Subscriber of the Gods Episode 280
Episode 280. Give Me the Land
Hera Drenne.
The youngest of the Dren family.
‘He had great ambitions. He didn’t stand out within the literary world, but he eventually went to the academy and achieved great results.’
Ethan had become quite close to Hera Dren at the Academy. This was because by making Hera Dren his ally, he could effectively utilize the power of Marquis Dren, who was in charge of one axis of the Twelve Stars.
Of course, since Hera Dren didn’t have much influence within the Dren family, all that could be expected was the value of her name.
‘Once you become close to her, you will be able to know her true feelings. You will also be able to know what situation she is currently in.’
Her great ambition was due to a number of complex factors.
Born as the youngest, she was left behind in the race for succession, but with her brothers’ attempts at assassination, she never had a single day of peace in her life.
As hard as it was, she actually enjoyed the rigorous academy life.
‘You said it was good because you didn’t have to worry about being assassinated. You said you felt very comfortable because you didn’t have to worry about dying even if you confronted your classmates.’
Perhaps every moment was tense. He couldn’t relax even at the dinner table, let alone in bed.
The brothers said that they aimed to kill them slowly in case they were found out.
Even though they have different mothers, they all share the same father’s bloodline.
Was it because of her brothers who tried to kill her from time to time? Hera Drenne was in a huge dilemma.
‘He was the successor to the Marquisate, but ironically, he wanted to destroy the Marquisate.’
The mastermind behind all this was the Marquis of Dren. He condoned the infighting between the successors and secretly encouraged it to grow even more intense.
He thought that only then would the next successor be able to elevate the successor to a higher position.
Hera Dren, who reported these facts, was rather angry with Marquis Dren, and as a result, she ran away to the Academy.
‘That’s why I know.’
Hera Dren’s ambitions and goals. Hera was not particularly impressed by the death of her father, the Marquis of Dren.
If he had been a father, he would have been sad. Instead, she would see this as an opportunity.
So, all you have to do is scratch that part. I don’t know if it will work out or not, but the Hera Dren I know will definitely accept it.
‘And one more.’
The third one is the most ambiguous.
As soon as Ethan saw the first five candidates for succession, he had a sense of who he should bring to his side.
‘I’ll take care of the first, second, and fourth. Of course, I don’t have to take care of them myself.’
I was thinking of leaving it to Hera Drenne in front.
‘Because they’re the ones who fed me weakening drugs all year long.’
It’s not like the three of them conspired to do something like that. It’s just that the three of them, with the goal of being successors, took the same action.
‘It’s brave to still be alive.’
Ethan waited for Hera Drenne’s answer, who was looking at him in shock.
Hera Drenne had a rather surprising expression on her face, as if she was surprised by what she had heard.
You want to destroy the Marquis of Drenne and annex it to the County of Wickers?
And the Wickus family will become the Twelve Stars instead?
The scale was so huge.
It was too much for Hera to handle.
In other words, it was a story that might sound like absurd talk. But Ethan’s voice was very serious, and there was not a hint of playfulness in it.
“Do you think… that you’ve already won? That now that your father is dead, the situation is over?”
“It’s not a matter of winning or losing. Don’t you know? The ship has lost its captain. There is no one to lead the ship in his place. But this ship is full of treasures. Some of them were stolen from me. In that situation, I want to take all the treasures.”
After finishing speaking, Ethan sank deep into his chair.
“Because I can handle it.”
“… … .”
“I made the offer since I contacted you first. It is up to Miss Hera Dren to accept or reject it.”
“If I refuse… … .”
“This proposal will go to the other brothers. Secretly. It seems that only a few people are aware of the current situation.”
Clearly Ethan wasn’t emitting any aura.
And yet, I felt something strong about him.
Fear. No, it was something very similar to that.
This board is a huge board woven by Ethan Wickes.
What would happen if Marquis Dren died, how would this side react, and in addition, it seemed like he knew how many people were properly assessing the current situation and how they would respond.
The opponent is ready, but I am not prepared at all.
Even though I had a card that I could use whenever I wanted, I wasn’t in a condition to use it properly.
A sinking ship.
The current writer was in a situation where what Ethan had said fit perfectly.
It’s just that one Marquis of Dren died, and this is how it happened.
But that one person wasn’t someone who could be killed so easily.
If it were easy, everyone who opposed the Marquis would have targeted the Marquis of Dren first, and the Marquis would have died quickly.
“I won’t be staying in the Marquisate for long.”
Ethan stood up. It was now time to wrap things up with the other candidates for succession.
“If I don’t hear from you by tonight, I’ll consider it a rejection.”
thud-.
After hearing the sound of the door closing, Hera Drenne, left alone, closed her eyes with a determined face.
* * *
“What, what? What did you just say!?”
“In return for turning a blind eye to this matter, give me some land. Any land owned by the Marquisate is fine. In return for that, I will hand over all the Nightwalkers and end this matter here.”
Conference room.
As soon as the Marquis’ children entered, Ethan stated his terms of negotiation.
“You want land? Our land?”
“You are talking nonsense! We already know what you have done, Count Ethan Wickers. You are trying to blind us with this ridiculous meeting, but you cannot fool us. And in the meantime, you want land? That is not a condition of negotiation.”
The land belonging to the marquisate had considerable significance.
If we give up the land here, it will be taken away from the Marquis.
Since ascending to the Twelve Stars, the Marquis has never once lost this land.
If you increase it, it increases, it has never been taken away.
Giving the land to Wickus at the same time as the death of Marquis Dren? That would have had a huge negative impact on the future Marquis.
Paris Dren, the first to react harshly to Ethan’s suggestion.
“I don’t think it’ll work out in words. Is that really the right offer? Is this even a negotiation?”
“Well, is that so?”
Ethan smiled, took out a piece of parchment, and began to write something on the spot.
“I think everyone knows this. Right now, I am on good terms with the princess. Since you are not accepting my negotiations, I will ask the higher-ups to decide this matter. If I tell the princess, she will probably reach the higher-ups.”
Everyone was struck dumb by those words. If it went through the princess, it would reach the Emperor’s ears.
If this matter is brought to the judgment seat of the Empire and judged, the Marquis will naturally have to pay a large amount of compensation to the Counts of Wickus.
There is no way to know how much the compensation will be.
But the important thing was not the compensation. The reputation of the Marquis Dren would be greatly tarnished.
If the status of the Twelve Stars is cracked, that’s the end. There was also a possibility that the other families of the Twelve Stars would try to oust the Marquis.
The expressions on the faces of the candidates for successor who had reached that point in their thoughts became thoughtful.
“Hey, wait a minute. The story isn’t over yet.”
“Count Ethan Wickers, please wait a moment. We will discuss the proposal again and respond.”
“I don’t have much time.”
Ethan stood up and dusted himself off.
“Until evening. Decide for yourselves whether you will accept the minimum terms I have offered. Here is how much land I want.”
With that, Ethan slid the parchment forward.
“You guys decide for yourself.”
* * *
“It’s amazing that this has happened without even one Marquis of Dren. Really.”
“If they had divided up the work into small portions, trained them, and even given them some recognition, things wouldn’t have turned out like this.”
The Marquis of Dren was young.
Compared to the heads of the other twelve star families, there was an age difference of more than 10 years.
That is why he did not necessarily divide up the work among his children. He must have intended to run the company with full authority.
Just as Ethan sent out managers to various parts of the now expanded Wickus territory to simplify and speed up the system.
Although holding power alone had its drawbacks, the Marquis had a background that could cover up these shortcomings.
The Marquis of Dren, a member of the Twelve Stars. Who would dare to touch the head of such a great family that no one on the continent can touch?
Even the most ordinary people would bow down before Marquis Dren. That’s why he was able to completely erase that shortcoming by seizing power alone.
‘That’s what created this situation.’
“But will you really give me the land?”
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t give it to me. I already have a plan B.”
If you give it to me, I’ll give it to you.
If you don’t give it, I have a plan.
“There is one variable though.”
The fact that Marquis Dren was young during his lifetime meant that the previous heads of the clan quickly handed over their positions.
‘They say it’s still competitive.’
“The previous head of the family still remains. He retired quickly, so his claws will still be alive.”
“I think he may have already heard the news and is returning.”
Yeerika’s expression changed. If he was the previous head of the Dren family, who had retired quickly, he would certainly be deeply involved in his grandfather’s death.
“If that happens, it could lead to quite a difficult situation.”
If the previous head of the household came in person and tried to control the situation, an awkward situation could have arisen.
‘I’m sure he has connections no less than Marquis Dren. He’ll bring in people who can put pressure on me and the Wickus family.’
Princess Evangeline and the Pope are behind Ethan, but this is only a deterrent.
‘Because I have decades of experience. But it’s literally just a variable. I know the physiology of high-ranking nobles very well. It’s something that can beat connections.’
Another connection. And Ethan had been building good connections with high-ranking nobles.
“I also have quite a network of connections.”
The princess and the pope were only definite endings. They were not the only connections Ethan had.
“I never thought there would be a war like this.”
“The other twelve won’t be this easy. You’re not relaxed, are you, Yerika? There are still two more families left to avenge you. And those two families could turn on you after seeing the fall of the Marquis of Drenne.”
“You already know about me.”
“Because you’ve revealed yourself so openly. Now, there’s no one who doesn’t know that you, my escort, are the granddaughter of the deceased Hecate. That’s why.”
Ethan was able to gain confidence after seeing how Yeerika dealt with Marquis Dren.
“If I get this land, I will leave it to you.”
“Land for me? I don’t have the ability to do that. I just put the necessary people in the necessary places in the Magic Tower. I’m confident in magic, but I lack the ability to operate it.”
“That’s right.”
Ethan said with a smile.
“You just have to be able to place the people you need where you need them. You don’t run a territory alone.”
“But why do you insist on leaving it to me? I am Ethan’s bodyguard. If there is anything I am lacking… … .”
“You must take revenge, Yerika. Marquis Dren did this because I had to take action myself, but you must take revenge on the other two houses yourself.”
Ethan said.
“You want that, right?”
“… … .”
To be honest, yes, it was. It would have been best to ask for Ethan’s help, but in the end, I wanted to get revenge with my own hands.
‘You have to have that kind of self-directed attitude.’
Ethan smiled brightly.
“So, while running the territory, take revenge as you wish.”
“But if you do that… … .”
“What’s the problem? I’m your background now.”
At that moment, Yeorika opened her eyes wide.
“Everything you do from now on is guaranteed by Ethan Wickers of the Wickers family, who will be newly incorporated into the Twelve Stars.”
Ethan patted Yereka on the back.
“In the name of Count Ethan Wickes.”
“… … Yes. I will take revenge properly. I will also sell Ethan’s name a lot.”
* * *
Late evening.
Someone came into Ethan’s room.
When I opened the door to the sound of a knock, I saw Hera Dren, wearing a robe pulled over her head.
“I’ll cooperate. But I’ll take care of my own bowl. As long as you don’t spill it on purpose, I’ll take care of my own bowl.”
Ethan looked at Hera Drenne and smiled slowly.
“The contract is complete, Hera Drenne.”
Once we decided to be together, she was no longer a young lady.
fantasy,
