The black sun hangs high

Chapter 74 Choice
From the moment he saw Sophia, Hugh had already made up his mind not to easily believe anything she said.

If Princess Sophia of Walter wanted to understand and verify the strange events and disasters that had occurred in Seren, Hugh could understand it. After all, Sophia now had a close relationship with Walter's military system and was in frequent contact with them. Understanding these events might provide some help to the troops and soldiers on the front lines.

But if Sophia said she knew nothing about Prince Harvid's death, Hugh would absolutely not believe her.

He was certain that, no matter when or where, the struggle for and change of imperial power had always been the center of intrigue and strife.

A princess who can win the support of the people and the trust of the military in the Kingdom of Wotel through her own abilities... it can't be that simple.

In the days since he regained consciousness, Hugh had repeatedly asked Alfred and Weilyn about the assassination attempt on Prince Harved. When he learned that the vehicle Prince Harved was traveling in was theoretically capable of traversing a battlefield amidst flying gunfire, Hugh knew that the matter was probably much more complicated than he had imagined.

In this assassination that shocked most of Vaan, not only were the independent government of Seren City and the Black Sun Society present, but the traces of the Walter royal family were also very obvious. In comparison, the Kingdom of Delan, which was stunned by the series of blows, and those "hot-blooded youths" who were completely used as pawns, appeared particularly passive and pathetic.

Hughes certainly understood the meaning behind Princess Sofia's last words.

The fact that she dared to call herself a princess in front of the two of them and the royal steward is enough to show that Sofia has indeed gained an absolute advantage in the current power struggle for the heir. Not only that, she has also begun to actively prepare to expand her sphere of influence and extend it into some new areas.

The Ernst family was clearly one of her targets.

Thinking of this, an idea quickly formed in Hugh's mind, so he looked up at the tall figure opposite him and asked, "Your Highness, may I ask a question... Marshal Zeke, or rather the Ernst family's influence in the military system, has it become an obstacle for you?"

Sophia's gaze lingered on Hugh's face for a moment. She didn't nod or shake her head, but instead said directly, "Marshal Zeke is my military teacher and the founder of the current military theory of the Kingdom of Wotel. The Ernst family, on the other hand, has been contributing valuable elite talents to many fields of the kingdom, especially in the military field... They are all indispensable pillars of the kingdom."

Now even Vera understood what Sophia meant.

This princess, who was preparing to make her mark, seemed dissatisfied with the current situation in the Kingdom of Wotel where military power was divided and controlled by a considerable number of nobles. After all, the army was her foundation at present, and therefore she was absolutely unwilling to share this domain with anyone.

Now that things have come to this point, Sophia's plan and ideas are quite clear. At least for now, she hopes someone can investigate the internal situation of the Ernst family for her.

As for the claim that he hopes to compete for the position of family heir, Hugh will consider it a mere pretext for the time being. After all, his current situation is very special. Even if you search the entire Vaan, you may not be able to find a case of an illegitimate child winning in a family struggle.

"Your Highness, could you please give us some time to discuss and consider this?"

"Of course, but only for the next two days."

Sophia seemed to know that Hugh wouldn't give her an answer immediately. She nodded slightly, then turned to the butler Finn: "Arrange a meeting for me with the envoys from Delan and Seren. As for the mages from Merlinle and others, leave that to the professionals... The meeting of the Allied Nations has been rescheduled for the morning after tomorrow."

After Finn nodded, Sophia said to Hugh, "Then, the day after tomorrow afternoon will be the deadline for you two to give your response."

After saying that, she suddenly gave a bright smile: "Please rest assured, I will not do anything ruthless to keep the secret. Of course, I also hope that you two can keep your mouths shut... Tonight's dinner was very enjoyable. We can have a good chat again when we have the chance."

"Also, Mr. Hugh, I really like your work."

……

Hugh and Verin, who had been "escorted" back to their room by the soldiers of the Ymir Legion, sat in the living room and fell into a long silence.

Weilin became somewhat withdrawn.

She had never regretted the decisions she had made in the past, but this time, she really regretted accepting the commission from the Ernst family.

Vera thought about it carefully and then realized that if she hadn't accepted that commission, she should be in a library right now, diligently studying her own subject or learning and deciphering new magic.

Instead of being drawn into such a terrifying vortex.

Moreover, this time, the troubles that are about to come are more complicated than those she has faced before. As a scholar who adheres to the idea and habit of "solving problems as they arise," she really... has no interest in this swamp of power filled with dilemmas and interpersonal relationships.

Hughes, of course, also became withdrawn.

However, what confused and nervous him was not the choice he might have to make next, but the mystery surrounding the Ernst family's movements.

“Princess Sophia has no reason to deceive me, and what she said matches the clues that Verin provided earlier… If what Sophia said is true, then it means that I have never truly escaped the Ernst family’s sight. The surveillance of the original owner of this body had already begun when he left Borden and was sent to Seren City.”

These speculations made Hugh very uncomfortable. Although he was in a VIP room at the Adlon Hotel, with elite Ymir Legion soldiers guarding the door, he still had a strong feeling of being watched and spied on.

Moreover, the Ernst family's actions gave him a rather unpleasant association.

"The Black Sun Society?"

Hughes silently uttered the name, which was filled with eeriness and ominousness.

He always felt that the Black Sun Society's series of plans and actions in Seren City seemed to vaguely coincide with the traces left by the Ernst family. However, the problem was that Hugh did not have any direct evidence to prove this.

"Miss Weilin? Miss Weilin?"

Hugh called out twice, and the female mage, who was unusually dizzy, finally snapped out of her chaotic thoughts. She looked at Hugh with a blank expression and uttered a "Hmm?"

To be honest, her appearance was quite amusing.

However, Hugh had no intention of appreciating her at the moment. He asked, "Miss Vera, what... do you think of Princess Sophia's 'invitation'?"

Looking at the young man in front of her, Weilin leaned back slightly in her chair and said softly, "Mr. Hugh, I must first clarify something... I don't actually have any issues with you personally. In fact, you are much easier to get along with than almost all the young nobles I've ever met."

Now it was Hugh's turn to have a strange expression. Seemingly realizing that there was something wrong with what she said, Vera coughed lightly, readjusted herself, and said, "I'm not trying to praise you, but rather to help you better understand what I'm about to say."

"Hmm, it's even stranger now."

Hughes silently complained in his heart, but maintained a calm demeanor on the surface.

Seeing that Hugh did not show any abnormality, Vera finally returned to her usual state, and her voice became cold again: "All along, my pursuit, or rather my personal goal, has been to further explore and study the secrets of magic, so I have never minded paying any price for them, even if I may be in danger and pay with my life."

Hugh continued to nod in agreement.

"But I don't know what to do about Princess Sofia's invitation."

After a brief moment of clarity, hesitation and inner conflict once again filled Vilin's eyes: "I must admit that the princess's offer is very tempting, but my intuition tells me that once I accept this invitation, I, or rather, everything we are going to face, could be far more dangerous than what happened in Seren City."

"I see."

Hugh responded, then took a kettle from the side and poured a glass of water for Vera: "If it's really hard to make a choice, why not rest for the night? Maybe you can think things through more clearly after a good night's sleep."

Weilin lowered her head and reached out to take the water glass.

"So, what are Mr. Hugh's thoughts on this invitation?"

Faced with this question, Hughes grinned helplessly: "Miss Verine, my situation is different from yours... From the past, the choices I have been able to make have always been limited. Many times, I don't even have any choice at all. The reasons for all this are complicated. It may be my family, my background, or of course something else."

"Given limited conditions, time, and choices, all I can do is choose the lesser of two evils, nothing more."

The lights in the living room were still bright, and the female elf sculpture by the door was still charming and beautiful, but under the light, there were always some shadows and blind spots on it that could not be illuminated.

"But I always believe that the choices an individual can make are often commensurate with the power, background, and capital they possess and control. When all of this reaches a certain limit, people will naturally be able to open up a third path."

"Therefore, I will accept this invitation."

Hugh said in a deep voice, "Because only by accepting it can I avoid facing such a predicament again in the future... Only when I solve the mystery surrounding me and resolve the root of these troubles can I possibly gain true freedom."

Vera frowned slightly, but she didn't refute what Hugh said. After hearing the last sentence, she asked curiously, "True freedom? Well, so assuming Mr. Hugh really does achieve 'true freedom' one day, what would you do?"

"Who knows? Maybe I'll cram all sorts of things into one book, like princes and princesses, aristocratic families, and legal committees, and then write them in a way that everyone will love to read."

"What a magnificent ideal."

Vera rolled her eyes, picked up her water glass, and then got up and went to her room.

"good night!"

The moment the door closed, her voice squeezed out from the crack, landing crisply in the living room.

This is destined to be a sleepless night.

Despite being in an unprecedentedly safe environment and having an exceptionally comfortable sleeping environment, Hughes still struggled to fall into a deep sleep.

And when he finally managed to shake off his chaotic thoughts and fall asleep, he had that dream again.

Hugh dreamed of the boundless ocean once again, and of the enormous ship once more.

As before, he walked on the deck with his compass in hand, only this time the sea was calm and the sun shone warmly in the sky.

A group of strange fish with huge wings and short, thick limbs leaped up from beside the large ship, observing Hugh, the only guest on board, with their gills twitching and making strange chirping noises.

An "island" seemed to slowly emerge from the distant sea, casting a cold glance toward the giant ship before sinking back into the water.

Hugh, holding the compass, walked to the ship's side and was surprised to see that the giant ship actually had "oars." To be precise, they were black tentacles twisted into oar shapes, growing out from the side of the ship and constantly paddling in the seawater.

Everything was so bizarre, yet Hugh couldn't pinpoint anything unusual about it.

"I want to go to the bow of the ship and take a look..."

Perhaps because he was in a dream, as soon as the thought arose, Hugh had already arrived at the far end of the deck as he wished.

At the bow, Hughes saw an enormous figurehead.

Hugh approached it, but when he got close, he could no longer make out the shape of the figurehead. It seemed to be constantly changing, like a swirling mist, sometimes resembling a human figure whose gender was indistinguishable, sometimes a strangely shaped and ferocious beast, and sometimes an octopus with countless terrifying tentacles.

Amidst these strange changes, the sunlight was gradually obscured by thick clouds.

Hughes looked into the distance and saw a faint, indistinct line appearing on the horizon.

The sea beside the large ship remained perfectly calm, but beneath this calm lay a suffocating sense of oppression.

(End of this chapter)