The Primal Hunter

Chapter 760

The nine elders of the Willowood tribe. They used to look so scary to Meira… even her own grandfather always had a frightening aura about him. One of absolute power that commanded respect. They were all C-grades, and Meira remembered thinking their power and position were utterly unattainable for someone like her.

But now, sitting across a table from these nine, Meira felt no fear or apprehension. She no longer saw nine unapproachable existences. Instead, she saw nine aging men and women trying to suppress their fear of the A-grade administrator and S-grade dragonkin. This was mixed with a good deal of confusion from the two standing behind Meira, who was the only one of them sitting at the table. Their meeting occurred inside the clan’s “main house,” where only the elders and high-ranking members usually were allowed.

One of the elders in the room looked more out of place than any other. Meira couldn’t really blame him either. Just a few years ago, he had been someone Meira hadn’t even dared look at for too long, someone her father whom she feared, feared himself. Her own grandfather.

In truth, Meira didn’t really have any animosity toward the old man. She also wasn’t sure how many emotions he ever held toward her either. He was over a millennium old, and her father had been one child of hundreds, with Meira herself just one grandchild of what had to be close to a thousand. Her father had been considered decently talented with a chance to reach C-grade, so her grandfather had put more attention on their family, but that didn’t mean Meira had ever really talked with him.

The times he had been around hadn’t been terrible, and he did seem to care in his own way. If that care came from him not wanting his direct relatives to be embarrassments or if he truly cared for them as people, Meira had no way of telling.

“Being back in the clan feels oddly nostalgic. I hadn’t thought I would feel this way,” Meira said, not really looking at anyone in particular. “How is everything around here these days?”

Now, Meira did have one genuine problem from here on out: she had run out of cue cards and plans. Sure, she had discussions with different people, but pre-planning conversations were difficult, so Meira could only do her best… and she wasn’t sure if she hadn’t already messed up from the beginning. In either case, she wanted to keep this short.

“There is truly nothing to complain about, honored Chosen, and the clan has only flourished after being allowed to serve the Order of the Malefic Viper,” one of the other elders answered. The head elder and one of the oldest members of the clan. She was a few thousand years old and had reached late-tier C-grade, also making her one of the strongest in the clan.

Meira could only sigh at the woman’s answer. It truly felt weird being at the other end of the table, but if she had learned one thing from how Jake dealt with being a Chosen, it was to “cut through all the bullshit” and try to force an honest conversation that wasn’t just a dance of platitudes with small hints of truth here and there.

“Head elder, I am not here to do an inspection or to scold anyone. I am here as a former member of the Willowood Clan to deliver a gift to the place that gave birth to me. So, please, do not obscure any truths or hide anything.”

The head elder hesitated, and sensing that she still wouldn’t get a proper answer, she turned to the one man in the room she hoped could give straight answers.

“Grandfather,” she said, making the man look at her with surprised eyes. “How is the clan doing these days? And please be honest.”

Be it through sheer confidence from having known her before she became Chosen or because the man summoned all the guts he had, her grandfather actually gave an answer, effectively overruling the head elder.

“Things have not changed much since the Order of the Malefic Viper took over. There have been some adaptations that had to be made, but it is very much the same for the average clan member. The only difference is that things have been better in the last year or so… was that due to you?” her grandfather asked.

Meira just nodded. “I couldn’t do much at the time, but others around me did communicate to ones they knew to lay off the clan a bit.”

“Thank you,” her grandfather said as he bowed in his chair. “If I may… your father, is he-“

“Dead,” Meira shook her head. A pang of sadness fell over the old man’s face, but he quickly recovered.

“I see…” he just nodded. Being an old and experienced man, he seemed to understand that pressing the issue would be unwise. Instead, he talked about people Meira would perhaps care about.

“Your mother is… one of the people not doing so well. She has had to pick up many burdens after you two disappeared, and it hasn’t been easy on her. I have done what I can for your siblings, but due to the rules of the Order-“

annoyed side-eye at the S-grade Malefic Dragonkin, making him back off his killing intent. Meira was beginning to

grandfather’s forehead now filled

siblings are doing well… are… are you

why I came here in person,” Meira smiled. “I won’t be involved in much that happens from here on

to the administrator standing behind her, she spoke: “Would you please take over dealing

administrator smiled as she projected an image into the air. “Now, please keep up, for chances are you nine will be responsible

she prepared to begin the presentation in front of the nine elders. The start was only delayed slightly by Meira getting

plans. As rare as an occasion like this was, where a member of some low-grade clan rose to a high position and wanted to incorporate their birthplace into the Order, it wasn’t unique. In fact, there were records of this happening thousands of times before… though it very, very rarely involved a Chosen or

the Willowood Clan to officially join the

that had been incorporated into the Order of the Malefic Viper. It wasn’t like every single member of every vampire clan had joined the academy or anything like that, after all. It was far more similar to the citizenship of an empire, with every member of the Willowood clan being granted their own identification tokens and an official

The entire area was already covered by the defensive barrier put down by the Order in all areas they controlled, but that one

not do much more than make the clan official members. She, in truth, had no interest in ruling the clan. Perhaps she was a bit similar to Jake in that vein, but she didn’t believe herself qualified

final gift to her clan, and Meira very much meant that. She was no longer a member of the Willowood Clan. That identity had been stripped of her when she first became a slave, and she had no intentions of regaining it. This entire visit was just a sentimental goodbye to a life that had once been. They would all get a chance now to

clan as a

she learned they had been forced to move to a worse area of the clan after her

who easily hid them. She was grateful for the S-grade’s conduct throughout this… he never really talked outside of reminding her of important things, and she didn’t even ask for him to hide their presence nor to stay outside and out of sight when they reached the house to

her interactions with Jake and Teacher, Meira could handle being in the presence of an S-grade without any issues, but

would have been nervous… but she was oddly calm. Listening in,

couldn’t see all the way up there… and

said with certainty. “You

her?” Tanyl asked nervously. “If it really is

standing outside the door, failed to hold back a smile. Without much hesitation, she raised her hand and knocked on

and after a moment, her mother went to the door and carefully opened

she did, she froze when she saw Meira… but

“Sis!” “Meira!”

manage to get their bearings before they tried

smile as she turned to the twins

as a figure of authority wasn’t something she was thatgood at quite yet, especially

tears welled up in her eyes. “I’m… I’m

about that stuff later, okay? Today is a good day…

held back tears as

Kythela said, staring with eyes as big

a whole speech up there about how,” Meira

went through a lot,” Kythela muttered. “Are you, you know,

nod, Meira

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