He also warned Kabe not to have even the slightest improper thought toward his precious daughter. Otherwise, even if he died, his spirit would come back from the afterlife to take Kabe's life.
Just like that, the man strode off with swagger. The next time they met might be several years later.
...
Brian felt like he had been unbelievably unlucky lately.
Ever since the Magic Council inexplicably shoved the blame for Deliora's theft onto his head, the dark guilds under the Oración Seis had been hit by wave after wave of surprise raids from the Council.
In less than half a month, five dark guilds of various sizes had been wiped clean, their members all rounded up and hauled away.
Such precise, forceful strikes made Brian immediately sense something was wrong.
He instantly ordered the remaining subsidiary guilds to relocate their bases. As for himself, he went into hiding, planning to let this storm pass.
Deep in a remote mountain range where no human footprints could be found, he hid inside a hollowed out mountain that had been secretly excavated. There, he listened to his subordinate's report.
"Boss, just as you suspected, some unknown individual has been anonymously reporting our affiliated guilds to the Council. Flame Demon's Claw, the Bone Gang, the Gray Mist Crowd, and those other five guilds were all captured in one clean sweep because of that bastard's tips."
Hearing that, Brian's brow furrowed tightly.
"So it's just as I thought. Does Cobra know anything about the one leaking our intel?"
Cobra, nicknamed "Cobra," was the very man delivering the report.
At the question, he stroked the massive purple python coiled around his body, his tone regretful.
"Sorry, boss. We got only a little information from the prisoners.
Even the Council doesn't know the true identity of the person secretly reporting us."
"Is that so. A pity, but you've done well."
After saying those words without the slightest emotion, Brian leaned on his staff and turned, walking deeper into the cave.
Cobra was already used to that attitude. He only shrugged and followed, then offered his own thoughts.
"Boss, someone who knows this many exact details about us… it can only be an insider within the dark guild circle.
Do you want me to tour the subordinate guilds? If I go personally, I'll be able to tell who the traitor is the moment they speak."
...
"No need."
Brian rejected the suggestion without even thinking.
"Those pieces of trash can die. We can recruit replacements anytime.
And that useless Council can't keep targeting us forever. Those fools just want to arrest some scapegoats so they can salvage their reputation after this incident.
Let them catch people. Once they've caught enough, they'll stop on their own."
After speaking, he paused, turned back to the Cobra who had also stopped, and gave an order.
"But just in case, you all should behave yourselves lately. Don't go out and show your faces for now."
Cobra followed Brian's words closely and immediately nodded.
But after nodding twice, he suddenly remembered something and quickly added,
"By the way, boss, Angel went out again not long ago to collect Celestial Spirit keys.
Do you want me to send someone to call her back?"
"If she's going personally, it must be a Zodiac key."
Thinking of how Angel, as a Celestial Spirit Mage, basically had her combat strength determined by the strength of her spirits, Brian lowered his head and considered briefly, then shook it.
"Let her go. With her strength and Gemini's ability, even if a member of the Ten Wizard Saints made a move, they wouldn't be able to easily take her down.
Still, notify her. Once she gets the key, she's to come back immediately. No delays. Our plan can't afford it."
Cobra gave a light nod of agreement.
"Understood, boss. I'll go notify her."
With that, he turned and walked toward the cave entrance.
Brian did not think too much about it. He continued deeper, his figure gradually swallowed by the darkness of the cave.
...
"Tell me, why are Karen's Celestial Spirit keys in your possession?!
If you don't explain this clearly today, you can forget about ever touching me or Erza again for the rest of your life!"
Inside the bedroom, staring at Mirajane and Erza who burst in with two golden keys in hand, fuming with anger…
Kabe, who had been half asleep, instantly jolted and flipped upright in bed.
'Crap, I've been exposed. I forgot to take the keys out and I tossed those dirty pants to Mirajane to wash!'
"Mira, Erza, th this this… you really have to listen to me. I have my reasons, okay?!"
Shing!
Erza drew her knight sword immediately and placed it against his neck, her eyes blazing as she hissed through clenched teeth.
"Don't make excuses. I already asked the Master.
He said that during those days at Blue Pegasus, you were living in their house!"
'That damn old man!!!'
Kabe's anger flared so hard he could practically imagine Makarov's sinister face when he told Erza about it.
But the icy touch at his throat made him abandon any thought of going to fight the old man right now.
He closed his eyes. His mind spun at high speed, weighing the possibilities and consequences.
In the end, he let out a long sigh and decided to confess the truth.
"I admit it. I didn't hold back. I betrayed your feelings."
"I KNEW IT!"
Mirajane was so angry smoke might as well have been pouring out of her head. She ground her teeth so hard they made a cracking sound.
But at that moment, Erza unexpectedly did the opposite. She put away the anger on her face and lowered the sword from Kabe's neck.
"At least you have some backbone. You didn't keep lying to the end.
Alright, Mira. We'll forgive him this time."
"What? You're just letting him off like that?!
If you indulge him this much, he'll only get worse and start finding women outside again!"
Mirajane, completely unable to understand Erza's sudden "tolerance," spoke in anxious disbelief.
Kabe instantly seized that thin thread of hope and hurried to climb up it.
"Erza, I knew you were the best! Mira, I promise you too, I'll never hide things from you again.
If I ever like someone, I'll tell you openly and honestly."
"You actually dare to say that?!"
Mirajane shot him a furious glare and was just about to explode.
But Erza, at that moment, turned around and started persuading her instead.
"Don't be like that, Mira. Haven't we already prepared ourselves?
From the day the three of us confirmed our relationship, I knew a day like this would come."