System S.E.X. (Seduction, Expansion, eXecution)-Chapter 337: The Weight of the Crown

What the Matriarch ignored was that Ethan possessed a high resistance to blunt force due to his Harder than Steel ability, which had activated automatically the moment it sensed a life-threatening impact. However, he was still vulnerable to other types of refined attacks, such as her specialized liquid manipulation. If the Matriarch had truly attacked him with intent to kill, she could have left him looking like Swiss cheese. Nevertheless, this small misunderstanding earned Ethan massive points in her eyes.

"I regret taking so long to come and see my savior. For someone as ungrateful as me, I hope I haven’t caused you a bad impression," said the Matriarch.

"There is nothing to thank me for. Helping a person who suffers is the duty of a gentleman," Ethan said.

She laughed again, extending her hand toward his chest once more. Ethan tensed, his muscles coiling for another impact, but she didn’t strike. Instead, she stroked his chest gently, her fingers tracing the fabric of his shirt.

"You are quite the casanova. If I were a few hundred years younger, perhaps I would try something with you, but I am far too old for you," the Matriarch said.

"Not at all. You are clearly in the prime of your life; you look spectacular," Ethan said.

She laughed, shaking her head. "Let’s stop with the nonsense," she said with a sharp smile. "The reason I took so long to visit is because I had to collect some debts—debts that, unfortunately, took longer than expected. I heard about your conflict with Parthenon."

She leaned against the balcony railing, her gaze turning cold and analytical. "Do you know the background of all the organizations you have faced? You have declared war on many very important and dangerous groups," the Matriarch said.

Ethan met her gaze, his expression hardening. "And you come here to tell me that I did things wrong? That I should have bowed my head and allowed them to walk all over me?" Ethan said.

The Matriarch didn’t flinch. She simply watched him, wondering if the young king in front of her truly understood the size of the hornets’ nest he had just kicked.

"The groups you attacked are spiteful. They will seek to assassinate you no matter the cost," the Matriarch said. "However, you shouldn’t worry about Parthenon anymore. Their leader is an old acquaintance—the President of Russia. I went to see him personally and told him not to mess with you. I don’t want a friend and my benefactor fighting each other."

Ethan froze, his mind racing. For nearly two months, Parthenon had been silent. He had expected an army, a fleet, or at the very least a wave of elite assassins seeking revenge for the blow he had dealt them. Instead, there was nothing. Now it all made sense. They hadn’t swallowed their pride out of fear of him; they had been intimidated by a force far superior to their own.

Ethan began to bow again to show his gratitude, but she held up a hand.

"It is too early to thank me," the Matriarch said. "Just as I was coming to tell you that news, I found out you had declared the Union your enemy. And the Union... that is a different matter entirely."

Ethan straightened up, his eyes narrowing. "Why? What is your relationship with the Union?" Ethan asked.

"You could say we are mortal enemies," the Matriarch said directly. "They were the ones who ambushed me. But even I wouldn’t dare to declare war on them directly."

Ethan didn’t flinch. He looked out over his scarred city, the amethyst fire in his eyes burning brighter. "I didn’t look for this war. But if it is necessary, I will be the one who finishes it," Ethan said.

The Matriarch burst into a genuine, hearty laugh, the sound echoing across the balcony. She looked at him with a mixture of disbelief and genuine respect.

"You have a lot of courage, boy. I’ll give you that much," the Matriarch said.

Ethan leaned against the railing, his expression unreadable. "Thank you. I only did what I had to do," Ethan said.

The Matriarch’s smile faded into something more solemn. "I would have done the same in your shoes, but you must be careful now. Many people believe the Union is just decoration—a political puppet—but they are wrong. They have real power. They are far more dangerous than the groups you have faced so far," the Matriarch said.

Ethan turned to face her fully, his Amethyst Eyes scanning her for any hint of hesitation. "Have you ever faced them before that ambush?" Ethan asked.

The Matriarch looked out toward the horizon, her gaze drifting as if recalling a distant, bloody memory.

"I faced some of their high-ranking officers once. It was a good fight; they are disciplined and possess technology that borders on the impossible," the Matriarch said. "But the Leader of the Union... he is a mysterious figure. He is someone I wouldn’t want to face if it could be avoided." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Ethan felt a chill that had nothing to do with the wind. To hear the woman who terrified the global underworld speak with such caution about a single man was more telling than any intelligence report Crul could provide.

"Is he that strong?" Ethan asked.

"Strength is a relative term at our level," the Matriarch said. "He doesn’t just have power; he has reach. He sees things before they happen."

The Matriarch sighed, a rare moment of vulnerability crossing her ageless features.

"Forgive me if I am elusive with my words, but there are things that are difficult to explain. One day you will understand," said the Matriarch.

Ethan nodded slowly, respecting the boundary. He could sense the weight of the secrets she carried, pressing against the air like a physical force. "There is no problem. You don’t need to speak of what you don’t feel comfortable with," Ethan said.

The Matriarch straightened her dress, the playful glint returning to her eyes as she stepped closer to him, her presence overwhelming the space. She reached out, her fingers hovering just inches from his face, tracing the air around his new eyes.

"Besides," she added, her voice dropping to a low, melodic whisper that sent a thrill of anticipation down his spine. "There is one more reason why I came to visit you."