A Lion’s Heart Under a Lamb’s Guise

“The Witch’s Assembly.”

Reyn sat at his desk, a heavy weight of worry pressing upon him. Though the Witch’s Assembly was a heretical organization that had only emerged in recent years, each of its appearances invariably heralded immense disaster. This very fact was why Reyn so urgently sought the Holy Church’s protection.

The young Enforcer hadn’t outright rejected him. The matter still seemed to hold some room for negotiation, yet the extent of that leeway hinged entirely on her mood.

Reyn suddenly lifted his head, his gaze falling upon Ark Ham, who stood silently guarding the doorway. “Ark, do you know if that young Enforcer has any relatives?”

Ark paused, his single remaining eye fixed on Reyn. He spoke in a deep voice, “Master, she is, after all, an Enforcer of the Holy Church.”

Reyn rapped his right hand firmly on the desktop. “That’s precisely why I’m asking you if she has any relatives.”

Ark lowered his head, his voice grave. “I will dispatch someone to investigate immediately.”

Reyn nodded slightly. Gift-giving was an art, and even if the Holy Church’s Enforcers were a group of unyieldingly righteous individuals, their relatives might not necessarily share the same principles.

He slowly closed his eyes, a habit that helped him alleviate fatigue. For the past three months, his territory had been in disarray, and as the sole legitimate heir of the Rheinhebo family, he had to shoulder his rightful responsibilities.

Moments later, Reyn opened his eyes and once more scrutinized the documents on his desk, his brow furrowing deeper with each passing moment.

The problems within the Rheinhebo territory were far more numerous than he had imagined. The most significant issue revolved around the law itself.

Nobles possessed autonomy, and many, in pursuit of a more opulent lifestyle, chose to levy heavy taxes on their residents. The Rheinhebo family was no exception.

Among these was a property tax, requiring an annual payment proportional to the property’s value. Failure to pay meant immediate eviction, condemning the household to become street vagrants.

Reyn had encountered countless vagrants. The vast majority of them could no longer be called human; they were merely animated lumps of mud.

Reyn pondered briefly, then looked at Ark, who stood with bowed head. “The territory needs reasonable tax reductions.”

Ark’s expression subtly shifted, a flicker in his single eye. Behind the high taxes lay the Rheinhebo family’s intricate and chaotic power structure. For an illegitimate son, newly ascended, to propose tax cuts would undoubtedly incite hostility from countless individuals. The best possible outcome would be for the idea to simply fizzle out.

So, why would Reyn Rheinhebo propose tax reductions? Especially after killing his three elder brothers?

Ark’s heart suddenly trembled. ‘Was this Reyn Rheinhebo’s test?’ After all, no one in this family had ever truly stood by his side, so he wanted to confirm how many would openly defy his orders.

‘He wants to purge the Rheinhebo family, leaving only those loyal to him!’

Ark quickly realized that he, too, was among Reyn’s suspects. He was merely a testament to the late patriarch’s “care” for his illegitimate son. From the very beginning, he had not stood with Reyn Rheinhebo; he only obeyed the commands of the deceased old patriarch.

He had believed he understood this illegitimate son well enough, yet he never imagined that the young man had performed so flawlessly in his daily life. Only after the curtain fell did he realize that this youth, usually as docile as a lamb, possessed the heart of a lion.

Reyn tapped the documents with his quill, his voice as calm as still water. “I’ve already reviewed them. By reducing the Blackwing Knights by half, we can save a substantial sum of money. This money rightfully belongs to those who need it.”

Ark took a deep breath, realizing that, as Reyn’s suspect, he needed to weigh his answer carefully, yet without taking too long. Thus, after a mere few breaths, Ark respectfully stated, “Master, the Blackwing Knights are the face of the Rheinhebo family. Simply reducing one squad is already quite drastic, let alone cutting half the personnel at once.”

Reyn shook his head. “In my opinion, the Blackwing Knights still have too many members. The territory doesn’t need so many knights. In the presence of mages, the number of knights is merely a joke.”

Ark’s gaze flickered rapidly several times. Among the empire’s nobility, there was an unwritten rule: if a noble chose to reduce their knights, it signaled their weakening. Therefore, even if they had to levy more heavy taxes, nobles would never choose to reduce their knights.

Reyn Rheinhebo was not the docile lamb he appeared to be; he couldn’t possibly be unaware of this rule. So, why exactly did he want to reduce the number of knights?

‘Could it be to reduce taxes?’

‘Ha! If anyone truly believed that, they would be in for a world of trouble!’

Reyn Rheinhebo, capable of killing his brothers to ascend, was absolutely not someone to be trifled with. His reason for reducing the knight order could only be one: to feign weakness to his enemies. He wanted to provoke other territorial nobles into initiating a territorial war, thereby seizing sufficient benefits while they were careless.

This implied that Reyn Rheinhebo possessed a mysterious force, one at least equivalent to half of the Blackwing Knights.

The problem was that Reyn Rheinhebo’s financial flow over the past few years had been completely under Ark’s watchful eye, transparent and public.

The only suspicious point was his funding of a few girls, but that meager sum was only enough for them to live a slightly more comfortable life, merely ensuring they had food and clothing. Under such circumstances, how had he managed to assemble a force?

“Ark?”

The more Ark pondered, the more terrified he became, his back inexplicably drenched in sweat. He only snapped back to reality when Reyn called his name. He stiffly raised his head and slowly began to speak, hoping to buy himself a little more time to think. “I believe the Master is absolutely right.”

Reyn, however, was not pleased. He forcefully slammed his fist on the table. “The problem is that few in the family will agree with me. They will probably become my obstacles.”

Ark offered a faint smile. “I don’t think anyone would obstruct the Master’s decision.”

‘Unless they no longer wished to live!’

Reyn twisted his lips, a self-deprecating smile gracing his face. “‘Master’? Everyone knows how I obtained this position. I’m sure there are many who don’t accept me. Heh, a title in name only, without actual power!”

Ark lowered his head, remaining silent. Everyone, of course, knew exactly how Reyn Rheinhebo had seized the position of patriarch; the previous incumbent’s body had been buried overnight. Ark was absolutely certain that no one would cause trouble at this critical juncture, but Reyn Rheinhebo didn’t seem to think so. He kept emphasizing the impropriety of his ascension, as if worried about a rebellion.

Ark’s pupils suddenly constricted. He began to grasp some of Reyn’s thoughts. Reyn Rheinhebo intended to establish his authority; the deaths of his three brothers were still not enough. He needed another great purge!