The Original Vampire

"What? Archon Lattom declined our request to visit?"

As soon as he returned to the residence of the Phoenix Palace, Bachelor Dawn brought another bad news.

"Yes, Lord Viscount, there is a response that Archon Lattom has been in poor health recently and cannot meet outsiders."

Vera sighed: "It seems that the consul of the San Lorenzo family also favors Prince Lehi."

Bachelor Dawn shook his head and said, "Not necessarily. This Lattom Archon is already 108 years old. It is said that there are frequent physical problems. This time it may not be an excuse to prevaricate us."

Hearing that, Ke Lin was speechless for a while, and asked, "You're so old, you still haven't retired?"

Bachelor Dawn explained helplessly: "Consuls are for life. As long as Lattom still has a breath, he will not voluntarily retire. After all, the members of the Senate are all collaterals of various families, and they have no titles and territories. Once they strip away the aura of the Senate, they immediately become little characters that no one cares about."

"Isn't there a way to dismiss a consul?" Colin asked thoughtfully with a twinkle in his eyes.

Bachelor Dawn seemed to have guessed the real purpose of Colin's question, and shook his head: "No. The purpose of setting up the Senate was to create a completely independent system of supervision and checks and balances outside the existing administrative system of the empire.

Therefore, in order to ensure that the decisions of the members of the Senate will not be affected by external factors, the elders will serve for life once they are elected. Unless the consul has violated the laws of the empire, even the emperor cannot remove him. "

Colin laughed, disdain for this so-called "independent monitoring system".

It is a well-known fact that the current Senate collects bribes, and he himself was asked for a sky-high "lobbying fund" by the Sebastian Consul, which shows that the system of the Senate has been completely corrupted.

"Isn't there a way to restrict the elders?"

The Bachelor of Dawn thought for a while and said, "There really is no means of restraint. However, there are two main ways to exert influence on the elders.

The first is bribery. This is also the most commonly used lobbying method. The elders have no territory, and if they want to live a luxurious life, they must need the support of gray income.

Another way is to inherit the seat of the elders. "

"Inheritance?" Colin wondered, "Isn't the senator lifelong? How to inherit?"

"The inheritance I'm talking about is different from the inheritance of ordinary titles.

The foundation of the title inheritance is hereditary system. As long as the lord's law remains unchanged, the first-in-line heir to the lord will naturally inherit everything from him.

But the elders are different. Since the elders are not hereditary, the descendants of the elders cannot "naturally" inherit their seats in the Senate. "

Hearing this, Colin already understood what Master Dawn meant.

The so-called inability to inherit "naturally" means that the descendants of the elders can be "artificially" pushed into the Senate.

The current members of the Senate are all from the 117 most prestigious lord families in the Radiance Empire. To become a senator, one must first become a senator candidate recommended by each family, and then this candidate also needs to get half of the senators. The above consent votes can officially enter the Senate.

The second restriction method mentioned by Master Dawn refers to the recommendation qualifications of this veteran candidate.

Each family also uses this method to ensure that their elders will not deviate from the will of the family.

Just like Sebas, his consulship is for life. If he wants his grandson Weber to enter the Senate to inherit his position after his death, he must first ask the Duke of St. Hilde to recommend Weber as a candidate for the Senate. .

In this way, Duke St. Hilde has the means to restrain Sebas.

But the problem now is that Vera has not inherited the position of duke. On the contrary, she still needs the approval of the Senate.

The inheritance of the title of the general imperial nobles does not need to pass the Senate, but only needs to obtain the canonization of the lord. Only the Duke of the Four Realms is different.

They guard the Quartet of the empire and are the key force against foreigners. The selection of the duke is very important, so there is the procedure of the Senate.

But the attitude of Sebas just now made Colin realize that this consul who was born in the Saint Hilde family didn't really want to help Wei ** to become the Duke of the North.

However, Ke Lin found that he had no means of influencing the other party, except to pay a huge amount of "lobbying funds".

Is it really going to be brutally slaughtered?

no!

In case the other party doesn't do anything with the money, there is really no good way for Ke Lin to take him. Moreover, now that the northern border has just been settled, the money is urgently needed to ease the predicament, but it can't be used to cheapen the old guy.

Or, kill?

Colin was furious.

But then there was some hesitation. After all, it was in a place like the imperial capital where dragons and tigers were hidden. Ke Lin didn't want to use such a face-breaking method unless it was a last resort.

If he is discovered, then he can only take Vera into exile...

Or, convert?

But Colin also felt that there would be a great risk in transforming into a blood descendant.

Because vampires are self-aware, Colin never tried to convert enemies into vampires.

The three current blood descendants—Charr Knight, Queen Elsa, Valla Knight, and Colin are all kind to them.

Ciel was reborn from a broken limb, Elsa was resurrected from the dead and took revenge, as for Valla, she felt guilty for Colin, and was given a second life by Colin after atonement with death.

In short, even if these three were not blood descendants, they would not betray Colin.

Converting to bloodborn only strengthened this attachment and made Colin more trusting in them.

But with Sebastian, Colin wouldn't dare to convert the opponent into a bloodline.

Although he can indeed suppress the bloodline to make the blood descendants unable to resist himself, this control is limited to the body and cannot control the mind.

What if Sebas pretended to give in to Colin, turned around and sold Colin.

Of course, if you transform into a blood slave without self-awareness, there will be no worries of betrayal.

But in this case, it is easy to see flaws.

After all, the blood slave has no self-awareness, and only knows to obey orders, unless Colin separates his consciousness to control, but this kind of control is very rigid, and it’s okay to fool around in a hurry, and it will inevitably reveal his fault after a long time.

Is it really impossible to take this Sebas...

After thinking about it for a long time, Colin suddenly had a flash of inspiration and said, "Actually, we don't have to win the Sebastian Consul."

"What do you mean?" Vera looked puzzled.

"There is only one vote for the consul. Whether or not it has a lot of influence will not matter. As long as we can win the approval votes of the other twenty or so elders of the Northern Territory!"

Bachelor Dawn's eyes lit up: "You mean, Archon Sebastian?"

Colin nodded with a smile: "That's right! Although Vera is not the Duke of the North, the North is under our control now. As long as we put pressure on the major families in the North, we can pass these The patriarch of the family affects the elders of each family!

In this way, Sebas would be insignificant. "

Bachelor Dawn nodded again and again: "This is indeed a good idea, but I'm worried that it may be too late."

Colin immediately ordered resolutely: "No matter, we don't know when Prince Leahy and the others are going to send the declaration of war to the Senate, but it is impossible to sit still.

Vera, you immediately write to Winter City, asking Marquis Garcia to summon the lords of the north and put pressure on them! "

"Okay!" Vera responded immediately, turning around and looking for a pen and paper.

Colin said to Master Dawn: "Okay, let's assume that the twenty or so votes in the northern border have been won. Next, we need to persuade the elders of the first realm to ensure that Prince Lehi's declaration of war will not be absolutely won. Majority in favor."

Bachelor Dawn pondered for a moment, then suggested: "Lord Viscount, I think the greatest assurance is still with the San Lorenzo family. Since Archon Letom doesn't want to see us, then we can try someone else."

"Who?"

"Your Highness the Queen."

"Empress?" Colin hesitated, his vigilance towards the glamorous queen was no less than that of Sebas, and if he could, he didn't want to ask this person, "The queen may not be able to influence the San Lorenzo family. Elder."

Bachelor Dawn shook his head and explained, "My Lord Viscount, I hope you can see His Majesty the Emperor through the Empress. He is the key person who can really influence the attitude of the elders of San Lorenzo."

"But... isn't the emperor ill?" Vera, who was on the side, interrupted.

Bachelor Dawn pouted and said, "Eighty percent of them are pretending to be sick, they are hiding from Prince Leahy, and at the same time, they don't want to let the declaration of war pass the Imperial Council."

Colin also nodded and said, "That's right. Besides, the emperor is actually the one who is most worried about this matter. If the proposal to declare war is passed by a large number of votes in the Senate, it will definitely be a fatal blow to his prestige.

It can even be said that from now on, Prince Leahy and the Senate can directly oversee him. "

"Yes." Master Dawn replied, "Moreover, Emperor Reinhardt holds the right to recommend candidates for the elders of the San Lorenzo family, and can influence the attitude of the Lattom consul more than we do."

Just when Colin was determined to see the Queen Midella again, a servant knocked on the door and handed an invitation to Colin.

Colin opened it with a little doubt: "Crit St. Grian?"

Hearing the name, Bachelor Dawn's eyes lit up and said, "This is the consul of the Saint Grian family, the lord of the West, in the Senate!"

Colin also immediately smiled and said:

"The consul has invited us to a banquet!"

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