Our Family Has Fallen

Chapter 336: Chapter 243: The Bloodstained Diary_1

How much could the Witch possibly know about Hamlet?

From what Grendel relayed of the Witch’s words, it was clear the Witch’s main complaints were accusations against the scumbag ancestor; she truly had little understanding of the territory.

The exchanges between the Witch and the old ancestor primarily concerned Herbology and certain Clairvoyance arts. Their relationship deepened, and only then did the ancestor, smitten with the Witch, share his secrets. This ultimately drove her mad.

Having learned all he could from her, the ancestor then heartlessly cast her aside and turned his attention to studying Necromancy.

As for why these two individuals ended up collaborating again?

The reason was simple. Lance had brought back a large population and resources from Totnes. Once these were invested, Hamlet’s development skyrocketed. Its subsequent outward expansion threatened both the Witch and the ancestor.

Logically, the ancestor should have been delighted by the prospect of so many new deaths.

Unfortunately, Hamlet was under Lance’s control. His decision to enforce strict regulations, rather than allowing things to run their course, meant the increasingly powerful Hamlet failed to provide any power to that old fossil. Instead, it subjected the ancestor to tremendous pressure.

Whenever Hamlet showed even the slightest sign of recovery, the ancestor would intervene. This fueled a cycle, much like how Heirs—members of a vast, ancient bloodline whose full extent was unknown—would sprout from the earth like chives.

Why did the ancestor need an Heir?

It was because he needed someone to uphold the rules of the Nobility’s game, preventing any significant power from swallowing Hamlet whole.

Honestly, he wasn’t afraid of capable Heirs. In fact, the more capable they were, the greater the slaughter they would cause in their attempts to restore Hamlet. More deaths on this land meant more power for him.

But Lance was different. It wasn’t about his capability, but rather his use of order to control the slaughter. Moreover, his ’Sacrifice’ ability directly cut off the ancestor’s source of power.

Lance had been in Hamlet for some time and killed many, but all the benefits went into his own pocket. The ancestor didn’t even get a sip of the soup. How could he not be anxious!

That’s why the ancestor, posing as a member of the Ascension Sect, approached the Witch. He offered her a group of refugees and the concession of the wilderness as conditions for her intervention.

The Witch, already intent on expanding her Domain, naturally didn’t hesitate.

However, Grendel’s appearance prevented the Witch from taking immediate action against Hamlet. Instead, she resorted to spreading a plague to drive out those parasites.

And so, that’s how things unfolded...

This situation allowed Lance to relax slightly; otherwise, crafting a believable cover story would have been a problem.

”Actually, both you and the Witch have been deceived. That man isn’t the true Lord; the real Lord died long ago.”

With one sentence, Lance reversed the entire narrative. As the Heir, he had to whitewash the ancestor’s image, regardless of whether the ancestor was problematic or not.

When one sits in such a seat, the head no longer calls the shots.

”It all stems from the Evil God sealed beneath the earth. An evil cult known as the Ascension Sect worships this Evil God, hoping to return to His side and achieve Ascension. In reality, their goal is to awaken the Evil God and bring about the end of days.

For this purpose, those cultists slaughtered all the Nobility within the territory, sparing only the Lord. By then, he was already under the cult’s control, devoid of his own will, which led Hamlet into decline.

But our family is no ordinary one; ancient blood flows through our veins. When those fools tampered with the Seal on the Evil God, it triggered a Divine Revelation within me, awakening the formidable power hidden in our lineage.

That is why I am here: to reclaim Hamlet from their grasp and save the world from impending doom.”

Lance succinctly explained the situation. The Ascension Sect already carried so much blame; one more accusation wouldn’t make a difference. Any problems could simply be attributed to them.

”Oh.” Grendel’s reaction to this news was minimal. Perhaps, for her, the apocalypse had already come and gone. She didn’t care what happened in Hamlet; her only concern was avenging herself.

Lance had hoped for a more surprised reaction. Finding her response underwhelming, he simply clicked his tongue, showing no inclination to elaborate.

”Don’t worry, this matter is more urgent for me than it is for you. As soon as I reclaim Hamlet’s territory, I will dispatch troops. By helping me, you’re helping yourself.”

”What do I need to do?” Grendel finally showed a flicker of interest.

”First, I need your knowledge of Herbology to help me reform our current medical practices. Second, help me research and develop some Potions to enhance our soldiers. Third, improve crop breeding.”

Lance valued her for a simple reason: the Deerhead Tribe’s accumulated knowledge of Herbology and medical expertise.

More importantly, her ability to accelerate plant growth could have a tremendous impact if applied to crop improvement.

Why can’t people in this era get enough to eat?

Lack of fertilizer and poor soil were one reason. Another was the instability of crop varieties, leading to unpredictable yields.

To Lance, Grendel herself, not some treasure, was the true legacy of the Deerhead Tribe.

Of course, Lance didn’t mention potentially inheriting the Witch’s legacy to delve into human enhancement technologies or bacterial research.

Just as Grendel didn’t trust him, Lance didn’t trust her either.

Grendel found these tasks somewhat peculiar. They differed greatly from what she had imagined she would be doing.

Lance, however, paid no mind to her thoughts. He proceeded to elaborate on the impact these three tasks would have on the territory.