Chapter 58: The True meaning

After reviewing Fiona’s data panel, smith turned around. He was just about to announce her title, but when he looked at the other elders, he saw that their faces were already completely numb. He simply nodded his head, and the elders clearly understood what he meant. Truth be told, they were already expecting it. All the previous summons had been legendary titled Queens, and as smith had told them before, they all underwent the same training trial. They had already concluded that if the others were legendary titled Queens, the last one would be no different.

​On the surface, they appeared calm, but deep inside, their excitement was overflowing. They could finally discuss the direction for Smith’s potential growth—something they had been waiting for all along.

​Even though it was late at night, they couldn’t hold back any longer. As usual, Jacob acted as the spokesman for the group. Having interacted with Smith many times, he stepped forward again and spoke.

​"Okay, Smith. Because you have summoned all your Queens, we need to adapt our plans for how we will move forward—and very quickly at that. Originally, when you only had one legendary titled Queen, we planned for you to become the spearhead in opening newly formed dungeons. You would lead the team just like in the previous dungeon, which would help us open them up while allowing you to gain valuable combat experience."

​Jacob paused briefly before continuing. "However, we changed our plans when we heard that you had also summoned Brenda as a legendary titled Queen. Although it didn’t deviate much from the first plan, we added the idea that you could help us train those who are still in the novice rank inside the dungeons. It would have been a great experience for both them and you—hitting two birds with one stone. But as you can see, our second plan didn’t even last an hour before this happened."

​Jacob’s expression grew solemn. "Now, because you are a Grand Elder... Smith, to tell you the truth, this is not a status to be taken lightly. It is only slightly below that of a Patriarch in the Seven Families. It is a status where you can mobilize resources, items, and even personnel of lower status across the different families—all without needing the approval of the Patriarchs themselves. Though there are limits, it is still the highest status below a Patriarch, and in certain scenarios, it can even carry more weight than the Patriarch himself."

​Jacob paused to let his words sink in.

​Internally, Smith was shocked. He knew the title of Grand Elder carried high prestige, but he never realized it held this much actual authority—let alone that it could outweigh a Patriarch under specific circumstances. Furthermore, a normal Grand Elder only belonged to a single family, whereas he had been granted seven Grand Elder titles simultaneously. With a single word, he could mobilize resources from seven different family factions The sheer magnitude of this power made even him shudder.

​However, Smith knew that such power came with equal responsibility; there was no such thing as a free lunch. Judging by what Jacob had explained about the current state of the world, he knew this position carried immense weight. Since he was now tied to all seven families at once, he had to work exceptionally hard to live up to their trust and expectations.

​Smith looked at Jacob with firm resolve. "You don’t have to worry about anything within my capabilities. I promise that because you have trusted me with such a high status, I will live up to its name. Don’t ever hesitate to utilize my abilities, and don’t ever think that gaining this status will change who I am. I promise to perform at my absolute best. As my elders, you have the right to pave the way for me, and I am relying on your guidance in this brutal and chaotic world. Please, guide me."

​With those words, Smith bowed respectfully to all the elders.

​Jacob hadn’t expected the young man to be so sharp—to figure out the underlying expectations from just a few words. He was thoroughly satisfied, knowing their choice to elevate him was entirely correct. Jacob smiled genuinely, and the other elders nodded in unanimous approval.

​As Grand Elders themselves, they knew that while their status was technically below the Patriarch—who fully controlled the family’s administrative affairs—the Grand Elders served as the ultimate protectors of the family. Such a position could not be filled by someone arrogant or unapproachable; it required a person who truly understood accountability and acted responsibly. Seeing Smith grasp the true weight of the title put their minds at ease.

​Jacob continued, "Smith, we deeply appreciate your resolve. However, as you know, despite your immense potential, you still need time to grow. Even though you hold the position of a Grand Elder, you cannot immediately mobilize all those resources just yet. So, let us discuss our actual future plans."

​Since everyone was present, and Smith had not dismissed his Queens back into his spiritual space, he realized the current environment was completely unfit for a formal meeting. The study was small to begin with and originally only had two chairs. Worse, after Jacob had sent the massage of the code 0 in the chat group the elders knock through the roof during the earlier emergency, the room now looked like a battlefield.

​When Jacob and the elders snapped out of their excitement, they looked around and realized they were standing amidst rubble and debris. Focused entirely on Smith summoning his Queens, they had completely ignored their surroundings.

​Jacob offered a solution. "Why don’t we head back down to the living room? We’ve already verified the confidential matters. What we are about to discuss now are just our future plans, so even if the others overhear, it won’t be an issue."

​As the host, Smith agreed and led everyone toward the living room. As they reached the exit of the study, Smith noticed the door was completely missing—Caesar had kicked it off its hinges when rushing in earlier. With a slightly awkward expression, Smith led the group downstairs.

​Down in the living room, Sarafina was sitting anxiously. Earlier, while Caesar had been playfully flirting with her, his phone had suddenly vibrated. After checking the message, his demeanor instantly flipped from playful to dead serious, and he had flown straight toward the study. Not long after, she had felt five equally terrifying figures enter the room. As an ordinary person, she had been terrified, unable to do anything except wait for the outcome.

​Seeing Smith walk out unharmed, she let out a long sigh of relief.

​However, as the entire group arrived, the living room quickly became cramped. Smith turned his attention to Velvet, who was pushing his wheelchair.

​"Okay, dear," Smith said gently. "You can guide the others on everything, just like you did with Brenda. You can all go take them to become familiar with the place. I’m just going to discuss a few things with the Elders here, and I’ll join you afterward."

​Velvet didn’t object. She carefully transferred Smith onto one of the comfortable couches, then turned to look at the other six girls, including Brenda. They were happily chatting among themselves, wide-eyed as they explored the villa. To them, everything looked like a complete novelty—the electric bulbs, the plush sofas, and the modern architecture made them feel like country folk stepping into a grand city for the first time.

​Velvet interrupted their marveling. "Alright, everyone, we can admire these things later. Let’s go upstairs so you can take a shower. Right now, you don’t look very presentable in front of Smith, so get cleaned up and prepare for the night. We can wait for Smith afterward."

​Hearing Velvet’s words, the girls suddenly froze. They remembered that just a short while ago, they had been on a chaotic battlefield, desperately trying to break through the defenses set up by Scarlet. They were covered in dust and sweat, and now realized they were even smelling a bit of sweat.

​The realization hit them like a bolt of lightning. The thought of making a terrible impression on Smith made them squirm like ants on a hot pan.

​Seeing their panicked reactions, Velvet simply smiled. "Follow me."

​She led the way up to the master bedroom’s bathroom. As they walked away, Smith looked on, slightly puzzled. Even though the bathroom in his master bedroom was quite spacious, he doubted it could comfortably accommodate seven girls taking a shower at the same time.

​However, with more pressing matters at hand, he put those thoughts to the back of his mind, turned his attention back to the elders, and said, "Alright, let’s begin our meeting."