In the empty basilica, Lucas' words fell. However, what awaited him was not an answer, but a long silence. Although this man with gentlemanly etiquette did not say it out loud, John of the Holy See understood what he meant.
In the end, as long as one was in the Holy Capital, there would be no Extraordinary who could escape Hardedef's eyes and defy his will. He was actually very clear on what was happening in this city. This was also why Katya was at ease in leaving Roja alone in the Holy Capital.
The Mithril Hermit Order naturally knew this as well, which was why they came to negotiate with John, hoping to gain his acquiescence with enough benefits.
"We will not harm Heathcliff's son, please rest assured. We know the current situation of the Theocracy, and we have ways to cover it up after we succeed. Luo Ya Akkat will not die in the Holy Capital, and everything will be an accident. The Akkat family will not be able to find anything that can be used against them, so there will be no estrangement between them and the royal family."
"If you are still worried, we can even strike the Eric family to a certain extent, which will buy at least ten years for the royal family."
"We are not targeting the Akkat family under your protection, but the Child of the Prophecy. The current patriarch Ka Diya Akkat is in his prime, and is fully capable of passing on the bloodline again. The Akkat family will not be cut off, and the balance of power among the five noble families will not be affected."
Vice President Lucas' humble voice echoed in the hall. There was no doubt that the Mithril Hermit Order had made sufficient preparations this time. The way they dealt with this matter was very appropriate, and the impact on the Theocracy would be minimized. Even the Church and the royal family would benefit from it.
As the saying went, 'Seeking benefits and avoiding harm' was human instinct, and this was even more true for families. 'Lucas was quite confident in the Hermit Order's sincerity. John was indeed a Holy See, but he was also the patriarch of the Heathcliff family.
The continuation of a family definitely wasn't something that could be maintained by hot-bloodedness. Rationality, calmness, and making decisions that maximized the benefits. Sometimes, when the price was high enough, one could even consider severing family ties and friendships. A family head's mission wasn't to play house with everyone. Every family head only had one mission — to develop and strengthen the family's power. Strictly speaking, a family head who did anything that went against this mission wasn't qualified.
It could be said that the Hermit of Mithril had put in a lot of effort in this aspect. Heathcliff's deal this time was equivalent to exchanging the heir of another family for the stability of his family for ten years. It was a deal that even a fool could understand. Besides, the deal with the Hermit of Mithril came with enough guarantees, because if the Hermit of Mithril went back on their word, they would definitely be hunted down.
The sincerity and reason were sufficient, but to Lucas' surprise, the old man named John didn't have much of a reaction.
The white-haired old man leaned back in his chair and narrowed his eyes. He looked like an ordinary old man who was about to doze off under the afternoon sun. He recalled the appearance of Luo Ya, whom he met not long ago.
Luo Ya was a somewhat strange young man. Although he was still young, his eyes showed that he had experienced a lot of things. However, he was also a pure young man. When he saw John's attitude, he didn't show any flattery or arrogance. John could feel the purity and integrity in his heart.
"Carolyn Acate, Vincent Acate, Roy Acate. These are all familiar names to you, right?"
The old man pointed out these names that used to make some people tremble in fear, but now, as time went on, they gradually faded into the river of time. Lucas frowned when he heard this. John looked at him with a smile on his face.
"You are afraid of them. You are afraid of their bloodline, and you are also afraid of their spirit. You are afraid that they will bring something from history that you don't want to see. They won't even let go of a child with a prophecy."
"… Perhaps that is the case. But if there are no more troublesome characters in the Acate Family, it won't be a bad thing for you and Heathcliff, will it? In fact, we can even reach an agreement on this point. "
Lucas' words made John fall silent for a moment. The old man's gaze looked into the distance, as if he could see through the river of time and reach a thousand years ago to see the ancient contract.
"Heathcliff will protect the Acate Family. This is the agreement that the two families made at the beginning of the third era. For a thousand years, the Acate Family has risen and fallen several times, but Heathcliff never gave up on this agreement. So why should I give up now?"
"Because the times are changing. Because the situation is changing. No contract is eternal. As smart as you are, you should know that compared to the country, personal agreements are not worth mentioning."
"… You are right. From the perspective of a ruler, an individual can't be higher than a country."
The white-haired old man nodded slightly when he heard this, and a smile appeared on the face of the man in the image, but unfortunately, it only lasted for a short second.
"But I refuse."
John Heathcliff casually added, and Lucas' eyes widened as he froze on the spot.
"Mithril Hermit Order. Why do you think the Acate Family came to the Theocracy to seek protection?"
"Wha … What?"
"Courage, justice, fairness, seeking the future for the living, upholding justice for the dead. These are the duties passed down in their bloodline. For countless years, they have withered away because of this, but they are still unwilling to give up this original mission. Why would such a family seek help from Heathcliff?"
The old man who was leaning on the chair straightened up, and his expression was solemn.
"Because they think that we are similar. They agree with Heathcliff's justice, mercy, and tolerance. They think that our family can maintain our original heart and not be swayed by benefits. They think that the blood of angels will keep its promise even if time passes!"
"Personal benefits are indeed inferior to the country. But what do you think the Church is? In this world, those who seek benefits have fallen into evil. They do all kinds of evil for eternal life and power. They are the strong in your eyes, and the Church is the light for the weak! From the day it was established, it was destined to never yield to benefits! "
John Heathcliff's tone went from calm to agitated. Now, his hair and beard were all standing up, and the benevolent old man had disappeared, replaced by an angry lion.
"As a ruler, perhaps I should agree to your conditions. As a patriarch, I should consider the interests of my family first. But before that, I am the Sanctum! The leader of the Church! I exist here to be kind, fair, and upholding justice! Mithril Hermit Order, your actions have insulted the Church and deeply insulted the justice in my heart! "
Lucas' face was already pale. He could not understand John's heart of justice, but he could feel that invisible waves had spread throughout Lorraine. In places where he could not see, the bishops who were praying silently opened their eyes, and the inquisitors who had been fighting the cultists for years had also picked up their weapons.
"You can go back, but those who came, stay."
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