Aetherios System [Slow Build OP MC, Isekai LitRPG/Cultivation] Chapter 114: Book 2: Chapter 29.1: Tea With Enemies

Read chapter 114 of Aetherios System [Slow Build OP MC, Isekai LitRPG/Cultivation] by TTReynolds on NovelPedia.

Book 2: Chapter 29.1: Tea With Enemies Book 2: Chapter 29.1: Tea With Enemies The suite was too quiet for morning. No one bothered with breakfast. No one said “good morning.” Alex didn’t even hear the typical morning wisecrack from garret about the palace tea being tasting like powered seaweed. Devon sat cross-legged near the rune-plate, fingers tapping out glyphs in midair. Beside him was a blank piece of parchment and a bowl of this world’s citrus fruit closest to a lemon. Kate was stretching absently by the balcony, still in sleepwear but making up a personal yoga routine regardless. Zach leaned against the wall with his eyes hovering around half-closed, his stern expression placid and unreadable as always. The rest sat at the long table, in various stats of disarray. They held mugs, plates of breakfast and in various stats of dress. Their over demeanor sour, like a war council that hadn’t yet won a battle and was desperate for a victory. The knock came just after the sun cleared the window. Allie opened the door. A palace courier stood there, silver-trimmed robe freshly pressed, expression flat in that way only trained staff could manage. In his hands, a scroll. No seal adorned it, just a faint shimmer of living ink along the edge. The servant bowed. “Your presence is requested at midday. The Palace Garden. Hosted jointly by House Caerwyn and the Church.” Then he was gone. Garret looked around the room. “Anyone else feel like we’ve just been scheduled for execution over tea?” Tom-Tom chirped up at that, “Tom-Tom likes tea. Bring some back for him. And any mushrooms you find. Zach pushed off the wall with a shrug. “They’re giving us sun and flowers so no one sees the blood.” Alex had already unrolled the scroll. The text shimmered faintly, confirming what they suspected, informal gathering, cross-faction discussion, public and private mingling permitted under observation. No big mentions or allies of deals being made. But everything said here would matter. Kate moved toward the table, knotting her hair back. “This is it. Here’s were we need to be making the big plays.” “We’ll need to move carefully, but yes,” Alex said. “No one’s expecting unity anymore, the preparation stage is behind us, its battle time.” Eric nodded. “We set the duel with Azure Vault. Make it look like a show of strength, not a plea.” “We hit Vess with the unexpected,” Devon said flatly. “She still thinks she owns us, that we’re game pieces. Let’s remind her we’re playing too.” Allie looked to Holly. “Mother Theralyn might be the only voice in the Church who matters. We need her on record. In person.” “We can’t push hard,” Holly added. “She wants peace, yes. But she’s surrounded by people who want a purge, we need subtle agreement.” “So,” Kate said, “we smile. We drink their tea. We give them just enough truth to feel clever, and just enough fear to keep guessing. Then we act.” Zach watched them all for a moment. Then, quietly, “And if it all goes up in flames?” Alex didn’t look up, he smiled grinned and tapped the image of House Caewryn. “Then we make sure we’re the ones holding the matches.” The team scattered, dressing, preparing, reviewing names and sigils and strategies like soldiers prepping for a battlefield, a battlefield without blades. Because by now, they knew the rules. This was how Terraxum made moves. Not with sweeping declarations, but with flowers and tea parties The walk the gardens outside was a rather short one. At the front, they passed two guards in ceremonial armor, one with a blindfold of golden thread wrapped over his head. It was a symbol of “impartial vigilance,” apparently. Alex wasn’t sure whether it was symbolism or satire. Neither felt very reassuring. Then the garden revealed itself. Manicured stone paths curved like etchings in a sigil ring, winding through waist-high hedges and glass-leafed flowers. White marble arches arced overhead, all were covered in lazy vines that clung to the smooth stone like a substance that was