Chapter 369: Head's Veto
"What a joke! If Leon Merlin—addressed as Matthew Merlin in this council, though he's merely a First-Tier Archmage—can keep the Gilded Rose safe, why can't the entire Elder Council do the same? To put it bluntly, I, Owen Merlin, am a Fifth-Tier Archmage—an entire tier above him. Not to mention, I'm also a Master. So tell me, do you really think I can't protect the Gilded Rose?"
...Listening to this, Leon Merlin looked at Owen Merlin with a half-smile. After a moment, he replied, "Heh, Master?"
"What's wrong with being a Master?" For some reason, Owen Merlin felt a bit uneasy under Leon's gaze.
"Forget it, Owen Merlin. You really don't know anything. Anyway, let me just say this—the Gilded Rose isn't as simple as you think..."
"Alright, alright, Owen, Leon, there's no need for you two to argue..." At this moment, Lurgan Merlin suddenly interjected, "We're all here for the benefit of the Merlin Family, so there's no need to quarrel over trivial matters. The purpose of this Elder Council meeting is to discuss whether the Gilded Rose should be managed by the Council. Now that we've reached a conclusion, Leon Merlin—addressed formally as Matthew Merlin—must hand over the Gilded Rose, which will temporarily be overseen by the Elder Council. When the time is right, it will be returned to him..."
Heh...
Leon Merlin let out a cold laugh and said nothing more.
What a joke...
He only spoke up to try and salvage the mistake made by his pig-headed teammate, not because he actually wanted to go head-to-head with the Elder Council. Making his position clear was enough; in the end, Leon Merlin—addressed as Matthew Merlin in the council—would have to clean up the mess himself. Leon had no intention of worrying about it for him...
"Since Leon has abstained, I believe the resolution can be passed. Patriarch Hoffland, please announce the final result..." Lurgan's smile was tinged with satisfaction.
"Well..." Patriarch Hoffland pondered for a moment, then finally gritted his teeth. "I think... I'm going to exercise the Head's Veto."
"What!" Lurgan's smug expression hadn't even faded before Hoffland's words made him jump to his feet.
What does it mean to have the Head's Veto?
It is the greatest power held by the patriarchs of the Merlin Family throughout the generations.
A power strong enough to challenge the Elder Council itself!
It means that, as long as the patriarch disagrees, even if the Elder Council votes unanimously, the patriarch can use this power to indefinitely shelve the resolution.
However...
In the Merlin Family's thousand-year history, the Head's Veto has been used less than ten times.
Because this is a true double-edged sword.
Once the Head's Veto is invoked, it means the patriarch and the Elder Council have completely torn apart their relationship. It’s almost certain that, from now on, anything the patriarch supports, the council will oppose, and anything the patriarch opposes, the council will support.
This essentially pushes the patriarch to the opposite side of the Elder Council. From now on, the two sides will be completely at odds.
But what’s even more dangerous...
The Head's Veto comes with a time limit.
It can only be used once every three years.
In other words, once the patriarch uses the Head's Veto, they cannot exercise their authority again for three years. If it were any other time, that might be fine. But once the patriarch and Elder Council are completely opposed, the patriarch without the Head's Veto becomes nothing but a puppet.
A united Elder Council will render the patriarch powerless.
No one wants to see things come to this...
This is true mutual destruction.
Otherwise, why would the Merlin Family's thousand-year history see fewer than ten uses of the Head's Veto?
But now, Hoffland Merlin, usually seen as conservative, suddenly wields this double-edged sword. For a moment, everyone is stunned, staring at Hoffland as if he’s lost his mind.
Has he gone mad!
How could he use the Head's Veto? Doesn’t he realize that invoking it now puts the entire Merlin Family in grave danger? If things escalate, it could even split the Three Merlins apart!
“The resolution is temporarily shelved. When the time is right, it will be brought before the Elder Council for discussion...” Yet Hoffland’s voice rang clear in everyone’s ears.
“You... You, how could you use the Head's Veto, Hoffland? You’re insane!” Lurgan Merlin completely lost his composure, pointing at Hoffland, veins bulging on his forehead, eyes nearly popping out: “I disagree, I absolutely disagree!”
“Elder Lurgan, whether you agree or not is irrelevant. The patriarch’s Head's Veto can shelve any resolution. You are the most respected elder of the Merlin Family, surely you understand this?”
“Hoffland, don’t forget, besides being a family elder, I am also the patriarch of Laurel Merlin...”
“Hmm?” As soon as Lurgan said this, Hoffland’s brows furrowed...
Suddenly, the entire family council chamber fell silent...
So quiet it’s almost frightening—you could hear a pin drop.
At the same time, everyone could feel the atmosphere in the council chamber grow unbearably oppressive, so much so that it felt hard to breathe...
Something’s about to happen...
Sure enough...
“On behalf of Laurel Merlin, I now initiate an impeachment against you. I believe you are unfit to serve as patriarch of the Merlin Family, and your actions are not in the family’s best interest. Now, who supports, who opposes...” Lurgan’s bloodshot eyes glared as he shouted in a hoarse voice.
As Lurgan finished speaking, arms slowly began to rise.
“In favor.”
“In favor.”
“In favor.”
............
In the blink of an eye, more than half of the elders supported the impeachment, and even more arms continued to rise...
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Eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve...
It’s over...
More than two-thirds of the elders supported the impeachment. In other words, it was a done deal. What awaited Hoffland next would be the full blame of the Merlin Family. If he couldn’t give a satisfactory answer, he’d be removed from the patriarch’s seat.
“Sigh...” Hoffland shook his head, weary, offering no defense, making no attempt to salvage the situation, because he knew it was all futile...
To these elders, he was simply in their way...
Their obsession with the Gilded Rose bordered on madness—it meant endless wealth, overnight riches. Faced with such terrifying profits, anyone who stood in their way would be kicked aside as a mere obstacle.
Standing up now...
...was to become everyone’s enemy.
As he watched those arms rise, Hoffland felt no anger—only exhaustion, and deep worry for the future...
Hoffland didn’t think his impeachment was wrong. In fact, if he were Lurgan, he’d do the same. What worried him now was whether, after the Elder Council made its decision and broke with Leon Merlin—addressed formally as Matthew Merlin—the family could bear the consequences...
A disaster was likely about to unfold...
“I’m a bit curious...” Just when everyone thought things were beyond saving, Leon Merlin—addressed as Matthew Merlin in the council—who’d been silent the whole time, slowly stood up.
“Matthew Merlin, it’s not your turn to speak yet!” Lurgan, having just completed the impeachment, was riding high. Seeing Leon Merlin—addressed as Matthew Merlin—speak, he immediately snapped.
“Heh, Elder Lurgan, you were all just discussing the Gilded Rose, weren’t you? If I’m not mistaken, isn’t the Gilded Rose still under my name? You’re talking about my property—what’s wrong with me saying a few words?”
...” With that, Lurgan finally realized—the Gilded Rose hadn’t yet been handed over to the Elder Council. Technically, it still belonged to Leon Merlin—addressed as Matthew Merlin in the council—and he had every right to speak.
Of course, that was only in theory...
Things had already reached this point—the outcome was set. Even Hoffland had been impeached. What kind of storm could a mere Leon Merlin—addressed as Matthew Merlin—stir up?
“While I was sitting there, I quietly summed up the Elder Council’s reasons for thinking I’m unfit to manage the Gilded Rose. The most important seems to be that my First-Tier Archmage strength isn’t enough to protect the Gilded Rose. Is that right?”
“Mm...” Lurgan nodded: “Leon Merlin—addressed as Matthew Merlin in the council—I’m glad you recognize your own shortcomings. Don’t worry, the Elder Council will only act as custodian for the Gilded Rose. After deducting management fees, all profits still belong to you personally. And when the time is right, the Elder Council will return the Gilded Rose to you.”
“No...” Leon Merlin shook his head, watching Lurgan with a half-smile. “I’m just curious—which elder do you think is qualified for the position?”
“Well...” Lurgan thought for a moment, then pointed to Owen Merlin. After all, despite previous disputes, their cooperation in seizing the Gilded Rose had been flawless, and now he needed to reward Owen: “Personally, I think Owen Merlin is the most suitable. He’s already an elder, a genuine master, and most importantly, a Fifth-Tier Archmage—the family’s most outstanding genius. Give him a few more years, and he’ll surely become a Title Archmage.”
“Owen Merlin, huh...” Leon Merlin nodded, glancing at Owen from afar.
For some reason...
As Leon Merlin looked over, Owen—who’d been sitting calmly—suddenly felt a chill down his back, as if a ferocious magical beast were staring right at him...
**********
A quick recommendation for Jing Ye Ji Si’s new novel, 'Pharma God'.
As a young pharmacist, Mu Xian feels immense pressure. Though his future should have been bright, he’s unlucky enough to transmigrate ten thousand years into the past. Well, in this era barren of martial arts, at least he can use his vast knowledge and skills from his previous life to forge a new path forward.