Chapter 836: She Needs Hatred to Stay Alive

Henwell and Orak spend the entire night talking.

Henwell explains the situation Peace Haven now faces, along with the state of the Vorry Kingdom.

After hearing him out, Orak thinks it over. "There's nothing wrong with forming the Silver Claw Legion."

"It will ease some of the discontent within the family."

"But making Johnson legion commander is far too reckless. He's only in his early thirties. He can't shoulder that responsibility."

"Give the command to House. You trained him yourself. He's smarter, stronger, and more respected than Johnson."

"Once I take over as head of the family, send Johnson to the Northern Mountain Front to gain some experience. We can reconsider when he's more mature."

Henwell objects. "What do you know? I watched Johnson grow up!"

"After you left, he spent several years learning at my side, then several more serving in the Lord Iron Guards."

"I didn't transfer him to the former First Mixed Legion until fighting broke out on the Northern Mountain Front."

"He earned his warband command on the battlefield. If he hadn't grown too impatient afterward, he would never have been demoted to battalion commander."

"He's capable of commanding a legion. I don't take that lightly. I won't put tens of thousands of lives in an unfit commander's hands."

"Besides, the matter has already been submitted to the Department of Military Affairs. Johnson has been organizing the Silver Claw Legion himself, and the work is nearly finished."

"There's no need to discuss it again. He'll prove that he's no longer the child you remember."

Orak still has his reservations, but sees that Henwell will not budge. "As for the Descartes family in Vorska, I'll speak to Glens."

"We both served in the Blood Lion Knights, and we got along reasonably well."

"He's Count Descartes now. He knows what he must do to keep his family alive."

"It would be better for me to approach him. Both sides can save face, and there should be less resistance within Descartes."

Henwell nods lightly. "I'll be relying on you, brother. Being forced to integrate Phoenix and Descartes into Peace Haven has disrupted my plans."

"The Calamity War is underway. The Phoenix family has lost enough people already. We can't afford another disaster."

"The Phoenix and Descartes regions have plenty of mineral deposits and good farmland. There are also excellent pastures at the foot of the Westwind Mountains."

"We need to establish production systems in both regions as quickly as possible. Peace Haven's core industries will have to concentrate on supplying the alliance."

"We need a larger production base to supply the Northern Mountain Front. Those two regions are much closer to it than Peace Haven, so the journey north will be shorter too."

"I have already marked out where the industries will go. We can begin assigning personnel at any time."

"I only need you to coordinate the work. Tell me what you need, and I'll send the production lines straight over."

Orak gives a bitter chuckle. "Heh... People really are strange. That story you told about monkeys and their morning and evening fruit portions fits this situation perfectly."

"The people in Phoenix want Peace Haven's industries, but they don't want Peace Haven interfering. It's absurd."

"Yet if I ask for those industries as head of the family, and Peace Haven sends them over, their worthless vanity is satisfied."

"How are they any different from those monkeys? Three fruits in the morning and four at night, or four in the morning and three at night: it's the same total!"

Henwell laughs. "The difference is that they ask for one arrangement. The other is forced on them."

"People don't like having no choice. They like things being forced on them even less, whether those things are good for them or not."

"Forget it."

"I'll let them save face, as long as I get what matters. Right now, Phoenix needs to change its production system quickly and integrate into Peace Haven."

They discuss a few more details. As Orak prepares to leave, Henwell says, "Go and see Elisa when you get back. She has not been doing well lately."

"Don't worry," Orak replies. "I'll tell her what really happened."

Henwell shakes his head. "No. Almost overnight, she lost both her parents, her husband and a child."

"Her hatred of me is the only thing keeping her going now."

"Explain it all to her, and she'll fall apart."

"What could you even tell her?"

"That her parents killed themselves? That her second brother brought his death upon himself? That her husband and child died by accident?"

"Don't worry about me. I can bear her hatred. Better that she hates me than someone else."

"Besides, it really is my responsibility. I loosened my grip on things, and this is the result."

Orak argues back. "Henwell, you're neither a saint nor a god. You can't foresee everything. Human greed brought this about."

"My mother's possessive love for her children, my father's complacency in a brief spell of stability, Kaku's failure to understand his own limitations..."

"That's what led us here. You don't have to take all the blame yourself."

"People really do need to leave home and see the wider world."

"I only understood why you advance so cautiously, securing every step, after I saw the prosperity and power of the Abundant Continent and how much the empire and the church have to draw on."

"They've never seen that world. They don't understand that there's always someone stronger, let alone the threats you can see from where you stand."

"Henwell!"

"I only have one question. Are you from the Abundant Continent?"

Henwell shakes his head. "No. I was born and raised here. My roots are here too."

Orak walks to the door without looking back. "Henwell, I've already lost one brother. I don't want to lose another."

"I promise," Henwell says.

Orak returns to Peace Haven ahead of him, escorted by the Lord Iron Guards.

Henwell still has matters of cooperation to discuss with the various powers.

During that time, he also visits a few people in secret.

Scar Tiger, for instance.

Scar Tiger now holds considerable power. He is one of the Western Lumir Federation's few capable nobles with real authority, and Dilio relies on him in many matters.

When Henwell suddenly appears at his estate, Scar Tiger manages to look grave and composed. Inside, he is panicking.

He tries to keep his voice steady. "My lord, what brings you here so late at night?"

Henwell studies him until Scar Tiger feels his skin crawl. Only then does he speak, slowly. "Relax, Scar Tiger."

"I'm not here to make things difficult for you. I said I wouldn't interfere too much or limit your growth. I'll keep my word."

"Two things."

"First, keep an eye on the Western Federation's troop movements. If anything happens, inform the chief intelligence officer of the Military Intelligence Office in Kriye City."

"Second, you're effectively a triple agent. If Ika, western Lumir, or the Western Federation has any designs on Livos territory, tell me at once."

"In return, you can ask the Military Intelligence Office for help if your life is in danger. The Lord Iron Guards I have here will come to your rescue."

With that, Henwell disappears from the room without waiting for Scar Tiger's response.

Scar Tiger stands motionless for a long time before going to the window. Outside, a cloud passes over the moonlight.

To Scar Tiger, Henwell is a dark cloud he can never shake off, forever hanging over his head.