The position of ancient was always held by the eldest knights of the Lancelot Family, usually the senior members of each lineage. The council of ancients was the institution through which these elders discussed matters, and normally, conflicts of interest between the lineages were settled by the council.

The Lancelot Family had been a noble house for over a century, and the relationships within it were as complex and turbulent as the sea. The Marquis Estate appeared tranquil and peaceful on the surface, but beneath it all lay a tangled web of conflicting interests, with constant struggles and power plays. It was nothing like the simple Hunter family.

In the past, the management of the city and command of the military had rested solely in the hands of the main family, that is, in the hands of Marquis Wade, who held significant power. The council of ancients only advised and mediated conflicts, and their authority was limited.

Now, they wished to convene a meeting to decide upon the management of Flooding Snow City as well as other matters, which was a blatant attempt to seize power—and from Lint, no less.

When Marquis Wade left for war, he had granted Lint full authority over the management of the city. However, because Lint was not a knight, he could not be directly appointed as city lord.

Marquis Wade, a Great Knight, commanded the Northern Expeditionary Army, and his will was naturally unchallenged in Flooding Snow City. At least, no one dared to openly defy him. With Marquis Wade’s support, Lint’s position as the legitimate proxy governor of Flooding Snow City was assured.

But now the Northern Expeditionary Army had suffered a disastrous defeat in the Wilderness, and Marquis Wade was besieged in Herl Fort. The eldest and second sons of Marquis Wade, both knight-ranked warriors, had accompanied the army on campaign, and their fates remained uncertain.

The third son was still only a quasi-knight, while Lint couldn’t even defeat an ordinary soldier. With no knights left in the Wade family, it was no surprise that ambitious individuals began to stir.

“And do you think it’s so easy to seize my authority?” Lint murmured to himself.

Understanding was one thing, but Lint was not a man with a particularly forgiving nature. Having been unable to cultivate from a young age, he had always been more quick-tempered than others, never showing even the slightest vulnerability to be taken advantage of.

From childhood, anyone who dared bully him had been taught a harsh lesson, forced to beg for mercy. These ambitious ancients daringly attempting to usurp power during this tumultuous time would certainly receive a similarly deep and lasting education.

The Boule Chamber was not far from Lint’s residence, and he arrived at the assembly hall after a short walk.

The guards stationed outside the Boule Chamber recognized Lint and didn’t dare block his way. They allowed Lint and Sander to enter the assembly hall.

Just as the pair prepared to step inside, voices echoed from within.

“We still haven’t received a reply to our distress call to the Imperial Capital.”

“The Imperial Capital is too far away. Even if we use the wind birds, it will take at least two days for them to deliver the message. Then, once the capital has formulated a plan, it will take several more days for their forces to arrive.”

“Then let’s wait for their response.”

“We can’t wait for the capital’s response forever. A distant spring cannot quench our immediate thirst. We must send more envoys to the River Valley.”

“Indeed, we should send someone immediately. I’ll dispatch someone to seek aid from the River Valley.”

The leader of this assembly was unfamiliar to Lint, but he recognized him as an elder of the third branch, named Fury. Speaking of lineage, Fury was a generation older than Marquis Wade.

Once a formidable knight, Fury had reached the pinnacle of his martial prowess in his youth, but age and injuries had taken their toll, leaving him far weaker than he once was.

Yet though his strength had waned, his ambitions had not. He was always scheming ways to gain more power and resources for himself.

Although Marquis Wade found him a bit of an eyesore, he was still a member of the Lancelot family, and his influence posed no real threat, so he had never bothered to take action against him. He never expected, however, that Fury would dance so high this time, rallying quite a number of senior members of the lesser branches in a power grab.

“What does Captain Ouzes of the Fifth Legion have to say?”

Ouzes was the captain of the Fifth Legion, which had been established only a short time ago and thus lacked in overall strength. The fifth legion’s commander, Ouzes, was only a Knight, the only captain of the Northern Expeditionary Army who hadn’t yet reached Great Knight.

Marquis Wade had considered the Fifth Legion insufficiently strong, but it was impossible to leave Flooding Snow City completely defenseless, so he had left the Fifth Legion to guard it and deal with any unexpected incidents.

Now, what used to be the weakest among the legions had become the only regular army defending Flooding Snow City, and thus, in a certain sense, possessed the ability to influence its political climate.

“Captain Ouzes has yet to express support for us, but neither has he shown opposition.”

“Then forget about him. Go inform Lint to come here and tell him of the Boule’s decision.”

Ouzes was clearly trying to play both sides, but Fury didn’t mind. In Fury’s eyes, as long as Ouzes refused to support either faction, deprived of the backing of his troops,

As a useless fool who couldn’t cultivate, what could Lint possibly do against the Boule’s wishes? The dozen or so ancients present were each as powerful as a knight. How could Lint defy them?

“There’s no need to call him anymore!”

At that moment, Lint pushed open the Boule Chamber’s grand doors and strode inside. Sander followed close behind, glaring fiercely at the ancients already present.

“What brings Elder Fury to summon me here?” Lint asked, staring straight at Fury.

Under Lint’s sharp gaze, Fury felt a twinge of guilt—but only momentarily. He quickly recovered his composure. After all, Lint was merely a useless fool who couldn’t cultivate; what was there to fear?

“Moments ago, the Boule passed a resolution to assume control of all affairs in Flooding Snow City moving forward,” Fury declared with an imposing air. “You’ve been called here today to receive notice of this decision. Any further matters will no longer concern you.”

“Oh? When the marquis set out on campaign, he instructed me to manage all affairs in Flooding Snow City in his stead. Have you received his permission to take control of the city?”

“Marquis Wade’s Northern Expeditionary Army suffered a devastating defeat; he has committed grave errors, and the Boule will now step in to correct them.”

In truth, if Marquis Wade had returned to Flooding Snow City, Fury wouldn’t dare say such things—even if he borrowed courage from the bravest of knights.

But now, Marquis Wade was trapped in Herl Fort, and it was uncertain whether he would return, so Fury’s words were much stronger than before.

“The most urgent task at hand is to strengthen the defenses of Flooding Snow City,” Elder Fury declared, then quickly changed the topic to Flooding Snow City’s defenses.

In truth, the most important task right now should have been lifting the siege on Herl Fort, rescuing the trapped soldiers and Marquis Wade.

As for Flooding Snow City’s defenses, given the orcs’ inability to break through heavy fortifications, it was unlikely that they would attempt to besiege such a fortress, even if Grugesh’s two heads were still intact.

By saying this, Fury clearly intended to abandon the tens of thousands of soldiers trapped at Herl Fort.

For Lancelot’s own benefit, the man was willing to disregard the greater picture to this extent; it certainly broadened Lint’s understanding of shamelessness and selfishness.

Shaking his head helplessly, Lint asked, “And if I refuse?”

“That’s not up to you. If you refuse, you won’t leave this Boule Chamber alive today.”

“And you all agree?”

Lint looked around at the other ancients present, who all remained silent. While they tacitly agreed, none of them were as brazen as Fury.

“Please, just hand over control. After all, you’re not even a knight. You can hardly claim legitimate authority over Flooding Snow City.”

Other ancients spoke up as well.

Fury stared at Lint proudly. He hadn’t set up any ambush, but he had forced Lint to submit with only his own presence.

“Ah…”

After Lint’s quiet sigh, he said, “What a pity…”