The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 739: Volume 21: The Dark Road - 18: Gloom After Gloom_2

Chapter 739: Volume 21: The Dark Road - 18: Gloom After Gloom_2

Princess Renta turned slightly, her noble lineage evident in her poised yet indifferent demeanor; but to Philip, it seemed somewhat contemptible. At such a time, to display such airs before him seemed rather overconfident. Although Philip was not entirely certain of her specific intentions for this sudden visit, he thought it naive to believe that she could sway everything with the currently faint voice of the Central Kingdom.

"Oh, it is an honor for Homer that Your Highness has chosen to visit. If there is anything you need my assistance with, please speak freely. Duke Zellin has always had a good relationship with me, and if he responds to Your Highness’s request, I believe Homer should not be outdone," Philip said with eager courtesy, showing no signs of dissatisfaction with the kingdom.

"My father has not been well recently, and Prince Hoffman is now regent. Lord Tez and Lord Mathew both hope that the kingdom can end this political deadlock as soon as possible and return to the harmonious state of the past. All of these require the support of several elders of the kingdom. I am here to seek beneficial opportunities for both of us and for the entire kingdom," she said, her green eyes showing no emotion apart from focus and calmness as they steadfastly rested on Philip.

Philip felt a shock in his heart. Why hadn’t Zellin informed him of these matters beforehand? Was the other party bluffing, or was this a deliberate probing?

Philip lowered his eyelids slightly, avoiding her gaze. Her intentions seemed straightforward, and her message was clear: the king’s health had been poor, and it now seemed likely that Hoffman would take control. Although being regent did not guarantee becoming the next king, he would certainly have the initiative. Princess Renta was presumably here to garner support for her royal brother, partly to create a stable environment for Hoffman’s ascension and partly to focus on reshaping the kingdom’s internal situation after the coronation.

Hoffman was not a strong ruler. His outward toughness and inner fragility and greed had been seen through by both himself and Zellin. He and Zellin had discussed that it wouldn’t be a bad thing for Hoffman to become king. However, Philip felt reluctant because Tracy’s fall from grace at the royal court didn’t sit well with him. Despite Tracy’s disappointments, she was still his daughter, with the noble blood of the Philip family flowing in her veins. It was somewhat unbearable for her to become a plaything of the Royal Family and then leave in disgrace. Furthermore, there were many issues and details worth discussing regarding this matter, and making rash decisions was never in his character.

"Your Highness, the current situation of the kingdom does have external causes, but we both know the internal issues are more significant. As His Majesty the King grows older, his temperament has also greatly changed, becoming somewhat obstinate and self-willed, and he has appointed sycophants to his court. The policies and decrees he has issued have repeatedly hurt our feelings. We now find it difficult to receive even the slightest benevolence from the once-gracious Romanov family towards those of us who have made significant contributions to the kingdom. Instead of endless quarreling and confrontation, these have given the beastmen an opportunity to brazenly penetrate the heart of the kingdom. If the kingdom was still united, how could the beastmen be so audacious? All these require a thorough examination of many of the kingdom’s laws and policies. What do you say, Your Highness?"

Philip’s face, filled with a wistful look of reminiscence, betrayed sincere emotions that could move any outsider. But to Renta, who had long been among these pretenders, it was nothing but repulsive and made her even more composed. By pinpointing the root issues, he was undoubtedly laying the groundwork for negotiating the price, which was not surprising at all.

"Duke, I cannot offer a critique of the governing principles my father has followed for over twenty years, but I have always believed that it seems unlikely to be the sole result of actions taken by one party alone. If we blame it all on one side, I find that to be somewhat biased. At this moment, we should be looking to the future, which is far more practical. Should you feel that my brother’s abilities do not match up to that woman, Katya, then I think our conversation can conclude right here." Her attitude was unprecedentedly firm, and Princess Renta didn’t elaborate further. She knew that showing even a hint of softness could lead to the other party’s brazen encroachment.

Princess Renta’s stance slightly surprised Philip, but it was also within his expectations. No member of the Romanov family was mediocre. Compared to them, Philip even felt that His Highness Prince Hoffman’s performance seemed somewhat lackluster. However, promoting a mediocre ruler had always been an unyielding principle for the Great Lords, as it would ensure their own interests.

The reason Philip wanted Tracy to marry into the Royal Family was because he recognized the flaws in Hoffman’s character. With Tracy’s cunning and maneuvering, she could certainly influence Hoffman’s attitude. Katya, the woman Renta referred to, far surpassed Hoffman in both strategy and cunning. In Philip’s view, if it wasn’t for her background, which made it difficult for her to garner favor and support from the Great Aristocracy of Jazair, Hoffman would have had a hard time winning against her in the succession dispute. Even so, Katya still managed to employ a multitude of tactics that put Hoffman on edge, or there would not have been Renta’s visit to Homer.

Raising the issue of Katya now was obviously a way to strike at him, and Philip sneered inwardly. Although he leaned towards Hoffman’s ascension, this didn’t mean he would bow and scrape on every issue, or he would lose the very intention behind the Great Lords’ clandestine support for Hoffman’s rise to power.

"Lady, I just wanted to offer a benign reminder," Philip feigned innocence, "Of course, the kingdom’s policies are for you to determine, but we all sincerely hope for a new climate in the kingdom in the future, one that doesn’t incur the wrath of both heaven and the people, benefiting those beastmen for nothing. If His Highness Prince Hoffman truly desires our support, do you not think he should also give us some hope?" Philip suggested slyly, "The ’Utrecht Decree,’ a law that so clearly does not fit the spirit of the times, shouldn’t we consider its abolition? I believe I am not the only one who will raise this request to the kingdom."

This was a most troublesome issue, and Renta had anticipated that the conversation would eventually come to this. However, the "Utrecht Decree" absolutely could not be abolished. Abolishing the "Utrecht Decree" would mean that the kingdom could no longer reclaim the enfeoffment rights from these Great Lords, and the Central Kingdom would only be able to command within its own directly-administered territories, turning these Great Lords into genuine princes in their own right. But whether it was wise to refuse this request at the moment, Renta was also uncertain. Hoffman urgently needed reinforcements, and Katya’s frequent activities had already put considerable pressure on him. Although the Great Aristocracy of Jazair still maintained their customary attitude of support for Hoffman, there had already been subtle changes in some of their stances. It was a particularly sensitive period, proving that Katya’s various promises were taking effect. If Hoffman did not retaliate, a chain reaction was inevitable.

"Duke, I’ve heard that the situation is terrible in Caucasus and Leon, with Bruce Fortress even falling into the hands of those Half-Beastmen ruffians. It seems your army has not achieved the expected results. What exactly is going on? Could there be sabotage involved? Does the kingdom need to offer its support?" With a slight shift of her eyes, Renta deftly steered the conversation towards his sore spot.

(To be continued. If you want to know what happens next, please visit WWW.CMFU.COM for more Chapters, support the author, and support authorized reading!)