Chapter 429: Benefits or Kinship (1/2)

Leonel wasn't particularly angry at Matteus. Other than the time he ordered Little Nana to bind him, an action that almost cost him a spot to enter the Zone, his interactions with the man hadn't been all too bad. In fact, Matteus had even extended an invitation for him to join the Adurna family.

The issue here was that Leonel wasn't in a very good mood. And, having to listen to Matteus spin a fanciful tale Arthur and the others just gobbled up left him even angrier.

Compared to The Empire, Leonel hated the hidden families several times more. Even if it wasn't Aina in particular that had suffered at their hands, he would be disgusted by their actions.

Ostracizing a little girl and her father. Killing that little girl's mother. And for what, exactly?

Even to this point, Leonel wasn't exactly sure. But, judging by the fact everyone else of the Brazinger had red hair and eyes while Aina did not, someone as intelligent as him could connect the dots.

It was Eugenics.

Leonel had been surprised to see that all these families had the same eye and hair color initially. But, after a while, he came to understand just why this was.

Eugenics was a set of beliefs that ascribed to the idea of maximizing the gene pool quality of a population of people. They did this by massacring those not like them and ensuring marriages between those who could guarantee 'quality' children.

There were cases like this in ancient Germany with the Nazis and those with blond hair and blue eyes. There were cases like this from ancient America with White Supremacists. There were cases like this from ancient Africa with…

The list seemed endless and each instance was just as heart wrenching as the last. The practice was sickening. Leonel had this sort of visceral reaction he couldn't even control when he thought about it. He couldn't imagine deciding a person's worth by the way that they looked.

One might argue that it was more than skin deep for these hidden families. At least, compared to those ancient civilizations with disgusting practices, there was a tangible benefit to maintaining the purity of these families – that being their Lineage Factors.

However, this didn't change Leonel's mind in the slightest. Hadn't Aina still awakened her Lineage Factor? Hadn't his two parents still managed to pass down their own to him?

And, even if they couldn't… so what? The worth of a person had to be measured by their strength? They couldn't have anything else worthy about themselves? They couldn't have anything else to give?

The longer Leonel spent in this new world order, the more it disgusted him and the more that budding feeling inside of him seemed to sprout and germinate.

Matteus frowned upon hearing Leonel's words.

”Kid,” Matteus began, ”Though I'm thankful for the things you've done, this is a matter where I must represent all of our 'hidden' families. Even if you'd like to be angry, keep it within. A lack of maturity won't help you in these negotiations.”

Matteus' words caused many to frown in Leonel's direction. His actions were indeed inappropriate considering the circumstances.

Mordred's gaze flashed with a hint of worry before she shook her head and sighed internally. She had already given up on her father, there was no need for Leonel to continue to try to stay within the arbitrary lines of political correctness. Since it wouldn't get them anything regardless, she might as well let Leonel do as he pleased.