Chapter 513: Blood Night Impact

Indeed!

After listening to Lyon's words, the old man slightly furrowed his brow, then asked follow-up questions:

"Why did you kill him?"

"Because of operational requirements."

Since he wasn't sure how much the old man knew about "the world beneath the water," Lyon did not immediately deliver the fabricated lie he had prepared; instead, he asked in return:

"How much do you know about the Cleanup Bureau?"

"I've learned a little."

Having thoroughly investigated Lyon's dossier, the old man naturally would not have avoided learning about his work. After a moment of silence, he waved his hand, dismissing the two officers, then lowered his voice:

"The royal family possesses a manual. Once a name is written on it, one can remain in 'silence'—preserving their soul—even when aware of anomalies, avoiding any attack from them. My name is on it."

"And since you mentioned the Cleanup Bureau, that means this wasn't merely an internal conflict within the Rayne family—it's connected to your Cleanup Bureau's 'work'?"

A manual that preserves the soul in 'silence'? So not all "ordinary people" are unaware of anomalies—there are just very few.

After noting this revelation, Lyon nodded:

"Yes. Bobby Rayne merged with an anomaly. He tried to seize the anomaly I was guarding, and even threatened ordinary lives to force me to reveal the Cleanup Bureau's secrets."

"Though the Cleanup Bureau forbids harming ordinary people unless absolutely necessary, the situation was urgent—and he was no longer human. So I had no choice but to kill him."

…

So that's how it was…

After hearing Lyon's account of the "truth" behind the Rayne Blood Night and cross-referencing it with other information he knew, the old man's tightly furrowed brow eased slightly.

Had Lyon simply answered outright at the start, he might have seized several inconsistencies and pressed further.

But Lyon first sharply "troubled" him with two questions, confirmed his level of knowledge about the Cleanup Bureau, and only then "reluctantly" revealed the "true" circumstances of the Rayne Blood Night.

As the saying goes: a wife is not as good as a concubine, a concubine not as good as an affair, and an affair not as good as one that never happens. The current situation is much the same.

Compared to an answer handed to you on a platter, information gained with difficulty is inherently more credible. At least, the Defense Minister—who knew only a little about the Cleanup Bureau—had largely believed Lyon's words. But…

"If possible, I'd like you to phrase it differently."

With Lyon's surprised gaze fixed on him, the old man spoke seriously:

"Naturally, you may say exactly what you wish regarding the Cleanup Bureau. But when others—outside the Cleanup Bureau—ask about it, I hope you'll cooperate with us and classify the Rayne family incident as an internal conflict."

We?

Though Lyon, as an "ordinary person," knew little of the kingdom's political landscape, he had vaguely heard who stood behind the Defense Minister.

"Is the Princess planning to use this as an opportunity to strike at the old nobility?"

"Yes."

The old man, his hair streaked white, openly acknowledged Lyon's assessment:

"If you wish, I can be even more blunt… This is a frame-up!" After boldly stating his intent, his hawk-like eyes locked onto Lyon's, studying his expression closely as he spoke rapidly:

"Whether it's rebels or an internal conflict, the Rayne family—having lost so many high-ranking members—is finished. But the old nobility functions as a single unit. Even if the Raynes are utterly ruined, their vacant positions won't go to outsiders—they'll be swiftly seized by other noble families."

"Then, aside from Rayne Arms becoming Ma Sai Arms, and every Rayne in the Department of Roads, Finance, and Agriculture becoming a York—or some other surname—all will continue as before. The nation will remain unchanged."

After briefly outlining the possible outcome, the old man looked at Lyon, who listened intently, then raised his voice slightly, his tone grave:

"But now it's different. If you cooperate and prove the Rayne incident was an internal conflict, you'll give the Princess an unparalleled opportunity to push this nation a giant step toward a better future!"

"I don't understand."

Frowning, Lyon asked, puzzled:

"Whether it's an internal conflict or rebel attack, aren't the dead all Raynes? How does that give the Princess a good opportunity?"

"Because the kingdom must remain stable. No department can—or should—suffer massive vacancies all at once."

Seeing Lyon clearly unfamiliar with political maneuvering—even less so than his own daughter—the old man paused, then explained as simply as he could:

"Of the two hundred-plus Raynes killed, over a hundred were mid-level officials across the kingdom's departments. Especially in the Department of Roads and the Military: those two alone lost nearly eighty officers at once."

"Of the forty-seven subordinate divisions in the Military, a quarter now have backlogged paperwork; two small bureaus have temporarily shut down due to the loss of their heads."

"Though the old nobility will quickly replace them, it'll take at least one or two months for new officers to take over and become familiar with their duties. Fully clearing the backlog may take over three months—and for the rest of the year, those departments will operate inefficiently due to unfamiliarity."

After briefly outlining the direct consequences of the Rayne Blood Night, the old man continued seriously:

"A single noble family's internal conflict caused such severe damage. What if two, three, or more noble families suffered similar incidents within half a year? This is the perfect pretext to act!"

By labeling this event an internal conflict, the Princess could, in Parliament, demand a reduction in the number of old nobles in each department, to counterbalance their excessive power.

Even if she fails, she could still demand that noble families limit their representation in any single department, preventing future total collapse if one family dominates a ministry.

And when nobles can no longer flood a department with their kin, those loyal to the Princess gain room to maneuver—forming alliances to counterbalance them, even seizing control of critical affairs within that department!"

As he spoke, envisioning the Princess's reforms succeeding and sweeping away the kingdom's accumulated decay, the old man's face flushed slightly, his eyes alight with fervor:

"Take the Raynes as an example. If their representation in the Department of Roads dropped to half—or even a third—of what it was, could they still control construction in the old district?"

"If their numbers in Military procurement also halved, could Rayne Arms still consume so much of the Military's budget every year? If… what?"

"Someone from Her Highness has arrived…"

One of the two young officers entered the ward holding a summons, his expression odd:

"Her Highness's envoy says… the old Duke of Rayne is dying. He demands the top five heirs arrive immediately…"

The Lionheart Duke is dying?

Hearing the young officer's words, the old man's expression brightened slightly. He immediately rose from the bedside, acting with decisive speed:

"In any case, consider my proposal. Opportunities like the Rayne Blood Night won't come again. Your choice might become… what now?"

"Um…"

Glancing at Lyon, bandaged from head to toe, the young officer sighed helplessly:

"The man on the bed… is the fifth heir of the Rayne family."

"…"

Huh?!?!?!

(End of Chapter)