Ch.177Chapter 177 – The Heads of Great Houses Are Generally Not Normal

“I can’t believe it… I never thought my hands could become this clean.”

Baek Yuwol was continuously admiring her hands, which had become delicate and beautiful.

She even went so far as to grasp the vermilion bird feather she had been carrying on her back.

I worried that her newly healed hands might get damaged again, but surprisingly, Baek Yuwol’s hands remained unaffected.

“Were you worried my hands would get damaged again? Look, they’re completely fine. If I hadn’t reached the level of a fifteenth-rank master, touching this might have been a problem, but now I can handle it without any issues.”

Only after confirming that Baek Yuwol’s hands were unharmed could I finally breathe a sigh of relief.

“That’s good to hear.”

“Um… Count?”

“What is it?”

As we were about to leave the tavern to explore the Yellow Dragon Fortress, Baek Yuwol approached me.

She seemed to have something she wanted to say…

“Is there something you want to tell me?”

“Ah! Yes, well… Do you perhaps need someone to guide you around the Yellow Dragon Fortress?”

A guide?

It would be nice to have one, but with Seon Yuhwa by my side, I didn’t particularly need a guide.

However, outright refusing might hurt Baek Yuwol’s feelings, and since she wasn’t completely on my side yet, I needed to create opportunities to draw her closer to me.

After all, there’s a 5% difference between a 95% and 100% success rate.

I cannot tolerate even the slightest chance of failure.

For my comfortable and peaceful retirement life, this world must absolutely become peaceful.

“That sounds good. Although Lady Seon Yuhwa knows the way, having one more person join us wouldn’t hurt.”

With that in mind, I accepted Baek Yuwol’s offer.

“Then I’ll guide you from now on! There are so many interesting places in the Yellow Dragon Fortress!”

Baek Yuwol’s face brightened when I accepted her offer to be our guide.

She must have been worried that I might reject her proposal.

“Now! I’ll show you every corner of the Yellow Dragon Fortress in detail. Just trust me and follow along!”

She seems somewhat changed, but I don’t think it will be a problem…

◈◇◈◇◈◇◈◇◈◇◈

The Liu Empire, the nation ruling the Eastern Continent.

In reality, the Liu Empire was governed by sixteen great families.

A family was a group sharing the same surname, and the term “great families” specifically referred to the sixteen most powerful and strongest among them.

Naturally, these sixteen great families held various gatherings to further solidify their influence.

The name of this gathering was the ‘Family Head Conference.’

From the name alone, it might sound like a meeting organized by the head of a single family.

However, despite its modest name, it was essentially a state council where the heads of the sixteen great families gathered to determine the future direction of the Liu Empire.

“Since everyone seems to be here, let’s proceed with this quarter’s meeting.”

This meeting was presided over by Baek Danhyeop, the head of the Handongbaek family, a great family from the western region.

“I believe everyone is already aware of this recent news, so I’ll speak frankly. It’s about the man called Count Patos Severio, who came from the Western Continent.”

The moment Patos’s name was mentioned by Baek Danhyeop, the atmosphere in the room changed instantly.

“As you all know, Count Patos Severio not only perfectly cured the current Emperor’s baldness but also completely resolved the bedroom problems that were troubling the Three Ministers.”

“We all know that news already, so why don’t you get to the point?”

“I was about to. The key point is that this man’s abilities exceed what we had anticipated.”

“Hmm…”

The family heads all nodded in unison at Baek Danhyeop’s words.

For the family heads, the de facto rulers of the Liu Empire, swiftly obtaining information from other continents was a matter of course.

They were already well aware of what achievements Patos had made in the Western Continent.

“I think we all understand that his abilities go beyond just curing baldness and erectile dysfunction. I’m beginning to think he might even be able to revive those who have fallen into cultivation deviation and become invalids.”

“Revive someone who’s fallen into cultivation deviation? Is that even possible? When someone falls into cultivation deviation, all the meridians in their body, including the core channels, are completely destroyed. You’re saying he can restore that?”

“If he can make hair grow back where there was none, why couldn’t he fix meridians?”

One of the family heads nodded reluctantly after hearing Baek Danhyeop’s words.

“So what are you suggesting we do? Kill him?”

“Why do you always jump to killing whenever we discuss something?”

“No, I’m just saying we should get to the main point first and then discuss the details. Why do you keep beating around the bush?”

Baek Danhyeop sighed.

“Let me get to the main point. Currently, my daughter Baek Yuwol is staying close to Baron Patos Severio. Her purpose is to prevent contact from groups other than the great families.”

“Hmm. Baek Yuwol can be trusted. She’s a child who endured even your harsh training.”

“Has our desire to meet him been conveyed through the Emperor?”

“The Emperor’s side claims they’ve clearly communicated it to him, but I think it would be better to set a definite schedule before he leaves the Yellow Dragon Fortress.”

At Baek Danhyeop’s words, the family heads began looking at each other.

It seemed they needed to coordinate their schedules since they had to set a date.

“What are everyone’s schedules like? I’d like to set a date as soon as possible.”

“Today is the 11th, so how about meeting on the 18th? I believe everyone is free that day.”

“Does everyone agree to meet him on the 18th?”

“I agree. That’s probably the earliest we can meet.”

“I agree as well.”

“I also agree.”

Once one person agreed, everyone else concurred that they could meet Patos on the date Baek Danhyeop suggested.

“Then we’ll set the date to meet him on the 18th.”

“But what do we plan to do when we meet him?”

“Nothing special. Since he came as a guest to our Liu Empire, it would be a waste for him to stay only in the capital, wouldn’t it? So, I thought we could have him tour the sixteen great families, as a way to let him experience the culture of the Eastern Continent. In the process, it wouldn’t be bad if Count Patos Severio formed a blood relationship with one of the great families.”

At Baek Danhyeop’s words, the family heads looked at each other and repeatedly expressed their agreement.

If he wasn’t going to stay with just one family but would tour several families, then everyone would have a fair chance to meet him.

“Hmm, how old is Count Patos Severio again?”

“Twenty-eight, I heard.”

“Age doesn’t matter as long as he has ability. After all, the members of our families exist for the sake of the family.”

If Patos, with his modern consciousness still intact, had heard this, he would have been horrified, but the heads of the sixteen great families nodded as if it were only natural.

For these family heads, what mattered was maintaining the family’s prestige and passing down a strong and robust family that would continue for generations.

If family members could be useful in that process, they would use them without hesitation.

“Even if not marriage, we could certainly offer concubines. Isn’t that enough of a connection? Men typically tend to give more affection to their concubines than to their legal wives anyway.”

One of the great family heads was saying things that would make Patos exclaim, “You need human rehabilitation!” and swing a hammer if he heard them.

It showed how much these people had sacrificed to reach the position of family head.

“Hmm, in that case, I should order the most proper and beautiful girls from our family to attend to him.”

“Hehe, the daughters of our family are known for their beauty. No matter how hard you try, your children won’t be able to compete with ours.”

The heads of the sixteen great families were saying things that no sensible person would utter without hesitation.

If Patos had witnessed all this, he might have said to Epitrina, “Please get rid of these bastards.”

In any case, the sixteen great families were each planning to show Patos the maximum hospitality in their own way.

He doesn’t even need to provide any actual help.

Just preventing him from helping families other than the sixteen great families would be enough.

Even with just that, the position of the sixteen great families would remain unshaken.

Though they competed with each other, they were entities that would join forces for their mutual survival.

That was the true nature of the sixteen great families of the Liu Empire.