Chapter 37: Trust.

"What do you want from us?" Lazarus asked.

"No, I don't need anything from any of you because I already have everything that I want. What I want to say is that I want to offer you something that might be helpful for all of you," Mykel answered as he crossed his arms on the table.

Everyone looked at each other and found what Mykel said sounded so suspicious.

"Are you trying to make the same offer as what Sir Alfredo offered? If so, I'm not interested, in fact, I don't agree with whatever he's planning to do," Magnus said even though he was scared that Mykel would be offended by his answer.

"No. Why would I offer something that would benefit myself?" Mykel asked as he raised his eyebrows.

They were so confused on what Mykel was planning to offer, and it became more and more suspicious. Nobody in the whole world would offer something that wouldn't benefit them.

"What I'm offering you is protection," Mykel said.

"Protection? What do you mean?" Shanka asked.

"Let's say that someone is also interested in your losses and that someone wishes that all of you would die," Mykel answered as he glanced at the servants and maids on the sides. "I know that if you die, the artifact can be possessed by anyone. So, what I'm offering you is protection and prevent any of you die inside the portal if you decided to attempt to enter it," Mykel explained as he looked at Lazarus and the others.

"What you're trying to say is someone here wants us dead?" Darius asked with his eyes squinted.

Mykel didn't answer Darius' question because the moment the hall became silent, they knew who it was. Although they found it suspicious why Mykel suddenly talked about it, they didn't ignore his warning. They knew there were so many missing pieces about the origin of the Redshield family, and how Alfredo wanted to take the world into his grasp.

"How can we believe you that you're not that someone who wants us dead?" Zhang asked as he looked at Mykel with suspicion.

"Do I look like someone who needs something like a child toy to help me?" Mykel asked back. "If I want your artifacts, I can kill all of you right here and right now," Mykel pointed out with a serious expression.

Everyone was tensed up and already planned on how to leave without dying.

"My brother is a man of his word. I can swear on my life that he's not interested in the artifacts that you possess," Elena said as she looked at everyone.

"I also can vouch for that, if that helps," Jeanne said with her eyebrows raised.

After listening to both Elena and Jeanne's words, they were a bit convinced and didn't question Mykel anymore. But they were still suspicious of what his real intention was because it was too good to be true.

"Let's say that we believe you and agree with your offer, but what will you get in return?" Ren asked.

"Access to the portals in the world. Even though the portals don't belong to anyone, those people behind their desks still want a profit from it. I can guarantee that they would prevent anyone from outside the continent to interfere and try to take it from them," Mykel answered. "With your authority, that will help my guild to be able to enter those portals. The reason why I want to do this is because we can work together without anyone who stands above us that will manipulate us. Equality is what I'm after, and to achieve that, I will offer my trust," Mykel explained.

They could tell that Mykel was against what Alfredo proposed yesterday, and some of them were glad that he did. It wasn't a bad offer, and it sounded more realistic than what Alfredo offered them about taking over the world and making it theirs. It sounded like a big lie and it wouldn't end up like what they would expect.

"There's one thing that I want to tell you, and the whole world still doesn't know about this," Mykel continued. "Earth has seven continents, and so far there are only six portals that have been discovered, and each of them is on different continents. The last one is somewhere up north," Mykel explained.

"Antarctica?" Jeong asked.

"I believe so, and we have no idea what's happening up there. If that continent has been abandoned for years, and knowing there's a great demon up there, we can expect that continent would be the worst than the others," Mykel answered as he nodded his head.

"What makes you believe there are seven portals?" Darius asked.

"Seven Princes of Hell," Rozan answered. "Mykel was warned by the great demon that he fought in Nebraska, and it said something about the Princes of Hell that are going to take over the world," Rozan explained.

"There's only one way to find out, and that's to check it and see it with our own two eyes, but I believe that I'm right," Mykel said. "You might think it's a waste of time, but what if I'm right? What if there are hundreds of thousands of demons there and we keep ignoring it? What do you think will happen next?" Mykel asked.

"We can't barely keep up with what we are dealing right now, and to worry about something that's beyond our reach, it's unwise," Magnus answered.

"That's why I will give you all the information that we will get once we enter the portal in the United States. We will tell you what we saw in there and what kind of problems that we had," Mykel replied as he looked at Magnus. "That's what I will offer you other than protection," Mykel said.

"That's if you survived," Lazarus said as he looked at Mykel.

"If you dare, how about we make a bet? If we survive, all your wealth will be mine," Mykel said as he raised his right eyebrow and looked at Lazarus.

Everyone looked at Lazarus and waited for his response, but he shook his head because he didn't dare. Although he believed the chance of the Rebirth Guild to survive was low, he still didn't want to accept the bet for some reason.

"I thought so," Mykel smirked as he stood up and fixed his suit. "You all can do your research about the Princes of Hell. You might find something really interesting. Anyway, I'll let you guys enjoy your lunch and meet me once you have decided if you're in or not," Mykel said as he put a cigarette in his mouth and left the dining hall.

Lyneth took over the meeting and tried to convince everyone that they didn't have to make the decision at that moment. She said that they could give their answers after Mykel came back from the portal, and Mykel didn't specifically ask them to give the answer immediately.

Mykel stood in front of the door, and then the servants opened it for him. He looked at Alfredo who was sitting at his desk with a cigar in his mouth with his advisor sitting on the other side of the desk.

He entered the room and the servants closed the door behind him. He then sat down next to Alfredo's advisor as the two of them looked at him without showing any expression.

"I'm moved by the speech you gave them," Alfredo smiled as he puffed the smoke. "Who would have thought your method is more effective than mine? I take my words back," Alfredo chuckled as he looked at Mykel.

"What can I say? I'm more experienced in this more than you do," Mykel answered with a smirk.

"I could imagine their faces when they found out that they have been betrayed," Alfredo giggled as he shook his head. "I'm impressed, really," Alfredo continued.

Alfredo opened a small box and it was a box of cigars, and then he gave one to Mykel. Alfredo's advisor grabbed the lighter in his trouser pocket and then lit the cigar for Mykel.

"Welcome aboard, Mykel Alester. You're an executive member of the Illuminati now. The world is now under you, and you can get anything you want in this world," Alfredo said.

Mykel puffed the smoke and looked at the smoke floating to the ceiling and said, "Now. Shall we talk about the business that we have planned?"

"We shall," Alfredo nodded as he leaned his body forward in excitement.