NOVEL NEXT Chapter 13: Son of the Era_2
On the night following the hearing, a carriage arrived at the castle of the Sambo family where Jones was residing.
It was a carriage pulled by bone horses, without even a driver. The large carriage's design was exaggerated and decrepit, appearing aged and worn. A wooden plank at the back of the carriage had already fallen halfway off, barely held by a single nail, swaying as it moved, as if it might fall apart at any moment.
However, this did not hinder it from running faster than most unicorn carriages.
The Blood Clan also understood Undead Magic, especially the Blood Clan Elders, though they were far less skilled than the Liches.
Arriving at the castle, the four bone horses leapt up in unison, letting out an earth-shaking screech.
"The Elders request that Giant Snake City Lord Jones Dracula come to the Blood Castle for a discussion!"
This sentence was heard by everyone in the castle and even in the surrounding castles.
"So, the Elders have formally acknowledged you as a member of the Blood Clan?" Adelle remarked softly, "They added a surname to your name, and it's Dracula."
"It's a good thing." Jones walked to the bone horses and asked directly, "Can I bring guards?"
"You can," the bone horse responded in a raspy voice, eyes glowing red, "The elders assure you this is a peaceful meeting, beneficial for future decisions. Additionally, they understand your concerns for safety. You may bring as many guards as you deem necessary."
"Alright, thank you." Jones's lips curled slightly.
...
The carriage sped along the mountainside road carrying Jones and four Liches.
Erin and William sat by Jones's sides, while Babuti and Aqua sat across from him.
Along the way, the light filtered through the window, grazing Jones's face. Every carriage passing by stopped voluntarily, and the owners respectfully doffed their hats.
On High Court Mountain, the higher the castle, the higher the status of its owner. This meant the carriage picking up Jones had to pass by all the houses of Blood Clan members ranking higher than Prince Louis.
The seven princes of the Sambo family stood silently on their balconies, as did Tiris and Isido, and Prince Harries as well.
The entire High Court witnessed this scene, except for the elders. The feeling was complex to say the least.
Of course, practically it might not be so. Overall, it was a sense of helplessness, like that sentence found in countless novels, *"The gears of history begin to slowly turn, affecting everyone's fate, yet no one can stop it."*
*At this moment, Jones was undoubtedly the child of destiny. He inherited Gray's "will" and Gray's "legacy," standing at the center of the vortex, holding tightly onto power that far exceeded his age.*
*Aside from helplessness, what else could these observers do? Before Jones, what they prided themselves on seemed so insignificant.*
"We even considered forcing him to marry into our Ganggro family, to weather this crisis together," Tiris sighed, "Even if he agreed, could we truly influence the current situation? What a naive thought."
*Naive? Not really.*
*Jones's rise was so rapid it left everyone scrambling, with no historical reference in the past ten thousand years... No, absolutely none, never had been. In such a situation, making a wrong judgment was quite understandable.*
*Unfortunately, in this world, understanding doesn't save anything. A missed opportunity is missed, a mistake made is made, irreparable.*
With the eyes of the entire Blood Clan on them, the carriage sped into the clouds between the mountaintop and the mountain waist, racing through the white mist.
"May I ask which Elder will be conversing with me?" Jones asked loudly.
"Nearly all the elders will be present," the bone horse replied.
"But there's always one Elder who ranks the highest, isn't there? Can you tell me who it will be? At least let me know his surname."
"Elder Bartholomew, His Excellency."
*The Grand Elder...*
*With the Grand Elder coming out, this was the final judgment. At the very least, it showed the Elder Council had decided to seriously negotiate with him—a good thing, wasn't it?*
Jones's lips curled slightly.
...
The Blood Castle atop the clouds remained cold and empty.
Pale white mist drifted in the air.
The carriage stopped before the main entrance of the Blood Castle, its door opening automatically.
Jones, along with the four Liches, stepped out of the carriage, adjusted his attire in silence, and ascended the stairs.
...
"Young master, the lord asked me to convey a message. He hopes you... no matter what, stand from the Sambo family's standpoint. The princes promise you that once this crisis passes, you will be granted the title of prince, along with the corresponding wealth. You will become the eighth prince of the Sambo family." The butler whispered behind Adelle.
Standing beside Adelle, Belle widened her eyes slightly, looking on in disbelief.