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Chapter 1290 - 1290 230 The Wind Rises_2

1290: Chapter 230, The Wind Rises_2 1290: Chapter 230, The Wind Rises_2 “If someone offers a high enough price to exchange my life for a future for everyone, that could also be acceptable!”

Hudson said with a chuckle.

To sacrifice his life for his subordinates in exchange for a future, he naturally wasn’t that altruistically noble.

It’s just that one cannot control their fate in a perilous world, and now he was no longer without resources or ties.

He had to consider not only himself but also his family.

While he was alive, he could protect his family.

But due to the relentless pursuit of power in his youth, he has accumulated many hidden injuries and doesn’t have many good years left to live.

The identity of a member of the July Club had become the biggest security risk for his family.

As long as he was alive, he could use the power of the club to protect them.

But once he passed away, the few children in his family would not be able to hold on to their heritage.

The best choice was to undergo an identity transformation in advance.

If he could also sell a favor to everyone in the process, that would be even better.

Compared to the Cult organization, the Noble World had much better manners in their dealings.

Especially those who have just cleaned up their act, they need a good reputation more than anything.

Those who owe favors will naturally give something in return.

…

“Marshal, the upper echelons of the July Club want to discuss a big deal with you.

It’s very secretive, and I’ve used all the connections in the club without being able to find out any details,” Baron Katelai reported seriously.

In recent years, Katelai seems not to have changed much, but the actual power in his hands has greatly increased.

By betraying the July Club, he earned Hudson’s trust; and with Hudson’s support, he continuously strengthened his influence within the July Club.

As things stand now, Baron Katelai is a major figure in the Near East Region.

If it weren’t for his awkward position, he would at least have secured a job as a Prefectural Governor.

There was no choice; born into the Northland Noble Group, he stabbed this interest group in the back.

He joined the July Club, and then he betrayed the July Club.

Regardless of the reasons, such a fickle person will never be popular in politics.

Even with Hudson’s support, when he got to the Capital, Baron Katelai’s appointment as Prefectural Governor was still denied.

Retaliation from the five major families in the north was one aspect; more significantly, the high ranks of the Kingdom despised traitors.

Suppressing the minor nobility was already an unwritten rule.

Giving a high position to a traitor would make the influential figures even more unease.

As an insider, Hudson very much understood Baron Katelai’s choices, which could be summed up in one sentence: He was compelled by circumstances!

Once a person has vulnerabilities, many things are beyond their control.

A lone Katelai was strong, but Katelai with a family was no longer invincible.

Betraying the Northland Noble Group was a result of being forced by the July Club to show allegiance.

Though they didn’t put a knife to his throat, his refusal would have led his whole family to meet the Lord of the Dawn.

Betraying the July Club was even simpler.

It was actually orchestrated by Hudson behind the scenes.

The difference was that it didn’t involve coercion, just making Katelai realize that the July Club had no future.

No father wants his children to live with the identity of a Cult member.

To break away from the Cult organization inevitably requires paying a price.

Moreover, Hudson’s demands were not high; he merely wanted him to quietly dig the club’s corner, without requiring him to openly break with the July Club.

Katelai did not disappoint Hudson either, showing extraordinary ability to undermine support, and even managed to establish a faction within the July Club.

With the power in his hands, he made it so that the July Club headquarters dared not turn hostile against them.

Despite being a traitor, he still managed to maintain an outwardly peaceful but inwardly conflicting relationship with both sides, due to mutual benefits.

Understanding is one thing, but there was still inevitable hesitation when actually leveraging him.

Hudson was happy to let someone else play the villain.

The current situation was perfect; Hudson had already bestowed wealth and honor, while it was the Capital suppressing Baron Katelai’s recognition and power—they couldn’t blame him, the leader, for being unjust.

But in the Continent of Aslante, the most important things are recognition and power; without these enhancements, no matter how mightily Katelai mixes, he remains just a minor Noble.

Aspiring to rise higher is impossible.

He could pull people from the July Club only because he had Hudson’s support behind him.

With just his own standing, who would bother with a Baron!

“Tell the headquarters of the July Club that if they want to talk a big transaction, they should start by showing sincerity.

Being secretive is not the way to do business!” Hudson said without changing his expression.

The acts of undermining cannot be exposed for both sides; until the window paper is punctured, they still count as potential allies.

Privately, business dealings between them have never stopped.

Especially when it comes to the five major families in the north, the two sides have even cooperated several times.

But all of that belongs to the past; the window paper will inevitably be punctured one day, and both sides have already begun to guard against each other.

At such a time, with the people from the July Club coming to him to discuss a big deal, Hudson can’t help but suspect there’s a trap.

Of course, if it is an action against the five major families in the north, then that’s a different matter.

…

The Avarat Kingdom.

With the joint efforts of all parties, the delegation has successfully brought back the results of their inspection.

It’s evident that everyone is full of hope for the reforms, aspiring to revitalize the Kingdom to rejoin the ranks of the powerful nations on the Continent through domestic reform.

However, the crux of the contradictions is also converging on the results of the inspection.

The political systems of the three Kingdoms – Frank, Iberia, and Alpha, though all fundamentally championing the nobility, vary in their specifics.