City of Desire: Chapter 1077 House Silver (Patreon)

Proofread by Thomas F

Selina Silver

“The smiths in the empire are using Yartos’s formula more and more to save the cost. It has increased the demand for Nlijin; I have placed the highest order I could, but it’s not enough.”

“Could you talk to your friend, Amos, and use her connection to Northern Oton to get us more?” Gerald asked.

I groaned as I turned to my husband.

“You know how irritating she is? Last time she bit my ear off, naming qualities of her cousin for Leila.”

“Now that Leila has become a Great Mage, she would not let me leave without exacting a promise of them meeting at least.” I rubbed my head at the thought of dealing with that woman.

He laughed while I glared at him. “I met him a few times; the chap is not bad, but not exactly suitable for Leila.” Not to mention, she already has someone else.

That is a headache in itself, given the laws of the empire.

Leila was already a gem. She had all three: pedigree, power, and territory, but now she'd become a diamond everyone wanted.

“I have been receiving the calls non-stop about it since she revealed her strength.” He added, and I almost laughed.

Yesterday, I was at the Erriksons’ party, and over ten people approached me with proposals. These people were from powerful merchant families and nobility.

“And let’s not even start to talk about Remus,” I said, and he just sighed.

That is a whole other level of a cup of tea that we refuse to even entertain. Only the head has the right to say anything about it; we stay away from it as much as possible.

Although after this war, there will be even more people who would want to discuss him; I heard that some truly powerful people have already contacted the head.

Soon, the carriage stopped, and we stepped out and walked into a twenty-story building.

The new headquarters of House of Silver.

It was painful for many, since this was the first time we had changed headquarters since the house's founding, but this time it was unavoidable.

It was a wise choice.

We did it because of the civil war's volatility, but it helped us in another way, too.

Remus’s rise made us more enemies. In Namdar, we are more isolated from it than we would have been on the mainland. It would have been an absolute nightmare there.

Remus could take the name of Silver to heights nobody had ever dreamed of, but he could very well exterminate the entire house.

Well, we made our choice. There is no going back from it, nor do we want to.

We stepped into the elevator, and a few seconds later, stepped out on the top floor.

Immediately, I saw a couple of familiar people. Including Madam Mirelle, Remus’s stepmother, and she was not alone; beside her was Landen.

Her youngest son.

The rage in my heart started to bubble seeing their faces.

What they did was truly despicable. When I found out about it, I barged into the Head’s office, but the old man said it might be the best thing that happened to Remus.

I was so angry then that I wanted to hit the old man. I hit his table and stomped out.

They turned to me, with the woman’s eyes looking at me for a long moment, especially at my dress, with envy and anger flashing in them for a moment.

“Aunt Mirelle, Landen,” greeted Gerald. I simply nodded.

“Gerald, it’s been a while,” said Landen, and enthusiastically hugged him. “Landen.” My husband returned it, a little awkwardly, before he turned to me.

He seemed to see something in my eyes as he stopped, and the smile on his face faltered for a second before he controlled his emotions.

“Gerald, I was hoping. You would use your privilege to bring Reed to the meeting,” requested Mirell, after a moment of silence.

At each general meeting, a council member could invite one person of their choosing.

She is a permanent invitee, a privilege the old man hadn’t taken away from her, despite many members, including me, complaining about it officially.

He still hadn’t gotten over the grief of losing his son, and he always had a soft spot for her.

“Gerald used that privilege in the last two General meetings, and you know, Aunt Mirell, the head doesn't like it if we overuse that.” The woman nearly glared at me, while my husband smiled awkwardly at them.

“See you in the meeting, Aunt Mirell,” said Gerald, and we walked toward the main conference room.

The guards opened the door, and we stepped inside.

Nearly everyone had arrived. I thought, looking at the main table with guest chairs around it.

I nodded at people before sitting down in my chair at the head table, while Gerald sat opposite the head chair.

Usually, spouses don’t get the council seats. Even the head of house rarely makes their spouse a permanent member, but I got that privilege thanks to Remus.

It was his seat before he nominated me for it. I’m grateful for it, considering how many people wanted it.

I had just sat down when Mirell came and sat down on her chair beside Raymond —nodding at everyone aside from me.

Immediately, quite a lot of people turned to her.

Well, her weight had increased, now that her daughter had become a Great Mage. Though I heard the relationship between mother and daughter isn’t as great as it used to be.

“I haven’t seen this dress when I visited the store. Is this from the new collection?” asked Grand-Aunt Edsa, bringing me out of my thoughts.

Her question drew many people's attention.

I turned to the woman and shook my head. “No, it’s from the upcoming collection, which will debut at the opening,” Carla had brought a few of its dresses when she came to the city a few days ago.

“It’s beautiful. I hope they have it in my size and in emerald,” said the woman, touching the hem of my dress.

It’s a bad habit of women, but she is an elder and powerful one; aside from her brothers, nobody openly complains about it.

She herself was wearing a custom mist-crafted dress; not only her, but most in the room. It had become a status symbol, showing connection and closeness to the Lord of Greltheaven and Velvet Garden.

A thing that was envied by all.

A few minutes passed as I talked to the person behind me when the door opened, and the head walked in, with Uncle Johnston following behind as usual.

We all stood up in respect.

“Everyone, sit down,” he said, and sat down, Uncle Johnston sitting to his right as usual.

“I welcome you all to the General meeting. Let us begin,” he said, curt as always.

“I will first start by presenting a motion to congratulate Remus Silver on his victory against that collection of enemies,” stated Grand-uncle Emmet as he stood up.

“Remus Silver is not a member of the Mercantile House of Silver, but we do share blood.”

“So, I will allow this exception one time,” he said. I wanted to roll my eyes at the drama, but it was necessary. No matter what we do behind closed doors.

Officially, we need to show that all three houses are different.

So we voted in favor of the motion; everyone did, even Mirell. She might hate Remus, but she has never shown that publicly.

Especially not in front of the old man.

If not for the incident where she and Raymond had tried to kill Remus. Most had thought she didn’t even have a hand in what they did to Remus.

“Now that it is done, I have an important announcement to make,” said the head, and everyone immediately became alert, sensing the gravity in his expression.

“I appoint Gerald Silver Vice-Administrative Head of House Silver.”

The hall fell into immediate silence, the sudden absence of conversation revealing the shock upon many faces, including Gerald’s. Such an appointment was no small matter, for the position carried extraordinary authority and stood among the most powerful offices within the House.

It gives one power over House Silver's administrative decisions.

It means, now, instead of giving suggestions and advice to the head on deals and transfers, he has the power to decide on them.

Until now, only the head has had that power. It used to be only his decision and one way he maintained control over the house, but now he will share it with Gerald.

The old man had slowly been giving Gerald more and more responsibilities, but this was the first time he had given him such a big one.

It usually happens in the last years of leadership, and the head has decades more before he retires.

“Thank you for the trust, Head. I will not disappoint you and the house.” Gerald thanked him as he recovered.

“Congratulations,”

The people congratulated him before Uncle Johnson cleared his throat, and everything fell silent again.

We moved to the next agenda item, then another; there were no other surprises after that, and the general meeting moved along as others offered their proposals and comments.

Near the end, something interesting happened.

“Head, I believe we have helped Remus too much, and it’s time we got something in return,” spoke Uncle Evitt. The man rarely speaks and doesn’t have much influence.

The only reason he has a seat is that he is Grand-Aunt Enette’s son, who had resigned in favor of him having the seat.

“We should demand Norke or at least governorship of it.”

Is he truly an idiot? I couldn’t help but ask, looking at the man who seemed to be separated from reality. Yes, we helped Remus, but mostly at the beginning and not really that much.

Now, it is he who helps the house, and by a lot.

We have lost a lot in this war, but with Remus’s influence, we are regaining it fast. With Remus decisively winning, his influence will spread further.

I think it will take at most a year before we will reach our prewar prosperity.

After that, it will be all growth.

“Raymond will be the right choice for it; he will make a good lord.” On cue, Raymond stood, trying to look as dignified as possible as his eyes scanned across the room.

I didn’t say anything and watched this circus unfold.

“Thank you for the confidence, Uncle Evitte,” Raymond said, his gaze focused on the table.

He used to have a seat there before he was removed, and his seat went to Remus and then me. He holds a grudge about it, but I didn’t care.

The man was never capable; the only reason he had the seat was that he was the head’s son.

“I believe we deserve the city, given the risks we are under because of our proximity to Remus.”

“We helped him, made him who he is today; it is a clear disrespect to the house that he hadn’t offered us even a single city, which he should have done long ago.”

Many nodded as if agreeing with him.

Though none from the core council did, except for Evette. I wonder what Raymond offered him.

“We should have a city and not Norke. It should be Lauryl, Panar, or Gailhorn; the house is entitled to it after what we had done,” Raymond said spiritedly, with his eyes filled with belief.

This man is delusional. I thought.

I looked around and saw everyone at the table watching, especially the head.

“It will be a great responsibility, full of hardship, but I am willing to take the burden for the house,” he finished, putting his fist on his chest and looking at his father.

A second passed, then another; absolute silence followed.

“Get out!”

The Head finally declared, shocking Raymond. His face cracked in shock, while the rest watched in shock and surprise. At least, those in the surrounding chairs.

“Father,” said Raymond. Angry and humiliated.

The head said nothing and simply met his son’s eyes, calm, but there was a storm inside.

Raymond opened his mouth, but some small rational part seemed to have thought better of it as he closed his mouth and stormed off.

“I am suspending Raymond Siver’s duties and privileges, every one of them,” declared the head, and many shuddered.

Most of Raymond's responsibilities were already taken away. He had small duties and the privilege of attending general meetings, but now, even that was suspended.

“Let’s move to the last agenda item.”

The business resumed, but now everyone was clearer on testing the limits of the Head. Most importantly, the head had drawn a clear line.

Remus and we are separate, in the eyes of the world. 

It is fine to meet him and act friendly, but members of the Mercantile House of Silver will not participate in the Noble House of Silver's business.

At least not visibly.