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The night was deep, and silence shrouded the Dwarf Camp.

“Father, have you not rested yet, at such a late hour?”

Marquis Dawson looked up to find his second son, Wells Dawson, walking in.

Wells had a clean and fair face, sans the typically bulbous nose of a dwarf, and his full beard was impeccably groomed. If it wasn’t for his height that was limited by his racial traits, he could pass for a dashing young man.

“What brings you here this late?” Marquis Dawson frowned.

He didn’t really like his second son, Wells.

He thought Wells was over-indulged and lacked the robustness and resilience characteristic of dwarves, instead getting completely engrossed in a life of debauchery.

Fortunately, the older son was much better and capable of inheriting the family business. Therefore, as far as this younger son was concerned, Marquis Dawson mostly left him to his own devices.

Wells was somewhat fearful of his father and approached cautiously, whispering, “Father, I have just received some shocking news!”

“What news?” Marquis Dawson asked nonchalantly as he began to review the pile of documents on his desk.

Seeing his father’s dismissive attitude, Wells was disgruntled.

He knew he wasn’t highly regarded by his father, but he always had an unwillingness to accept this reality. Now, he felt that his chance to turn things around had come!

“Father, this could determine the survival of the Dawson Family!”

“Speak,” Marquis Dawson said impatiently.

A flash of resentment crossed Wells’s face as he said in a low voice, “Father, I heard that Marquis Menam plans on betraying you to the St. Hilde family in exchange for their agreement to the nation-building of dwarves.”

Marquis Dawson finally paused with the goose feather pen in his hand and looked fiercely at his second son, questioning in a sober voice,

“Where did you hear such news from?”

Wells glanced away and stammered, “Father, shouldn’t you be more concerned about the betrayal by the Menam family?”

Marquis Dawson bellowed, “Enough of the nonsense! Answer my question!”

“It was… it was Archbishop Agani… she notified me…”

“How did she notify you? And why would she notify you?”

“I… I…” Stammering at the sight of his father’s increasingly vicious gaze, Wells found it hard to utter a word.

“Fool!”

Marquis Dawson’s beard was bristling and he looked like an enraged lion.

He knocked Wells to the ground with a kick and then jumped over, grabbed his collar, and harshly interrogated, “Have you been secretly communicating with the people from the Church? Have you?”

Wells trembled and nodded affirmatively.

Then he was punched in the face by his own father, leaving him with panda-like eyes.

Wells let out a highly exaggerated shriek, even attracting the bodyguards on duty outside the tent.

However, when they saw it was the father beating his son act, they discreetly slipped away, seemingly quite used to the sight.

“Stop, Father, don’t hit me anymore!” Wells wailed, “I didn’t betray any military secrets, I swear!”

Marquis Dawson didn’t buy that.

He knew his son well and continued to berate him while landing punches, “You brainless fool! How many times have I told you? Archbishop Agani is a venomous beauty who devours humans! How dare you make advances to her at this time!”

“What is her status? Is she someone an unentitled dwarf like you can covet?”

“She is only using you!”

“Using you!”

About half an hour later, Marquis Dawson seemed finally worn out and stopped his assault.

Wells lay on the ground half-dead, emitting weak cries of pain from time to time.

“Speak!” Marquis Dawson kicked his son again, “What exactly did she tell you?”

Wells held his battered body, feeling extremely wronged – you don’t allow me to contact with Archbishop Agani, then why are you so eager to know what she said to me?

However, Wells only dared to curse about this in his heart.

“She, she said…The Menam family has reached an agreement with the St. Hilde family. As long as they hand you over, the St. Hilde family will agree to negotiations and allow the dwarfs to establish a nation in the North Territory.”

Marquis Dawson didn’t seem worried about his situation at all but asked, “Why did Agani tell you this?”

“Father, the situation in Winterfell City is also quite tense now. Vera and Colin seem to have taken advantage with the support of the Golden Lion Legion on the surface, but secretly, young Joyce also has many supporters.

These supporters, of course, didn’t wish to see Vera successfully resolve the Northern Rebellion and inherit the Duke’s title.

And Archbishop Agani is one of Joyce’s supporters.”

Marquis Dawson looked at his son expressionlessly, and asked, “So she wants to sabotage the negotiations?”

“Exactly,” Wells nodded repeatedly. “She hopes to join forces with our Dawson family! This is a letter she wrote to you personally!”

As he spoke, he pulled out a letter from his bosom and handed it to Marquis Dawson.

However, Marquis Dawson didn’t look at the letter. Instead, he continued to stare at Wells with an indifferent look and challenged, “Did you tell the Church about our situation here?”

Wells wanted to shake his head, but under his father’s sharp gaze, he could only stammer, “Yes, I said some…but they weren’t military secrets. I swear!”

“What did you say?” Marquis Dawson’s gaze darkened even further.

“I only told them that Prince Lexie had killed Mr. Ji. That’s all! There were so many witnesses to this incident. The Church would have found out about it sooner or later even if I didn’t tell them!”

Marquis Dawson sighed inwardly. His son was really too stupid.

He had actually revealed such crucial information to the Church. It’s no wonder that the envoys sent by the Menam family to negotiate were given a tough time.

Because they knew that the dwarves had lost one of their most important bargaining chips.

However, the Menam family might indeed sell the Dawson family out in order to reach a reconciliation with the St. Hilde family.

As Marquis Dawson contemplated, Wells continued to babble to defend himself:

“Father, Archbishop Agani is actually a person we can trust.

The relationship between me and her is not what you think. For such a holy and devout priest like the Archbishop, I only have endless respect in my heart, and never dare to have the slightest bit of blasphemy!

Besides, I can see that the current situation in Winterfell City is not good for the Archbishop. Vera and Colin, with the support of the Golden Lion Legion, are forcefully suppressing the resistance in the Lion Roar Castle. They are even attempting to push their mage foster daughter onto the position of the Northern duke, which is ridiculous!

Although young Joyce is under suppression for now, but you have to believe, there are still many righteous Northern Knights in the city and they will not allow…”

“Shut up!” Marquis Dawson impatiently interrupted Wells.

Wells retracted his neck and dared not speak anymore.

“You are nothing more than a pawn in their hands. Do you really think that Agani favors you?

Moreover, the information they provided this time might not be true.

Even if it were true, it could also be a divide-and-conquer strategy by the St. Hilde family!

Only a fool like you, whose brain is filled with wine and women, would be blinded and deceived by others!”

Wells opened his mouth as if he wanted to defend his goddess, but when he saw his father’s fierce gaze, he dared not retort. Instead, he cowered and hugged his knees, looking like a quail drenched in the rain.

Seeing his son in this sorry state, Marquis Dawson was dismayed and sighed, not knowing what to say. He finally waved his hand and scolded, “Go back to sleep!”

“Yes.” Wells gritted his teeth and got up from the ground, carefully walking out.

Marquis Dawson’s voice, full of displeasure came from behind: “Remember, if I discover that you’ve been contacting the Church again, I will break your legs!”

“Yes…” Wells quickly increased his pace and ran off like him.

Marquis Dawson sighed disappointedly. He shook his head as if he had given up on his son.

Afterwards, he picked up the letter that Wells had given him earlier, ready to see what kind of pie Archbishop Agani had drawn for the Dawson family.

Upon opening the letter, Marquis Dawson’s brows immediately furrowed.

This letter… what the hell?

Before Marquis Dawson could figure it out, footsteps could be heard outside the tent, followed by the report of a guard:

“Sir, Marquis Menam seeks an audience!”

“Let him in.”