Chapter 801: Cracks

Michael and Alice would never discuss specific topics while others were present because they could never be certain who belonged to the traitorous families and Descendants. To be precise, this was one of the reasons they chose to avoid discussing some topics in public.

Another reason was everything they said publicly could be used against them. Alice belonged to the Zenovia family. Everything she said could be considered an official statement of her family. The same thing could be said about Michael. It was just a little bit different in his case. He didn't have to speak in his family's name to gain a public voice. Everything he said was important to the most influential members of the Tritan Alliance. He possessed Extraction and the means to transform every family into the strongest - if he was willing to support them.

Therefore, Michael and Alice wouldn't speak about the Supreme Human Alliance, Bloodhound and stuff revolving around Hyumans, High Society, and such publicly.

Alice's behavior in Olivia's presence was far from normal. Her actions left Michael perplexed, sensing that something was amiss. This deviation from her usual self was unsettling, to say the least.

Alice wasn't scared of Olivia Blaze but was vigilant and tried pointing out something without naming it directly. Why would being vigilant in front of her best friend be necessary? And how did Alice know so much about the Supreme Human Alliance in the first place? Olivia Blaze didn't know the topics the couple had spoken about, but Michael couldn't remember revealing much about the SHA, the Nest, and his Curses.

He would have loved to tell Alice about everything, but Eren told him not to reveal too much about Curse Users and everything related to them to ordinary Awakened. Why was that the case? It was fairly simple. The more an Awakened learned about Curses and Curse Users, the more likely they were to be affected by the presence of Curses. The Awakened would notice the Curses easier and thus be noticed as well, resulting in a more-or-less problematic situation if not treated with great care.

He could have told Alice some secret information about the Supreme Human Alliance, but it was not like Michael knew a lot about the SHA. He learned most things about the SHA in the Nest. That's why it was even weirder that Alice learned some things he had only gotten to know a while ago.

Michael didn't tell Alice much, yet she seemed to have learned a lot about the Nest and SHA. She was also asking too much about the Nest. He knew Alice was curious, but his girlfriend wasn't nosy. She would wait until he told her willingly, no matter how curious she was.

'But why would she speak about so many unimportant topics as well? Alice is not that talkative.' Michael wondered while continuing to chat with Alice. He never cut their conversation, and neither did Alice. They talked about mundane things they'd never discussed under normal circumstances. If anything, both would talk about their progress, their territories, their plans, and things like that.

Yet, none of those topics came up for more than a few sentences.

Tiara, Lilica, and the others arrived at some point, Michael saw them through the walls of the wooden manor with Spirit Eyes and used Whispering Energy to talk to them.

["Please stay outside and call Hiraku, Rebecca, and the other Human Awakened as well. No...Just bring every Awakened from the Tritan Alliance."] He urged Tiara and the Forest Elves, who could only turn around to follow his order.

Danny didn't talk much to Michael. Instead, he listened intently to everything Alice said.

[Your girlfriend learned from someone about the Nest and the Supreme Human Alliance. She didn't speak about your Curses, but I'm certain she knows something. Alice mentioned Fenrir without any context. As far as I know, you never told Alice that we're part of the Fenrir bloodline.]

This confirmed Michael's theory. He didn't like it, but there must be more traitors in High Society. Traitors who've switched their strategy from passively spreading the influence of the SHA to actively dropping information about the Nest and the Supreme Human Alliance.

Michael was about to continue speaking when he saw Olivia Blaze's reflection doing something. She gestured something to Alice. A deep frown appeared on her face, but she covered it quickly with an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry, but I've got to go. There are some High Society meetings I have to attend. The heads of the Zenovia family fell sick alongside..." Alice stopped mid-sentence, a pained groan escaping her lips, "Either way, I have to attend the meetings instead of my parents. Let's stay in contact. I missed you. I'm glad to see you well. Grow stronger and come back with the Nest."

Michael nodded slowly, "Stay healthy. I will call you again soon. Maybe you can show me more about your territory the next time we call. I've never seen your territory."

"That would be great. Maybe I can show you my territory...soon," Alice nodded slowly, "Bye. Love you."

Before Michael could say something, the call was cut off. He doubted that Alice cut him off but didn't say anything. Michael fell deep in thought instead. He tried telling Alice they should call each other in the Origin Expanse, where Olivia Blaze and others couldn't spy on them. That would make everything... easier, to put it in simple terms.

Nonetheless, Michael got a good gist of the situation, he guessed.

Michael put the Expanse Prism away and called the Untamed Awakened into the living room, where Frederik, Tiara, and Lilica greeted him with a tight hug.

Hiraku nodded seriously in his direction, the corner of his lips curling into the hint of a smile.

"First of all, I want to thank everyone for working tirelessly in the development of the Untamed Jungle and Paradise Valley. I didn't have the time to read the reports, but I can feel the Links of Loyalty and how firm they are. The summons are happy. That means everyone here and outside this room did a great job," Michael praised the Untamed Awakened.

"Once I finish reading the daily reports, I will distribute Jungle Points and additional rewards according to your contribution and progress. Like always, I will reward those who work the hardest with the best rewards. You won't regret it.

Michael's expression turned more serious after he finished the initial segment of his 'speech'.

"I talked to Alice just now and heard a few things that seem a little bit...weird," He pointed out slowly, studying the change of expressions before him intently. Unfortunately, there were little to no changes in the expressions of the Untamed Awakened.

Frederik was the first to respond, "Are you talking about the sudden breakthrough of some powerhouses and the expansion of stagnated territories, or about the diseases that have been affecting millions of Awakened, including the heads of the Zenovia family, the Piedra household, and others?"

Michael's eyes narrowed to a narrow slit.

"Tell me everything that has changed since I left. Anything that seems somewhat weird. No matter how insignificant it seems, tell me about everything!" He ordered while preparing himself for some long hours of information.

Frederik and Hiraku looked at each other, a trace of confusion passing through their eyes, but they complied. They, alongside the other Untamed Awakened, began summarizing the happenings of the last three months.

First, Michael was surprised that not much seemed to have changed. At least, that was what Frederik and some other Awakened pointed out. Fortunately, Michael had someone like Rebecca Zauber in his territory as well.

Rebecca Zauber was far more knowledgeable about the Tritan Alliance and politics. She was an active member of the High Society and its crumbling relationship with the other members of the Tritan Alliance.

Hiraku and Frederik, just like many other Awakened, didn't care much about politics. They didn't go around to ask about the changes that had been happening and were more focused on other things - such as growing stronger. They didn't notice that anything was off, obviously.

However, it was a well-known fact that the tension within the High Society reached a new height. It had always been rather tense in there, but it was worse than ever at this point. Two major factors caused the climax of the High Society's tension.

One was the outbreak of a disease that seemed to affect only Awakened, who were a lot around other races in the Origin Expanse and outside. At least, that was what a bunch of researchers pointed out after they did intensive research about the disease's origin. Some said that the Berserkers and Warlock Centaurs were infected with a contagious disease that didn't affect them. The same infectious disease would kill humans, according to their thorough research.

The Researchers proposed that all Awakened avoid the Berserkers and Warlock Centaurs. Some families supported this, banding together to isolate them.

These pieces of information were the exact opposite of what Alice told Michael. Even if he didn't want to acknowledge something was wrong, Michael was now 100% sure that something was off. He guessed that already, but receiving affirmation didn't make him feel better. His worries intensified.

The second major factor that resulted in more problems within the High Society was that the families supporting the Researchers grew stronger. Their power skyrocketed over the last three months. Their progress and the sudden expansion of their territories were unreasonably fast, to a degree that shouldn't have been possible...without any help.

The Blaze family progressed the most. Their growth surpassed the other families by leaps and bounds.

'Do you think the Supreme Human Alliance started acting after realizing that the Nest arrived as well? Or is it because I'm not there anymore?' Michael asked his brother.

[I think you're too self-centered. You think everything revolves around you, while it does, in fact, not. Jokes aside, I think the Supreme Human Alliance is getting impatient. Bloodhound nearly died because of Eren, and they must have noticed that you are a bigger problem than initially expected. They must have missed that the Fenrir bloodline's descendants were born and raised in the Tritan Alliance. That and probably a few more factors were enough for them to start acting now that you and Eren left.]

Michael ignored his brother's provocation and nodded slowly. He had to determine how extensive the Supreme Human Alliance's influence was. It was important to know how closely tied the Blaze family and others were to the Supreme Human Alliance at this point and what they planned to do now.

But he couldn't talk to anyone other than the Untamed Awakened. Michael would have loved to talk to Kraft Viton personally, but he couldn't reach him easily. Not without attracting suspicion.

With that in mind, Michael chose toward use Mind Reader on the Untamed Awakned in the room to find out if one of them betrayed him or the Tritan Alliance by out-witting the Links of Loyalty and Soul Pacts. He asked the Untamed Awakened first before prying into their mind and was fortunate enough not to meet any resistance. It was even better that Mind Reader didn't find a traitor in his rows.

Even if he hadn't been too worried about getting betrayed, Michael knew that the SHA had ways toward find loopholes and Soul Pacts and the means to 'widen' the loopholes, creating openings for betrayals. A tinge of worry that someone might betray him was still present until he used Mind Reader to ensure that no Untamed Awakened considered betraying him.

A tinge of worry was enough toward cause cracks. But cracks were only the beginning of doom. They might spread and widen slowly until Michael lost his trust in his people. His distrust and worry would be the end of everything.

Fortunately, he had Mind Reader to dissolve his worries regarding betrayals.

That gave him enough leeway toward devise several great plans to use the Untamed Awakened to acquire information regarding the Supreme Human Alliance's extensive network and inform Kraft Viton that he was still there.

Well. Basically.

He might come back. Michael was merely unsure how long it might take before he could return.