Chapter 9 Like Father, Like Son (2/2)

Chris stopped panicking when he noticed Joshua had no intention of killing him. However, he started to freak out when he heard what Joshua intention to use him as.

”Think about it. How could someone like my father, a commoner, receive the news about Uncle's death?!”

Chris adjusted his glass and started to talk in a serious manner. ”The day after Uncle passed away, a large company of soldiers arrived and surrounded my home. I didn't know at first but they seem to go a long way with my father. After that, my father joined them, and I was taken along forcefully. Still, I'm sure that both my father and I do not trust those men. There's no such thing as a free lunch. The bill is due. Hence, I snuck out last night. It was with my father's advice and secret directions that I am standing here. How else could I be here when I'm just at Steel tier? There's no way I could just walk out undetected.”

”You say many things. But the fact remains that your father wants the title.”

As a legendary warrior, Joshua's sensitivity to another man's muscle movements and blood circulation was high enough to know that Chris was telling the truth. When he heard what Chris had said, he released him. The young blond man coughed hard and shook his head. ”However, I cannot deny one fact. If my father had no intention of taking the title, no one would have come to him. Even if he was being used as a chess piece, my father must have been willing to allow himself to be used.”

Joshua crossed his arm. He thought to himself and helped Chris get back to his feet after he had collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. ”Tell me everything you know about those men. What you have guessed.”

”It was the Wilson family.”

Chris rubbed the red mark around his neck to ease the pain. Stumbling around, Chris adjusted his glasses before speaking. There was still traces of fear. ”Amongst the four great lords of the north, only the Wilson family would have the motive and the means to rise up against you. They are a family that specializes in crafting weapons and magic accessories as well as trading them. However, since Moldavia has the advantage of the lava pool and the increased population of dwarves, they as master craftsmen, have suffered great losses in their weapons business. Although their production and trades for magic accessories were not affected, it was still a clash of interest that pushed them to rise up against the Radcliffe family in Moldavia.”

”What a meaningless motive.”

Even though he felt it was a lame excuse to start a war, the reason Chris had just explained was no further than the truth. The generations of humans that lived in Moldavia had good relations with the dwarves of the north. That was how the Moldavia ruling family was able to excel in ore refinery. Moreover, as more and more dwarves were hired and invited into the city, the family had tried to expand their business towards smelting and crafting weapons and armor. Moldavia's entry into the industry had directly affected Wilson's business.

Anyone that lived in the North would know that the means to earn money would be limited. Even though it was meaningless for Joshua, it was a worthwhile risk for the Wilson family. They were also the few potential crime suspects since only a noble could have the resources to hire tens of Silver-tier knights and hundreds of soldiers.

If Moldavia had not need to send all their forces out to face the incoming threat of the Dark Tide in the Dark Forest, Joshua would have the same ability to hire more than a hundred Silver-tier knights. However, at that moment, he was only capable of sending himself into battle and fighting alone.

Just then, Joshua felt like something was off about his young cousin. ”Chris, you seem to be unsupportive of your father's actions. Just so you know, even though he was being used as a chess piece, a count is still a powerful seat. When your father acquires the title, not even the Wilson family would be able to fully control your father. At most, they would be able to reclaim their dominant business in the industry. My question to you—would you not want to be a count in the future after your father?”

Chris scoffed. ”Not everyone wants to be a noble, Joshua.”

He removed his glasses and wiped it clean with his fur coat. ”Every man has his own dream.”

He blew a mouthful of vapor on the glass and wipe it again. ”I like alchemy. I like small businesses. I like a carefree lifestyle. All the things I like can never achieve if I stay in the north. It is unlike the south where everyone was brimming with life. The north… it's cold here. The people are passive. Every year, we have to cling to our lives because of the Dark Tide. You know me, and you know my father. Neither one of us is capable of leading an army to fight daemons. Rather than being a noble, I'd rather be a commoner in the south.”

Chris adjusted his glasses and spoke confidently. ”Listen. I have a fiancée down south. I have my own laboratory. Here? All I have is an empty house that had been passed down from generations ago. Being a noble is a privilege, yet it also comes with responsibilities. Responsibilities that I could never bear. I would be mad when the day comes that I'll charge into the forest and fight the daemons. There's nothing else to do here! Explore the mountain? I'd lose my mind being a count in a place where winter would freeze even bears!”

”… Well… d*mn. I'd never thought of that before. Now I might give up the throne to your father and be done with it.”

Chris was right.

Joshua had grown up in the north and he felt that the northern mountains were a beautiful scene to behold. However, he lived his life in the Empire's southern region and he had found that the people or the place itself were not his cup of tea. A man who had come of age were expected to be able to fight a bear. Those who were unable would be ashamed to even greet the others. It was that kind of culture. How could a gentle alchemist survive in the north where the people there were combatants?

”All that I had to say has been said. All in all, elder cousin, I am here to support your actions.” Chris pretended to ignore what Joshua had said about giving the count's title away and continued to show support on his side. ”If you do succeed, I'll let you have your way with Father.”

”Even if I were to kill him?”

”His blood will never be on my hands. Besides, he betrayed my mother and I am the only child. Our relationship is as cold as ever,” said Chris as if he was not joking about it. ”However, since his blood flows in my veins, I'd ask you to spare his life.”

”You would do that? To your own father? Hmph… Like father, like son.”

Joshua was laughing yet his glare was still as cold as the frozen northern ice.

While he was talking to Chris, he had quietly pulled out the refined dagger that he had taken earlier by its hilt. When he was done talking, he immediately turned around at an insane speed and flung the dagger towards the corner of the alley where he came from.