The Enigmatic Return (Neera and Jean) novel Chapter 1404

Neera held the coffee cup, her slender fingers gently caressing the rim casually. Her expression was indifferent, not particularly warm but not cold either.

Matthew had been studying her expression intently. Seeing this, he decided to continue.

“The Cox family's betrayal of Bartitsu Guild, and their defection to the Lordsworth Estate, has now become the talk of the town. I'm sure you're aware of it. As for the Lordsworth Estate's explanation, it's not the truth. Since the Gordon family is still here, it shows your loyalty to Bartitsu Guild. Therefore, it would be best if you take up the vacant position of the third elder seat.”

His explanation was logically and emotionally appealing, yet every sentence he uttered was tied to self-interest.

Although Neera had anticipated this in her heart, she broke out a feigned look of surprise.

“The third elder seat? Mr. Lozano, you're not pulling my leg, are you? I'm currently just the ninth elder, at the bottom of the hierarchy. How could I possibly be promoted to the position of the third elder all of a sudden? Wouldn't this upset the other elders? After all, when it comes to seniority or experience, I'm far behind the other elders. Moreover, the strength of the Gordon family is not comparable to the other families. Mr. Lozano, you're really overestimating me. Let's forget about this.”

Matthew chuckled deviously, like a cunning old fox.

“How can this be considered favoritism? This is what you deserve. You hold power over from District Twenty-One to District Twenty-Five. These five districts give you influence that other families can't really compare. Moreover, the strength of the Gordon family itself is not to be underestimated. Ms. Garcia, your words are too modest. Besides, the Gordon family's loyalty to Bartitsu Guild is well recognized. The guild has long planned to elevate your status, and by doing so, make the Gordon family the leading family in Bartitsu Guild. It's just that there hasn't been time to discuss this before such an event occurred...”

At this point, he let out a deep sigh, pouring out his troubles to her.

“I never expected things to turn out this way with the Cox family. You know, the Cox family has a history of over a hundred years in Bartitsu Guild. They are considered a founding member of the guild, and their relationship with the guild has always been good. They are even one of the families that the guild values the most. Who would have thought that fate would play such a trick, leading to a day when things would escalate to the point of a complete fallout.”

Neera gazed at him quietly, pouring herself a cup of coffee and another for him. Then, she casually asked, “By the way, what's the deal with the Cox family's armory? Mr. Lozano, would you mind telling me about it?”

A hint of surprise was clearly visible in Matthew's eyes, but it vanished in an instant.

“Don't you know? The Cox family... didn't they tell you?”

Neera's expression revealed a hint of frustration and helplessness. “The Cox family has been in trouble recently, and we, the Gordon family, intended to help. But before we could act, the Cox family moved to Lordsworth Estate. I asked Avery what he was thinking, but he didn't give me a clear answer. As for the matter of the armory, he didn't give me a clear answer. Perhaps it involves the Cox family's secrets and significant benefits, so it was not convenient to tell me directly. After all, no matter what, the Cox and Gordon families are now two separate families. My marriage alliance with Mr. Cox has already been called off. His concealment from me isn't that much of a surprise.”

Listening to her words, Matthew was clearly somewhat skeptical and still wanted to test her.

“Even if the Cox and Gordon families' marriage alliance did not come to pass, the friendship between these two families that has lasted for hundreds of years cannot be dismissed so easily. Avery should have told you. I thought you heard a false version from him and was wondering how to convince you that the truth is not as you believe.”

Neera still wore a helpless expression. “Mr. Lozano, the Cox and the Gordon family might have a deep relationship, but my relationship with the Cox family is not that deep. Let me tell you something. I went to Wind Chime Island to clear my mind, but I returned to the Gordon residence within a day because the Cox family sent someone to assassinate me. This matter has always bothered me. Out of respect for Avery, I didn't deal with those people too harshly. I just gave them a minor punishment as a warning. Even though this incident is in the past, I can't help but be unsettled by a family that's plotting to assassinate me, can I? Moreover, ever since I got married to my husband, Avery's attitude toward me has cooled down. This time, he has shifted the Cox family's support away Bartitsu Guild to Lordsworth Estate, but he left the Gordon family behind. Doesn't that explain everything?”

After she finished speaking, she added, “I have no reason to lie to you. The Gordon family has made many enemies because of our assistance to the Cox family. Yet, the Cox family left us alone to face this. This situation makes me feel very uncomfortable. It seems that the friendship between the Cox and Gordon families has come to an end.”

Matthew didn't respond immediately, pondering the truthfulness of her words.

A moment later, he felt that what Neera said made sense.

If the relationship between the Cox family and the Gordon family is still that strong, why didn't they leave Bartitsu Guild together and head to Phison? There's only one explanation. The Cox family and the Gordon family have recently lost contact, while their friendship has also ended.

That was also why Matthew believed that there was a chance to win over the Gordon family, the very reason why he met Neera.

With this in mind, he felt a bit relieved and began to persuade Neera, “In truth, the matter of the armory isn't really related to Avery. It's more about his parents. Back when they were still alive, they harbored thoughts of betraying Bartitsu Guild, secretly building an armory. When the Guild discovered this, they considered the fact that they were from a founding family and remembered the contributions and sacrifices the Cox family ancestors made for the Guild. So, they suppressed the incident, keeping it from becoming public knowledge. At the time, the guild wanted to dismantle the armory, but the Cox family insisted they wouldn't use any of the weapons stored there. They promised to guard it. I don't know where they got those firearms from. I had been there before, and they weren't anything extraordinary. Out of trust, the guild agreed to their request. Despite the significant matter, the guild didn't pursue it any further and left it like that.”

After a brief pause, he added, “But who would have thought that the Cox family, along with the Watson and Laker families, and a few others, were at each other's throats not long ago. Because of this, the Cox family unexpectedly went back on their word, breaking their initial promise. They secretly accessed the armory, an act that the guild could not tolerate. If the guild continued to shield them, who knows what other audacious actions the Cox family might take in the future? Therefore, the guild must punish the Cox family this time. I just didn't expect that the Cox family would remain unrepentant and even lash out, completely falling out with the guild. As for that statement from Phison, I suspect it was Avery who informed them. Otherwise, how would Phison know about the Cox family's affairs?”