Traveling through time, I'm making pancakes in Warhammer

Chapter 542 Guidance

When his mother scolded him, Cecil's expression was first one of surprise, then one of indescribable disbelief, and after Liaved finished speaking, he actually smiled slightly.

Liavid: "Do you think I said something wrong?"

“No,” Cecil said. “You have never lectured me like that before. I would like to ask, is it my mother or my patriarch who is speaking to me now?”

Liavid: "You know that these two identities cannot be completely separated."

“Mother…” Cecil sighed, “I understand what you mean, but doing it the way you say it is too unrealistic.”

As Cecil was saying this, he tried to sit back in his seat, but the seat he had just been in had disappeared.

Just as Cecil was wondering, another seat rose up next to Liavid, and Liavid raised her hand to indicate, "Come here, Cecil."

Cecil carefully sat down next to Liaved, hunching over with his knees together and his hands obediently resting on his knees.

“Don’t be so formal, Cecil,” Liavid said. “This is a private conversation.”

Cecil nodded and sat up a little straighter.

“I am your mother and your chieftain,” Liavid said again. “You can tell me about any difficulties or thoughts you may have.”

“I know your difficulties.” Liavid resumed her official duties, but still managed to answer Cecil’s question while working: “Assassination and bribery are tricks used everywhere. If you don’t use these methods, it’s easy to fall into a passive position.”

Cecil: "I'm glad you understand me."

“But I’m worried about you because you’ve gotten into the habit of using these methods first when you encounter problems,” Liavid said.

Cecil didn't know how to answer, so Liaved said again:

"Suppose you actually get rid of Alex, what do you think would happen?"

"There will be far fewer people engaging in underhanded tactics, and some projects that have not progressed smoothly in the past will also proceed smoothly."

"Besides all that, Alex is also the director of two industrial planets under the family's control. He is responsible for contacting and cooperating with nearly ten high-ranking nobles and hundreds of mid-ranking nobles. Have you taken that into account?" Liavid asked.

“There will always be someone to replace the middleman,” Cecil said. “As long as the supply and demand relationship remains unchanged, there will be as many people as needed.”

“That’s true,” Liavid said, “but more likely, once Alex’s position becomes vacant, the conflict over it will cause considerable damage. Eventually, his power will be fragmented, with four, five, or even more middlemen emerging, each with their own interests, making the situation even worse and more chaotic. Cecil, you only see the obstacles Alex has brought you, but you don’t see his contributions to the family. The only reason he’s been able to hold onto that position is because he’s done a good enough job in it, just like you have in yours. No one can replace you.”

Cecil: "You mean, if I find someone who can completely replace Alex and is more obedient, then maybe..."

As he spoke, Cecil held up his thumb and gestured in front of his throat.

"Don't you have any other options?" Liavid asked.

“I can’t think of any other way,” Cecil said. “Even if I find someone to replace Uncle Alex, I’ll have to let him work his way up from the bottom so that he can rightfully have prestige. But Uncle Alex certainly won’t be willing to give up his power, so the only option is to make him disappear.”

“Why don’t you come to me?” Liavid said.

Cecil: "What do you mean?"

“I am the clan leader. If I am determined to replace Alex, I can do it,” Liavid said. “Using Alex’s poor health as an excuse, promote him to a position as a judge in the Star Nexus Court, and then have someone you have trained take over his position. All of this is contingent on the fact that the person you train is more capable than Alex.”

Cecil: "I never imagined I could get this much help from you."

Liavid: "To my recollection, I do not seem to have ever directly or indirectly, explicitly or implicitly, refused any of your requests for help."

Cecil: "But your status as the head of the family is a natural barrier for us, and even after today, this barrier will still exist."

“This is a phenomenon caused by both the gap in status and human nature, and it certainly exists,” Liavid said. “But I hope that after today, the barrier between you and me will be thinner. If you really encounter difficulties that you can’t solve, feel free to come to me and talk to me.”

"I see."

After Cecil finished speaking, he tried to get up, but was held down by Liavid's mechanical hand.

“I’m not going to offer you just emotional support,” Liavid said. “Listen carefully to what I’m about to say, and remember it.”

Cecil immediately straightened his posture.

“You are not allowed to use assassination or poisoning methods again. I will have the technical department provide you with the highest level of security to ensure that no one can get away with this.” Liavid said, “If anyone uses this method on you, it means they are actively delivering evidence to you, so that the family’s Star Hub Court can use it to prosecute them.”

“If there are goals within the family that you must achieve through methods that comply with family regulations, I know that it will be slower to see results without resorting to quick fixes, but this is a test for you. You are very capable, but you always like to be in control of everything, so I have a suggestion for you: you need to build your own team.”

Cecil: "I have trustworthy men."

“But they are mostly trustworthy on the battlefield, and they know very little about how things work in other areas,” Liavid said. “Build your own team, delegate some trivial matters that don’t require your personal involvement. You don’t have to do everything yourself, but you must always manage your men. The same requirements I set for you apply to them.”

Cecil: "I understand."

“And then there’s Christina,” Liavid said. “I didn’t want her involved in all of this, but since you brought her into this arena, you’re responsible for arming her and protecting her. I already know about the Lyon family’s affairs, so let’s treat this as Christina’s entrance test.”

Then Liavid opened the drawer, took out a crystal containing a mysterious purple filament, and placed it in front of Cecil:

"This is a beacon to guide the Tyrannosaurus Rex, and when necessary, the Tyrannosaurus Rex will obey your commands."

"Finally, remember what I said at the beginning: reduce your contact with Mr. Howard unless he contacts you on his own initiative."