Chapter 429 - Benefits Or Kinship

Leonel wasn't particularly angry at Matteus. Other than the time he ordered Little Nana to bind him, an action that almost cost him a spot to enter the Zone, his interactions with the man hadn't been all too bad. In fact, Matteus had even extended an invitation for him to join the Adurna family.

The issue here was that Leonel wasn't in a very good mood. And, having to listen to Matteus spin a fanciful tale Arthur and the others just gobbled up left him even angrier.

Compared to The Empire, Leonel hated the hidden families several times more. Even if it wasn't Aina in particular that had suffered at their hands, he would be disgusted by their actions.

Ostracizing a little girl and her father. Killing that little girl's mother. And for what, exactly?

Even to this point, Leonel wasn't exactly sure. But, judging by the fact everyone else of the Brazinger had red hair and eyes while Aina did not, someone as intelligent as him could connect the dots.

It was Eugenics.

Leonel had been surprised to see that all these families had the same eye and hair color initially. But, after a while, he came to understand just why this was.

Eugenics was a set of beliefs that ascribed to the idea of maximizing the gene pool quality of a population of people. They did this by massacring those not like them and ensuring marriages between those who could guarantee 'quality' children.

There were cases like this in ancient Germany with the Nazis and those with blond hair and blue eyes. There were cases like this from ancient America with White Supremacists. There were cases like this from ancient Africa with...

The list seemed endless and each instance was just as heart wrenching as the last. The practice was sickening. Leonel had this sort of visceral reaction he couldn't even control when he thought about it. He couldn't imagine deciding a person's worth by the way that they looked.

One might argue that it was more than skin deep for these hidden families. At least, compared to those ancient civilizations with disgusting practices, there was a tangible benefit to maintaining the purity of these families – that being their Lineage Factors.

In an instant, all the bravado that Matteus had brought forth seemed to crumble. First impressions were everything... if the representation of this Adurna family couldn't even protect his own life without Leonel's interference, then how powerful could they really be?

Mordred's eyes widened. Back then, she had been the one to fight the puppets the Adurna family members had become. She had almost forgotten this completely. Compared to Leonel's overwhelming strength back then, they were... just average.

Of course, that might have been due to the Margrave's puppeteering taking away their strength. But, the fact that Margrave could enslave them at all spoke volumes.

"The situation is very simple." Leonel continued with a steady voice. "Even if everything they said is true, you will still fall before the Fourth Dimension Descends. They're only trying to prey on your ignorance.

"The 'hidden' families might have higher Dimensional beings, but none of them can come to help you. Entering a lower Dimensional world from a higher is very difficult. And, even if you manage to accomplish it, you will be forced to deal with all sorts of restrictions. If you aren't a native of the world you descend to, the restrictions are even fiercer.

"So, at this very moment, these hidden families can only send out strength on the level of them." Leonel swept a glance over the four. "At least, on any sort of large scale.

"Yet, they've said themselves that they don't rely on 'technology', which means that unlike The Empire, they don't have a method of bridging this gap in strength.

"But sure... If you want to hand over all your secrets in exchange for protection that won't last more than a week, please have at it."

Leonel's voice plainly concluded before starting up again as though he had forgotten something amusing.

"Oh, and a reminder that I already comprehend everything about your magic system, more than even most in this room, actually. So, you should ask yourselves whether you trust someone who wants something out of you more, or if you'll take the word of someone who's only here to help a friend."

Leonel swept a pointed glance over Arthur. His meaning couldn't have been more clear.

Will you choose 'benefits' again this time? Or will you choose kinship?