The Enigmatic Return (Neera and Jean) novel Chapter 1216

Cayden shook his head. "I'm not sure, but it seems like it's the power of the Bartitsu Guild. The other party is wearing a mask, so it's hard to tell who they are specifically."

Saying this, he irritably ran his fingers through his hair, messing it up like a bird's nest.

"Ugh, what a ridiculous election. If it wasn't for the guild insisting that all families must participate, I wouldn't have bothered! What does being the district president have to do with me? The Massey family doesn't care about such things. All this fuss for nothing, not to mention it's exhausting and I almost lost my life. The other families are the same, fighting tooth and nail over such a trivial matter. It's really pointless..."

He had been bottling up his dissatisfaction all along the way, and now he began to complain incessantly.

Neera was left speechless for a moment, the corner of her mouth twitching repeatedly.

What a barbecue party, sightseeing, and vacation. It looks like this guy really doesn't care about the position of the district president.

I'm afraid that even Caleb would feel ashamed in his presence.

Darcel stared at him, his gaze as sharp as a knife. His eyes then swept over the faces of the others, intent on discerning the truth behind the words that were just spoken.

He had read countless people, so he was almost able to discern their thoughts at a glance.

After a few seconds, the wariness in his eyes slightly diminished. In a calm voice, he said, "I've heard before that the Massey family lives a peaceful and non-competitive life in Phison. Seeing it today, it seems the rumors were not unfounded."

Seeing that his face was no longer as terrifying as before, Cayden's eyes lit up.

"Yeah, we Masseys are just honest businessmen. As long as we can make money and live to spend it, that's all that matters. We really don't want to get involved in those power struggles and fights for profit. Now, mister, you finally believe me, don't you?"

With a nonchalant expression, Darcel responded, "Barely passable."

Cayden's face immediately lit up with joy, as if he had received some extraordinary approval.

"That's good, that's good. Rest assured, we will absolutely not cause any trouble for you! When necessary, the Massey family might even be able to help you! So, let's travel together now!"

Neera found it amusing to see him getting comfortable so quickly.

However, since Darcel had agreed, it seemed these people pose no threat to them.

And so, the two groups journeyed together.

At first, Darcel and Neera were somewhat cautious, maintaining a certain distance from them.

Neera took the opportunity to ask him, "Darcel, what's the story behind the Massey family? Do they really not compete for anything?"

Darcel positioned her on his inner side, adopting a protective stance to shield her from the Massey family members.

"Indeed, the Massey family is one of the powers within the Bartitsu Guild, but that's only because they are located within the guild's sphere of influence and were automatically included. The Massey family itself doesn't really have a stance. For centuries, they've been solely focused on doing business, never involving themselves in the internal conflicts of the Bartitsu Guild, nor the disputes between the guild and Lordsworth Estate. In a way, they could be considered a neutral family.

"However, Cayden is somewhat different. Rumor has it that he values loyalty highly, and for this reason, he has broken the ancestral precedent of not participating in conflicts. But it wasn't for any profit disputes, but rather, he stood up for some of the lower-ranking families in the guild.

"Lower-ranking families?" Neera was somewhat surprised. "I thought every family in Phison was not to be underestimated."

Darcel turned his head to look at her, giving a light chuckle.

"Phison is vastly different from the outside world. On the surface, every family appears to have the strength to compete freely. However, in truth, it's just like the outside world, with clear distinctions of class hierarchy. Where there is strength, there will be weakness. It's just like the Eight Elders in the Bartitsu Guild. It's precisely because they are more powerful than other families that they can take the elder seats, becoming the leaders within the Bartitsu Guild."

"For the weakest, the lowest-ranking families, although they are stronger than many of the prestigious families outside, they are extremely vulnerable under the rules of Phison and are the easiest to be oppressed. I heard that once, Cayden stood up publicly to the elders of the Bartitsu Guild to protect two low-ranking families from being humiliated and almost ended up in a bloody fight."

Surprisingly, the man who seemed to lack seriousness also had such a righteous side. Neera began to see him in a new light, even developing a bit of a liking for him.

"So, what happened in the end? What was the outcome? The Massey family couldn't possibly have defeated those elders, could they?"

Narrowing his eyes, Darcel answered with profound meaning, "That may not necessarily be the case. I must say, the ancestors of the Massey family were all exceptionally astute. Even though the Massey family does not participate in the power struggle in Phison, appearing as if they have been marginalized, it's actually not the case."

"The Massey family is a renowned prestigious family, famous across the global business circle. Phison is not an isolated utopia, so its existence inevitably requires economic support. Almost half of Phison's economic lifeline is held by the Massey family. If the Massey family were to fall, at the very least, the Bartitsu Guild would definitely suffer a significant blow, not to mention Phison."