Chapter 30: The Azure-Scaled Ghost Snake (4)
A meeting was in full swing at the Lunay family estate.
A family council was a place to discuss matters of great importance to the house.
The theme of this particular meeting was the adoption of Mitchell as a foster son.
“Hmph, does it make sense to adopt an outsider whose identity we don't even know?”
“But didn't we all receive help from that child? Furthermore, the Dark Swordsmanship is our root. As the Head of the Family said, we must take him in as a foster son to continue those roots.”
Arguments for and against broke out everywhere, but Caden remained silent, listening to the opinions stoically.
It was better to grasp the situation rather than stepping forward first.
Caden scanned the room, looking at those who supported and those who opposed.
‘It’s a fierce debate.’
It had to be.
Normally, with Grant around, adopting a foster son would be unthinkable.
Grant was the direct descendant who would inherit everything. Bringing in a foster son meant adding another potential successor.
Of course, it was only a possibility; if no one recognized him, that would be the end of it.
However, a small spark could grow into a great fire, so it wasn't something that could be easily permitted.
That was why, before the meeting began, Caden had explained Mitchell’s abilities, his growth, and his training from the moment he first saw him.
It had worked well, leading to the intense clash happening now.
Caden opened his mouth to quiet the escalating discussion.
“I have heard everyone's opinions. Let me summarize. The side in favor believes we should adopt him to ensure the family's development and firmly secure him to us, correct?”
“Securing him sounds a bit……”
“It’s the same thing. And the side opposed argues that since we have just entered a period of stability, we shouldn't create a potential source of trouble, regardless of him being a savior?”
“W-we didn't put it quite that harshly.”
“In any case, it seems both sides agree on the child's ability. Ultimately, the issue is that you don't know what kind of person he is.”
Everyone nodded simultaneously at Caden’s words.
There was little to say regarding Mitchell’s talent and potential for growth, as they had already seen and heard reports.
The biggest problem was his uncertain identity.
This was why Caden had remained silent until now—to speak only when all concerns were focused solely on Mitchell’s background.
“I have already looked into Mitchell. His family is rooted in the fallen Duchy of Arbelon.”
“If it’s Arbelon…… isn't that the Duchy that fell 40 years ago?”
“Indeed. And the eleven families that supported Arbelon were called the ‘Eleven Shields of Arbelon.’”
Caden turned his head toward Bastian, his younger brother, who held the strongest voice among the opposition.
“You’ve heard the names, haven't you?”
He nodded at Caden’s question.
“I know of them. They were the families that served the Knight King. Every single one of them possessed incredible military power.”
“Correct. And one of them is that child’s family.”
The surroundings grew silent for a moment.
But it was brief; Bastian soon leaped to his feet.
“Then it’s even more out of the question! Didn't all the Eleven Shield families of Arbelon defect to our enemy, the Holy Empire?!”
Caden, looking at Bastian whose eyes were wide with agitation, spoke slowly.
“No, no. To be precise, only ten families defected. The remaining family fought against the Holy Empire alongside the Knight King and was wiped out.”
“Isn't that the same thing? If they were wiped out anyway……”
Bastian stopped mid-sentence.
There was no way Caden, the Head of the Family, would speak useless words.
Given the context, it was easy to guess that the wiped-out family was Mitchell’s.
As Bastian frowned, unable to find words, Caden spoke again.
“What you are thinking is correct. The name of the family that stayed with the Knight King until the very end is ‘Wilson.’”
“Then it is understandable. It wouldn't be a problem to bring him into the family.”
Bastian paused for a moment before continuing.
“However, that doesn't mean his identity is confirmed. There must be more definitive proof.”
Caden frowned for a second before relaxing his expression.
Bastian was the one who had sacrificed more for the family than anyone else.
He had traveled far and wide to rebuild the house and had even suffered the pain of losing one of his two sons while trying to restore the Heavenly Destruction Sword.
Despite that, he never gave up and worked tirelessly to recover their martial arts.
In fact, the reason they could use the Heavenly Destruction Flash—even if unstable—was thanks to a method Bastian had discovered by chance while experimenting on his own body.
Therefore, Caden could not get angry at Bastian for contradicting him.
He knew better than anyone that Bastian’s reason for not wanting to accept Mitchell wasn't for personal gain, but for the safety of the family.
Caden looked at Bastian with a faint smile.
“True, one cannot believe based on a surname alone. That is why I continued to collect information after learning Mitchell was from the Eleven Shields. But it has been so long that there was little information to be found. However, I recently discovered that the child visited the Imperial Bank and inherited his mother’s legacy. His mother’s name was Leah Wilson. While researching the Wilson family, I confirmed they had a daughter named Leah.”
To open an account at the Imperial Bank, one must input lineage information through blood.
Furthermore, the account is only created after a certain level of identity guarantee is met.
These things made the Imperial Bank trustworthy, but there was something that gave it even more credibility.
Namely, no one could modify this information at will.
“The account ledgers of the Imperial Bank exist identically in branches across the Empire. Information recorded in one book is immediately reflected in all ledgers. Even if someone tried to forge one ledger, it would be invalid if it didn't match all the others. Because of this, it is common knowledge that not even the Emperor or high-ranking mages can modify the bank's accounts or transaction records.”
No one present was unaware of this fact.
The reason Caden explained it piece by piece was to make it absolutely certain that Mitchell was a member of the Wilson family.
Caden’s intent was fully conveyed, and Bastian’s expression softened.
Since the biggest reason for opposition had vanished, only the benefits of accepting him remained.
“If he is from the Eleven Shields of Arbelon, his talent is somewhat explained. I am in favor.”
With Bastian’s approval, the majority of the opinions quickly shifted toward adopting Mitchell.
‘…….’
Caden, watching this silently, asked himself once more if he was doing the right thing.
‘The Kelion family…….’
This was a fact he had learned by tracing Mitchell.
