Chapter 797: A No-Win Situation!

Though Henwell remains deep in seclusion, he can still feel the violent shifts in the emotions outside.

To keep him focused on his breakthrough, Peace Haven has forbidden anyone from discussing government affairs near the Great Pyramid.

Even the guards patrolling the area are allowed to communicate only through hand signals.

Yet the change in their emotions alone is enough for Henwell to realize that something has happened outside.

He doubts the problem is catastrophic, but it must be a difficult one.

First, the Northern Mountain Front cannot have suffered a crisis. If it had, the sudden surge of killing intent throughout Peace Haven would have alerted Henwell at once.

By the same reasoning, Peace Haven itself cannot be under attack.

Henwell suspects trouble in the Expeditionary Zone, unless the Church or the Veil has come to stir things up while he's secluded.

The Church is unlikely to be responsible. With the Calamity War underway, it still needs a powerful force like Peace Haven.

The Veil is another matter. The sites of divine fall created it as their public-facing terrorist organization, and it has both the motive and the means to strike Peace Haven as the Calamity War begins.

To Henwell, that is the most likely possibility.

With no one certain when his seclusion will end, no Glory Rank professional would dare come in person.

Anyone who has survived in hiding for more than a thousand years knows better than to stick their neck out and provoke Henwell now.

If the intruder is only Iron Rank, Henwell is not worried.

He has already sensed that Peace Haven has produced an Iron Knight of its own.

Covert schemes might work, but anyone who attempts open destruction will probably be surrounded and killed by Peace Haven's strongest forces.

Any professional who arrives with hostile intent will immediately sense that Peace Haven is different from other territories.

The Veil is hardly a noble organization, and its members are no fanatical loyalists.

Those willing to sacrifice their lives for a mission never rise into the Veil's leadership, much less become powerful professionals.

Yet as Henwell told Barbarossa, he is not a god. He cannot control everything.

What he can never control is the human heart.

At this moment, the Phoenix family is also mired in internal conflict.

Many of Kaku's supporters never expected the situation to develop this way.

A letter arrived from Peace Haven that evening, and Melissa's wording was already openly hostile.

She directly demanded to know whether Duke Jansen's freedom had been restricted and even asked about his physical condition.

In truth, many people within the Phoenix family are asking themselves the same questions.

Just what has happened to Duke Jansen?

Many of them supported Kaku as the family's temporary leader only while they waited for Orak to return or for Orak's children to come of age.

That does not mean they truly believe Kaku can lead the family to greater prosperity.

Nobles are not necessarily noble in character, nor are they necessarily virtuous, but most of them are not fools.

There is only one reason they resist Peace Haven.

Peace Haven does not grant hereditary titles.

If Henwell began granting titles, even mere knighthoods or lordships, their greatest objection would disappear.

Every member of the Phoenix family would immediately support him as the family heir.

Henwell once traveled thousands of kilometers to rescue Arius and place him on the throne.

The members of the Phoenix family were delighted. They assumed Arius would make Henwell a prince of the kingdom.

Yet apart from handing him vast territories, Arius gave Henwell no promotion in title or office whatsoever.

Some people raised the matter with Arius afterward, but he said he respected Henwell's wishes.

Henwell never asked for a title, and the members of the Phoenix family eventually abandoned that hope.

They believe they ask for very little and are willing to cooperate with Peace Haven in every aspect of governance.

There is only one thing they will not accept: Henwell taking away their titles and lands.

Yet that is precisely the one condition Henwell will never accept.

He intends to build an empire without hereditary landed nobles. Only then can he unleash the full productive power of his territory.

Other, more advanced systems remain far too distant for the present age.

Inside Phoenix Castle, Kaku sees Lady Grace emerge from Duke Jansen's room and hurries forward.

"Mother! What did Father say?"

Grace shakes her head, her face filled with worry. "Your father is tired. Let him rest."

Kaku grows anxious. "Mother, we cannot wait any longer. To restrain me, Uncle Tuster actually invited Ika's army into our territory."

"He even allowed the Descartes family's forces across the border. That has already crossed Peace Haven's bottom line."

"Peace Haven is accelerating its war preparations. The Iron Guard Legion has left its base and is moving north."

"Others may not understand that army, but we know it well. Many of its soldiers are members of our own Phoenix family."

"This will be Peace Haven's true ace legion. Knights already make up a full third of its ranks."

"It is practically an entire knight order on foot!"

"The Church will never intervene directly in the fighting, while Ika and Descartes are both eager to see Phoenix descend into chaos."

"Peace Haven has plenty of hardliners. There are already reports that they are preparing to mobilize armies from other districts."

Grace sighs. "My child, this is the power you wanted. It brings more than wealth and honor. It also brings responsibility."

"The head of every great family must solve problems like these, and everyone is watching to see how you perform."

"You cannot come to me or your father for an answer every time something happens."

"If you can overcome this crisis, the others will truly submit to you."

Kaku leaves in disappointment, and Grace returns to the room.

Seeing Duke Jansen's pallid face, Lady Grace says sadly, "I never imagined matters would reach this point."

"Why not come out and take charge again?"

"No one would dare object if the family were returned to your hands. You could invite Peace Haven directly."

"Let its garrison enter Phoenix territory, then order every outside force to leave."

Jansen gives a bitter smile. "It is too late. I cannot get out. Grace, listen to me. Take Kaku and leave."

"Only then will he have a chance to survive."

"Henwell will emerge soon. Once he does, this situation will force him to make up his mind and bring the Phoenix family to heel."

"Whatever his personal reasons, his subordinates will compel him to purge Phoenix, and Kaku's branch will be the first target."

"That is no longer something he can control, nor is it an outcome we can change."

Grace begins to cry. "I am sorry! I truly never knew it would become like this. Let me take you to Henwell. He will surely have a way to save you!"

Jansen shakes his head. "It is too late. My body is almost at its limit."

"Even if I could hold on, Henwell might not be able to save me."

"More importantly, the moment Henwell emerges is the moment I die."

"You still don't understand. This trap was never meant for me or the Phoenix family."

"It was designed for Henwell and Arius!"