The Dragon Emperor considered himself friendly, at least relatively friendly towards humans. He was mainly scared witless and didn't dare act rashly against them. However, he had to admit, sometimes, some people were truly despicable.
Take, for example, this fellow who called herself the Great Magician Merlin.
Did this Emperor know you?
No.
You tattled, fine. I ignored you because I didn't want to waste words.
But you have no self-awareness whatsoever.
And you dare to come back.
Don't you know that this Emperor personally gifted that young dragon?
You repeatedly doing this makes him lose face. His hidden secrets are about to be exposed. How can I let you live? It's best to extinguish you in one bite.
The Dragon Emperor was decisive like that.
He never dragged his feet.
Several days later…
The noblewoman's face was etched with anxiety. The Great Magician Merlin had been gone for a while. Even crawling, she should have returned by now. Yet, there wasn't a single shred of news.
"What in the world is going on?"
She was very anxious, unsure what had happened to Merlin.
To fail even at such a simple task.
Caylon was her son. To maintain their current lifestyle, only with him in control of the Norla family could it continue.
If that damned girl took over…
Their good days would come to an end.
The current situation was truly precarious. According to the informant's report, that damned old man seemed to be about to pass the title to that damned girl.
"Mother, could that Great Magician Merlin have run off?" Caylon believed this conjecture was the most plausible. Otherwise, why wouldn't there be even a shadow of her by now?
"Impossible. Don't worry about this matter. Rest assured, the Norla family title will only fall upon your head, not that girl's." The noblewoman exuded confidence from head to toe.
She believed her preparations were thorough.
There was no reason for failure.
Inside the house…
Corlan chatted with her two sisters. They noticed that Olivia's mood seemed exceptionally good recently. The smile on her face was much brighter than usual. Had she encountered something joyous?
Olivia said, "After a while, when things here are concluded, we can leave."
"Mm, it's a bit stifling staying here. It feels like the people here don't really like us," Thea said.
Indeed, it was like that.
Although the servants were respectful towards them, there was a sense of keeping their distance.
Olivia said, "The title hasn't been decided yet. These servants don't dare get too close to us, in case they face repercussions."
Thea said, "So that's how it is."
Olivia had spoken with her father.
She knew many things.
Her mood had improved considerably.
Several days later…
The Norla family's succession ceremony began. Everyone already knew that the heir to the Norla family would be Olivia Norla. It was a foregone conclusion.
Before Olivia returned…
Caylon had dealt with several other competitors. Everyone in the family believed Caylon had the highest chance of inheriting the title. Who would have thought… the old patriarch would actually pass the position to Olivia.
Truly unexpected.
At the scene…
Caylon gritted his teeth. He had originally planned to use the Dragon Clan to eliminate his rivals, but who would have thought the Dragon Clan didn't even show up, and the Great Magician Merlin, who went to Dragon Island, had vanished without a trace.
There were only two possibilities.
The Great Magician Merlin had run off.
The other possibility was that the Dragon Clan had eliminated her.
But thinking about it, that seemed somewhat impossible.
Forget it.
A good-for-nothing who only caused trouble.
Utterly ruining his grand plan.
The noblewoman said in a low voice, "Relax, it's alright. Everything is prepared. You just need to wait patiently."
"Mm, I know." Caylon nodded, heeding his mother's words.
He was determined to obtain the patriarch's position. No one could stop him. However, now that it had come to this, if there wasn't any assistance, he was truly afraid he would lose all hope.
Noble ceremonies were complex.
Corlan felt incredibly bored, but this was her good sister's most important moment. Even if she felt bored, she acted energetic, lest others see and say… Look, even Olivia's friend is bored to sleep.
An elder in strange attire held a long scroll and recounted the history of the Norla family.
This was all part of the noble succession.
It was mainly about narrating the family's glorious history, so that everyone would remember and not forget.
After a long while…
The crucial moment arrived.
"The next head of the Norla family will inherit the family's glory and title. She is…"
Everyone craned their necks in anticipation.
Expectation.
Solemnity.
Caylon could no longer sit still. Damn it, it's already come to this. Hurry up and save the situation. If this continues, there truly won't be a chance.
Just at this moment…
A voice rang out.
To Caylon, it was like a heavenly sound, ringing in his ears, so beautiful, so comforting.
"The thirteenth Pope of the Church of Light has arrived."
Someone shouted.
The crowd was astonished.
The Pope had actually come.
Some elders of the Norla family, aware of the turning point, knew they weren't deeply connected with the Church of Light. But now that the Pope had arrived at this moment, something felt amiss.
The old patriarch slowly rose.
Although he was the head of the Norla family, before the Pope, he was still insignificant. Their statuses were worlds apart.
There was no comparison.
Everyone looked in that direction, then revealed shocked expressions.
Not only had the Pope come…
He had also brought three Cardinals! Everyone knew the Church of Light's immense power, spread across various empires. There were a total of twelve Cardinals, all the Pope's trusted enforcers.
Possessing absolute power.
And astonishing status.
Everyone felt this succession ceremony was about to change.
Caylon clenched his fists.
Too good.
So timely.
Caylon looked at his mother and nodded heavily. Hope had arrived, and his heart was filled with an indescribable joy.
The noblewoman nodded slightly, signaling Caylon to remain calm. The matter wasn't over yet.
The old duke approached the Pope and said respectfully, "Welcome, Your Holiness."
"I hope I'm not interrupting. Judging by the situation, it seems like you're holding some sort of event?" the Pope asked with a smile.
The old duke said, "I am old. The Norla family will welcome a new head. Today happens to be the handover ceremony. Please, Your Holiness, take a seat."
"Mm." The Pope nodded.
With the Pope's arrival, they certainly couldn't let him sit among the commoners. A chair was brought and placed beside the old duke. As for the three Cardinals, they stood behind the Pope, like loyal guardians.
Before the old duke could speak, the Pope took the initiative and said, "I've heard that the third son of the Norla family is quite outstanding. The purpose of my visit today is to invite Caylon to become a deacon of the Church of Light."
Caylon, sitting there, stared wide-eyed.
He appeared utterly bewildered.
What's this?
Who wants to be a deacon? Caylon, inheriting the title, would be a Grand Duke, staying in his own territory, with absolute power. Aside from the King of the Locke Empire, who could control him?
However…
He wasn't a fool.
The Pope saying this now was to make the old duke understand: Your heir, I think he's quite good.
At this moment…
Everyone who heard the Pope's words was utterly shocked.
Then they whispered among themselves.
"Did you hear? The Pope actually wants Caylon to become a deacon of the Church of Light."
"Truly incredible."
"Indeed."
"If Caylon becomes a deacon of the Church of Light, he'll be able to leverage the Church's power. Then, things will be extraordinary."
The Church of Light's influence was vast.
There were so many empires on the continent, and several were supported by the Church of Light.
Therefore, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say the Pope was above all others.
The old duke remained expressionless, but he looked at Caylon's mother. The Pope of the Church of Light appearing inexplicably at this moment was definitely prearranged.
"I wonder who the old duke has in mind as his heir? Why not tell us?" the Pope asked with a smile.
He had already made his point clear.
If it still wasn't understood…
There was truly something wrong with their minds.
The old duke said, "Olivia, Caylon, come here."
Olivia approached. As for Caylon, he walked with his head held high, a smile playing on his lips. He already believed the title would be his to inherit. The Pope had arrived, so this matter was practically settled.
The Locke Empire had a good relationship with the Church.
If the Pope was truly dissatisfied, he could simply speak to the King about this matter. Would the King's words carry more weight than the Pope's?
Any empire's relationship with the Church was built on security.
When encountering any danger…
The Church of Light would dispatch its members to assist.
Moreover, the Light's faith was deeply ingrained in the hearts of the common people.
If they offended the Church of Light, the consequences were unimaginable.
The Pope looked at the two future heirs of the Norla family. He had to admit, Olivia, standing before him, was quite impressive, possessing considerable strength. As for Caylon, he had a handsome appearance, but unfortunately… he was truly too weak, practically useless.
The old duke slowly raised his hand and declared, "My title will be inherited by Olivia Norla."
Uproar!
Caylon, who had been about to celebrate, felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head upon hearing these words. His entire body went cold, his soul chilled, from head to toe.
He abruptly stood up.
His eyes bulged.
He looked at the seated figure in disbelief.
Even the smiling Pope's smile froze. He turned his head unnaturally and looked at the old duke.
"Your choice doesn't seem very wise," the Pope said.
The old duke replied, "But to me, this is a wise choice. She can lead the Norla family to glory."
At this moment…
The members of the Norla family cheered.
Many supported Olivia.
They harbored a sense of fear towards Caylon. Within the family, Caylon's actions were plain for all to see. The servants were all afraid of him, while Lady Olivia was very kind to them.
The Pope stood up.
He felt he had lost face.
He had already made his point so clear, yet the other party acted as if they hadn't understood. This was a provocation against the Church of Light.
"So be it."
With that, he left directly.
However…