newbobooks Chapter 219 The Tragedy of the Horn Family
Chapter 219 The Tragedy of the Horn Family
Chapter 219 The Tragedy of the Horn Family (This chapter is quite important)
Previously, Evan had found it somewhat strange that Robert wanted to send Mr. Hope to the Fussac Empire to personally oversee the screening of Petrov Andrei.
Although Petrov and Andrei are important, it's not enough to make Robert send his most capable subordinates.
It is important to know that Mr. Hope was Robert's most important confidant, and in many ways he could be said to be Robert's alter ego, handling many miscellaneous matters for Robert and making decisions for Robert on his own without reporting to him.
If Mr. Hope were to perish in the Fussac Empire, it would be a loss that ten Petrov Andrei could not make up for, at least not for Robert.
Although Evan was surprised that Robert would send Mr. Hope to the Fursac Empire, he didn't have any deeper thoughts about it.
However, after unexpectedly learning from Soren Einhorn Medici that he possessed the bloodline of the Fussac Empire's royal family, Evan realized the deeper meaning behind Robert's actions.
He must have had ulterior motives for sending Mr. Hope to the Fursac Empire; identifying the rats was probably just the least important thing.
Through this incident, Ai Wenwen, with his unique insight into "conspirators," perceived Robert's restless heart.
What exactly is Robert trying to do? Is he thinking of returning to the Fussac Empire?
Given Robert's character and political acumen, he certainly wouldn't make such a foolish decision.
Moreover, the split between the Horn family and the Einhorn family must be complicated. I refuse to believe that there wasn't a bloody feud involved.
Based on my understanding of Robert, he is not the kind of person who would compromise or fawn over someone because of his bloodline or status.
What would he do if he found out that the Horn family had royal blood from the Einhorn dynasty?
If I were him, I would use this bloodline to split the Fussac Empire as a stepping stone for my own advancement, or simply substitute one branch for another, with the minor branch replacing the major branch, and seize the highest power in the Fussac Empire!
This is likely the reason why the Rune royal family protected the Horn family—to use the Horn family as a tool to target the Fusak Empire in the future.
This kind of plan, spanning a thousand years, would be unimaginable to others, but to Augustus's angels, it was perfectly normal, merely a scheme of one generation of angels, not too long ago.
In addition, the unexpected deaths of the old count's heirs are also a cause for concern. The old count once said that both of his heirs were extraordinary individuals with the Hunter Path, but both died in accidents.
The official cause of death for these two heirs was claimed to be a traffic accident, which was merely a way to deceive the public. However, the fact that the old earl, with his power, did not conduct a large-scale or even private investigation speaks volumes.
Even if Evan had known that there was more to the story than met the eye regarding the successive problems of the old Earl's heir, he would have only guessed at other possibilities, such as the machinations of political enemies.
But after learning about the Horn family's bloodline issue, Evan could no longer take it lightly. Two culprits naturally came to mind: Augustus and the royal family of the Fussac Empire.
It's understandable if the royal family of the Fursac Empire were to take action; the Horn family is a threat to them in any case.
Anyone familiar with the situation can easily understand the Augustus family's intentions.
But they've lived peacefully for so many years, so what reason could they possibly have to suddenly start killing each other?
When the Einhorn family split, one branch migrated to the Kingdom of Loen and was accepted. The Augustus family and the Einhorn family must have had a fierce clash over this.
Ultimately, the two sides must have made a series of compromises and negotiations before the Horn family came into being and has been able to coexist peacefully for so many years.
What reason could the Fussac Empire possibly have to launch a massacre? Without the support of the Augustus family, the Horn family currently poses no threat to the Evanhorn family whatsoever.
Judging from the experiences and situation during this period, the Kingdom of Rune entered a reform phase many years ago because of George III's ambition to become the "Black Emperor." Facing the Fussac Empire and other competitors, it was generally in a strategic defensive state and unlikely to play the Horn family card at this time. Moreover, the death of the old count's heir was ten years ago.
When Evan can't understand something from a secular perspective, he often turns to the mystical.
The most distinctive feature of the two heirs who died unexpectedly was that they were not the "Arbitrator" extraordinary individuals, as was the tradition of the Horn family, but rather the "Hunter" extraordinary individuals, a fact confirmed by the old count himself.
Could it be that the fact that the new generation of the Horn family's heir is a Hunter Path Extraordinary has provoked the Einhorn royal family?
Did the Fursak Empire believe that this was at the behest of the Kingdom of Rune, preparing to use the Horn family again for some kind of conspiracy? After all, conspirators are most sensitive to conspiracy and most afraid of it.
Another more likely culprit in Evan's mind is the Augustus family.
If the old count's two heirs became extraordinary hunters not on the orders of the Augustus family, but simply because the old count acted on his own initiative, then it is very likely that he would offend the Augustus family.
On the one hand, the old Earl was a capable assistant to the previous king, but he did not gain the trust of the new King George III, and there were some conflicts between the two.
On the other hand, the Horn family was a very useful pawn to the Augustan royal family, so they could not tolerate the pawn developing its own thoughts and had to exert strong control over it.
The fact that the head and heir of the Horn family cannot become extraordinary individuals through the Hunter Path is likely a compromise reached between the two royal families.
The head and heir of the Horn family should ideally be an extraordinary individual through the "arbitrator" and "lawyer" pathways, so that the Augustus family can control them.
At the same time, they should also offer a reward by continuously marrying royal women into the family, thus strengthening the blood ties between the two families. This would also help the Augustus family maintain strong control over the Horn family as a pawn.
So, for some unknown reason, the old count made his heir a "hunter" without consulting him, which can be said to have offended both the "Augustus" and "Einhorn" angel families, both of which had reasons to take action.
According to Evan's speculation, the truth behind the assassinations of the old count's two heirs was likely that the Augustus family deliberately created a loophole, which was then carried out by the Einhorn family.
Then, with no other choice but to face reality, the old count could only choose Robert, who at that time was very likely to have become an extraordinary person who had become an "arbitrator" and had already comprehended the "playing method," as his successor in order to surrender to the royal family.
If this speculation is true, it could also explain another question: why did the royal family give such a green light to Robert's promotion, who is only 32 years old this year? Perhaps it was because of the extraordinary demigod-like qualities they provided. One possibility is that Robert's pioneering spirit and determination to reform were in line with George III's interests, and George III lent him a helping hand from behind, giving Robert more confidence to fight against the Duke of Negan.
On the other hand, it might be necessary to appease the old count, so that the Horn family would once again be willingly manipulated by the Augustus family and not have any intention of resisting.
The art of giving a beating followed by a sweet treat is a skill that this ancient royal family must be very adept at using to manage their subordinates.
As for Robert's pretext of identifying rats to send his most capable subordinates to the Fussac Empire, it's unclear what his actual plans were. It's likely that the old count revealed this to him that day, which is why he had ulterior motives!
Thinking of this, Evan couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, gaining a certain understanding of Robert's actions and thoughts—Robert had already harbored ulterior motives towards the Kingdom of Rune or the Augustusian royal family! He had also set his sights on the Fussac Empire.
And Evan had already decided instantly to help Robert, not only for Robert's sake, but also for his own.
The logic is simple: the future advancement of the Hunter Path will inevitably involve war, and it will be an increasingly large war. If you want to gain a dominant position in the future war, is there a better way than swallowing the Einhorn family?
Although it may seem like wishful thinking and sound somewhat presumptuous, in this mysterious world with a monarchy, bloodline is enough to form the basis for ambitious aspirations.
Having this blood connection already makes him much stronger than Roselle back then. Evan doesn't believe he can't do what Roselle could do.
"What are you thinking about? Why did you suddenly freeze up?"
Just as Evan was lost in thought, Bernadette couldn't help but ask a question, startling Evan back to reality.
"Oh, it's nothing. I know you want to determine whether my brother will side with George III on the 'Black Emperor' issue, and whether it's possible to win him over. In my opinion, it's possible!"
Bernadette raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. After all, Robert was already a bigwig in the Ruhnn political scene and was about to inherit the Horn family's hereditary title. Yet, without knowing that Evan had been plotted against, Evan had actually judged that he might be drawn into the anti-George III camp. This really surprised her!
Do these two brothers both have a habit of betraying their own faction?
1
Thinking about how Evan first created the vessel for the true creator's divine descent, and then created Sauron Einhorn Medici, the true creator's favorite follower, Bernadette couldn't help but complain in her mind again.
"The Augustus family has very strict control over extraordinary individuals who are not from the Augustus family, especially demigods. Robert should be facing the problem of ascending to the ceiling now, and I should be facing it sooner or later."
I don't know what others think, but I do know that my brother is a proud and arrogant person who doesn't easily admit defeat, so he definitely couldn't stand this situation.
If, at this point, I could give him another option, point him in the right direction, I think he would be tempted!
Evan needed to give Bernadette a reason that he believed could bring Robert over, but he couldn't mention that the Horn family had Einhorn blood, so he could only talk about it from the perspective of promotion.
"Your father must have left you a substantial inheritance, including blasphemous cards from the 'Arbitrator' or 'Black Emperor' pathways?"
Evan asked, half knowing the answer already, and half expectantly.
Bernadette understood that Evan was asking on Robert's behalf, but she still shook her head regretfully and said:
"As far as I know, the blasphemous plaque of the 'arbitrator' route should now be in the hands of the Castile family of Fenneport."
This is what my father said to my face.
His relationship with the Fussac Empire and the Kingdom of Fennepot, or rather the Church of the God of War and the Church of the Earth Mother, was ambiguous, yet they always helped each other in crucial moments, which made people suspicious.
After all, the biggest threat facing Intis is actually fighting on two fronts simultaneously, one in the north and one in the south, against the Fussac Empire and the Kingdom of Fennepot.
So when he created the blasphemous card of the "Arbitrator" pathway, he sent it to the Kingdom of Feneport in hopes of causing internal turmoil, since the royal Castile family of Feneport, like the Augustus family, also possessed the "Arbitrator" pathway.
As a senior intelligence officer in MI9, Evan was primarily responsible for the Fusak Empire, but he could still discuss the situation of other countries at high-level working meetings, so he had a grasp of some basic information.
The main protagonists in the current power struggle between the Kingdom of Rune and the Empire of Fusak are the Kingdom of Rune and the Empire of Fusak, respectively, over the hegemony of the entire northern continent and the expansion of the colonies in the southern continent.
Since Rosell's assassination and the establishment of the parliamentary republic in Intis, no political unity has ever formed within the country.
Every year and every month is spent in endless bickering and infighting.
The Church of the Eternal Sun and the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery are constantly competing with each other in various fields.
Governments and parliaments have been disintegrating and reorganizing one after another, and national consensus has been constantly eroded. This is certainly due to the efforts of other countries to exacerbate the situation, but the parliamentary system itself is also a major problem. In the reality of a world of great competition, the inability to form a cohesive force internally is the biggest problem, and the country is constantly regressing.
It is only because Rosell left behind a solid foundation that Intis might have disintegrated long ago. However, it is also because of this solid foundation that internal conflicts did not erupt into a major crisis even as the country made great strides in its development.
This is why, even after more than a hundred years, there is still a strong force within Intis that wants to restore the Gustav family to power, because there are people in all levels of Intis who yearn for the era of Emperor Roselle.
The countries of Remnburg, Masic, and Segal, which were controlled by the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom, were typical small countries where the power of the church was greater than that of the monarchy.
In other countries, at least superficially, the church and the royal family share power, while in the small countries controlled by the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom, the church is absolutely dominant and directly intervenes in the governance of the country.
However, due to the "anti-stupidity syndrome" of the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom, these small countries do not have a strong religious atmosphere.
In addition, the country's exceptionally efficient elite governance strategy and its central location on the continent, which made it attractive to other major powers, resulted in a surprisingly good life.
However, due to the relatively small territory they controlled, they had no chance of vying for hegemony over the northern continent.
Fenneport is located in the southern plains of the Northern Continent. Its warm and humid climate is very conducive to agricultural development. In addition, it is backed by the Church of the Earth Mother. Therefore, although its territory is not as large as that of the Fusak Empire, the Kingdom of Rune, or the Republic of Intis, it is the largest granary in the Northern Continent, supporting the largest population and even able to dump its produce abroad.
The Kingdom of Rune's Grain Law was enacted specifically to address the Kingdom of Feneport's massive dumping.
Last year, under Robert's leadership, the Grain Act was repealed, lifting restrictions on imported grain. This led to a sharp drop in grain prices in Rune Kingdom, directly causing one-fifth of the self-sufficient farmers to go bankrupt. At least half of the farmers will go bankrupt in the future, forced to work in the city, selling themselves to factory owners and capitalists.
However, an overly comfortable environment has also led to a lack of ambition among the people. The saying "born in hardship, die in comfort" is not just a casual remark.
Therefore, among the countries of the Northern Continent, Fenneport has the weakest industrial strength and relatively weak military combat power, with neither the army nor the people willing to fight.
Even so, the Kingdom of Feneport remains a player in the game of power in the North Continent.
However, in recent years, some changes have occurred within Fenneport, namely, the Castilian royal family, which is the ruling body, has split, and there has been a phenomenon of infighting for power!
This situation is very rare, because royal families in most countries are angel families, and there must be an angel within the family whose word carries the most weight. Even if there are internal disputes, they can be kept within a certain range.
Such a long-lasting split with ever-expanding consequences is unprecedented. Evan didn't understand why this happened before, but after listening to Bernadette's words today, he understands a bit better. It turns out that the mines Rosell planted have taken effect.
Of course, the extent to which the "Arbitrator" pathway's blasphemous card played a role remains to be seen, but the reality is that the Kingdom of Feneport has been preoccupied with internal strife in recent years, and it is certain that they will not be able to obtain this card now.
"As for the blasphemous cards from the Black Emperor route, I have some leads, but obtaining them won't be easy!"
"Oh, why is that?" Ai Wenming asked knowingly.
"Because this card is hidden among my father's belongings, and after his death, almost all of his belongings were kept by the Church of Steam and Machines, and ordinary people cannot access them. Even now that I have become an angel, I am not absolutely certain that I can get my hands on it."
Evan nodded knowingly, recalling Bernadette's actions in the original work, and guessed that the Roselle memorial exhibition might have been orchestrated by Bernadette through various means in order to obtain the "Black Emperor" blasphemous plaque hidden in the manuscript.
Unexpectedly, Klein beat them to it, and the Desecration Card that was about to be in their hands was gone.
"There is a way to deal with this. As the most legendary figure of the Fifth Age, Emperor Roselle is still an idol in the hearts of many people and has a high popularity among the people."
You should have some influence in Intis. Don't use the extraordinary ones, just use ordinary people to promote the Roselle memorial exhibition from the sidelines. That should get a very good response!
It wouldn't be easy to make a move in Intis, so I'll operate in the Kingdom of Loen. At the government level, I'll use the reasons of cultural exchange and good neighborliness to promote the Roselle Emperor Memorial Exhibition to be held in Backlund.
Backlund isn't the Church of Steam and Machinery's home turf, so everything will be much easier then!
Bernadette thought about it and felt that the plan was very feasible and had a high success rate, so she agreed.
Both sides tacitly avoided mentioning the ownership of the blasphemous card, leaving the matter to be decided by their own means.
Even if Bernadette ultimately wins this card, in order to win over Robert and repay Evan for his help in this operation,
She would at least provide Robert with the potion recipe he desperately needed; this was an unspoken agreement between them.
"By the way, there's something else I'd like to ask you. Is that alright?"
After agreeing on their cooperation in obtaining the "Black Emperor" blasphemous card, Evan hesitated for a moment before asking Bernadette.
"What?"
Bernadette was somewhat surprised by Evan's hesitation. In her memory, Evan had always been a straightforward and decisive person. Why would he be so hesitant?
"I want to ask if the blasphemous card of the 'General Knowledge' pathway is in your possession? If so, did you obtain it from your brother, Charles Gustav?"
Evan asked somewhat cautiously, because he knew this would touch on Bernadette's painful memories.
Sure enough, Bernadette exuded a deep sadness upon hearing Charles's name, even moving Evan, who was usually hard-hearted.
Why are you asking this?
Bernadette's tone was noticeably colder than before, sending a chill down Evan's spine. But since he had already asked, there was no reason to back down, so he could only grit his teeth and say:
"I know a demigod who is on the 'Generalist' path. I've been trying to win him over but haven't known where to start. If this blasphemous card is really in your hands, I might be able to use it as leverage to get him onto our side!"
George III has not yet reached the final stage, and there is no need for us to let you, the angel, take action prematurely and arouse suspicion.
Routine acts of sabotage require a certain number of people. My rank is too low, and Robert's identity is too obvious. If we could recruit a demigod to stand in the forefront, it would only benefit our future operations!
Evan might downplay his own personal motives in this matter, instead linking this action to their subsequent plans.
Before long, Bernadette regained her composure and said to Evan:
"You should contact him first! Let me know when there's progress!"
After saying that, Bernadette turned into bubbles and disappeared into Evan's apartment.
As Evan watched Bernadette disappear and the bubbles gradually burst, he sighed, knowing that his suggestion had touched on her painful memories.
But Evan quickly regained his senses, took out the Hunter's Path Desecration Card given to him by Grisha, and did some processing on it.
Although Evan is the master of the City of Calamity, and is himself a great source of extraordinary things from both the Hunter and Witch paths, let's try to minimize the calamities he attracts!