are here." "However..." Lord Rosenthal turned toward Elijah. "An apology is still owed. Please apologize to my daughter for raising your hand against Elise. After all, not only is she going to become the next head of the clan, but she is also a woman." Elijah snorted, the sound sharp and dismissive. Without a word, he returned to his seat, his expression calm and unreadable.

"Your Highness..." Lord Rosenthal'sPublished by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

teeth clenched, his frustration

evident. He had expected Elijah to at

least extend some form of apology, especially in the presence of the King and the other esteemed quests. Instead, Elijah's blatant disregard bordered on open disrespect. "Your Highness Elijah!" he pressed, his tone rising.

"Father..." Elise tugged at her father's sleeve. "Let's not take this any further. I'm fine," she said, her words laced with a hint of resignation. She hadn't expected Elijah to react so brashly, but there was little she-

could do now. The indifferentnet

of

the other families only compounded her humiliation. Raising more of a fuss would serve no purpose-especially with the

pressing need to ensure these three

envoys left without further incident.