Sorry, everyone. I was tired and hungry when I uploaded the chapter just now, so I copied it twice, causing everyone to spend extra Cat Coins. I've now replaced the duplicated section with the original Chapter 69 content. Afterward, just tap the upper-right corner and then refresh this chapter's content to update the chapter you've subscribed to.
Once I get up early and finish writing the new chapter, Chapter 69 will be replaced with the original Chapter 70. Those who have already subscribed can tap the upper-right options and select "Refresh This Chapter's Content" at the bottom to view the new content.
To apologize, tomorrow there will be at least one extra chapter in addition to the make-up update.
Caslanas with Mixed Feelings
"The time's almost up. Is he planning to be late on his first visit?"
Andrew glanced impatiently at his wristwatch, muttering unhappily to his cousin beside him.
However, before his cousin could speak, an elderly man nearby—old, yet still sharp-eyed and keen-eared—rebuked him.
"The time hasn't arrived yet. Don't throw yourself into a panic first, Andrew."
"Got it..."
Faced with an old man three generations his senior, Andrew, already in a bad mood, could only shut his mouth obediently.
Still, though he had stopped talking, Andrew's gaze toward the entrance remained far from friendly.
There were quite a few young people here like Andrew.
And not just young people. Even among the elders, some were also watching the entrance with appraising eyes—
Regardless of age, most of those present had heard rumors over the past few days. The position of Caslana family head, vacant for years, might soon be filled. However, the person in question was not from any current branch of the family, but a bloodline that had been living outside.
Although the source of the news was still unknown, the rumors were unusually detailed, and everyone had heard them. That made them very likely to be true.
After all, while Caslana family heads and outstanding members often died on the battlefield, their family records remained quite complete after centuries of inheritance.
A bloodline living outside was almost certainly an illegitimate child in the conventional sense.
The younger generation had no desire to comment on whichever uncle had created such trouble outside the family.
As for accepting him back into the family, the young people—who did not care much for old-fashioned etiquette and rules—did not really mind. After all, the same blood ran through their veins. It would be rather cruel to prevent a brother related by blood from even paying respects to his ancestors.
However, if this illegitimate child not only wanted to return to the family, but also intended to sit directly in the family head's seat that had been vacant for years...
Although the ancient clan system had weakened its control over people in modern society, young people still did not like having someone above them to manage them, even if only in name.
Especially when that person was not some respected elder, but an illegitimate child looked down upon by mainstream values—
You wanted to return to the family? Nobody objected. But if you wanted to come back and immediately ride roughshod over everyone, it was only natural for people to feel angry.
Moreover, although most of these young people had average talent and had not been trained as warriors against Honkai, instead living like ordinary people, they had still gained a basic understanding of Honkai and a sense of pride in their surname from the older generation.
In the eyes of the younger generation, Gwen—an outsider suspected of intending to ascend to the top of the Caslana family with outside help—was also suspected of insulting Caslana honor.
As for why the older generation appeared relatively calm, it was not because they had no objections.
It was simply that these elders, whose age had accumulated the wisdom known as time, had detected the scent of conspiracy in the news that had spread so rapidly over the past few days.
Though they had all been hotheaded youths in their younger days, the bonds of family had gradually made them rein in their inborn impulsiveness as they aged, becoming more steady.
Therefore, after their initial excitement faded, most of these now steady elders also noticed that something was wrong—
Even if everyone usually kept in touch, spreading the news so thoroughly that everyone knew about it clearly within only a few days meant there was obviously someone pulling strings behind it.
And the only person capable of stirring up such trouble within the Caslana family was, unsurprisingly, the Archbishop of Schicksal hidden on the floating island.
After reaching this conclusion, these elders, all former Schicksal members in their youth, had no choice but to force themselves to calm down.
Even if they had only been low- to mid-level personnel in Schicksal when they were young, combining the attitude of the family head before the previous one toward Otto with the fate of the former family head, these elders could vaguely understand what Otto meant to the current Caslana family.
Though they were furious that their once-glorious family could now be toyed with by others, the elders who cared more about their relatives' lives could only sigh helplessly before the unstoppable Otto—
As long as the other party truly carried Caslana blood, and Otto did not turn around and install some blond, green-eyed Apocalypse as the Caslana family head, they could accept it.
The elders could even comfort themselves. Caslana had once been the Shield of the People. If the family head were merely an ordinary young person, that would seem far too fallen. Having a promising young man who was said to have cooperated with others to defeat an Emperor-class Honkai Beast become family head was not necessarily unacceptable.
However, when the elders used their old connections to investigate further into Gwen's background, even that small comfort seemed laughable—
In just over a year, he had gone from a frail ordinary person to an A-Class Knight capable of contending with an Emperor-class Honkai Beast—Ganesha, no less, which had received no low evaluation...
Who the hell were you trying to fool?
This was not several centuries ago, when Honkai only manifested as infected, mutated beasts, and an elite Caslana who had trained for years could be rated A-Class.
It was precisely because of these concerns that the elders had tacitly approved of, and even promoted, this family gathering. They wanted to test Gwen's true caliber. Even if he possessed only half the strength claimed in the rumors, for the family's continuation and their relatives' lives, they would grit their teeth and accept him—
Though the young people present had not received training as Honkai warriors, they all had solid foundations. Among ordinary people, they could easily handle several opponents alone.
Even a current B-Class Schicksal member would find it difficult to take all these young people down without equipment and without causing fatal injuries—
The elders all knew that under the current ranking system, combat power provided by equipment was included in the assessment and accounted for a considerable portion of it.
As long as Gwen had attained the strength of an elite B-Class member after more than a year of training, the elders could at least console themselves by calling him a once-in-a-generation genius, and even soothe the younger generation.
Just as more and more gazes turned outward, a figure quietly entered their sight along the road leading from the main gate.
Upon seeing that conspicuous white hair, the elders relaxed slightly. At least this would not be like the Apocalypse family, where Theresa—with unmistakable Caslana features—had become its head. They were not getting some blond, green-eyed Apocalypse.
As Gwen approached and the distance between both sides gradually closed, the Caslanas in the hall could sense the heavy, steady aura about him, like a deep pool and towering mountain. That also reassured some who worried that some villainous plot from fiction—using another's power to seize family property—might happen to the Caslana family.
Finally, beneath countless complicated gazes, Gwen stepped into the hall and faced those looks of appraisal and faint hostility.
Sorry, everyone. I was tired and hungry when I uploaded the chapter just now, so I copied it twice, causing everyone to spend extra Cat Coins. I've now replaced the duplicated section with the original Chapter 69 content. Afterward, just tap the upper-right corner and then refresh this chapter's content to update the chapter you've subscribed to.
Once I get up early and finish writing the new chapter, Chapter 69 will be replaced with the original Chapter 70. Tap the upper-right options and select "Refresh This Chapter's Content" at the bottom to view the new content.
To apologize, tomorrow there will be at least one extra chapter in addition to the make-up update.
The Chapter 69 content updated early this morning has been reset, so feel free to enjoy it.
Readers who still see the Amber King chapter title after refreshing the table of contents can tap the three dots in the upper-right corner, expand the menu, and then tap "Refresh This Chapter's Content" below to view the latest chapter.
There are still three more chapters being worked on today as compensation...
Becoming One with Them
"Only some hostility. There's none of that malicious intent to get rid of me at all costs..."
Gwen released his spiritual sense and felt the emotions of everyone present, sighing inwardly.
"Looks like I judged gentlemen with a petty mind."
"..."
Kevin had originally wanted to respond with silence, but in the end, he still spoke.
"The world isn't as beautiful as people imagine, but it often isn't as bad either..."
"Yeah, the world is still beautiful much of the time...
"But preparing for the worst can at least keep you from getting hurt, or from becoming sad and disappointed because of it."
Gwen quietly replied to Kevin in his mind, his gaze sweeping across the room and meeting each hostile or appraising look one by one.
No matter what attitude the other party held, Gwen's eyes remained as calm as water, immovable like silent earth.
That brief exchange of gazes eased some of the worries held by the more perceptive people—
As the saying went, the eyes were the windows to the soul.
In Gwen's eyes, they did not detect the greed or covetousness they had expected. His candid gaze even diluted some people's dislike of him.
Of course, Gwen did not possess some overwhelming imperial aura that could make people bow at first sight. A simple exchange of glances could not possibly make those with reservations sincerely submit to him.
Some impulsive young people even regarded it as Gwen ignoring them.
However, before they could speak, Gwen spoke first—
"Gentlemen, and all the outstanding young members of the Caslana family, hello. My name is Gwen. I am very pleased to meet today the members of my family who share the same blood as I do.
"Please forgive me. My mind was damaged during a Honkai incident last year, and I lost most of my past memories. I cannot remember my father's or mother's names, nor can I determine how I should address each of you.
"So please simply call me by my name."
Gwen spoke in a clear voice, his gaze circling the room. He noticed that some people's eyes had softened somewhat, while others looked even more displeased, clearly taking his words as a show of dominance.
However, Gwen did not care. Before the other Caslanas present could speak, he continued.
"Judging from your expressions, you should know more or less about me. Still, please allow me to briefly introduce myself—
"According to the Valkyries who rescued me, I was a survivor they pulled from a small town in Haßberge County, Bavaria.
"Bone-age testing showed that I am currently seventeen years old.
"After leaving the hospital last year, I began Valkyrie training.
"At the end of last year, I officially became a C-Class Knight.
"During this summer's assessment, I was promoted to B-Class Knight.
"Three days ago, because of my contribution in fighting the Emperor-class Honkai Beast Ganesha ten days ago, I was promoted to A-Class Knight..."
Gwen's neither loud nor soft voice continued at an even pace, making it difficult for anyone to interrupt. Then, upon hearing the achievements he described, everyone revealed disbelief—
Other than a few elders, most people present did not know Gwen's history. Still, they had a vague understanding of Schicksal's rankings and the strength of Honkai Beasts, and knew exactly what it would mean if everything Gwen said were true.
But precisely because Gwen's claims were so shocking, they were difficult to believe.
After digesting his words, many people furrowed their brows and looked at Gwen with unfriendly expressions—
He actually dared to fool them with such words. Did he really think that because they had not joined Schicksal, they knew nothing about Schicksal's rating system?
Yet Gwen's expression did not change in the slightest beneath those questioning gazes. He continued.
"From the era of Saintess Kallen five hundred years ago until now, Honkai has grown stronger alongside humanity's development. It began as mere infection of beasts, but now there are Emperor-class Honkai Beasts, and even Herrschers who resemble gods.
"In 1952, the First Honkai War erupted. Almost no one in Berlin survived.
"In 2000, the Second Honkai War erupted. Fewer than a hundred survivors remained in vast Siberia, half of Asia was affected, and several other megacities suffered fatal blows.
"And this is not the end. It is only the beginning—
"It is foreseeable that the Herrschers born in the future may cause destruction on an equal or even greater scale.
"And as the Shield of the People, Caslana cannot turn a blind eye to this.
"However, fighting Honkai requires more than burning passion. It requires great strength.
"And I... happen to possess it..."
As he spoke words that could easily be taken as provocation, Gwen's expression gradually turned serious. He slowly undid the buttons of his shirt, took off his coat, and casually tossed it toward a coat rack in the corner—
"Of course, I also know that what I said earlier can easily be considered lies.
"So come, everyone—
"Test whether I am qualified to wield this authority more than you are!
"I will not use Honkai Energy. I will face you using only my own strength...
"If you have received basic combat training and theoretical instruction before, you should understand that this can verify my words."
"..."
Before you continue