Chapter 437: Julius Axel is Also the Father-in-Law of Maclaine Bretagne

Andreas finished his bowl of noodles clean, wiped his mouth, and then began to speak. “My father wants to go to Byron, but I don’t want to go…”

“I also don’t want to be a vampire!”

Charlot was overjoyed and exclaimed, “Andreas! Come to me; I will treat you like a brother.”

Golden Ram Herolf glanced at Andreas and thought to himself: Didn’t he just treat someone like his son not long ago?

“If you wish, you can change your surname to Mecklenburg, Bretagne, or Axel!”

“I know you want to sever all ties with your past. I even have the Orc Assassin Alliance’s secret technique: Beast God Transformation. You could even appear as an orc to others!”

Andreas suddenly felt an impulse to punch Charlot. Charlot had planned everything out in excessive detail, which was exactly why it was so irritating. He muttered, “I didn’t say I was going to join you!”

Charlot quickly responded, “Such a thing, how could you say it out loud? I’ll say it for you.”

“Andreas, my lord! I sincerely invite you to join the Mecklenburg family, join the West Wind Knight Order, and let us build a great future together…”

Andreas couldn’t help but retort, “Charlot, why do you look like you’re plotting a rebellion?”

“Bretagne is your father-in-law.”

Golden Ram Herolf interjected flatly, “Julius Axel is also Maclaine Bretagne’s father-in-law.”

The old ram’s comment left both Charlot and Andreas in silence.

After a moment, Charlot spoke. “Leave the room.”

Golden Ram Herolf walked out triumphantly, but before he got far, Charlot called out again, “Come back!”

Helplessly, Herolf turned around and re-entered the room.

Charlot didn’t glance at the Golden Ram again. Instead, he turned to Andreas with an eager expression. “If you’re willing to join, I can appoint Golden Ram Herolf as your adjutant!”

Even Herolf hadn’t expected Charlot’s “retaliation” to come so swiftly. This time, he didn’t dare say another word.

Andreas fell silent for a long while before finally saying, “I never planned to change my surname.”

Charlot clasped his hands and said, “Then it’s decided. You won’t change it.”

Andreas had been feeling extremely troubled lately, with a sense of restlessness and no place to go. Yet after spending a short time with Charlot, he began to wonder, Am I being duped by a scoundrel? Strangely enough, the thought did lift his spirits somewhat.

Andreas, known as the youngest Saint rank of the Black Phoenix Dynasty, had only recently achieved this rank, being at the nineteenth level like Viggo. However, he was much younger than Viggo and had far greater potential. With a father like Viscount Constantine, there was no reason why he couldn’t become one of the continent’s top powers like Antonio in the future.

Charlot saw Andreas as an investment for the future.

Even if Andreas were to fail completely, he was still a Saint rank—an asset worth respecting. It wasn’t a major loss.

After some hesitation, Andreas spoke in a low voice, “I won’t participate in any battles against the Black Phoenix.”

Charlot patted his shoulder warmly and said, “Don’t worry. I would never put you in a difficult position.”

“The Black Phoenix is still…”

Charlot hesitated and retracted his comforting words. Any consolation he might offer could come across poorly. Shifting the topic slightly, he said, “In the future, you’ll handle negotiations for surrenders and take care of the prisoners. After all, I’m not from the Black Phoenix, so I may overlook certain cultural nuances.”

Andreas’s real value wasn’t on the battlefield. Charlot already had other nineteen-level warriors under his command. Instead, Charlot assigned Andreas the higher-value task of convincing the four captured Saint ranks to surrender. If Andreas could accomplish this, it would far exceed his worth as a mere combatant.

Andreas didn’t realize Charlot was setting a trap. Hearing that his task involved negotiating surrenders and caring for fellow Black Phoenix prisoners, he readily agreed—it sounded like a humane duty.

Charlot, ever thoughtful, immediately assigned Andreas several attendants and arranged for him to have a place to bathe and change clothes. Despite being capable of enduring hardship, Andreas, a noble of high rank, wasn’t accustomed to it.

More importantly, Charlot wanted Andreas to quickly don the uniform of the Fars Empire.

After Andreas left, dawn began to break. Charlot summoned his subordinates for yet another military meeting.

This time, the agenda was clear: how to conquer Sesath.

...

Inspired by Andreas’s situation, Charlot proposed sending letters urging surrender to the four Black Phoenix nobles blocking their path. This suggestion received unanimous approval.

Charlot personally drafted the letters, beginning with: Viscount Constantine and Andreas are already in our camp. The Black Phoenix is doomed. Why not secure your future now?

Once the letters were written, Charlot sent messengers to deliver them to the four Black Phoenix nobles.

The nobles’ territories were scattered, and it would take time for the messengers to return. While waiting, Charlot received delayed news of a four-nation alliance launching a campaign against the Black Phoenix. By the time he heard, the allied forces had already split into over twenty contingents, led by top-tier nobles, and invaded the Black Phoenix lands.

The Black Phoenix’s loyal troops fought fiercely but were stretched thin. They could hold off a few major forces, but the rest ran unchecked, pillaging freely across the territory.

...

Five or six days later, the four nobles responded differently. One baron killed Charlot’s messenger and vowed to fight him to the death. The other three expressed willingness to surrender, each with conditions.

Charlot, however, had little patience left. He needed to secure more land, as any territory claimed would belong to the Mecklenburg domain, while anything left to others was lost to him.

Charlot issued an ultimatum: the three nobles must surrender unconditionally and assist him in attacking the defiant baron. In return, he promised them equal status within the Fars Empire. He gave them three days to comply, warning that failure to do so would result in the slaughter of their entire clans.

Charlot’s threats were more bluff than intent. Despite his reputation, he had never committed mass slaughter. As a transmigrator, such acts were beyond his moral limits.

Unbeknownst to him, however, Charlot’s name carried a sinister reputation within the Black Phoenix. His practice of sending opponents to Cappadocia had left many convinced that dissenters simply disappeared, alive or dead. Some even believed his orc army used captured Black Phoenix citizens as rations.

The three nobles, terrified by Charlot’s warning, were gripped with panic...

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