NOVEL NEXT Chapter 11: Hearing (3)
The entire hall was silent.
The elders did not respond to Jones's question. They simply looked quietly at Jones, who stood in the center of the hall.
All the Blood Clan members present were also quietly watching him.
Adelle slightly opened her mouth but could not utter a word.
Belle was already in a panic.
The princes of the Sambo Family, who were supposed to be Jones's comrades, still wore expressions of indifference.
Prince Harries of the Nikolaus family slightly curled his lips, while the members of the Ganggro Family even smiled.
Most of the Blood Clan present were relishing Jones's predicament, though they did not dare to laugh out loud.
After all, wasn't Jones's exile from the Blood Clan exactly what they wanted to see?
Looking around, Jones asked loudly, "Since this is a hearing, does it mean it's my turn to speak now?"
"Go ahead," an elder said softly.
Taking a deep breath, Jones continued, "I was born on the Kolin Peninsula. Although I now hold dual identities, there is no doubt that I come from an ordinary Blood Clan Lord family on the Kolin Peninsula. I am your descendant. Maybe my great-grandfather is among you. *I hold the same respect for you as any other Blood Clan member. Even though I have never seen you or known you, you have only existed in the stories told to me by my elders. Those stories often lacked specific details, your images in my mind were even faceless. But this does not prevent me from respecting you. Because without you, I would not exist in this world.*"
"Is he trying to gain favor?" Belle whispered to Adelle.
Adelle covered her face with her hand and whispered back, "I don't think so... You should continue to listen."
Standing in the center of the hall, Jones looked at the Blood Clan members present and said softly, "To the violence, cruelty, enslavement, and the savagery beneath the veneer of civilization, I am accustomed. But ever since I was young, I have always had a question. What is the purpose of our Blood Clan's existence? Just for enjoyment? Endless enjoyment? Is that it? I don't know."
"But I know my existence is not just for that, at least not in our family where there is nothing for me to enjoy. The luxurious lifestyle of the Blood Clan has nothing to do with me. So I chose to leave the Kolin Peninsula. I longed to have my own career, to prove my life's worth. When I encountered the outside world, I was surprised to find that not every place was like the Kolin Peninsula. In fact, even the humans we look down upon have far more civilized ways of living than us."
"Conversely, the Blood Clan is extravagant and arrogant, cruel and indifferent, shallow and dissolute, stagnant, and proud of it. Am I right? To me, the Blood Clan is actually the most barbaric among all civilized races. And all this has been taught to us by the elders. The Blood Clan was like this a millennium ago, and it still is now. We confine ourselves to the Kolin Peninsula, ignoring the outside world, and indulge in mad pleasure."
Everyone present listened quietly.
"*I have no intention of criticizing this tradition, even though I have long had a belief called 'justice.' This tradition is completely incompatible with my belief. But I do not wish to elaborate on the correctness of 'justice' here, because that is not today's theme. I ask the elders to consider the Blood Clan itself. Is this the Blood Clan you wish to see?*"
"In fact, the Blood Clan does not prohibit trade with any race. On the contrary, the Blood Clan encourages trade with other races and the accumulation of wealth. If today's decision comes to fruition, I will become the only one in Blood Clan history to be banned from trade. But how long can you maintain this wall?"
Dora, standing behind, cautiously watched Jones.
"The Lich are not proficient in trade, and they are not good at anything related to production. They are pure Mages. In the realm of art, they are also incomparable to the Blood Clan. However... with the help of the Lich's power, I nearly defeated all competitors in just one year. They are the essence of the Blood Clan social system for millennia."
"May I ask, how many races do the elders wish to prohibit the Blood Clan from trading with? And afterward, will you prohibit the Blood Clan from leaving the Kolin Peninsula? As long as someone goes out, there is a chance for a second Jones, a third Jones. Is that the Blood Clan you wish to see?"
Belle widened her eyes, watching Jones, who was eloquently speaking in the center of the hall. At this moment, she felt there was a sharpness, a gleam in Jones's eyes. Everyone was listening quietly.
"*I know, in your eyes, I am just a child. I am only seventy-six years old, far from reaching adulthood. But please believe me, I mean what I say. As you mentioned, I am actually another Lich King. I have my dreams and the power to safeguard them. I am constantly making progress.*"
"*You have given me two choices, either to give up Dracula or to give up Gruglu... I cannot give up Gruglu because that is faith. What can be abandoned is no longer faith. So here's the question, do you really want me to give up the surname Dracula?*"
Jones spread his hands and looked at the elders on the platform.
The entire hall was silent. Everyone was watching Jones, watching this child, speaking words that did not match his age.