On the outskirts of Maltis, beautiful Mansa estate.

The contemporary head of the Beckman family, Grand Duke Taufenberg, Deputy Chancellor of the Empire, was lost in thought with his head in his hands. The beautiful Erica and the gloomy Conrad sat quietly across from him, not daring to disturb his thoughts.

After a long time, he suddenly sighed: "The situation in the empire is really getting more and more complicated, I didn't expect His Royal Highness Otto, the second prince, to make trouble at this point in time......"

He shook his head and leaned back in his chair wearily.

Leading a large family at the center of power is no easy task, and Archduke Taufenberg is past middle age and increasingly overwhelmed by the increasingly complex situation.

He glanced at Erica regretfully, this daughter of his was not only Bingxue smart, but also had considerable political wisdom, and she also had a magical bloodline of up to level seven, and she had already reached the level of a middle-level magician at a young age, compared to other ladies at this age, she was definitely outstanding.

It's just that she is a woman in the end, and in a complex political situation, even she feels powerless, if she hands over the family to her in the future, will the heavy burden crush her?

Erica, how nice it would be if she were a boy?" thought Archduke Taufenberg with regret.

He suddenly noticed that Conrad on the side had a strange face, as if he was holding back something to say.

Xindao, Conrad's child is a good seedling, but unfortunately he is only his nephew after all, and his scheming is too deep, if he is really cultivated as the head of the family, he is likely to not tolerate Erica's existence.

Grand Duke Taufenberg tapped his fingers lightly on the tabletop and said lightly: "Conrad, if you have anything to say, don't hide it." ”

Conrad was stunned for a moment, hesitated for a moment, and suddenly gritted his teeth and said, "Uncle, His Majesty the Emperor has been promiscuous in recent years...... Belch...... Without knowing moderation, his health is deteriorating, several princes have become very restless, and the situation in the imperial capital is becoming more and more complicated......"

"Don't talk about these worries anymore and get straight to the point. ”

"Yes, judging from the current situation, I think the battle for the heir is just around the corner, which is very dangerous for the family, but it is also an opportunity. ”

"Oh?" said Tauffenberg, his eyes lit up, "Tell me, where is the opportunity?"

Conrad nodded and continued: "Since the founding of the empire, the pattern of co-prosperity between the six major families and the imperial family has continued to this day, although Beckman has always been in power, he has never ranked first among the six major families, and the biggest reason is that the family has never produced the biological mother of His Majesty the Emperor. ”

Hearing Conrad's words, Erica looked at him in surprise, and Archduke Taufenberg's eyes flashed sharply, and he said in a deep voice: "You want Erica to marry a certain prince?"

Conrad shook his head and said, "No, it is too risky to let Erica marry a certain prince, there are too many variables, and even if their children can ascend to the throne in the end, it will be a long time later, and the current problem cannot be solved." ”

"What the hell do you want to say?" asked Archduke Taufenberg, his eyes narrowing slightly, impatiently.

Conrad said in a low voice: "The family can only obtain the greatest benefits if they choose a prince and fully support him on the throne!"

"No!" Erica immediately objected: "Except for the prince's matrilineal family, the rest of the six major families cannot participate in the battle for succession, this is a tradition, and it is also the bottom line of His Majesty the Emperor's tolerance, doing so will make the family more dangerous!"

Despite Erica's objections, Conrad continued to say to Archduke Tauffenberg: "Uncle, this time the situation is very different, the prince who participated in the succession is unprecedentedly strong, and the struggle has become more and more intense, and the family is likely to be forced to get involved in this struggle in the end, and then it will be even more dangerous. ”

"Conrad!" Erica raised her voice and said solemnly, "breaking the original tradition will trigger a chain reaction, and several other families are likely to take corresponding measures, and the power cultivated by the family in the army is still very weak, and if the situation develops beyond control, it will be quite passive." ”

"Erica is right that the army is a big problem. Taufenberg nodded, Beckman didn't have much control over the army, and this was where he was least confident.

Since several emperors implemented political reforms, established aristocratic councils, and broke the inherent lord system with executive power in exchange for autonomy, Beckman has changed from a powerful aristocratic lord to an intertwined political group, strengthening its control over the entire empire while also losing its original powerful armed forces.

Now the Beckman family does not have much say in the army, except for a limited number of private soldiers, there is no decent armed force at all, once the situation gets out of control, there is a danger of extinction.

Conrad had obviously thought about this question a long time ago, and when he heard Taufenberg's words, he immediately replied: "The army is still largely in the hands of the military department, and as long as the military department does not nod its head, even if others can mobilize some troops, it will not be much more than private soldiers." ”

Taufenberg shook his head and said: "You think too simply, although the military department is self-contained, it is by no means monolithic, and at a critical moment, even if only one combat brigade can be mobilized, it is enough to turn the whole situation around." ”

Conrad sneered: "In that case, why don't you tie those families with armies to our chariots?"

"What's your idea?" asked Taufenberg, stunned for a moment.

"The Wolrich family, due to the existence of the legendary warrior Field Marshal Friedrich, has long occupied the position of the head of the six families, and their control of the army is also extraordinary, to the extent that even His Majesty the Emperor is deeply disturbed.

In recent years, it has become almost an open secret that His Majesty has supported us politically and cultivated Ludwig in the army in order to suppress the Wolrich family. ”

"You want to hit Ludwig's attention?"

"Yes!" Conrad nodded, "Ludwig is in a similar situation to us, and they must be eager to join us."

Didn't Wagner's cousin fall in love with Elisabeth, the genius girl of the Ludwig family? ”

Taufenberg waved his hand and said, "Let me think about ...... again."

"Uncle, I can't think about it anymore, that mouse has been very close to Lord Alexander lately, and I heard that he has joined Alexander's side. ”

"What?" said to himself, "What's so good about that mouse?

Erica said coldly, "That's not a little toy, it has changed the landscape of magic alchemy. Father, I really don't understand, why even Lord Alexander can see that he is unusual, and the family can't give him a chance?"

"Don't say it," Taufenberg interrupted, "This thing is absolutely impossible, and I don't believe that with a few first-level magic equipment, the pattern of magic alchemy can be changed." ”

"That's because he's only a first-level magician, and as his magic power grows, the equipment he refines will inevitably become even more amazing!" Erica argued.

"That will only make him die faster!He will die, he must die, and even if we don't do it, he won't live long!" Taufenberg roared, saliva spurting everywhere.

His sudden hysteria left Erica and Conrad stunned. None of them expected that the always calm and wise Tauffenberg would be so out of shape when it came to Mick.

Conrad winked at Erica, and together they got up and left Archduke Taufenberg's private office.

I don't know how long it took, but Archduke Taufenberg suddenly sighed and sighed: "Old man, old man, there is no momentum of those young people." Beckman Family ...... Do you really want to participate in the succession? It seems to be a good choice......

Hmph, and that mouse, the higher he jumps, the faster he dies......"

In the hallway, Erica walked forward with a gloomy face, completely ignoring Conrad behind her. Conrad screamed several times, but she didn't react in the slightest.

In the end, Conrad ran a few steps, grabbed her, and said, "Erica, everything I do is for the sake of the family, and I have no selfish motives at all. ”

Erica sneered, "For the sake of the family, including pushing the family to the brink of destruction?"

"I admit that there will be some risks, but this is also the only chance for the family to take the initiative and take the top of the six families in one fell swoop. ”

Erica shook her head and said, "Beckman wants stability and development, not the first! Conrad, your madness and radicalism will ruin the family."

And why did Enlucia know about him? Do you know that she is already the property of the Storm Council, and you understand the consequences of doing so?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. Hearing Erica mention Enlucia, Conrad's face changed several times and he said curtly.

Erica glanced at Conrad and nodded, "It's better to be like what you said, otherwise all the consequences will be borne by yourself." With that, she silently recited a spell, cast a teleportation spell, and completely disappeared into the hallway.

"Ah......h Sneezing ...... Sneezing ...... , what the hell, is anyone thinking about me?" In the classroom, Mick sneezed three times in a row, rubbing his nose and muttering.

"What's wrong with you?" asked Elizabeth, who was next to Mick, as she stretched out her head and coldly.

Mick immediately put on a smiling face and waved his hand: "It's okay, it's okay, let's continue, where did you just go?"

Elizabeth pointed to a certain line in the book with an expressionless face: "Speaking of Rundstead's mobile running tactics, you haven't made it clear to me why he doesn't use the fastest velociraptor cavalry, but the relatively slow ordinary war horse cavalry." ”

"Oh, this. Mick explained: "Because after a long pursuit, his battle line has been stretched too far. I think his original scouts are probably not enough, so he keeps a limited number of velociraptor cavalry as heralds, otherwise he will not be able to contact the main infantry force dozens of miles away. ”

"Makes sense!" Elizabeth thought for a moment, nodded, and then read the book to herself.

As Mick began to offer more and more original ideas in theory classes, Elizabeth slowly began to draw closer to him.

During self-study, she would often sit down next to Mick intentionally or unintentionally, and when she encountered any questions that she didn't understand or wasn't sure about, she would unceremoniously take them out and discuss them with Mick.

Mick was naturally very happy to be with such an exotic beauty.

Elizabeth has a special temperament that makes Mick feel very comfortable, and it has also benefited Mick a lot to study with her and listen to her talk about her opinions.

Just when Mick was thinking about it, the door of the classroom was suddenly pushed open, and a very magnetic voice suddenly sounded: "Elizabeth, now that we are classmates, you finally can't hide from me anymore!"