Chapter 677: 421
"Have you already become a Second Rank Wizard?" Joe asked, his expression ugly.
"Yes," Harries nodded gracefully, and then, dropping all pretense, said bluntly:
"Lord Erwin has passed away, and the Roon Kingdom is now in turmoil due to pollution of the farmland, with the populace in a state of panic and chaos abounding... As the kingdom’s only Second Rank Wizard, shouldn’t I step forward and take responsibility for managing this great nation?"
With Harries’ words, both the Roon Family and the guests immediately understood the current situation.
Harries—or rather, the Sidney Family—clearly intended to seize power from the Roon Royal Family!
"In reason, I am now the strongest Second Rank Wizard in the kingdom, and in affection, the Sidney Family has also married several princesses and is part of the legitimate Roon lineage... I think you shouldn’t have any objections, right?"
Harries continued, and the guests who had gathered behind him voiced their agreement at the right moment:
"Duke Harries is right; the Roon Kingdom is currently unstable and should rightfully be ruled by a more capable sovereign!"
The people of the Roon Family fell silent.
In a world without supernatural powers, there would now be a large force surrounding this place, to coerce the Roon Royal Family.
But in the Wizard World, just having Harries, a Second Rank Wizard, standing here was more than enough.
’How can you be so shameless!’ Jennifer clenched her teeth and glared at Harries, wanting to burst out with her angry words.
What legitimate Roon lineage, the Harris Family aside from having married a few princesses without Wizard Talent, has no real connection to the Roon Family!
Having ruled the Tilaimei Plain for a thousand years, they were the true legitimate Roon lineage!
Yet at that moment, Joe, also a highly respected Wizard of the Roon Family, sighed and said:
"Lord Harries isn’t entirely wrong."
’Uncle Joe?!’ Jennifer looked at Joe in disbelief.
However, not only Joe but also the other First Rank Wizards of the Roon Family remained silent, only clenching their fists.
From the moment Erwin passed away and no other Second Rank Wizards arose in the Roon Family, they had anticipated this day, just not as soon as this.
But what could be done? If they didn’t yield, Harries alone could handle them all.
And no one would interfere; for the Supreme Council or Neustadt City, all they needed was for the Roon Kingdom to exist and provide them with stable food supplies. Who the king was made little difference to them.
Moreover, the farmlands of the Roon Kingdom were mostly polluted, and the Wizards sent by the Supreme Council to investigate had already left days ago.
Those farmlands likely had no hope of salvation.
In such a situation, no one cared about the shift in power in the Roon Kingdom.
Jennifer seemed to understand something, the rage in her eyes suddenly extinguished, as she just pursed her lips tightly and clenched her fists.
"Lord Joe is indeed a wise man," Harries said, satisfied, nodding his head, "To resolve this matter amicably would be most ideal. The new King of Tilaimei will arrive soon, and it wouldn’t be good to displease that person."
"Of course, I am not a man who ruthlessly exterminates his opponents. If the Roon Family wishes, they can still enjoy the rights and status of a Duke Family within the Roon Kingdom."
"Thank you for your kindness, Lord Harries, but we might choose to leave the Tilaimei Plain and seek our fortune elsewhere," Joe responded, neither servile nor arrogant.
Don’t be fooled by their seemingly amicable demeanor now, as if what was happening was a minor incident, but given the chance to completely eliminate them, Harries would surely not hesitate.
This was a do-or-die power struggle. Harries needed face, while the Roon Family needed a moment to breathe and the hope for escape, maintaining such a fragile balance.
"That’s fine, I wish the Roon Family all the best for the future. Should you encounter any difficulties, the Sidney Kingdom always welcomes you back."
Harries narrowed his eyes and curved his lips as he spoke.
For now, let it be, once he controlled the Roon Kingdom, he would have ample time to deal with the remnants of the Roon Family.
After dealing with the Roon Family and consolidating his power, his next step would be to restore the former glory of the Roon Kingdom commanding the whole Tilaimei Plain.
Those kingdoms that had declared independence due to the gradual decline of the Roon Family would eventually submit again, but this time... they would submit to him, under the feet of the Sidney Family!
However, that new King of Tilamei... Harries had a bit of a headache, unable to gather any information about the new king.
But that would be dealt with later. Regardless of who became the King of Tilamei, someone needed to manage the Roon Kingdom.
"Sidney Kingdom..."
On the other side, Joe, with his head bowed, flashed a barely concealable anger in his eyes, but by the time he looked up, he had switched to a smile.
He gave Harries a bow and then quickly left with the members of the Roon Family.
The solemn funeral thus ended dramatically.
On the kingdom’s pathways, Joe led on horseback, but soon, they switched to flying.
"Jennifer, come with me to the White Tower, the rest of you gather the important family members quickly, we must leave the Roon Kingdom right away!" his deep voice echoed in the minds of every member of the Roon Family.
Jennifer bit her lip, following Joe’s figure, a sense of panic rising inexplicably in her heart.
This feeling, as if squeezing her heart, reminded her of the scene where she witnessed Uncle Duncan’s death in the carriage.
After taking a few deep breaths, Jennifer calmed herself down.
"It’s alright, Jennifer, you are already a First Rank Wizard, and everyone says you could be as powerful as Erwin, our great grandfather. When that time comes, you can bring everyone back here!"
However, when Joe arrived at the Erwin White Tower, he saw from afar a wizard standing at the entrance of the White Tower.
This sight darkened his face immediately, and he cursed Harries under his breath, instinctively preparing to turn around and leave.
Although the White Tower still held many valuable things, the key resources like the Meditation Method were in the Palace’s secret chamber, and with time being of the essence, they could only forsake the White Tower.
"Wait a minute, Uncle Joe, that seems to be Master Colin!" Jennifer suddenly exclaimed.
"Colin? That powerful stationed wizard?" Joe had just turned around when he saw Colin already appearing before them.
"Good afternoon, Jennifer." Colin greeted her and gave a slight nod to Joe. "Has something happened recently to the Roon Family? Why is there no one in the White Tower?"
He had just arrived in the Roon Kingdom from Neustadt.
While the apparent center of the Roon Kingdom was the Palace, the real center was the White Tower.
Thus, as soon as he returned to Golden Barley, he headed here to start understanding his new territory.
"Master Colin..." For some reason, seeing Colin made Jennifer’s pent-up emotions overflow, and tears began to fall copiously.
"What happened?" Colin’s expression gradually turned serious, asking sternly, while showing the Tilamei Ring on his left index finger.
Not long afterward.
After hearing the entire event, Colin stroked his chin, his mind mysteriously smiling.
That Duke named Harries, had surprisingly done him a small favor.
...
Harries never thought his magnificent scheme would shatter in such a manner; he found the world utterly absurd.
Jennifer felt something similar, feeling as if everything from the moment she and Joe saw Colin at the White Tower onward had been happening in a dream.
The Sidney Family publicly apologized and paid a considerable compensation to the Roon Family. The families that had stood behind Harries did the same under Master Colin’s just decree—choose between paying a massive compensation or death.
In a quid pro quo, the Roon Family eventually transferred these compensations to Colin.
Of course, there was one thing Jennifer found most incredible—she had actually become the Queen of the Roon Kingdom!