"A project?" (Woman)

I just nod.

The woman immediatly looks towards the guards behind us and they nod as well.

"Follow me. Only you though. The others can stay here and take care of... Silan..." (Woman)

We start walking through a corridor and enter a small room which has no walls and only a few torches.

"So... What project?" (Woman)

"You do know about that multi-race kingdom? I mean you live right in their territory. Their leader, how should I say this... Wasn't quite actually their leader. Just a pawn for an even more dangerous thing. It's a thing since I don't even know what it is, I just know it ain't good for the world and for me. So, I want to start a project... Project Blood Line Defense." (Colin)

The woman stares at me in confusion.

"What do you mean...? He was but wasn't their leader?" (Woman)

"He was being used. Simply being used... But do you want to hear about the Project?" (Colin)

She thinks for a few minutes and then seems like she got a spark of genius.

Not a quick one is she?

"Let's hear about that project then..." (Woman)

"Project Blood Line Defense is a protective line against any and all opponents but mostly against the controller of the king.

What I plan to become is the financer for the entire project and to keep things moving but I need people to actually be in the project for it to be one right? Hence I am inviting you to join the project. Hell, it ain't even a project... More of like a defensive pact or a federation. Though... There is an another part to the project. The counterattack.

Once the project members are strong enough and ready and we find the source of the problems... We strike." (Colin)'

The woman takes a few minutes to process the information.

"But why should I join? The king didn't even endanger us..." (Woman)

I chuckle a little since she doesn't realize at all...

"They didn't see you in the forest... But once they do, you all are going to die as well. If we don't quickly form the defensive line before the true army of the enemy attacks, we don't have a single chance of surviving. Not even if a god descends probably. Actually when a god descends then maybe a chance but if even an angel hero comes, nope." (Colin)

Might be overestimating the ritual but better to overestimate and overly prepeare than regret underestimating the enemy.

And she is thinking again. This is going to take a few minutes...

A literal half an hour passes until she seems to finish thinking.

"I guess we'll join?" (Woman)

You took half an hour to think about an obvious answer since there is no way you can hide forever.

"Well... I'll need you guys to re-locate to the HQ of the defensive line once I get it under my control, are you fine with that?" (Colin)

She thinks for a few minutes again.

"I guess we'll have to?" (Woman)

I reach my hand out for a handshake to seal the deal.

She luckily understands within the first minute and we shake hands.

"Welcome to the project. I'll try to send a messenger to this location when we get the HQ going but until then you might hear of a slight trading company slowly becoming an emperor, don't worry 'bout that." (Colin)

The woman leaves first and I follow her and when we go back to the main hall, I think it is the main hall at least, we see Silan on the chair, awake.

The moment Silan and the woman notice eachother the woman breaches the limits of speed and basically instantly appears next to Silan bombarding him with questions.

I just give good luck to Silan and go towards my guild members.

"What did you talk about?" (Viv)

"Nothing much, just a small little thing. Nothing you should worry about for now." (Colin)

Is it just me or does it look like the amount of guards has increased?

And the amount of bloodlust directed towards all of us increased by a lot?

"Oi guards, don't even try it." (Colin)

The guards tense up after I direct a little bit of my bloodlust towards them.

Honestly, weak... Too weak.

"How's Memui?" (Colin)

"Concious. Screamed when she noticed everybody and we had to shut her up. She immediatly lunged after Viv though and hugged her so strong I thought her head might pop off." (Vivian)

"Where did you send her?" (Colin)

"Follow me." (Liliana)

We go into a room on the side which is completely empty, no windows again but only one torch this time.

I see Memui sitting in the middle looking at the torch.

I enter the room and Liliana shuts the door after me.

"Memui?" (Colin)

No answer...

I get close enough to touch her shoulders.

"Memui?" (Colin)

No answer again...

I put my hand on her shoulder.

"Memui? Talk to me." (Colin)

And no answer again.

I go infront of her and notice she is looking straight at me but her mouth's tied with something akin to tape.

Yeah... I understand why no answer. Her arms and legs are tied up as well.

I tear off the tape-like paper on her mouth and cut the rope off her arms and legs.

I sit down infront of her.

"So... Memui... Remember me?" (Colin)

She stares at me for a few minutes until she suddenly starts crying.

"No... You should be dead... It's a ghost right...? To haunt me...? Because I couldn't protect you?" (Memui)

"Nope. All alive and well, even more powerful than you now. Let's just say I had another chance at life." (Colin)

I pat her on the head to make her understand that I still have a body.

"Dead... Everybody is dead... That's what the reports said... Everybody died... I didn't get new orders..." (Memui)

We're losing her again!

"Memui. Not everybody is dead. They were just turned into slaves which I liberated." (Colin)

Suddenly the door opens and Viv enters the room.

"Memui, it's me! Vivian... I'm fine see? So... Don't... Worry" (Viv)

Now Viv started crying while hugging Memui from behind.

I ain't good with crying women! And I have two infront of me!

I go to the door and Vivian opens it.

"Yeah I am not dealing with crying women... I'll just make the situation worse." (Colin)

And so the day ended. With Memui slowly re-gaining the sanity she lost thanks to Viv and my help. Mostly due to Viv though. I also begun the building of the defensive line against the Ritual...

Now we just need to find a suitable location for a headquarters and I need to start my trade empire as well.

So much to still do... So little time...