The funeral of the great Ortus had left the nation mourning for a month straight. And it became the trial of the next ruler.
Sophós Barford. The pressure he had to endure increased day by day. After the death of his father.
The Hal assassination organization attacked various nobles throughout the Barford kingdom, including himself.
Without delay. He turned them into the greatest enemy of the state, nonetheless he didn't know how many nobles kept a touch with them.
Then another trial appeared. Foreign nations began poking at the Barford kingdom to see how well they would react.
Although the Barford family had weaponry nearing the mid-20th century. It would be dumb to face a coalition of hungry cubs without preparation for no reason.
Thus, he created his own alliance. With the use of the trading alliance, his father had created a long time ago.
He began to move players around. According to his calculation, the top 3 forces had their hands in the 'poking' in the international interests.
With them being tied so close to the Barford family. Their own technological advancement lagged just a few decades behind.
This meant that in case of a war. They had the means to steal technology through various means to catch up to the Barford army in no time.
So Sophós chose to play around with the small players. With Ortus as his role model. He taught himself to be calm.
If a backup plan is better than none. Then, 3 backup plans were better than one. His envoys began to visit the Southern continent.
Under Ortus' suggestion, one of his children had created a merchant organization that dealt in both continents, though mainly exported from the Spirit continent to the South.
They also fulfilled another goal. The power of intelligence gathering and spying. With the use of some tricks.
The Trinity merchant organisation had long become a 'native' of the Southern continent, even in the eyes of many nobles.
Perhaps figures such as the Emperor had their doubts, but they would have to strip naked the entire organization for the truth to be revealed.
The benefits outweighed everything. So, they let it slide. With Trinity being the only weapon provider to the Southern continent, they became the neutral force.
...
"Don't worry, brother. Trinity shall become your greatest resource supply chain! We'll see their look after they challenged the Barford family. Our father isn't the only talent after all." Said a man in his 30s.
His well-built physique and presence turned him into a fatal weapon against many ladies walking around.
The 'manager' of the Trinity branch in the Empire. Each branch had a manager, but this one stood out the most.
Still, everyone knew him as Roger Carnegie. The greatest businessman who led the Empire's drying economy to another high.
With investments, he kick-started the entire economic machine, starting from the roots. Under his gentle 'persuasion', he turned some wiser nobles into real rulers.
No one knew how many nobles he contacted or corrected. Some even considered him to be the second most powerful man after the Emperor.
The two continued to talk as the Barford war machine warmed itself up. After decades of hibernation.
They would witness the incredible power they wielded.
"Oh? Brother is about to be attacked?! How dare they! What neutrality?! We will kick their butts!" said a woman in a rage.
Anyone who would see her for the first time would think of her as a young lady in her early 20s.
All thanks to her deep research into biology and the thing they called alchemy. But that also meant another thing.
She knew how to enhance and keep beauty for a few decades AND possessed deep knowledge how to ruin said beauty.
Be it with various poisons and even things like gases. Morpheus himself sometimes questioned whether he should have told her about the direction of biochemical weapons.
Nonetheless, this girl's love for biological destruction rivalled her obsession with keeping her beauty.
Her Rose cosmetics were about to transform. In a few days, a quarter of the factories suddenly changed into mysteries.
With trusted employees pouring into them. No one knew what the queen of beauty Anabelle had in store.
But, the new products pouring out just weeks after the change made many think it turned out to be one of her random whims.
...
When Sophós returned with his brother to attend their sibling reunion, he came to a pleasant surprise.
"How could you! My dear brother, did you forget? Or why haven't I heard about anything about your little scheme of yours." Said a mature lady.
Like a fox. She was able to evoke various emotions just through her graceful steps. Although she looked like a fox.
In the underworld, people knew her as the Spider matriarch. The mysterious leader of almost all brothels and gambling dens in the Barford kingdom.
She, Harriet Barford, had died 20 years ago, after all.
"Sister! After my return I was about to contact you all, I swear! How about this? I'll turn a blind eye to that gambling scandal a few weeks ago. How about it?" Sophós said with a wry smile.
"Ah~ take off this month's protection tax and we'll have a deal." She said and smiled.
"Fine, fine." Sophós sighed and turned to his other brothers and sisters. Each with their own talent and direction they have paved.
"What do you think, sir Morpheus?" He asked as his other siblings around the round table stopped talking.
"Good, you secured supplies. Infiltrated enemy nations and are ready to create chaos. Even when the entire Spirit continent is in shambles. With Trinity being the only economic supplier, you control the prices. Not bad. Ortus would be proud."
Morpheus said, as his voice appeared in the ears of all the Barford children.
Unknown to the smiling children. The unity they've built and kept made him gratified the most.
Since young age, Morpheus tried to bond all 10 with each other.
Disputes and fights were inevitable. But they would always unite underneath the Barford banner.
They complimented each other's deficits and boosted their own strengths. In fact, when they started out.
Many times, the Rose cosmetics almost failed. Sometimes, the Trinity found itself in debt and in the older times.
The underworld of the Barford kingdom had yet to welcome its absolute ruler. Over the years, Sophós had permitted the construction of some ridiculous projects.
Just so his artistic sister could go all out. As the child with the most power, thanks to him learning how to rule before Ortus passed away.
He had helped his siblings the most. Their pride wouldn't ever allow for them to not repay and the time came.
"Come on! Have we come here to talk about some war we'll win anyway, or did we come here to catch up? Last time we had this meeting was 3 years ago. Ana, how are the tattoos going. I want to have a cool dragon already!" said the largest of the siblings.
His muscles and stature dwarfed even a certain general Ortus had faced in the past. A general of the Barford family.
Weirdo that refused to give up the beauty of cold weapons in exchange for hot ones. Nonetheless, he had his own acumen.
To observe and then predict his enemies. An obsession that stemmed from one of Morpheus' lectures.
"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. When you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained, you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle." One day, Morpheus said.
He explained that one great general didn't lead through power, but with wisdom to see the result of a hundred battles.
Since then. The obsession with muscle training changed a bit. To him, the rare occasion for them all to gather like this became very precious.
After all, to know oneself, one has to know and get on well with their family. The other siblings relaxed as well.
With their general education, they could converse with each other without any major barriers.
"Food is ready! Come and take a bite before it gets cold." Said a man that smelled like spices.
"This is why I always can't wait for our gathering! Brother, your cooking is always the greatest." Said Anabelle.
"You know you can visit our restaurant..." He said and smiled back.
"But that doesn't have your love infused in it." She said and pouted.
Their banter continued well into the night. Tensions, pressure of their occupations and responsibility didn't mean anything to them at the moment.
They were just siblings.
Morpheus sometimes joined and talked about their childhoods, as he remembered the best.
Laughter lit up the garden as Morpheus talked about their escapades and stories. The next morning, they visited their father's grave.
He chose to be buried right next to the garden, so Morpheus could see there as well.
The innocent faces were now gone. Replaced by people ready to take on their responsibilities once again.
Though, the shoulders that held them healed quite a bit...
And so, the Barford kingdom erupted 2 weeks later. No one expected it. Hundreds of dark truths poured out as they beheaded nobles in the Barford kingdom.
After a month of cleansing their kingdom. The siblings turned their eyes on the surroundings.