Chapter 1836 - 508: The Future Speakers of the Assembly

Thelon sincerely thought that the word 'fate' was extremely hypocritical.

Whether it was when the Green Forest Army came, or the Salvation Army, or when Elaric brought the Campbell people's guns... they all let him choose his own destiny, but did he really have the opportunity to choose?

Even when this great fire first started burning, the honorable Majesty didn't consult with him about lighting it, did he?

However, there was one thing Elaric said that Thelon wholeheartedly agreed with.

They indeed needed to take fate into their own hands.

Thus, this council in the name of the Holy Light was born in one of the narrow and dark secret rooms in the Governor Mansion of Twilight City.

Although its power model and structure were almost identical, its destiny was doomed from the start to take a different direction than that of the Thunder City council.

Born in a "black box," it would evolve into a bigger "black box" after taking root and sprouting, much like how a planted potato can grow larger but will never turn into wheat or pumpkin.

But none of that really mattered.

Oligarchs may be detestable, but they're still better than feudalism.

Just like a feudal king is better than those man-eating chieftains, which is a kind of progress.

Looking at the four founding members of the Twilight Duchy council, including himself, Thelon found the composition of this council extremely complex.

An Earl of Jing Shui Beach Territory, which was still in Campbell people's hands, a son inexplicably inheriting an Earldom, a Governor who put on a facade of royal allegiance while flirting with neighboring countries, and... himself, who had been rendered powerless by the Holy Daughter and the New Testament.

That a single province could gather so many abstract characters made Thelon feel a chilling gloom about his own difficult future destiny.

Sith above...

Is this also your arrangement?

But more than the gloom, what filled Thelon with despair was when all four raised their hands, the other three unanimously focused their gaze on him.

Under the scrutiny of those three pairs of eyes, Thelon felt the hair all over his body stand on end.

Baron Elaric's idea was simple: Mr. Thelon Gard's domain was the strongest, and the position of the future head of the Twilight Duchy should rightfully go to him. According to the system that the Grand Duke had helped him devise, in a duchy without a duke, the power lay in the parliament, and being a baron, he felt it was enough for him to be a speaker.

As for the self-serving Count Comac, he was extremely cunning; the honey brewed in the hive was certainly sweet, but he wouldn't reach in himself. If he lost, he could blame the Campbell people, and if he won, he could be the second leader.

And Ed Tully...

He was simply indecisive, and when the other two looked at Thelon, he suddenly realized that Thelon was the mastermind!

No wonder Mr. Thelon said at the beginning—

'Let our Governor say a few words.'

"Wait, what do you mean by this?" Thelon's lips were a bit pale, his plump body squeezed against the chair's back, making a creaking sound.

He just wanted to be an earl, to eat, drink, play, and sleep with girls, passing his title, wealth, and honor down to his sons when he departed from the world. Being dragged into this council was already an accident, he didn't want to be pulled into bigger trouble!

Yet the looks in those three people's eyes told him that, once again, the choice was not up to him.

Elaric stood before him, pressing his hands on Thelon's plump shoulders, looking at him intently and said.

"The Twilight Province has no ducal title, it's too late to create one now, and there's no need! The series of issues in the Twilight Province today is precisely because there is a king with unchecked power!"

"We plan to emulate the Free Cities along the Vortex Sea coast, like Thunder City, like Wulan Port, etc.… We will establish a semi-republican autonomous regime with a city council and non-hereditary governance! The nobility, guilds, and countryside gentlemen will collectively decide the future of this province, rather than handing over our fate to a king!"

Seeing Thelon's trembling lips failing to form words, he offered no chance for refusal, speaking in a tone that brooked no argument.

"The head of the Twilight Duchy, we plan for you to be it!"

...

The night had completely enveloped Twilight City, watching those desecrating people on the ground, even the moon shyly hid its light.

Thelon thought Baron Elaric was truly wicked.

Each phrase was clearly his own idea, yet he insisted on adding a "we" at the end.

Only when sitting in the carriage back to his residence did he realize, and it dawned on him, that he, too, should play the rogue this way in the future!

In the future, if there are any annoying partners, he would never say "I hate you" again, but "we hate you."

No, he would even improve it further—

We all hate you!

Just by altering several words, a straightforward duel between two people becomes a formidable siege.

Thelon decided to write this into the family dictum, educating his descendants.

The word more hypocritical than 'fate' is 'we.'

However profusely he curses Baron Elaric for being unmanly, he ultimately resigned to strapping himself onto the "Holy Light Council" chariot.

Whatever.

With two people already riding on his neck, a third one wouldn't make a difference.

While Count Thelon silently prayed for the fate of his family, the giant beast slumbering in the Northeast Shore of Vortex Sea was opening its drowsy eyes, baring its sharp claws at the arrogant king.