Chapter 76 : Chapter 76
Chapter 76: Negotiation
The very next day, Greta invited all the elders of the Jurgen Family to a meeting in Alfred’s name.
After receiving the notice, the elders all agreed to attend.
They had already heard the news.
Greta had escaped the castle and regained her freedom.
Now that Greta was convening a family council in Alfred’s name, everyone had to attend, including Hermann and Otto.
Hermann had been furious when he learned that Greta had escaped. On the spot, he had ordered the execution of several guards.
He believed it was their incompetence that had allowed Greta to flee.
But now that the notice for the family council had been issued, he had no choice but to attend as the interim family head.
Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, three days had gone by.
That day was the day of the family council.
The meeting was held in the Grand Elder’s castle.
Among all the elders, the Grand Elder held the greatest authority and the strongest voice.
Dietrich Jurgen, the Grand Elder of the Jurgen Family.
In terms of seniority, he was even the uncle of Hermann and his two brothers.
At that moment, all the upper echelons of the Jurgen Family had gathered in the plaza of Dietrich’s castle.
A large round table had been set up in the plaza, large enough to seat all the elders together.
There was no food on the table.
After all, today was not a banquet, but a meeting to decide the position of interim family head.
At the seat of honor sat Dietrich, serving as the host of this family council.
To Dietrich’s right sat Greta, Isabella, and Ryan, followed by the family elders.
To Dietrich’s left sat Hermann and Otto, followed by the other elders.
Dietrich cleared his throat and said loudly, “Before the family council begins, let me introduce our honored guest.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Dietrich and everyone else turned their eyes toward Ryan.
“This is Mr. Ryan. The perfume that has taken the entire kingdom by storm over the past three months was made by him. Here, on behalf of the Jurgen Family, I thank Mr. Ryan for being willing to cooperate with our family. I hope our future cooperation will be even more pleasant.”
With that, Dietrich raised his wineglass.
Only then did the other family elders finally understand why the unfamiliar young man, Ryan, had appeared at the family council.
They already knew a little about the family’s recent affairs.
What they had not expected was that the wildly popular perfume had been created by this young man.
Each of them had their own informants, and after learning the exact profit figures, they had been utterly astonished.
Then, all the elders raised their glasses as well.
One pleasant remark after another poured out.
“You are too courteous, Grand Elder Dietrich. It is my honor to cooperate with the Jurgen Family. This is a win-win for both of us!”
Ryan smiled as he raised his glass and replied calmly.
Dietrich laughed heartily and drained his wine in one gulp.
Ryan only took a small sip instead of finishing it.
After all, there were other matters to handle today, so he could not drink for the moment.
When the other elders saw this scene, the sharper ones immediately understood the situation.
It was obvious that Ryan was standing with Greta and Isabella.
With that thought in mind, they looked toward Hermann.
But Hermann seemed as if he knew nothing at all about the perfume business and sat there in a daze.
Cold sweat ran down Otto’s forehead.
During these past three months, Hermann had hardly involved himself in family affairs at all.
Otto had been the one managing everything, large and small.
So of course he knew just how enormous the perfume profits were.
But judging from today’s situation,
Ryan was clearly on Greta’s side.
Hermann’s position as interim family head was hanging by a thread.
Otto thought bitterly.
“Ha ha ha, good. Then let us begin today’s family council. Greta, you may speak first.”
Dietrich formally opened the meeting.
“Yes, Grand Elder.”
Greta swept her gaze across all the elders and said slowly, “Elders, I believe all of you are well aware of what happened some time ago. Hermann disregarded brotherly affection and used despicable means to force my husband, Mr. Alfred, the former head of the Jurgen Family, out of the family. After that, he placed me under house arrest and drove my daughter to flee the family.”
“Now I have escaped, and my daughter Isabella has also returned to the family. Therefore, I formally propose that Hermann be stripped of his position as interim family head and punished accordingly. At the same time, I will assume the position of interim family head until Alfred returns to the family!”
Greta’s voice was firm and resonant, echoing in the ears of all the elders.
Otto’s heart immediately sank. What had to come had finally come.
“No!!!”
Hermann shouted, “I am the head of the Jurgen Family! What right does a woman like you have to become the interim family head?!”
“Hmph.”
Greta let out a cold snort, and there was a trace of ferocity in the way she looked at Hermann.
“Because I am Alfred’s lawful wife, the current matriarch of the Jurgen Family!”
“Because during these three months that you served as interim family head, the Jurgen Family has aroused the anger of many commoners!”
“Because I am on excellent terms with Mr. Ryan!”
“Are those reasons enough?”
Greta spoke with overwhelming momentum.
With every sentence, her aura grew stronger.
Hermann was cowed by Greta’s imposing presence. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.
“Hermann, what do you have to say for yourself?”
Dietrich asked.
“It still will not do. No matter what you say, you are not truly a member of the Jurgen Family, so you are not qualified to become the interim family head!”
Hermann was still trying to argue.
“Greta...”
Dietrich looked at Greta.
“Grand Elder, I understand.”
Greta smiled, and her tone was still full of confidence.
“Since that is what you say, then my daughter Isabella can become the interim family head instead, can she not? She is Alfred’s biological daughter, the eldest young lady of the direct bloodline of the Jurgen Family. She is fully qualified to become the interim family head!”
“Heh, do you even hear yourself?”
Hermann sneered. “Isabella? Your recluse of a daughter?”
“Do not make us laugh ourselves to death. If other families were to learn that the interim family head of the Jurgen Family was someone like her, with no strength whatsoever and who hides in her room all day like a recluse, our Jurgen Family would become the laughingstock of everyone!”
Hermann’s words were harsh, but the elders all felt that he had a point.
They knew a little about Isabella, this young girl.
Her magic talent was D-rank. She had not inherited Alfred’s talent at all.
What was more, she had stayed in her room year-round and never went out. She was a complete recluse.
She was timid and weak!
How could someone like that possibly become the interim family head?
Greta looked around, taking in all the elders’ expressions, then declared loudly, “Hmph. In the end, the reason you oppose this is because of Isabella’s strength and personality, is that not right?”
“Yes, exactly!”
Hermann shouted.
He believed that as long as he kept pressing that point, then even Greta would not be able to take the position of interim family head from him.
“What a pity. I am afraid I will disappoint you.”
Greta spread her hands and said, “Isabella’s strength and personality have already changed. She is fully capable of taking on the position of interim family head!”
“W-What? Impossible! You are lying! How will you prove it?”
Hermann panicked.
“Fine. Since you refuse to believe it, then I will make you give up!”
Greta turned to look at Isabella, her eyes full of encouragement. “Isabella...”
“I understand, Mother!”
Isabella nodded, then stood up and took a deep breath.
She knew that she had to prove herself here and now.
Only by proving that she possessed a certain level of strength
would these elders agree to let her act as interim family head.
Fortunately, her personality had already improved.
And after the previous battles, Isabella’s strength had also improved tremendously.
“Nila!”
Isabella called out.
“Yes, Young Miss. Everything is prepared.”
Nila responded, then made a hand signal toward the distance.
As soon as the servants saw Nila’s signal, they immediately brought out the practice mannequins that had long been prepared.
These mannequins had already been fitted with a full set of equipment.
All of it was standard gear commonly used by adventurers, enough to withstand B-rank magic.
If Isabella could destroy such a mannequin, then it would prove that she possessed the strength required to become the interim family head.
Moreover, there were so many people present.
Family elders, guests, servants, and more.
If she could carry out the test calmly in front of so many people, that would also prove that Isabella’s personality had improved.
This time, Isabella did not take out the sniper rifle. Instead, she drew the Desert Eagle she had obtained first.
By the time the servants placed the mannequin fifty meters away, Isabella was already prepared to fire.
Her left hand supported the grip, while the fingertips of her right hand lightly touched the trigger.
Bang!
The first shot struck the mannequin’s left arm.
Bang!
The second shot hit the mannequin’s right leg.
Bang!
The third shot struck the mannequin squarely in the chest.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Several more shots followed in rapid succession.
Every single one of Isabella’s shots struck a vital point on the mannequin.
When all the bullets had been fired,
everyone could only stare at the mannequin as smoke rose from its body.
Those shots had directly pierced through the mannequin’s defenses.
If that had been a real person, then that person would already have been a corpse.
When the elders saw that scene, they were instantly dumbfounded.
Even Hermann and Otto wore the same expression.
“Elders, what do you think?”
Greta spoke up at just the right moment. “If that had been a real person just now, then Isabella would certainly have killed them. With strength like that, is she still unfit to become the family head?”
“T-This does not count! That is only because the Magic Tool is powerful. It has nothing to do with Isabella—”
Hermann still wanted to argue, but by the end, his voice had faded away.
There was no other reason.
Because he had realized it.
Even if Isabella had relied on a Magic Tool,
being able to obtain a Magic Tool was itself a form of strength.
A family, especially a great family, did not care much about the methods used. What they cared about was the result.
It did not matter what kind of Magic Tool the one in Isabella’s hand was.
The fact that she had obtained it was her ability!
Seeing that the time was right, Ryan spoke up. “If the head of the Jurgen Family is not Isabella, then I have decided to terminate my cooperation with the Jurgen Family in selling perfume!”
Ryan’s words were like the final straw that broke the camel’s back.