After Surviving the Apocalypse, I Built a City in Another World

This time Orion did not mind the show of weakness. "I should've seen it coming…"

"It's not your fault, son," Zaol said with a deep breath. "They knew our capabilities and they circumvented around that.

"They even used one of the Grandmaster's Superior weakening Potions."

Even he, a level 55, was held down. He and Orion were even tied with rare anti-aether tools for good measure. With the number of guards that came at each of them—they really couldn't do anything.

They did not lack in threatening his entire family either, so they couldn't fight too strongly either. They succumbed, hoping in their hearts that this 'misunderstanding' could be talked about. However, even after many days, the Lord had yet to see them.

"I'm just relieved Honda isn't here…" Hilda whispered, biting her lips, and everyone nodded in response.

Worst comes to worst, at least Honda and Oslo were safe someplace else. That was the little bit of comfort they could get for themselves.

Silence passed by and they were once again left to their own thoughts. At some point, Zaol spoke, his sharp eyes looking out their cell.

"I should've prepared us more. Looking back, this was bound to happen—I'm just too naive to think that our history and contribution could change things.

Indeed. How many lords could really let an underling be more influential than they were?

In fact, if the Lord's family hadn't been taking such a huge bulk of their wealth—whether it was in shares or in taxes, for decades—the Golds could've really grown enough to rival the Lord's.

After all, the Lord and his family weren't exactly wise spenders…

Another possible cause of change was that the Lord finally got himself a son—something he had been vying for for decades.

The Lord, a ninety-year-old man, had a child with none other than the 29-year-old daughter of the Trent Family, Elya, who was also Estra's younger sister.

The Trent Family was the #2 family, closely following after the Golds, except their duties to the Lord were far less than theirs. However, there was still some distance, and that family had not kept their wish to overtake them a secret.

This meant that the Trent Family could be aiming for their position, particularly with the leverage of having the Lord's blood. Combined with the Lord's own greed, they could almost see the two families drinking together and discussing their demise!

They weren't able to discuss anymore though, because Lord Bleumrick and his daughter finally arrived, acting as if they were just there to check on them.

The father-daughter pair looked at the formerly-glamorous family appearing so pitiful behind a cell, their faces without emotion or pity.

"Are you going to admit it?" the Lord asked.

Orion stood his ground. "I did nothing wrong."

"If you admit to it, we can punish you in public, but we will keep your lives," he said. "I am already very kind, do not be foolish not to take it."

"You know the truth, why are you doing this?"

"I'm no fool. How can I let someone with plans to rebel roam free?"

"We do not have such thoughts! We can swear oaths!"

"It's too late," he said. "I can no longer trust you."

The Golds' jaws jaws clenched in anger, glaring at the Lord they used to serve.

"In light of your years of service, we have decided to let you go. However, we will be confiscating all your wealth," he said. "Think of it as compensation for your betrayal."

"What?"

"Go to the City center and swear an oath never to return and give all the wealth you have on you."

"What makes you think we'll agree?"

It wasn't that they gave too much importance to their money—at least not over their lives—but how could they just let things go this way? Who would be comfortable? Did these people do this to them just to get their property?

Bleumrick seemed bored just by looking at them. "You better follow my instructions. Remember that I can sell you as slaves," he told them with a straight face. "And I can take away your immunity tokens."

Each of them had Immunity Tokens—that was, the tools that could exempt them from becoming slaves even if their city lost to another city.

Similarly, they couldn't be turned to slaves arbitrarily either—even if the other party was a Lord.

The fastest way to become a System slave was through territory wars. Another was for them to enter the 'batch conversion' of slaves, where people's residencies would be stripped from them (should they have it) and they would be left in a village that was set to lose in a war.

This was not uncommon, especially for poor families, who sold their (or other people's) freedoms in exchange for some money.

"Are you really going to go against me taking your money?" he asked. "Surely, you're more greedy for life than money?"

He took a deep breath as if exasperated, and he looked at them as if they were foolish.

"I have to say I'm losing patience, the weakening potions I have are limited and I ended up using all of them on you," he said. "Aren't you thankful? I could've just killed you."

"You want the treasures in our spaces; you won't kill us."

"I can take your servants and kill them one by one in front of you. I can also take a few of you—the ones with least assets in their spaces—and kill them too," he said, tone cold, but very arrogant. "Do you want us to head in that direction?"

The Golds glared at him, but at the same time they felt the hopelessness in their veins.

Otto and Obi wanted to fight back, really—especially when they were ushered out of the prison that controlled their elements.

It was just that the last bottle of weakening potion was forced down their throats, ensuring they didn't have the ability to fight. Considering the amount each one drank, they'd be helpless for the next few hours.

The guards even had the audacity to ask them to feel honored. After all, those were some of the best pharmacy-grade potions in the city—yet they were used on them.

They had no choice but to succumb in the end, just making all the oaths ordered by the Lord.

They made oaths not to cooperate with another City to go against Bleulle, or any of its royalty. They also made oaths to surrender all their properties—including what was in their Space and Wallets, as well as their collection of space stones—to the Lord.

He did this all in public, too, and they could see all the noble families watching from the side with varying expressions on their faces.

Sadly, most of them were smiling—some even excited as if the fall of the Golds had directly made them money.

Anyway, the Golds knew all this ceremony was only to comfort the remaining families—to show them that he was merciful and let them live despite their "transgressions".

However, they knew very well that this man—especially after getting what he wanted—definitely would not let them go!