"What do you mean? I don't believe you. If what you're saying is true, then why have these families never appeared anywhere in our intelligence organizations?" asked Augustin with a deeply confused expression. To him, the claim sounded impossible, as every major family, organization, and influential figure in Europe should have left some trace inside the countless intelligence reports gathered over the decades. The idea that entire lineages could remain hidden from modern governments simply did not fit with everything he believed about the reach of the state.
"They have appeared," Orazio answered with a small smile, remaining perfectly calm despite the disbelief surrounding the table. "The problem is that they were never considered important enough to investigate seriously because, before the System arrived, you never realized what they truly were. Their backers also did an excellent job of keeping them in the shadows after the System descended, so every investigation naturally reached a dead end." His relaxed tone only made the revelation sound more unsettling.
"I can see that all of you are still confused," Gustaw said as he looked around the room with an amused smile. "Just remember this: the history of Europe runs far deeper than any of you can imagine, and the number of true experts your intelligence agencies know about is almost nonexistent. You have spent decades believing you understood every influential force on this continent, but the truth is that you have only been watching the surface." As he finished speaking, he noticed several of the heads of state shifting uncomfortably in their seats.
"Then why do all of you know about them while we don't?" Edison asked with growing interest. "It shouldn't be difficult for us to uncover families like the Sonnenbergs if they truly exist, should it?" While speaking, he continued reading the report his aides had placed before him, which summarized years of surveillance conducted on the Great Houses and the people with whom they regularly communicated. The sheer number of previously unknown experts listed in those files was already enough to surprise him.
What truly caught Edison's attention, however, was the file regarding the assassin family that his intelligence service had painstakingly reconstructed over the years. Although much of the report consisted of educated guesses, the conclusions painted the picture of an organization with extraordinary capabilities that had somehow remained hidden in plain sight. Rather than viewing them as a danger to avoid, Edison immediately saw them as an invaluable asset that should be brought under government control. In his eyes, no private organization should possess that level of expertise without answering to the state.
Edison was not the only leader studying the newly distributed reports with growing fascination. Around the conference table, the other heads of state quietly flipped through their own documents, and each passing page only deepened their curiosity. Some frowned in concentration while others exchanged meaningful glances, silently realizing just how many blind spots existed within their own intelligence services. None of them, however, noticed the increasingly dark expressions forming on the faces of the Great Houses.
"Frankly, I don't think it's acceptable for private families to possess this much knowledge while refusing to share it with the state," Augustin said after several long moments of reading. He slowly closed the folder before him and looked toward the other leaders, inviting their opinions. "Knowledge on this scale affects the security of entire nations, not just individual families. Surely all of you agree that information of this importance belongs in public hands."
One after another, the heads of state nodded in agreement. From their perspective, the argument seemed perfectly reasonable, as governments existed to safeguard their citizens and therefore deserved access to every significant source of information. They failed to notice that every approving nod caused the atmosphere around the Great Houses to grow noticeably colder. What had begun as curiosity was rapidly transforming into dangerous ambition.
"I completely agree," Edison said with a smile that failed to reach his eyes. "I've already seen more than enough evidence suggesting that these people are not fit to possess this much knowledge by themselves. Skills like these could transform Europe's economy, strengthen our militaries, and revolutionize countless industries if they were placed under proper government oversight." While his words sounded noble on the surface, his thoughts wandered elsewhere.
Behind his composed expression, Edison was already calculating the enormous fortunes such knowledge could generate. Whoever controlled these ancient families would control technologies, cultivation methods, and hidden expertise that the rest of the world had never even imagined. The economic opportunities alone were beyond measure, and the political influence they would grant any government was even greater. The temptation was simply too great for him to ignore.
"I knew we should never have brought this up," Gustaw said quietly to Orazio, his expression turning noticeably darker. The greed he saw on the faces of the heads of state was exactly what he had expected, yet seeing it unfold so quickly still left him disappointed. He had hoped that at least one of them would understand the warning they had been given. Instead, every one of them seemed to be calculating how to seize the knowledge for themselves.
Orazio silently nodded in agreement before slamming his hand onto the conference table. The deafening bang echoed throughout the meeting room and immediately silenced every conversation. His calm demeanor disappeared completely as he fixed the gathered leaders with an icy glare. Even several members of the Great Houses instinctively straightened their posture at the sudden display of anger.
"Have you all gone stupid, or are you simply tired of living?" Orazio demanded, his voice filled with restrained fury. "Did every warning we have given you enter one ear and leave through the other? We have spent this entire meeting explaining why you should stay away from those families, yet the first thing you discuss is how to take everything they possess." His gaze swept across every head of state, daring someone to justify their greed.
Erik merely leaned back in his chair without showing the slightest concern. "Please," he said with open disdain. "What can these people possibly do to us? Just because all of you still insist on living in the past does not mean the rest of us need to share your delusions." His dismissive tone only deepened the silence filling the room.
A weary sigh escaped Julia Ravelino as she rubbed her temples. She had already realized where this conversation was heading, and she had no desire to continue arguing with people who refused to listen. From her perspective, the discussion had reached the point where words had become meaningless. There were simply too many egos gathered around the same table.
"Fine," Julia said at last, her voice calm despite the severity of her next words. "I propose that every head of state present here be removed from office and executed for knowingly attempting to bring chaos to the European continent by ignoring repeated warnings and the consequences of your actions." Without hesitation, she slowly raised her hand, her expression carrying more disappointment than anger.
She did not make the proposal lightly. Julia understood better than anyone that the consequences would be enormous, but she also believed they would ultimately benefit Europe. The reason the Great Houses dealt directly with the individual heads of state instead of the broader European institutions was simple. National leaders possessed far greater practical authority, as the politicians from their own countries naturally followed their direction.
If those leaders allowed greed to dictate their actions, the entire political structure of Europe could quickly descend into chaos. Julia had absolutely no interest in seeing governments launch campaigns against the ancient trade families. Before the arrival of the System, such an operation might have succeeded if the trade families had been caught completely by surprise. Now, however, that possibility no longer existed.
They had already confirmed that the assassin family had survived history and remained active. More importantly, they knew exactly what that family was capable of accomplishing when it truly committed itself to a mission. To believe the assassins would not immediately warn the Sonnenbergs and every other ancient family was nothing short of foolish. Any attempt by the governments to suppress them would end in disaster before it had even begun.
The Great Houses themselves were capable of resisting those ancient families if absolutely necessary, but doing so would come at an unacceptable cost. Decades of accumulated knowledge about the trade families gave them a fighting chance, yet victory would still leave both sides devastated. Compared to that outcome, removing several reckless politicians was the far less painful solution. Julia hated reaching that conclusion, but she considered it the only realistic option remaining.
As Julia officially initiated the vote, the representatives of every Great House quietly raised their hands in agreement. There were no objections, no abstentions, and not even a request for further discussion. Each family had independently reached the same conclusion long before the vote had been called. The unanimous decision only reinforced how seriously they viewed the threat posed by the governments' growing greed.
"Very well," Julia announced after confirming the results. "The motion passes unanimously, with no votes against and no abstentions. I will now initiate the necessary procedures." She calmly opened an application on her phone and pressed a single button, setting an intricate chain of events into motion.
"It is done," Julia said as she placed her phone back on the table. "They should all be executed within three days." She spoke with such composure that one would never guess she had just signed the death warrants of more than thirty of the most powerful political leaders in Europe. Her expression remained calm, almost sorrowful, as though this outcome had been inevitable from the very beginning.
"It had to be you, Julia," Orazio said with a tired smile. "I assume your nephew has everything under control?" His concern was understandable, as the position of Chief of the European Police remained in the hands of the Ravelino family, making them responsible for ensuring the operation unfolded without unnecessary complications.
"Thank you for your concern," Julia replied with a respectful nod. "I also appreciate everyone cooperating with my proposal. Sadly, this meeting has been a complete waste of time." There was genuine sadness in her voice, as she would have preferred spending her day on matters that actually advanced Europe's future instead of cleaning up another political disaster.
"No, Julia," Gustaw answered, a wicked smile slowly appearing on his face. "The meeting has not been a complete waste. Removing them from office will be simple enough, but publicly justifying their executions is another matter entirely because of everything they have buried over the years." He folded his hands together as though the solution were already obvious.
"If we charge them with knowingly sheltering corrupted humans while attempting to monopolize information that we were prepared to gift to the governments for the benefit of Europe," Gustaw continued, "then I doubt anyone will object to their executions." His smile widened ever so slightly as the rest of the Great Houses silently understood exactly what he meant. The narrative had already been written; all that remained was to make the public believe it.