Godfather

"Me? Becoming little Xia Ya's godfather?"

Aaron found it both funny and awkward.

A godfather was like an adoptive father in the East, and even had guardianship rights. If anything happened to little Xia Ya's parents, he would theoretically be responsible for raising him.

And if one took a darker view, should the Count pass away in the future and Colin die as well, Aaron could use his guardianship to act as Green Forest's count!

Legally speaking, he would have an even stronger claim than Sean.

"I don't mind, but Colin probably won't agree... Besides, it's only a rumor. Maybe some lady spread it deliberately to sow discord..."

Aaron shrugged. "We don't need this, so there's no need to encourage anything. Understand?"

As he spoke, he pressed his fingers to his temple.

Just now, his spirituality had stirred, and he seemed to have sensed a vague scene, but then again, he had seen nothing.

A guess surfaced in Aaron's mind. Is this... the power of divination? Has the dark spirituality strengthened my intuition?

Could it be... that the 'Sun' or the Black Sun in the dream world also holds the symbolism of divination?

The Black Sun's path is 'darkness,' and it's connected to corruption... Wait, could this mean my intuition has sensed some kind of plot? A plot in the future?

His expression turned solemn.

Albert bent even lower.

He felt a terrifying heat surge from ahead, as if the figure before him weren't a lord, but a furnace burning in the dark!

Black flames billowed upward, as though a black sun had risen to swallow him whole.

"Ah!"

Albert jolted awake as if from a nightmare, his forehead drenched in cold sweat.

The lord's majesty... it surpasses even a count's... no... it surpasses... humanity!

Sothoth Castle.

"Godfather? Why him?"

Ginny rolled her eyes when she heard Colin's bellow.

Then, just as she'd expected, she saw Colin being unceremoniously thrown out of Theodore's study.

"Father's decisions have never been open to change... He's just like Grandmother—unyielding!"

Ginny lowered her voice as she looked at her twin brother, Sean.

Sean's expression was no better. "If that's the case, then if anything happens to Colin, Aaron will inevitably take his place..."

In Green Forest's tradition, only the eldest son's right to inherit could barely be called a matter of principle.

If the eldest son died, his brothers had essentially equal rights to inherit. None had priority over the others.

In other words, if Colin died, either Aaron or Sean could inherit the title. Either would be considered legitimate.

Of course, Colin had a son, so the boy's right to inherit would come before his uncles'.

Then, thanks to Aaron's guardianship over him, Aaron would have priority over Sean, at least until Xia Ya came of age.

If the heir in such a situation were a girl, things would be even worse. Her godfather might even arrange her marriage for her.

He could drain the entire territory dry before the heir had a chance to grow up.

"Colin is the eldest son, and Aaron is the son Father's pleased with... What am I? I'm nothing!"

Sean mocked himself.

"At least... you know where you stand."

Ginny added from beside him, then pouted. "I want caramel pudding. The castle kitchen never gets it quite right..."

Colin left the castle, mounted his horse, and rode to a villa in town.

He kept a mistress there.

Well, among the Green Foresters, that wasn't unusual. Colin even enjoyed visiting the town's prostitutes from time to time.

Perhaps to make up for his wife's unfaithfulness, he was particularly enthusiastic about such things.

Colin dismounted outside the villa. Thinking of his mistress's shy face, he felt a thrill of anticipation.

"Elaine, I'm here!"

He walked through the door, grabbed a pretty young woman, and eagerly leaned in to kiss her.

"Wait! We have a guest!"

Elaine's cheeks were flushed as she hurriedly stopped him.

"A guest? Who? Some merchant looking for travel permits and tax breaks?"

Colin frowned and headed into the sitting room.

Then he saw someone who surprised him greatly.

"Lord Colin, we meet again."

Ferry Gato, the envoy of the Kagash Kingdom whom Colin had met once at a wedding, rose and bowed respectfully in greeting.

"You?"

Colin stared at Ferry, momentarily dazed.

The Ferry Gato of the past had worn silk robes, kept his hair neatly groomed, and had eyes full of pride. He'd looked every bit the nobleman of high society.

But now he wore a gray coat, his hair was a tangled mess like a bird's nest, and his face wore a fawning smile. He was no different from any other merchant.

Colin immediately realized he might have underestimated this legendary royal jester.

"What are you doing sneaking around Green Forest?"

Colin entered the sitting room and asked in a deep voice.

"I've come to help you, Lord Colin. I heard you've run into a few... er... small difficulties?" Ferry Gato said. "The Kagash Kingdom is willing to help you become the undisputed Count of Green Forest... It would benefit both of us."

"You're the Sheep Man spymaster?"

Colin wasn't stupid. He immediately smelled a plot and sneered. "You want me to betray Green Forest and my father? I'm already the heir. I don't need anyone's help!"

His hand was already on his sword hilt, ready to cut off the man's head at any moment.

"No, no. According to what I've heard, your position as heir is already precarious... And by the barbaric traditions of Green Forest, the legendary Green Forest King favored his second son too, so he killed his eldest son to clear the way for him..."

Ferry smiled. "Do you... want to become a stepping stone for Aaron?"

Watching Colin suddenly freeze, he sneered inwardly. Just as I thought—a fool. Even your younger brother knows better than to deal with me and keeps well away... But fools are useful. Fools are good for the kingdom!

For some reason, Ferry thought of the unruffled young man again. If a king like Aaron took power, he'd surely turn his gaze beyond Green Forest. Then the kingdom would be in danger...

"You..."

Colin's expression shifted several times, but then, strangely, he fell silent and took his hand off the sword hilt.

"That's more like it, my lord. We're not asking you to betray your father. We're only targeting your younger brother..."

Ferry continued to tempt him, thinking, Whether the plot succeeds or fails, I'll expose it... Let Green Forest descend into internal strife—better yet, split apart again. That would best serve the kingdom's interests. Those remnants of the Davis Family are so foolish. Most of them have already been caught; they're no longer worth investing in...