My Soul card is a Reaper
Chapter 802 - 802: Changes in the Clan

On the way back to the clan, Azzy enquired of his great-grandfather about the affairs happened in his absence.

According to what he learnt, on Gaia too, roughly 18 years passed.

In these 18 years, things largely remained the same on Gaia. Well, there could be, but someone like Qridus doesn't pay much attention to the affairs of plainfolk unless it is considered a natural disaster or some sort.

However, for the hidden clans, there are some significant changes occurred, especially in his own family.

In the year he disappeared, his father seemed to have an extramarital affair with someone outside of the clan and had a child.

His mother went berserk, with her energy corrupted just like her ancestor, Aelius Crescent. If not for Qridus' own intervention, either people would have lost their lives or she would have.

As a result, his father was forced to step down from the throne and exile himself from the clan to keep peace in the family.

His sister, Affea Garcia, the immediate heir, stepped onto the throne as the Acting Clan Head, although it seemed the Clan Elders, the subordinate clan leaders, were managing the clan largely as his sister wasn't interested in ruling.

Due to the constant friction of opinions among the elders, policies rarely get passed in the clan.

And also, due to his absence, none of the policies he discussed during the hidden clan meeting materialized either.

Orion and Leiza were silent, hearing out the conversation, although Orion's attention was quite divided between the surroundings and Qridus' words. They were flying on top of a flying card. He flew in a chopper but never flew in such open air.

Meanwhile, Azzy's face crunched up in anger. "Damn it. Dad, how in the hell can you betray my mother…" Suddenly, something clicked inside his head, and he asked. "Ancestor, I get that my father's love affair is his own personal matter, but why didn't you interfere with the clan matters?"

Qridus looked far into the distance as he shook his head. "You know why. Demigods cannot interfere in the affairs of mortals."

"In that case, I also cannot interfere now." Azzy blinked his eyes, pointing at himself. "I'm a demigod now."

"Say, what?!" Qirdus couldn't help but turn around to face Azzy. He became serious. "Azrael, I told you not to become one. Why? Why did you do it?"

Azzy shrugged calmly. "It happened that way."

"Then, what now?" Qridus asked, his attention partly shifting toward Orion.

Azzy replied. "Nothing to worry about. I'll take charge of the clan."

"But…"

"Gaia only has a problem with demigods roaming here because they absorb the planet's natural energy too much. But I don't need it, and if Gaia has a problem, I'll talk with her.

Anyway, first, we will get to the clan and sort out those elders…"

*

Meanwhile, at Garcia Palace, the Hidden Clan Village of Death;

The throne chamber of Garcia Palace was not built for shouting, but that didn't stop the elders.

Voices bounced off the vaulted ceilings while the air smelled faintly of incense and heated tempers.

And at the center, slouched with royal indifference on a carved obsidian throne, sat Affea Garcia, the acting regent of the Death Clan.

Her expression was blank. Not the calm kind, but more the kind that sat on the edge of losing patience.

One leg swung lazily off the side of the throne, the other tucked beneath her. Her elbow rested on the armrest, head tilted slightly into her palm.

She sighed so softly it was almost inaudible.

Across the room, Irene Ash, dressed in formal gray robes embroidered with fire-thread, was red with rage.

"The Ash Clan is responsible for handling businesses!" Irene snapped, stabbing a finger at the man across the room. "We decide the prices! Not you. And those prices are decided in an annual interclan meeting. You can't just demand a higher price and blackmail us using vegetables. Do you think we can't just import from outside?"

"Import?" Redgar Haze, the Starlight Clan's second head, leaned forward, arms crossed like twin stone slabs. "Did you forget the hundred-thousand-year-old decree? No food can be procured from outside the Hidden Village. You have no choice but to depend on our farm-produced veggies."

"Don't test me, Haze!" Irene shot back. "We own every store in this village. No one earns merits without us. If we cut off supplies, even your damn rice won't mean anything. We'll reduce your clan to traders in a barter stall."

Redgar's veins popped at the side of his neck. "You dare?!"

"Shut up, both of you are so annoying," Affea muttered under her breath.

Neither of them heard.

Redgar stepped forward. "You want war over vegetables? Fine. Let's…"

"Why don't both of you settle this with a one-on-one fight?"

Affea's voice cut across the hall, low and bored—but it might as well have been a sword swing.

The entire chamber fell into silence. All six clan elders turned to her, blinking in disbelief.

Affea shifted in her seat slightly, eyes still half-lidded. "I'm tired of hearing your mouths. Go outside and fight instead."

"Eh?" Irene's eyebrows shot up.

"Did you just… suggest a duel over vegetable pricing?" Redgar said slowly, as if trying to confirm whether his ears had betrayed him.

Affea clicked her tongue. "You love barking at each other, might as well bark with your fists. Here's the deal."

She sat up a little straighter, her tone finally sharp and deliberate.

"If Lord Haze wins, the Ash Clan pays double what they've been paying for food till now. But if Lady Ash wins…" she smiled faintly, "the prices stay frozen, and the Starlight Clan shuts up about market increases until next year's Harvest Moon. No rules or whatever. Consider it a battle in the wild. Even if you want to kill each other, I don't care. I just need the result, and I don't accept a draw."

Redgar turned to Irene, who stared daggers at him. Their glares locked like coiled wolves, but both knew this was no longer in their hands.

Irene scowled. "Fine. Let's fight."

Redgar cracked his neck. "Gladly."

Affea leaned back and shut her eyes. "Now, some peace."

"Good," she murmured, gesturing lazily to a nearby guard. "Announce to the whole village about this fight." She then looked at the other elders. "If other Lords have any grievances with other clans, say it aloud. I let you fight you, too."