Chapter 330 The "Living Father" of the Dantes Family
Five hundred years ago, there was a woman named Marguerite Dantès in the Holy City of the Empire.
This little-known lady was born into a wealthy merchant family in the Holy City. Because of her beauty and wealthy family background, she married a nobleman with a prominent family background.
The identity of this nobleman is very vague in the records of the Dantès family. The family genealogy only records that the nobleman's name is Fernando, with an ominous surname, and there is only a few lines in his life - he disappeared on the route to the port of Hotteko, and his whereabouts are unknown.
This matter was also entered in the archives of the Imperial Port Department and was registered by his immediate family members.
As to whether the Port Affairs Department five hundred years ago had verified it, that was obviously not the case.
To this day, the Empire’s Port Affairs Department has not gone to the depths of the vast ocean to salvage corpses. Instead, disappearance procedures are usually just for the purpose of disposing of property. Families only need to publish the disappearance information in newspapers and wait for a certain period of time to complete the notarization.
In fact, smart people have already seen the problem when they see this. The two completely opposite concepts of "prominent birth" and "unclear" cannot appear in a genealogy at the same time.
This Margaret was obviously not married to an imperial noble by a clear matchmaker, otherwise her children would not have taken their mother's surname.
As for "Fernando", it is mostly a pseudonym.
But this is not important.
Just as the woman Margaret is insignificant in the history of the empire, Fernando’s story is not worthy of a special mention in the history books.
However, the child of Margaret and "Fernando" was very successful. Through his own hard work and the opportunities of the Age of Discovery, he became a baron named "Robert Dantès".
Although the title of Baron is not high, it can be regarded as a member of the ruling class. Modifying history is something that almost every ruling class will do, and this high-spirited baron is certainly no exception... He cannot let future generations think that he jumped out of a crack in the stone.
Hence, the first thing Mr. Robert did after receiving the title was to follow the trend and compile a time-honored genealogy for himself.
The name Fernando was probably given to his father, and even the experience of being shipwrecked may have been a vicious curse.
As for the surname left blank, of course it is also intentional. After all, you can’t obviously take advantage of those famous families, right?
As for trying to influence a small family, it would be meaningless... and it would easily lead to inheritance disputes.
In short, the blank spaces in the genealogy are one of the legacies he left to his descendants - in case the Dantès family becomes prosperous in the future, you can use this genealogy to fill in the blanks!
A prosperous family never worries about allies, and can use them to claim titles when necessary.
This is a gap that almost every imperial noble will leave in the genealogy - and this often corresponds to the unfulfilled ambition of the genealogy writer at the time.
Unfortunately, Robert Dantès obviously did not calculate that he was the ceiling of the Dantès family.
His family has not prospered, and successive generations have been resting on their laurels.
Five hundred years later, the generation of Edmond Dantès had lost all his titles as baron, and was so devastated that he only had the fictitious title of "Sir" and a farm called Dantès Manor.
Because the labor force near the Holy City is expensive, this gentleman occasionally has to work in the fields himself, feed and milk the cows.
As for his spare time, he hangs out in various taverns as "Lord Dantès", orders a glass of the most expensive ale, brags about the prominence of the Dantès family with a group of citizens, and reminisces about the afterglow of the past amidst the praise of everyone.
Those citizens are not at a loss either. Sir Dantès often invites them to have a drink when he drinks too much.
The story that this knight likes to tell the most is the legend of "Fernando". As for the identity of this ancestor, it changes with his mood.
Sometimes it is a baron, sometimes it is an earl... but more often it is a "prince" with a distinguished status but an unknown fiefdom.
He often boasted about how his ancestor Fernando was trusted by the emperor and owned a large amount of land and wealth overseas.
As for why the Dantès family is now in such decline, he excused it with a vague "shipwreck".
Because it had a nose and eyes, he even believed it.
What’s more...he didn’t completely lie. After all, this story was made up by his ancestors five hundred years ago. At most, he only used his imagination when filling in the blanks.
Facts have proved that as long as the bullshit is loud enough, you will never have to worry about people who follow the trend.
Just like Prince "Fernando Colin", the cheap father of the ancestor of the Dantès family, the little-known Edmond also ushered in his spring on a drunken night - an inexperienced and ambitious girl took a fancy to his shiny noble title.
This Miss Anna is just like his great-great-grandmother Margaret in his family tree. With the dream of marrying into a wealthy family, she quickly fell in love with him and gave birth to a son.
When this lady discovered that the "famous" Sir Dantès was actually a useless showman, it was only after she became pregnant with her second child.
Before she had time to have a seizure, the third little life was born again.
When things got to this point, it was too late for her to regret it.
Happily, Sir Dantès, who became a father, finally calmed down a bit under the influence of his wife and children, and the family's life was not too bad. Especially since Sir Dantès gave up drinking, and with some of the savings left over from his ancestors, he finally bought a decent house on 11th Road, Loyalty Street, and moved his family to the city...
The days went by like this, and Dantès, who had not been to the tavern to brag for a long time, almost forgot the glory of his ancestors.
Until the respected General "Imperial Griffin" Hamelton heard a legend from five hundred years ago in the continent of Janna, and decided to help the respected His Highness Colin find the roots of the Colin family in the empire. As a result, the officials of the Port Affairs Department rummaged through boxes and cabinets for several nights, and finally found it.
When an official from the Port Affairs Department came to the door in surprise with information about the disappearance five hundred years ago, Dantès suddenly realized——
It turned out that the ancestor "Fernando" he had been bragging about for half his life, his real surname was Colin! The name is Fernando Colin!
Everything is perfect!
As long as the Highness nods...
… …
At No. 11 Loyalty Street, the clouds are low and the sky is gloomy, just like the mood of the Dantès family is as dark and unclear.
Logically speaking, the respected Mr. Lumil should have arrived early. It does not take long to confirm the genealogy. No matter how busy Mr. Colin is with social activities, he will not forget such an important matter.
However, until dusk stretched the shadows on the street, there were still no carriages printed with golden roses and scrolls on the noisy Zhongzhong Street.
Obviously.
That adult forgot about them!
Edmond Dantès paced back and forth in the living room restlessly. The tall and thin figure was hunched over and his face was pale. The sweat on his forehead fell to the tip of his nose several times, but it did not attract his attention.
He kept mumbling to himself, glancing outside the door from time to time, as if he could see through the dilapidated wooden door the fate that was about to come outside.
"You sit down, Edmund," his wife Anna rubbed her hands vigorously, with a sharp and anxious voice, "walking around can't change the result!"
She was in an extremely irritable mood, and any rustling sound outside the door sounded to her ears like the harsh ridicule of the neighbors.
She could even imagine what those people would say about their family -
"Look at that family, they actually want to be relatives of His Highness Colin! How could that noble Highness have such lowly relatives! 』
『Little Margery, my dear little baby, you must never play with Emily again. None of their family is normal, especially Emily's mother, who is so embarrassing. 』
Looking at his wife, whose face was getting worse and worse, Edmund swallowed, squeezed out a smile that regained his self-esteem on his stiff face, and muttered.
"I'm just... a little hot and want to take a walk."
He just wanted to meet the gentleman.
He wanted nothing, just a meeting. After all, that was the regret that Mr. Fernando Colin and Madame Margaret Dantès had five hundred years ago.
She is his relative!
His wife was still murmuring, saying that he should have established relations with the Port Authority earlier, so that maybe they could sneak into the team welcoming His Highness Colin... and maybe they could also get in touch with the big shots of the Hilfin family and settle the matter of Sophia's admission to the Royal Academy of Arts.
Edmund no longer had the energy to complain about his wife, nor did he want to do so, so he could only coax her to calm down.
How do we need the connections of the Sylfen family to solve Sofia's school problems? They didn't need to know anyone, they just needed a slight nod from Colin, and the others would automatically do it for them.
To this day, he still remembers the courtesy to him from the official of the Port Department... The kind of thoughtfulness and care that a servant showed to his master was something he had only experienced when dining in a restaurant.
As for his eldest son Lucian, this brat who has always been unruly and rebellious is now sitting lonely in the corner of the room, like an eggplant beaten by frost.
His eyes were empty and confused. His usual heroic words seemed to be blown away by the wind in an instant, leaving only wordless waiting.
Does he really have no choice but to be a knight's retinue?
He didn’t want to feed horses all day long until he was thirty years old, and then find a nobleman who needed a knight to show off. He would spend every day either chasing goblins and cursing, or in the countryside looking at windmills or flirting with village girls.
What is the difference between this and an adventurer? !
The Royal Knights is where he should stay!
Sophia sat on the old sofa with her young sister Emily in her arms, looking at the gray street scene outside the window with a melancholy expression.
Before Mr. Colin came to this port, she had many fantasies, including meeting him by chance in the garden, including hearing about his adventures in the continent of Janna, including playing the piano for him alone in an empty piano room...
However, now those romantic expectations have finally come to naught, disappearing in the melancholy evening breeze.
Until the end, she didn't say a word to him.
Seeing that no one was playing with her, little Emily, who was sitting in the arms of sister Sophia, pouted and hummed and sang for her own entertainment.
She wants to go to Notre Dame School. Mrs. Agnes will take them to sing together, and Margery, who plays well with her, will also secretly bring her a nougat made at home. However, her father insisted that Mr. Colin might come at any time, and the family had to greet him neatly, and then introduce themselves in the rehearsed order, and then Mr. Colin would give her more candy than she could eat in a lifetime...
She admitted that it was quite tempting, but she couldn't help but think in frustration that if she were Mr. Colin, she would not come to such a troublesome place.
The only quiet one is the second son Francois. This quiet boy always stays with books, as if he has lost interest in the superficiality of human beings.
At this time, clear footsteps suddenly came from outside the door. Edmund, who had just sat down, stood up almost reflexively and looked excitedly at the lady who also stood up.
The footsteps stopped, and soon there was a knock on the door. Edmund moved to the door almost instantly, and opened the door while making a handsome smile.
"Mr. Lumil! Welcome—"
The words he reached his mouth choked in his throat.
That calm and serious face made him subconsciously feel awe and fear of an unpredictable fate.
The family held their breath involuntarily.
Even the bookworm Francois quietly raised his head, and little Emily stopped humming.
She glanced at her sister quietly, and saw that her beautiful face was full of nervousness, and her hands involuntarily clenched the corners of her skirt.
"Monsieur Dantès," Lumil said slowly, looking like a gentleman, but with an imperceptible smile in his eyes, "His Royal Highness Prince Colin has carefully reviewed your genealogy and family history, and I hereby inform you——"
"Wait a minute! I, it suddenly occurred to me that there seems to be a photo album in the suburban house! I remember seeing it before, it was an oil painting drawn by Lady Margaret's children for her! That...maybe it can prove something." Anna looked at Edmund in fear and winked at him.
Edmund's heartbeat seemed to be about to burst out of his chest, and he stammered.
"Yes, that's right! I remembered it too - there are a few relics there. Your Highness the Prince will definitely think of something after seeing them."
"I, I can go and get them!" Lucian stood up from the sofa in a hurry, but he forgot how far it was to get to Dantès' farm from here.
Looking at the chaotic family, Lumil couldn't help but feel funny, but thinking that these were Lord Demon King's "relatives" after all, he coughed lightly and said in a gentle tone.
"Please calm down, Mr. Dantès, and Madam Dantès... His Highness Colin has confirmed your identity. There is no doubt that Fernando Colin is his great-great...grandfather. Although he used the pseudonym Jeffrey after being left in the wilderness, what happened is basically consistent with the genealogy of the Colin family, so we think they are the same person."
These words were like thunder falling on the plain, and the "pop" sound exploded in the hearts of the Dantès family.
Edmund was stunned for a long time, his lips trembling, and then his whole body glowed with unprecedented brilliance at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Lumir couldn't help but be surprised.
He had only seen this kind of situation when the Demon King was upgrading his followers, but he never thought that his words could be so powerful.
As expected of the Demon King...
His power is simply boundless and unfathomable!
"Saint Sisi is above..."
Perhaps it was because the corset was too tight, and she couldn't catch it in one breath. She almost fainted in excitement. Fortunately, Edmund quickly hugged her with his quick hands, preventing her from falling.
Without looking at his disgraced parents, Lucien walked quickly to the door and looked at Lumil nervously, with ambition burning in his eyes.
"Then, Your Highness...Will His Royal Highness meet us? I, I have always admired him...I want to shake hands with him!"
He still remembered the words of his sister Sophia - Mr. Hilfin could send him to the reserve team of the Royal Knights with just one word.
Of course.
With an uncle like His Highness Colin, the mere Royal Knights is no longer enough to excite him.
He had thought about it. He would train in the Royal Scouts for one year, then train in the Royal Knights for two years, and in the fourth year go directly to the continent of Janna to join Uncle Colin. At the latest when he was thirty years old, he would return to the Holy City as a hero with a lifetime of glory and legend, and become a glorious knight captain.
The Dantès family will restore its former glory in his hands!
Sofia also wanted to shake hands with His Highness Colin, but she was too embarrassed to say it directly like her brother, so she just blushed and buried her head.
Looking at this ambitious young man, Lumil smiled and nodded.
"Of course, you will meet soon, but not tonight... There is a very important banquet tonight at the Valencia family's manor. It is a banquet hosted by His Royal Highness the Regent to welcome the return of the Prince of Janna Continent."
Regent!
The Valencia family!
Another thundering name!
Edmund almost forgot to breathe, his old face was flushed with excitement, he hurriedly helped his wife steady, and then spoke hurriedly.
"It's okay! It's not in the way! Business matters! As long as he is willing to see us... we are free at any time!"
He will not foolishly ask the other party to take him with him. He knows very well that if he goes, he will only embarrass Mr. Colin and even the Colin family!
They now share weal and woe!
Sofia nodded excitedly, her beautiful face full of approval, but Emily's little face fell down in frustration, and her mouth pursed.
When are you free?
Should they keep waiting...
She doesn’t want to stay at home, she wants to go to school!
What a pity.
Her wish is destined to be impossible to realize.
She was still young and did not know that her family would soon move out of Zhongzhong Street and assume a new identity in a taller and larger house.
She no longer needs to go to school. More professional and decent teachers will go directly to her home and teach her truths that the empire's cows and horses will never be exposed to in their lifetime. When she gets older, her mother will take her to various salons and make more friends who are more in line with the Dantes family identity, until she enters college or gets married.
This is the rule of this era.
She will have endless amounts of candy.
But the nougat that little Margery secretly brought her could no longer eat.
Lumir looked at Edmund and smiled and nodded.
"I'm glad you think so. His Highness is also very happy to find his relatives in the Holy City and put an end to the regrets of his father's generation. Early next month, he plans to hold a funeral for his father, His Highness Nanfu Colin, at St. Clement's Cathedral. I hope you and your family can attend."
Edmund nodded quickly, with joy on his face at first, but maybe he realized something was wrong, and soon became sad and solemn.
"Of course! I will definitely go!"
Not caring about his little actions, Lumil nodded and continued to talk about the most critical things to Dantès' family.
"In addition, His Highness Colin hopes that you will help him take care of some... properties in the Holy City. He is very optimistic about the development of this city and is considering retiring here in his later years, so he wants to purchase some properties in advance. However, neither he nor I can stay here forever, and we can't rest assured if we leave it to outsiders, so I have to trouble you about this matter."
"He will provide you with a considerable salary, and This amount of money is enough to cover the dignity of your family as a noble. In addition, as a descendant of the Colin family, you will also be granted a more decent residence. As for the location, you can choose it by yourself. The only requirement is that it does not disgrace the appearance of the Colin family. "
Edmund's face was filled with unspeakable ecstasy. He staggered back two steps, as if he was in a dream, unable to believe his ears.
This man who has been lost for half his life has spent most of his time living in illusory dreams, but at this moment his dream has become a reality.
At this moment, his waist truly straightened, and he was no longer just a vain person trying to make a fool of himself, but truly became an upright father, a man who could be relied upon by his wife and children!
If he would wake up from this dream tomorrow, he would rather stay on this day forever.
For Colin——
He is even willing to die!
"Please leave it to me! I, Edmond Dantès, am willing to swear to Saint Sith that if I dare to feel sorry for Mr. Colin in the slightest, my soul will suffer in hell for eternity!" Edmond swore a poisonous oath in an unprecedented seriousness.
Although Lumil doesn't think this is such a bad thing, for the believers of Saint Sith, this is indeed the most vicious oath.
At least Tiqi would not dare to swear like this.
Looking at her father who was suddenly extremely reliable, Sophia's face had a rare blush and her eyes were shining. The long-hidden dreams in her heart were blooming again at this moment.
Not only her, but also the little Emily in her arms clapped her hands excitedly and shouted "Oh!"
Although she doesn't know what happened, the dark clouds hanging over the family have finally dispersed, and maybe it won't be long before she can return to her old life.
The bookworm Francois, who had not spoken a word throughout, also breathed a sigh of relief. He glanced at his ambitious brother and was sincerely happy for him.
Not only his brother, but also his own university.
Although it is not difficult for him to pass the exam based on his ability, but... who would refuse a higher starting point?
In the past, he had to crowd the single-plank bridge with thousands of troops, and then go to pick up the scraps left by the nobles, or go to the colonies. But now, he can be at the table from the get-go and let those unattainable opportunities line up in front of him to take his pick.
These are two different lives.
Mrs. Anna Dantès, who finally woke up from her dizziness, murmured to herself, and finally uttered the words of thanks that had choked her ten minutes ago.
"Holy Saint Sissi..."
"Our family has finally turned around..."
Just when the Edmund family was happy to become masters, the carriage with the golden rose and scroll badges on it slowly drove into the Valencia family's manor at the tail end of the night.
If the Dantès family and Baron Corsia are both pawns of the Demon King, then this is the real chess table.
The carriages that go in and out of the manor are low-key yet luxurious, and the family crests carved on the walnut wood are enough to shock the entire empire. Many of them are even included in the collection of the Demon King Academy Library.
Luo Yan's gaze casually swept out of the window. He did not feel nervous at all about being in an enemy country, and his face was only calm and calm.
The transparent Youyou came to his side and murmured softly.
"Incredible... there are at least six demigod-level experts here!"
There are only eight demigods in the entire hell, and the empire will probably not have more than twelve.
In other words——
Half of the powerful people in the entire human world are here.
"Saint Sith" is slowly opening one eye towards him!
But——
So what?
In the supreme chamber of the Demon City Parliament Building, the Demon God opened his eyes to him, but didn’t he see nothing?
As long as he overcomes the fear in his heart, his soul is invincible.
Perceiving the prying eyes from outside the carriage and the invisible pressure emanating from them, Luo Yan smiled lightly and responded calmly in his heart.
"That just means we're in the right place."