Location- Sky Blossom City, Card Stadium, VIP Box no1
"Are you sad?" asked Anna, seeing me preoccupied in my thoughts.
"Why would I be?" I was busy thinking about how to feed a calamity daughter gem to Clown mask before she is detained by the Heatsend Royal family.
"Because the Circle ran with all the rewards promised for winning first place in the tournament." Anna pointed out something I had not thought of.
The main sponsor of the tournament was the Circle but those fookers ran away. If I didn't know better I would think they ran away to avoid giving me a false relic. But that wasn't it. Why did the Circle run away? What would promote them to do so? That was a question for another day. Right now my objective was to feed a calamity daughter gem to Clown Mask. And the presence of Anna, Luna, and Lorenzo wasn't any help.
"I am not worried about that. Even though the Circle is missing the City hall is still present. I will have the City hall fork out false relic after all they were the second biggest sponsor to this tournament." There was still time for the tournament award ceremony, which would be after the young hero list is prepared and the top 10 are decided.
Right now in the arena, other ranking fights are taking place. But after the appearance of Anna and Luna, the tournament was no longer the highlight of the evening. From small-time bureaucrats to any family with some influence, all of them were lining up near the VIP Box section to greet the southern emperor.
"Old Man, What did my mother say?" Anna asked Lorenzo as she glanced at the Clown mask seated on the couch giving a lap pillow to unconscious Cortney.
"Ah! About that I think it was a bad Idea informing your Mother about it" Lorenzo said remembering his conversation with his niece.
"Uncle, Grandpa, and Grandaunt are at the way beyond, Who else is there for you to report to?" Anna asked, hearing the concern in Lorenzo's tone.
Right now except for Anna's mother, all the demigods belonging to the Heatsend royal family were holding their post and playing their part in the Mission Forsaken treasure. So the current highest authority was held by her mother.
"I thought your mother had gotten over that man but clearly she isn't." Lorenzo expressed his worries that Anna's mother was not making the best decision and her judgment is clouded by her hatred for her ex-husband.
"What makes you say that? Yes, my mother becomes a little... uncomfortable when that man is involved. But I do not think that she will let that affect her when it concerns the lives of grandma and our trusted subordinates." Anna knew that man was a sore spot for her and her mother but she did not think that would affect their judgment when something as big as their family is at stake.
Her history of bad decisions when it involves that man is also the reason why Anna let Lorenzo lead the investigation into the Clown mask. Because she almost believed in the Clown Mask's story which does not have any solid evidence backing it when the Clown mask brought up that man.
"The best course of action right now would be to have Sister-In-Law give up on the mission Forsaken Treasure and withdraw from the way beyond. Instead of this, your mother plans to play the Oriole preying on the Mantis stalking a Cicada." Lorenzo narrated that Anna's mother planned to arrange a counter-ambush for her ex-husband's ambush personally led by her.
Lorenzo believed this was a bad idea because there is no way to determine how many demigods are in cahoots with that man planning to ambush Anna's grandmother. What guarantees that man will be alone?
Clown mask said that she heard the news about Anna's father ambushing the injured general of southern watch aka Anna's grandmother and stealing the forsaken treasure. Clown mask's future vision information only came from the news that spread after the incident and it was not detailed. It did not contain information regarding How many and who were involved in the ambush? And what exactly happened?
According to Clown mask's info, the world did not know who ambushed Anna's grandmother and what happened until later when it was found that the forsaken treasure was in possession of Anna's father. Except for the certainty about the ambush, everything else was uncertain. Therefore, Lorenzo believed that instead of arranging a counter-ambush it would be best to give up on the mission and withdraw the forces.
"I think mother must have her plans behind her judgment. She isn't one to make light of the lives of grandma and our subjects. As for your worries, they are not unfounded but I don't think that is likely." Anna believed in her mother, trusted her Judgement, and supported her decision.
According to Anna, Lorenzo's worries about the information regarding the ambush were not without merit but she believed that the possibility of that happening was highly unlikely. Way beyond is not some kind of dungeon for the demigods to form groups to raid or lay traps. It was the freaking no man's land crawling with insane Supreme beings who would not be thrilled to sense so many demigods gathered at one place near their territory. So, it was highly likely that her father would be acting alone. Not to mention the forsaken treasure is not something that can be shared.
"Grandpa, I believe Auntie should have her reasons. She will not let her hatred of that man get to her and put the lives of thousands at risk. She might hate that man but she loves grand-aunt more." Luna also spoke in support of her aunt's decision. She strongly believed Anna's mother was not arranging a counter-ambush out of spite of her ex-husband endangering the lives of her grand-aunt and thousands of loyal subordinates.