Silence and awkwardness took over the room as Fyu escorted Ryu out of the room.

Well, it was only natural considering that the most powerful person, in politics and strength, in the room got mad.

However, it seems that the silence was getting really awkward as one of the strangers, a man who seems to be in his late 30s, turned his head to look at Lionel and spoke.

"Now, now, Lionel. Aren't you being too harsh on Ryu?" That man said, and his voice resounded out in this place.

This made the other people in this room turn their heads towards the man.

After all, he basically broke the silence when the mood was really sour and heated.

Even Desire and Jarina didn't know what to do in this situation, and yet, a man...suddenly talked all chummy with Lionel.

It was unbelievable.

"C-captain..." One of the strangers to Desire spoke as he tried to stop the middle-aged man.

He didn't want his superior to get in trouble for acting all chummy with Lionel. What's more, the man named captain called Lionel on his given name, not clan master or something like that.

It was definitely disrespectful for someone in power like Lionel.

However, an unbelievable event happened as Lionel spoke, "Was I, Zero?"

"Ryu will never learn if he keeps on acting like that. Although I already forgave him for what he did in the past, I definitely won't like it if he doesn't even try to change his hot-headedness."

Lionel said as he began to walk back in his chair as if nothing just happened.

Well, to Lionel, this was only normal, but for the other people in this room, what just happened was...bizarre.

After all, Lionel just let a subordinate talk to him as if they were on equal terms.

Right, the middle-aged man was a subordinate to Lionel, which is why it was weird for Lionel to not even reprimand him.

However, it seems that the man didn't care about the looks that he was getting from Desire and the others as he spoke again.

"Yeah, you definitely were harsh on Ryu. Anyways, this is the disciple that you told me about?"

The middle-aged man...then began to walk towards Desire, who had a nonchalant look on his face. It was as if he didn't even care that he got attacked by Ryu.

"Oho, I can definitely see why Lionel suddenly took a disciple." The man said as he observed Desire from his feet up to his head.

"Ah, yeah. You guys should take a seat first. I'll introduce you to each other after we finish this." Lionel said as he looked at Desire and Jarina as he urged for the two of them to sit at the seats near him.

And when he did, Desire and Jarina quickly moved towards the seats without saying anything.

Lionel then turned his head to look at the other people in this room; the youth who tried to stop the man called Zero and the other one...a woman.

However, Lionel was familiar with the woman as the woman was a direct subordinate of Lionel.

The one who Lionel was focusing on was the young man.

"Hmmm...should we hear the reason why you brought a young one, Zero?" Lionel said with a sharp and heavy tone.

Although he didn't know the exact reason why Zero brought a young one to him, Lionel could already guess why.

He just wanted to make sure if his guess was correct.

"Oh, this kid is called Ezima." Zero said as he began to walk towards the youth...towards Ezima.

"C-captain...what's going on?" Ezima said as he looked at his captain.

Ever since Zero talked with Lionel, everything became confusing and unclear for Ezima.

After all, Ezima knew that his captain was just a normal captain in the lower ranks of the Lion Clan.

It would be correct to say that the captain was someone who was leading the footsoldiers of the Lion Clan.

That was why it was weird. How come someone who is just leading the footsoldiers of the Lion Clan acting all friendly with the master of the Lion Clan?

However, it seems that Zero had no plans to answer Ezima's question as he just began to pat Ezima's shoulders as he spoke while looking at Lionel.

"I propose to let him in." Zero said as he looked at Lionel with a playful smile on his face.

"Hmm? Aren't you stationed in the lower ranks? If you are stationed in the lower ranks, that guy should be in the lower ranks as well. Are you saying that his potential is good enough?" Lionel said with a surprised look on his face.

After all, Lionel was able to guess right, but...it was really surprising for him to see that Zero would bring a guy from the lower ranks to him.

"Oh, what's this? You don't trust me? Damn...after working together for so long, you still don't trust my senses? Damn you, Lionel!" Zero said with a playful look on his face.

Of course, Lionel saw and heard that as his face...turned sour. Well, Zero was joking around right in front of his subordinates.

If this keeps up, Ezima or the woman might underestimate Lionel as Zero was talking to him like this.

And it seems that Ezima didn't like how Zero was talking like this to Lionel as he spoke.

"C-captain! What are you saying to the clan master!" Ezima said with a heated tone in his voice.

Ezima then continued as he pushed his body forward to his captain, "Any more disrespect than this is punishable by the law of the Lion Clan! You should know that better than anyone!"

However...it seems that Zero really didn't give a fuck about Ezima as he just pushed him out of the way as he spoke again while looking at Lionel, "See? Don't he got the requirements?"

"H-huh? R-requirements? What are you talking about, captain?" Ezima painstakingly said as Zero's left hand was grabbing his face.

"Hmm...Ezima, was it? Shut up for a little bit." Lionel said as he looked at Ezima.

Of course, when Ezima heard what Lionel said, he...came to attention as he saluted to Lionel as he straightened his body.

"Let's get back to the topic. I can give the permission since you are the one leading them, but...I thought your hands were getting full with 50 members?" Lionel said, but it seems that he was not done as he continued.

"If that kid joins in, you would have to train him together with my other private soldiers."

Right...Zero was the one who was training and leading Lionel's private soldiers.

He was the one leading the Lion King's feared soldiers - Lionel's personal army.

In other words, he was like the captain of the Imperial Guard for the Lion King.

And what Zero was asking here was...to make Ezima a member of Lionel's Imperial Guard.

And from what Lionel could see from Ezima, he was weak. No, calling him weak would be an understatement once he gets lined up together with the other private soldiers.

That was why...it would be hard to make Ezima an official member of Lionel's personal army as it would take years of training for him to reach the current members' feet.

And that would take Zero to focus on Ezima as well, which would mean that Zero wouldn't be able to train the other soldiers.

That was why Lionel couldn't see any merit in letting Ezima join his personal army even if Zero was the one recommending Ezima.

"Meh, I only said that because I was getting bored with them. They are getting too stiff. However..." Zero pulled Ezima close to him as he spoke again, "It should be fun with this guy."

"Well...if you say that, I can't really reject it now, can I? I mean...you are the one who's gonna handle him, anyways."

Lionel then waved his hand to Ezima, "You can go now, wait for Zero in front of the door."

"H-huh...?" Ezima couldn't believe what he just heard. Well, he was already confused in the first place.

However, when he heard the words 'private soldier' and 'handle,' Ezima somehow remembered the rumors going around about the private soldiers of the Lion King.

And since Lionel was talking to Zero about Ezima, Ezima can see that...he was going to be a private soldier of the Lion King.

And that was why Ezima was really confused right now.

After all, Ezima knew that he was very weak. A weakling doesn't deserve to be called a private soldier of the Lion King.

However, it seems that Ezima didn't have the time to sort out his thoughts right now as Lionel spoke again.

"Didn't I already say that you can go now? What are you doing? Get out of here." Lionel said as his eyes turned sharp.

"Y-Yes!!" Ezima shouted out loud as he saluted Lionel one more time before getting out of the room.

"Now that's out of the way, shall I introduce you to my disciple, then...Zero." Lionel said with a thin smile on his face.

After all, Lionel has been looking forward to this moment.

He has been looking forward to his disciple, Desire, to meet his right-hand man, Zero!