The Inevitable Purge and a Grave Warning

Reyn looked at the documents on the table with a troubled expression.

He let out a sigh. “Ark, what should I do if someone opposes my decision?”

Ark’s heart sank. Reyn Rheinhebo had said “if“?

Just as he suspected, Reyn truly intended to initiate a major purge. This cleansing was inevitable and would not be averted simply because no one opposed his decision.

Reyn Rheinhebo merely needed a purge. The target of this cleansing was inconsequential; he simply wished to seize the opportunity to assert his authority.

Fortunately, Ark was not currently among the purge’s intended targets. However, if he failed to grasp the underlying meaning of Reyn Rheinhebo’s words, he would likely find himself included.

Ark bowed his head respectfully and replied, “I understand the Patriarch’s intentions. I will handle it appropriately.”

Reyn nodded nonchalantly. Reducing taxes would offend many people, a problem even he, the nominal head of the Rheinhebo family, couldn’t easily resolve.

What could Ark, who, like Reyn, had been excluded from the Rheinhebo family’s power structure from the start, possibly do?

He sighed deeply. “You must thoroughly investigate the relatives of that young law enforcement officer,” he stated. “This is crucial.”

In matters concerning heretics, the Holy Church had always been adept. For Reyn, who had only inherited the earldom by chance, the Holy Church’s protection was the greatest aid he could receive.

“Yes, I will dispatch someone to handle it immediately.”

“Very well, you may go.”

Ark retreated from the room, his face grim as he strode away. The impending purge was both a crisis and an opportunity for him.

His survival in this inevitable upheaval would depend entirely on his performance.

He arrived at the estate’s training grounds. Under the high noon sun, the Blackwing Knights, loyal to the Rheinhebo family, continued their rigorous training.

The captain of the Blackwing Knights was a middle-aged man with a scarred face. Noticing Ark approaching the training ground, a faint smile touched his lips.

“Well, well, isn’t this our newly appointed Steward?” he drawled.

Ark met his gaze with an impassive expression. He spoke in a low voice, “Captain John, would it be convenient to speak with you privately?”

John narrowed his eyes, then beckoned to Ark. Once the two had reached a secluded corner, far from the training area, John looked directly at Ark and slowly began, “What is so important that it must be said in private?”

Ark gazed at the knights still training in the distance. He spoke gravely, “The Patriarch has decided to reduce taxes, and as a result, half of your knight order’s members must be dismissed.”

John’s pupils constricted sharply, and the composed look on his face vanished. After staring at Ark for several breaths, he slowly replied, “Half the members? Is the Steward joking?”

Ark remained calm. “Captain John, I am not joking with you.”

John’s brow furrowed. As the captain of the Blackwing Knights, no one in the world understood the order better than he did. He was also well aware of what a territory would face if it voluntarily reduced its knightly forces.

Thus, realizing Ark was indeed serious, he slowly said, “This is impossible. The Blackwing Knights number exactly one thousand men. If we genuinely reduce the numbers by half, who will be responsible for handling the series of problems that will follow?”

Ark shook his head. “To the Patriarch, the Blackwing Knights are not important. Captain John, do you still not understand?”

John’s expression instantly changed, his brows knitting even deeper. “I understand.”

Seeing that John had grasped his implication, Ark withdrew. Shortly after leaving the training grounds, he encountered Vivian, who had once again come to visit the estate.

He offered a faint, gentle smile. “Hello, Miss Vivian.”

Vivian nodded, speaking softly, “Steward Ark, is the Young Master still in the study?”

Ark nodded. “At least he was when I left. My apologies, I have matters the Young Master entrusted to me to handle, so I must take my leave.”

“Farewell.”

Vivian watched Ark’s retreating back, then made her way to the study on the second floor.

She stood outside the door and knocked gently. “Young Master, it’s Vivian,” she said softly.

Reyn’s surprised voice quickly came from inside the study. “Vivian? Please, come in.”

Given permission, Vivian pushed open the study door. Reyn, who had swiftly tidied the documents on his desk, looked at Vivian. “Is there something you need?”

Vivian placed her hand over her chest and spoke softly, “Young Master, why do you seek the Holy Church’s protection?”

Reyn’s expression faltered, then he gently massaged his temples, sighing. “So you already know. The Witch’s Assembly is quite dangerous, so the Holy Church’s protection is essential.”

Vivian’s delicate brows furrowed, her expression filled with utter confusion.

‘The Witch’s Assembly is quite dangerous?’ With their current abilities, how many people in this world could truly pose a threat to them?

But since the Young Master had said it, they must indeed be facing some danger. And the Young Master had actively sought the Holy Church’s protection—was he intentionally making himself a decoy?

‘Does this mean the danger is coming from the Holy Church itself?’

She bit her lip, her gaze worried as she looked at Reyn. “Young Master, please do not intentionally act as a decoy. If something were to happen to you, we wouldn’t know what to do!”

Reyn sighed softly, shaking his head. “They have already set their sights on me; there’s no escaping it. So, you shouldn’t come here for a while.”

Vivian lowered her head. “Forgive my ignorance, but please, Young Master, could you clarify what this danger is?”

Reyn gently tapped the table twice with his hand. He said gravely, “The one who killed my three brothers was the Gluttony Witch of the Witch’s Assembly. She possesses magic that allows her to devour others’ mana.”

Vivian looked up, somewhat at a loss, her expression bewildered as she stared at Reyn.

‘Why do the Young Master’s words sound as if he has no idea that the Witch’s Assembly was founded by them?’

When she realized the implication of her thought, she nervously lowered her head again.

‘No, how could the Young Master not know! Otherwise, how could he have rescued only the seven of us? From the very beginning, the Young Master must have known about our abilities.’

‘This is the Young Master’s hint, so the danger the Witch’s Assembly faces is directed at me, Vivian? He specifically mentioned my innate magic. Could the Holy Church be targeting me in this regard?’

‘Yet the entire world is a colossal mass of mana; there could never be anything within this world capable of countering my innate magic. Could it be that the Holy Church discovered something beyond this world?’

She raised her head once more, looking at Reyn. “I understand the Young Master’s meaning. I will respond carefully!”