"I know exactly how that feels. Prince Richard did the same to me back then. Although, it seems I’ve never joined any faction. I should pat myself on the back for that." Liu Zhenhan recalled his distressing past.
"You are currently representing a powerful force. It’s the others who want to join you and seek protection under your wings." The words of the chief priest almost choked Liu Zhenhan. "However, I have to admit that you are also considered a part of the Northeastern Clan. At least from the inside perspective of the kingdom, you belong to the faction of the Great Shaman Wei An in the Northeast Province led by Shaman Qi Dan. I understand Qi Dan can’t exert any control over you, but do you know which faction the Great Shaman belongs to?"
"The Red Priest, Brut." Liu Zhenhan knew the name somewhat.
"Yes, Brut of the Taige Tribe. He’s the representative of divine power in the mortal world, and also a thorn in the side of both the Rhine Tribe and King Grecke Sal. Lord Mourinho waved his hand to Liu Zhenhan for another cigar, which Liu Zhenhan then gave to him.
"Master Qi Dan is the chief priest of the ’Accomplice Army’." After relighting his cigar with Liu Zhenhan’s, Lord Mourinho gently patted Liu Zhenhan’s hand and thanked him politely.
"Act as a tiger’s accomplice?" Liu Zhenhan frowned and snorted: "I heard that the ’Accomplice Army’ is a private army of the Taige Tribe. The young and robust of the Taige Tribe are selected first for this army, and then chosen by the royal guards, ’the Whip of the War God’. I thought it was made-up nonsense, but now it seems there’s some truth to it."
"Among the six hereditary nobilities, almost every family has a private army, or rather should I say, a family guard." Mourinho laughed: "It’s not news. A family guard is merely composed of the family elite and is not large in scale. Once one is taken into the family guard, it means they belong to the true lineage; honor and misfortune are shared."
"So it means loyalty to a family rather than a nation, where family interests always outweigh national interests." Liu Zhenhan flicked ashes from his cigar, despising, "Even though I am a man cruising through life, I do not respect those who ignore the interests of the nation and its people."
"In principle, everyone understands what you’ve said. However, when it comes to practical implementation, it’s hard to measure the standards. Let’s say, when you are an heir to a family, the nation won’t lend a hand when you are in trouble, but the family will. Therefore, when it comes to choosing, most people would choose to protect the family over the nation." Mourinho sneered: "The internal politics of the Bimon Kingdom are complex. Sometimes, you can’t encompass everything based on principles alone. Principles can’t feed you, deliver you fur coats in snowy weather, or bring you medicine when you’re ill. In our times, reality and high-sounding slogans often fail to match, which is truly tragic."
"Well, I’d better focus on being a minor noble. After the upcoming rotation next year, the temple will assign me, a war shaman, to serve in the army. I have no high aspirations. Besides, the frequency of warfare isn’t too high these days." Liu Zhenhan stretched comfortably. He had no interest in the political games of the kingdom. Instead, he was thinking more about how to chat with Mourinho. Talking to this old fox required constant vigilance, and there was no sense of accomplishment to derive from it. Read complete version only at n͟o͟v͟e͟l͟f͟i͟r͟e͟.net
"When humans pulled away from the Bimon Kingdom, they were likely fed up with the incessant infighting among the ruling nobles. The lower-level Beamons had no hope of rising to power, no matter how outstanding they were. For many years, save for when Medusa was alive, the Rhine and Taige Tribes were always in deadly contests for the throne, while the other tribes didn’t even have a chance." Mourinho took a deep puff of his cigar and coughed uncontrollably: "During the Heigar War, the Birdman Beamon of our Bode Clan lost too much. We’re now completely out of favor. I have been pondering over an idea...What if the royal power doesn’t belong exclusively to the Tiger Man and Lionman? Why can’t it be the Snail People of the Buer Tribe? Or the witty hippopotamus poets?"
"Nothing can be done about it. To compete for the throne, one must undergo tests of strength and wisdom. Apart from these two Beamon species, none of the others have a chance." Liu Zhenhan sneered internally. Mourinho’s words led him to consider a plausible possibility. The Swan People from the Bird Clan had a hereditary position among the Bimon. Now they have an ambitious individual like Mourinho. Looking at his accolades: a legendary figure among the priests, the youngest-ever chief shaman, the Phoenix Priest overshadowing the Dragon Priest. Drow also said that he’s a martial arts expert who’s good at hiding his skills. Moreover, he’s studying a new battle song, which can release magic attacks! If he succeeds, then who can stop him? Ability directly corresponds to ambition. Judging from Mourinho’s implied messages, there’s a high possibility he wants to follow the human’s path, leaving the Bimon Kingdom to form his own nation. Judging from his strength and fielding Medusa, it’s clear that he’s not just seeking independence with the Smey Clan’s Swan People and Ostrite Tribe’s Ostrich People, but also with several other Beamon clans.