Chapter 306 (1): “I do not like fighting, I only resolve fights.” - Death Knight

Bedford Shipyard, Eastern District of Londan.

A thin layer of mist shrouded the harbor at night. Every time the mist slowly spread to the surface of the ocean, a gentle breeze would direct it back to the shore, stopping it from spreading further.

The mist was limited to Londan!

Moonlight rained down on the ocean through the thin veil of mist to form a screen of hazy silver light. The ships in the distance were vague suggestions on the backdrop, glinting weakly like a smattering of stars lost in a dream.

The mist followed the ocean wind back to the harbor, carrying the briny, fishy smell of the marine habitat. The silent harbor saw little human activity at night. All that filled the silence were the gentle claps of the waves lapping at the vessels and the foghorns heralding their mooring.

It was incredibly quiet.

Every time the veil of night lowered, lights lit up in unknown corners, and silhouetted figures gathered about, conspiring in secret. Not far from the shipyard, a cruise ship marked with the Bedford family’s emblem slowly set out, stealthily sailing into the quiet, dark ocean.

The cruise ship didn’t carry many passengers, but only a number of important guests. The head of the family, Bedfrith Bedford, had thrown a banquet, inviting friends who weren’t really friends for a late-night conversation. Business was the only topic on the agenda—there would be no talk about major national affairs.

The Bedford family was one of the fourteen Tulip Families, with a certain level of achievement in both business and magic.

In the business world, the Bedford family owned the biggest shipyard in Londan with a massive supply chain supporting millions’ livelihoods. Their influence reached a variety of different industries, making sure that they were never without friends no matter where they went.

In Windsor’s world of magic, the Bedford family’s greatest masterpiece was Bedfrith Bedford, a legendary mage of the Ministry of Magic. He kept a low profile and focused all his attention on making money, rarely sharing his opinions. Every time he opened his mouth, he spoke in support of the Queen, making him a loyal royalist.

The three Vice Ministers of the Windsor Ministry of Magic, Obed, Yvette, and Alan, were legendary mages. The known higher-ups, Planck, Bourne, Hermann, Celeste, and Bedfrith were also legendary mages. That was eight legendary mages in total. Windsor’s deep talent pool lived up to her reputation as a historically great power.

𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Moreover, most of the legendary mages hailed from the Tulip Families, namely the former Tulip Legion. That showed the absolute, holistic control the royal family had over Windsor.

Even though Obed turned out to be a traitor, and Alan ended up going missing, the Queen could replace them shortly. The Windsors’ raw power on paper was formidable, with a solid foundation built over the years. They were a mysterious power both internally and externally. There was a reason that they could resist the pressure of the Church of Heavenly Father for so long.

Back to the present. In the extravagantly adorned meeting hall on the cruise ship, Bedfrith, dressed in a mage’s long robe, was having a pleasant conversation with a few guests. They were all members of the Tulip Families, including Barney from the Boswell family, Rupert from the Wilson family, Forest from the Julian family, the Woodson family, the Cavendish family, and the Spencer family.

In addition to the Bedford family, the organizer of this banquet, seven out of the fourteen Tulip Families were in attendance, representing half of Windsor’s power. Given that the Patino family had been excluded from the inner circle due to their association with the traitor Obed, only thirteen Tulip Families remained in reality. Seven were thus the majority, and these seven families on the cruise ship held an absolute advantage in a vote.

Moreover, Bourne, a legendary mage from the Ministry of Magic, was also present. He was close to Planck, and his presence could be equated to Planck being in attendance.

The guests looked around at their allies and saw a bright future. They had enough manpower to achieve great things.

Bedfrith disagreed. Too few guests had made an appearance, and too many seats were left empty. To his surprise, there were still Tulip Families that remained hopeful about the Queen. Besides, the families in attendance each had their own agenda, and the lack of unity posed a great risk.

Barney from the Boswell family, for example, was too eager to make money and was likely a spy sent by the Queen. Rupert Wilson was running for the next Prime Minister and lacked political capital, so he was likely the Queen’s spy.

Forest Julian spent his days selling lottery tickets and his nights selling tobacco. Nothing about his daily life could be separated from his secretary. He might not be the Queen’s spy, but he was almost always present at a spectacle. His attendance tonight was more likely as a spectator looking for entertainment, rather than a meaningful representation of allegiance.

The Woodson family had been powerful, and Vice Minister Alan had been a member of the family. Things were different now. Their pillar, Alan, was missing, leaving only nobodies behind. The Queen was unlikely to pay any attention to the scraps.

That left only the Cavendish and Spencer as reliable allies. They had been long-time business partners with the Bedford family, following Bedford’s decisions in every matter. Bedfrith trusted them.

However, the Cavendish family and Spencer family didn’t study magic and only held significant influence in the mundane world. In the world of magic, not even a stray dog would cast them more than a glance.

Those who should have come didn’t show up, and those who shouldn’t have come were present!

“Has the Lando family not sent anyone?”

“Why would Auston come?” Rupert said sarcastically. “He’s the Queen’s lover, and every time the Queen says anything, he’s always the first to lead the charge. He isn’t on our side.”

“Well said!” Forest nodded.

The Wilson family and the Lando family had been in conflict. Auston had made a strike at the Wilson family under the guise of an investigation, and when the Lando family was picking an heir, Rupert had exposed Wayne as a spy.

After the exchanges, Auston made a countermove once more. When selecting the candidates for the Prime Minister, Auston had cast his precious vote for Rupert’s political enemy, Winston Churchwell.

Every time he thought about it, Rupert couldn’t help but get angry. Auston and the Queen had had an intimate relationship, and their relationship had not been terminated. No matter how competent Rupert was, he couldn’t influence the Queen through pillowtalk like Auston did. He would bet on Auston being secretly responsible if Winston Churchwell became the Prime Minister of Windsor.

Damn that playboy, always fooling women!

After Rupert’s comment, Barney agreed, “Hear, hear. Auston is beyond arrogant. He sees us, his colleagues, as inferior. His wife is the Church of Nature’s High Reverend, and his son’s lover is the Church of Moonlight’s High Reverend. We aren’t even good enough to eat at the same table as him.”

“Well said!” Forest nodded vehemently.

“The last time MI6 provided its report, Cumming, the old bastard, swore that Auston’s illegitimate son wasn’t Auston’s biological son. Bah, look at the father and son and then at their women. They are obviously related.” Barney raised his voice as he spoke, punctuating his spiel with a slam on the table.

The Boswell family was a business family, specializing in the forestry and mining industries. They had been aiming for the firearm industry and had clashed countless times with the Lando family in the business world. Their relationship was thus strained.

Barney would still feel aggrieved even if he put aside their rivalry and looked at their heirs alone. Owen, Barney’s son, was a talented young man. Not only was the young man young, but he was also a full-fledged talent in the business world, much to Barney’s satisfaction.

Wares could afford to be compared, while people could not, however. Compared to Auston’s son, Wayne, Owen became a useless lout whose only talent was eating, drinking, gambling, womanizing, and playing with his secretary.

Even in playing with his secretary, Owen paled in comparison to Wayne!

Worse was their gap in womanizing. Just look at the kind of women Wayne had been messing around with. The bastard was the unchallenged champion in bastarding given how he got involved with a High Reverend in the day and his younger sister at night.

Of course, Auston was even more remarkable in this regard. Although he didn’t have a younger sister, he had the Queen.

“Well said!” Forest nodded.

Once the conversation went back to Auston, the voices in the meeting hall grew louder. Outside of Forest, who was only here for the drama, and the Woodson family, whose influence had declined, the other four families exchanged insults and criticism about Auston, expressing their resentment and disapproval.

They suddenly saw each other as close friends, growing closer because of a common enemy.

Bedfrith was dissatisfied with Auston, too. He agreed with Barney that Auston was too arrogant.

The Lando family had two High Reverends and a queen in their pockets, and they had both great magic and great political power. They thus got ahead of themselves and betrayed the Tulip Families. They were traitors.

“That’s not necessarily the case,” Bourne said slowly, breaking his silence. “Although Auston isn’t here, it doesn’t mean that he is loyal to the Queen.”

There were only two legendary mages in attendance. Once Bourne opened his mouth, everyone stopped their envious and resentful remarks to listen to his insights.

“The Lando family isn’t a united front. Wayne, the family heir, is ambitious. Unhappy with Auston’s long-time oppression, he has been making moves under the table. He has only failed to be heard because of Auston.” Bourne spoke cryptically, suggesting that he had insider information.

Everyone curiously waited for him to continue. None of them countered Bourne’s statement. If their sons were the ones embracing a High Reverend, their families would be fraught with audible rows between the father and son, too.

“I’ve investigated in secret and acquired reliable information. Auston is loyal to the Queen, but his son, Wayne, isn’t. We can win him over.” Bourne’s information came from Planck, who had vaguely talked about the matter. Bourne completed the story with his imagination, adding details. “Do you understand? Auston pretends to respect the Queen while he has his son telegraph an opposite message: that he is only loyal to the Lando family.”

Eggs shouldn’t be put in the same basket. It was a universally applicable lesson. It was especially true in a chaotic world with war breaking out. All families with a solid foundation and a long history would make investments in different targets so that they wouldn’t lose no matter who ended up winning.

“Well said!” Forest nodded.

Stop saying that!

xN

Ignoring Forest, they exchanged their opinions.

“What a cunning man Auston is. He lets us charge in the front so that he can play for both teams in the back.”

“I hate fencesitters. It may seem like they are in a win-win scenario, but they will end up offending both sides and suffering for it.”

“That’s not necessarily the case. The Lando family has two High Reverends. It’ll be ideal if we can win them over. Even if we can’t do that, it’ll be good enough for the Lando family to not help either side.”

After a brief discussion, they formulated their initial strategy. While they didn’t like Auston, they would all forgive and forget if they could win Auston over.

“Well said!” Forest nodded.

“Is your information reliable, Bourne?”

“Of course, at least more so than MI6’s intel.”

“Good. Let’s talk about the other Tulip Families then...”

Among the fourteen Tulip Families, if they disregarded the seven in attendance, the fence-sitting Lando family, and the marginalized Patino family, there would be five others: Collins, Flemming, Muller, Turner, and Churchwell.

Among them, Collins, Muller, and Turner specialized in magic. Vice Minister Yvette came from the Collins family, and Captain Hermann of the Order of Holy Light came from the Muller family. While the Turners were few in numbers, with only the untalented Frank in a position of power, Frank was the top expert in Hell study and a valued official of the Queen. It was next to impossible to win these families over.

That left the Flemmings and the Churchwells, devoted to the military field and politics. Their members had mediocre talent in magic and wouldn’t pose much of a challenge.