Chapter 261
Chapter 261 First Step Into Kaldia
Cranfordale was one of the strongest provinces, so Leander called Gale, the head of the Halloway family
“Tron Sovereign! I never imagined you’d personally call me,” Gale said, his laugh loud but clearly uneasy.
When he first met Leander, the kid had barely made a ripple in the martial world.
But now, not even a year later, Leander stood at the top.
Finished
He had built Jeff Enterprises, claimed the number one spot in Astria’s rankings, and earned the title Iron Sovereign.
Even with the Halloways dominating Crestgate and stand at the peak of Mornwick, Gale knew his clan couldn’t compare to Leander.
“Drop the formalities. Just call me Leander,” he said.
I’m calling because I need a little help.
I’m heading to Cranfordale tomorrow. I plan to visit the Shire family for Old Mr. Shire’s birthday. I need to bring a gift, and I figured you’d know what he likes p>
“The Shire family?” Gale’s voice paused mid-thought.
“You mean the Shire family? The top military family in Cranfordale p>
“Yeah,” Leander said casually. “Is that a problem p>
There was a long silence on the other end. Then Gale’s tone dropped. “Mr. Ashcroft, they’re on a whole different level. They outclass my family in every way. Old Mr. Shire spent decades in the army and once led the Thundercliff Army as a general. He commanded nearly half the nation’s troops. That’s why people call them the general’s family.
“No one worth their salt in Cranfordale would disrespect them. Even top officials give them room. When he served, Old Mr. Shire mentored hundreds of officers who now hold positions across Cranfordale, Mornwick, and Grove. The man is called the ‘Master of Thousands’ for a
reason.
“You know them personally p>
Even Gale was wary of that family.
“Not exactly,” Leander said. “This’ll be my first time meeting them. My sister Madeline is his granddaughter. I’m just going with her to celebrate his birthday p>
Gale collected his thoughts and spoke slowly. “Then let me give you a word of caution.
“Old Mr. Shire is tough. When the new government was formed, he retired right away, but his name and power only grew stronger.
“He’s stubborn. He doesn’t compromise. If he likes you, he’ll treat you like family. If he doesn’t, he won’t bother hiding his dislike. He’s sharp and has no time for people who don’t measure up.
“If you’re going there, I suggest you let them know who you really are. Don’t go in there with your identity hidden. You don’t want unnecessary trouble p>
Gale wasn’t speaking lightly. He had once gone with Old Mr. Halloway to visit the Shires. He’d only met the old man once, but that one meeting left a mark. The old man had pride in his bones. He didn’t waste time on mediocrity. Even the Halloways had been dismissed with little more than a nod.
He feared that if Leander walked in without revealing who he was, the old man
would think of him as nothing more than a peasant.
“Reveal who I am?” Leander gave a short laugh and shook his head.
“I’m just dropping off a gift and eating a meal. That’s it. I’m not there to cause waves.
“Just tell me what he’s into. I’ll pick something decent p>
Gale heard the steady calm in Leander’s voice and didn’t push it. He listed off the old man’s two biggest passions-fine wine and chess.
Leander wrote it down, then spent the rest of the afternoon choosing the right gift.
Once everything was ready, he boarded a flight to Kaldia.
He checked the schedule. After the visit, it would line up perfectly with his appointment to join Wyvern Blade as Chief Instructor.
He called both Graham and Miles to explain his plans. He asked them to meet him
in Kaldia when the time came.
At that same moment, in the capital of Cragspire, the silence inside a villa was shattered.
A man’s hands shook with rage as he lifted a porcelain vase and threw it hard against the wall. The crash echoed through the house as the priceless piece burst into shards.
“That b*stard killed my son!” he bellowed. “Leander Ashcroft! That d*mned Mornwick punk!” His voice bounced off the marble walls. His face was red, twisted with fury.
On the floor lay Elric’s lifeless body, cold and bruised. A woman knelt beside him, clutching his corpse, sobbing so hard she could barely breathe. Her tears soaked her clothes. Her hands trembled as she cling to her dead son.
The man’s chest heaved as he stared down at Elric. His teeth clenched so tightly it looked like he might break them. Elric hadn’t been his only child, but he had been his
favorite. He was smart. He had the
head for business.” The man had
been grooming him to take over
Luth Global Holdings one day. Now
all of that was gone.
“Maxwell!” he shouted, his voice cracking with rage. “I don’t care how you do it. I
want Ashcroft dead. I want him gone from this earth, you hear me p>
The woman lifted her tear-streaked face. Her eyes burned with hate. Her voice was
raw. “I want him dead too. I want his blood p>
Maxwell’s eyes turned cold as stone. He gave a hard nod, and his jaw clenched tight.
Leander might’ve ruled over
Mornwick and stood at the peak of
Astria as the face of Jeff
Enterprises, but Luth Global
Holdings was no small player either.
Maxwell wasn’t about to let that
man walk free. He was going to make him pay in full.
“Elric, don’t worry,” he muttered, voice low and rough. “I’ll get justice for you. I swear p>
Just minutes earlier, Maxwell had spoken to Reginald Smith of Reginald Enterprises. Both men had lost sons. Both wanted revenge. And they had found a shared enemy-Leander Ashcroft.
Now, the Smiths and the Luths, two corporate giants, were linking arms. Their goal was simple. They would drag Leander down and crush him.
“Mr. Ashcroft,” Maxwell growled, the rage building in his chest.
“You’re not walking away from this p>
At the gates of Kaldia Airport, Madeline stood by the curb in a light summer outfit. She wore large sunglasses that covered most of her face, but even with that, Leander spotted her in an instant.
“Leander!” she called out with a bright smile, waving as she walked toward him. Leander approached with an easy stride.
He had a canvas shoulder bag slung over one shoulder and looked more like a student on break than the head of a major empire.
“So, are we heading to the Shire place now or waiting a bit?” he asked casually. “Let’s go now,” Madeline replied. “Grandma just called. One of my cousins is coming to pick us up. Should be here soon p>
Leander gave a small nod and sat down beside her near the railing.
“I see p>
The two chatted while they waited. A few minutes passed. Madeline’s phone rang.
She answered, said a few polite words, and hung up.
Not long after a man in a pale green dress shirt walked up to them. He looked well put together -sharp jawline, neatly styled hair, and an air of quiet confidence. He smiled as he approached, every part of him neat and presentable.
Beside him stood a striking young woman. Her figure was tall and graceful, her features delicate, and her expression polite. She gave a soft smile in greeting, nearly as charming as Madeline herself.
“You’re Madeline, right?” the man asked. He had seen her in the media plenty of times, but with the sunglasses, he wanted to be sure.
“That’s me,” Madeline replied with a friendly smile as she pulled her glasses down a
bit.
“You must be Joshua p>
Joshua smiled and gave a small nod.
“Yeah. The car’s this way p>
Madeline nodded and then linked her arm around Leander’s without hesitation.
“Let’s go,
Leander p>
As Leander stood up, the couple’s eyes locked on him. The closeness between the
two didn’t go unnoticed. Both of them froze for a second, their expressions shifting slightly.