Herbert had heard of the name, Tim Noe Deniz, a retainer who had served the Jericho family for more than forty years, who had chosen to surrender to Michel VII during the capture of Fort Midnight by Pritown. But when Swain returned to Midnight Castle, the baron was not punished and still had the trust of the lord.

Thinking back to his original suspicions, Herbert now increasingly suspects that Swain was the trigger for Michel VII's rebellion. Now that Michel VII is dead, and the Southern rebels are defeated, it can be proved that Swain is not a member of the Southern rebels, at least not on the surface. But according to the correspondence of Swain and Michel VII found out by Beria, Swain's connection with this rebellion is still very huge, and his attitude towards Baron Deniz can't help but make people feel that Count Jericho was prepared for this rebellion, and Fort Midnight surrendered directly to Michel VII without any substantial losses, and Swain was so lenient with Baron Deniz who surrendered, Herbert couldn't help but wonder if Swain had known about the rebellion in the south, then he had been prepared to let his retainers who stayed in the territory surrender, and he stayed in the imperial capital to avoid taking too much responsibility and blame。

"Fortunately. Herbert simply said hello, Baron Deniz's status was too inconspicuous, and for Herbert, if it weren't for Swain's relationship, he wouldn't even pay attention to this little baron.

"When Earl Winston came to Germany, I accompanied the Earl of the First Count to the Imperial Capital, and had the privilege of meeting the great men who are now in high positions in the Imperial Government. The baron looked back to the stage, where the guests who had come to Karazhan were fighting with the magical creatures of Karazhan Castle, and the opera had reached its first small climax, "Your father, Marquis of Wood, I have seen it many times, and the last time he came to Midnight Castle was much older than when he arrived at Midnight Castle fifteen years ago. ”

Herbert turned his head as well, and when he heard Baron Deniz talk about his father, he shy away from the subject. "What does Count Jericho want to tell me?" Herbert, who was not going to say more on the subject, immediately began to turn back to the topic.

However, Baron Deniz did not stop discussing the subject with Herbert, and he continued to talk to himself. "Fifteen years ago, when Miss Sophia was taken to Midnight Castle by Marquis Phil, she was still a baby in swaddling clothes, and she didn't expect time to pass so quickly, and the little baby girl of that year had now grown into a slim girl. ”

"What the hell are you trying to say?" asked Herbert, who tugged at his collar and asked in a somewhat rough tone.

"Fifteen years ago, you shouldn't have gotten to where you are today, right?"

"Does this have anything to do with what we are going to talk about? If Count Jericho has sent you just to talk to me about the old days, I don't have the time to accompany you. Herbert said, gesturing to his feet.

But Baron Deniz immediately reached out, and his thin fingers grasped Herbert's shoulder, and pressed him back to his seat. Herbert was taken aback, he didn't expect Baron Deniz, who was about the same age as his father, to have so much strength in his hands, he couldn't resist the strength of Baron Deniz's hand at all, so he had to sit back in his chair.

"Don't be so impatient," Baron Deniz's gaze was still fixed on the stage, but his hand pressed tightly against Herbert, "We old people always like to reminisce about the past when we talk, how about you be a little patient? ”

Herbert sighed helplessly in his heart, just now he was just pretending to leave, wanting to scare Baron Deniz, but he didn't expect that although this baron was much more gentle than Count Jericho on the surface, he was actually so tough. "Say it, I'll listen. ”

"My lord is very grateful to you and His Highness Beria for your help to him, and now that Mr. Ernest has made a name for himself, it is no longer a problem to earn a knighthood. However, Count Jericho still hopes that the family's conflicts can be resolved before he returns to Midnight Castle, and I hope that you will continue to help him. ”

"I don't think our help is so cheap, Count Jericho is a transactional relationship with us, and it would be too early to say that he can be a friend who can help selflessly. "Of course, Herbert would not agree so easily, helping Swain to push Viscount Jericho into battle in order to squeeze out opponents belonging to Crown Prince Alexander's line within the Ministry of the Interior, but if Swain still wants their help, he needs to come up with something worthy of Beria and Herbert's contribution.

"I know that this is human nature, and my lord can understand it. Now for the Jericho family, the head of a family is the son of Count Jericho, but in ordinary aristocratic families, it is often the elder who is the head of the family, leading the family forward and making important decisions. Because the older ones are more convincing, even if the title is sometimes inherited by the younger generation, the family will still obey the orders of a general leader. However, the Jericho family is not the same as other nobles, the Jericho family has never had a branch, and now there are too few family members, but even so, if there is a conflict within the family, it will still be a very disadvantageous thing for the Jericho family. So, my lord, I want to be able to solve this problem once and for all, and your help is indispensable. ”

Herbert couldn't help but laugh, he looked at Baron Deniz coldly, a cold smile on the corner of his mouth. "This is a family matter of the Jericho family, and I'm afraid it's not appropriate for me to intervene as an outsider. ”

"Your father has a long history with the Jericho family, and he has not been involved in the Jericho family's family affairs. And, to Mr. Ernest, the Phil family is no stranger. ”

Hearing Baron Deniz's words "The Phil family is not an outsider", Herbert's body couldn't help but tremble, this matter is what the Jericho family cares about the most. "And what does Count Jericho want me to do?" he said in a low voice, lowering his eyes and smiling at him.

"What, did you say yes?"

"You just said that you want me to continue to help you. Herbert glanced down at the stage, the protagonist had already defeated the magical magical creation in the castle and went up to the opera house on the second floor, "In other words, Count Jericho did not intend to ask His Highness Beria for help, but treated this matter as a private matter and directly let me intervene, am I not wrong?"

"Absolutely. Baron Deniz nodded, "So, you are willing to accept this condition?"

"That's up to Count Jericho's pay. ”

"Your Excellency Count Jericho is willing to participate in your and His Highness Beria's faction. ”

"Heh-" Herbert sneered, "Isn't it contradictory that you agreed with what I said just now and let me meddle in this matter as a private matter, but now the reward is being offered for His Highness Beria?"

"What I'm talking about—" Baron Deniz turned his head and said in an accent, word for word, "it's you, and His Highness Beria's faction. ”

Herbert was silent, Swain gave him an impression of a somewhat similar one to Manfred, although Manfred had an obvious expression on his face, which made people seem to be able to see his mood changes, but these two people had an essential similarity, that is, they both made Herbert unable to understand, whether it was their purpose or their true thoughts, Herbert was not sure. Although it seems obvious on the surface that their purpose is that Manfred was tempted by Belial and Swain wanted to settle the internal dispute of the Jericho family, Herbert could vaguely sense that the real purpose of these two men was not what it seemed.

"What does Count Jericho want to do?" Herbert stared at Baron Deniz, trying to see something from the calm face, "did you mention fifteen years ago in the first place, was it related to Miss Jerichault?"

"You're pretty much talking about Miss Sophia and Miss Victoria. Baron Deniz nodded, his gaze still on the stage, "My lord, I want to take back the custody of Miss Victoria as the head of the Jericho family." ”

"Huh-" Herbert raised his eyebrows, and there was a little more mockery in his tone, "Count Jericho really doesn't give Viscount Jericho face, and insists on taking away the last daughter left by Viscount Jerichault's side? Why did Count Jericho do this, did he want to avenge his father for Count Winston?"

Under Herbert's gaze, Baron Deniz's shriveled lips pursed slightly, and Herbert could see that the old baron's heart was still not as calm as it appeared to be for his words.

"You don't have to worry about this matter, what Your Excellency Earl thinks, I don't need to speculate more. ”

"Hmph," Herbert snorted, turning his head back and looking at the stage, "then, how would Count Jericho want me to help?"

"We would like to know the Marquis of Phil's preparation for this matter, my lord has already raised the issue of Miss Victoria's custody when he met with the Marquis of Phil last time, but with the relationship between the Marquis of Phil and Mr. Ernest, his position is bound to be on the side of His Excellency the Earl, so we hope to be prepared in advance so that we can deal with it accordingly. ”

"I see. Herbert nodded slightly, "But I also have one condition. ”

"Tell me. ”

"I want to know how Count Jericho knew who I am. ”

"My lord should have warned you before, do you have to be so persistent?"

Herbert sneered, he was still a little afraid of the thirteenth lesson before, but now after contacting Manfred, he already knew that Count Hecate's physical condition was wrong now, and now that the emperor was also lying on the hospital bed, he didn't need to be so scrupulous. Even, he couldn't help but have some malicious suspicions that the problem with Count Hecate's body was not because Manfred had used the same means on his lord.

"If you want to be honest with us, don't make excuses. I have completely exposed myself to you, and Count Jericho has not even come to meet me himself, so I cannot fully trust you. ”

Baron Deniz thought for a while, of course he would not tell Herbert the full truth, but now that Herbert had asked for this, he might as well reveal a little bit of information so that Herbert could settle down first. "I can only tell you now that the Jericho family's abilities can not be regarded as a simple midnight earl, this is the oldest family in the empire, its history even surpasses the history of the kingdom of Dehebas, in that long ago, the ancestors believed in many magical things, some of which are still mysteries, and the Earl's knowledge of your identity stems from this. You may not be able to fully understand this, but that's all I can say, and if you really want to know, you can ask the Earl for yourself the next time you see him. ”

Listening to Baron Deniz's answer, Herbert did not continue to ask, in today's short time, he could see that the old baron was not a person who would give in to coercion. At the same time, he also thought of Manfred, and through some of the information gathered by the Investigation Bureau, he could also roughly guess something.

"In that case, then I'll go and ask Count Jericho. Herbert stood up, although the opera was only halfway through now, and the protagonist had just entered the museum on the third floor, Herbert was ready to leave, "I will do my best to do what Count Jericho wants, but I hope that next time the two sides can exchange information on an equal footing, don't let me just pay!"

With that, Herbert walked out of the box, where Baron Lyudnitz continued to enjoy the opera alone.

"Foolish Makzar—" Baron Deniz suddenly read the lines of the play along with the actor's performance, "do you know how dangerous and untouchable Karazan is, and why you want to enter and kill yourself?"

————————————

The Golweilenburg in Glamorgan, as ever, is as quiet as ever.

When Manfred returned to Govellenburg, it was already night, and he had the option of opening the door and going straight back to Govélenburg, but he did not do so. For him, time, something that others regarded as extremely precious, was just a bargain, he had too much and was tired of it.

"Ah, what a night!" Manfred looked up at the slightly orange full moon in the sky, and his eyes also glowed red, "It's good, on a night like this, people can't help but feel the urge to indulge themselves." ”

"But you'd better not do it, or you'll get me in trouble. ”

Count Hecate stood at the window on the second floor, looking through the floor-to-ceiling glass window at Manfred standing in the courtyard.

"Of course, Your Excellency. Manfred stooped down, striking his right arm to his chest, and saluted Count Hecate with standard gentlemanly courtesy, "I have always kept our agreement, and I have never exceeded it. ”

"Really?" said Count Hecate, his brow furrowed, his expression very heavy, "but you seem to have been out a little too much lately, what are you doing today?"

"On your orders, I'm keeping an eye on Count Jericho. Manfred still had a smile on his face, but the smile on his face was weird.

"You're going to spy on Count Jericho today?" Count Hecate didn't fully believe Manfred's words, because of his health, he handed over a lot of things to Artemis and Young during this time, and it could be regarded as a training for the two children, but he still paid some attention to things like spying on Swain.

"Originally, today's shift was to Yang, but he had other things, so I took his place. ”

"Something else?" Count Hecate raised his voice, he felt that Manfred's words were becoming more and more unreliable, "The task list of all the members of the thirteenth class has been arranged a long time ago, how could he suddenly have a conflict?"

"As you know, Yang and Count Jericho didn't have a very good relationship before, so he shouldn't want to go. If the earl found out, it would be another trouble. ”

Count Hecate was silent, he was not unclear about Yang's question, this child has been like this since he was a child, he is too stubborn, and he has always been obsessed with his origin, even if Count Hecate made it clear that he didn't mind this, Yang still couldn't let go of his heart. His efforts are what Count Hecate has always seen, but it is precisely because of his overly persistent efforts that Yang is also easy to do things with one tendon, once he decides that a dead reason, no one can persuade him. Just like the last time he attacked Swain, because of this, the Hecatet family was forced to owe Swain an explanation, and when Count Hecate hoped that Yang would apologize to save face for the Hecate family, the child also flatly refused.

Sighing helplessly, the question of Manfred tonight was not because Count Hecate began to suspect Manfred, but because he was now extremely worried about the situation of the Hecate family. The insecure Earl Hecate also had to knock his most important subordinate to calm himself down a little.

"Did you tell you about the reason why he attacked Count Jericho?"

"Nope. Manfred shook his head, after Jan was brought back by Artmis, Count Hecatet asked him several times why he wanted to attack Swain, but even if Count Hecate used a stern tone, Jan still refused to answer.

"Really!" Count Hecate tapped his cane restlessly, and his sad expression was undisguised on his face, "Why do you worry me so much about one or two, and the child can't be considerate of the parents' feelings?"

"With all due respect, Your Excellency the Earl. Manfred took a slight step forward and appeared in front of Count Hecate, "Although people's personalities are influenced by their education, they will inevitably inherit some things from their bloodline, some people are born brave, and some people are born cowardly, you should not impose your own standards on two children, maybe this is their path, and in the end, maybe they can also break through the world on their own." ”

Listening to Manfred's words, Count Hecate nodded thoughtfully, and he lowered his gaze, thinking carefully about whether he should give Artemis and Young more tolerance as Manfred said, although he had given enough.

However, when Count Hecate lowered his head, he did not see the sly smile that Manfred showed.