Rumors Ignite the Capital
Thanks to the rumors spreading, both the first prince's and third prince's camps were on edge. The first prince's side came to me first. He tried to win me over with what could be called domineering charisma at best, or brute simplicity at worst, but he left without hearing what he wanted.
On the third prince's side, Marquis Illibard from the neighboring territory, whom I already knew, paid me a visit. He too asked for my support for the third prince, but I politely declined. Then it was my turn to manipulate the information flow.
The Akasha count's household was brimming with exceptional talents. There were those recruited by Wider, and others I'd scouted for their gifts through the mercenary guild and brought on board. Over half of Akasha territory's top administrators had now gathered in the capital.
After the first prince left, rumors spread that I was aligning with him. After Marquis Illibard departed, whispers emerged that I'd joined the noble faction. The fake rumors planted by the third prince were buried. Everyone grew wary of me, but none could afford to distance themselves. That was exactly what I wanted.
For a flawless operation, I needed time to maneuver from the shadows, and time for William to finish his education and be reborn. Then, against my wishes, another rumor cropped up. As I visited noble houses and met numerous young ladies, tales of scandalous affairs naturally followed, evolving into gossip branding me the era's greatest playboy. Wider had mentioned similar rumors about me in his previous life, and here it was again. Of course, there were no serious romantic interests among them.
A few young ladies pursued me quite aggressively. The most standout was the eldest daughter of the Aegis ducal house. The Aegis family had once been unremarkable despite its high title, thanks to Duke Kantana Aegis's exploits as supreme war commander, and it was where Elizabeth had married. Now, it had risen to lead the imperial faction.
For now, this eldest daughter of the Aegis house even visited my mansion unannounced and without particular business. It wasn't a bad prospect, truthfully. Her status matched mine perfectly, she was no fool, and her looks resembled Elizabeth's. Marrying her would let me absorb the imperial faction's power effortlessly. Of course, I had no intention of wedding for such political gain.
One day, while sipping tea in the garden with the Aegis lady who'd dropped by yet again for no reason, I asked, “Hilda, why do you want me?”
The eldest daughter of the Aegis house was named Hilda.
“Because you're handsome.”
Hilda replied playfully. A simple, straightforward reason. But surely not the only one. This woman wasn't that naive.
“No other reasons?”
“Would it be bad if there were?”
No, from here on, any relationship I formed would never be purely born of love. At least, that's how I saw it. Maybe that's why marriage held no appeal.
“Of course not. But if we were together and I became enemies with the Aegis house, what would you do?”
“If we're together, I'd already be part of the Akasha count's house, wouldn't I?”
Her response came instantly, as if rehearsed. I gave a wry smile. What drove this woman to such desperation? Even if ordered by her father the duke, this level of commitment would be hard. I knew the lives of noble daughters well enough. And for an Aegis lady, there'd be no shortage of fine matches even without me.
Thinking it over, she didn't need to have me specifically.
“Hilda, what if someone better than me appears?”
“Is there anyone better? At least not in this country.”
Not yet, but soon there would be.
“And if there were?”
“I'd naturally side with them.”
Her frankness bordered on audacity. I liked it. An ambitious woman.
“That's excellent.”
Hilda and I smiled at each other. Our grins meant different things, but it felt like we'd struck some secret pact. And so, as I laid the groundwork and kept everyone distracted with my attention, a full year slipped by.
It wasn't perfect, but William was ready. During that time, he'd studied under numerous masters, most of whom praised him highly. As a former mercenary, William took to even the harshest training with gusto, and he especially loved Howard's swordsmanship lessons. Howard, however, wasn't thrilled with him—William had talent, but he paled next to Argin.
And that Argin had returned. Emerging from the Great Labyrinth after nearly a year, his first words were, “I want to go home.” So I took him straight there. Something had happened inside; Argin had finally broken through his wall. When I asked if he'd met Drakan, he said he hadn't reached the labyrinth's end.
Howard was itching for a bout with Argin right away. Knowing what two Grand Masters clashing in the capital's heart might unleash, I shifted them to an uninhabited spot on the New Continent. It didn't match the devastation from Kutula and Niala, but a vast area was left in ruins.
Watching two humans at the pinnacle of mortality duel was a first for me—quite the learning experience. Howard had held back, fighting in human form without full power, yet he dominated through superior skill and experience, claiming victory.
And so, just before the emperor's official announcement of William via audience, a minor incident occurred. The culprit was the prodigy Setas, whom I'd been observing.
Incredibly, Setas was a child whose soul talent kept growing. Born with once-in-centuries genius, he'd now surpassed even that. Over the past year, his gifts had grown subtly at first—too fine to notice initially, then unmistakably. The growth halted after a final explosive surge.
The completed Setas evoked the image of Anzhur when Juno had descended into his body, a sight I'd witnessed once before. I suspected he was tied to some divinity, which made me reluctant to approach. He already lived with that terrifying cat. Bastet had moved to the New Continent with Lily after I relocated to the capital. Anyway, I had no desire to add another fearsome family member.
But today, Setas did something. While we vassals dined together, a wave-like pulse from him swept over me. It was massive, blanketing over half the Ether Empire. Right after, I saw infant Setas in his cradle, smirking with one corner of his mouth raised.
“Felt that?”
Howard, seated across from me, asked as he ate. He'd sensed it too. Argin beside him nodded. But that was it—Jayke and Joseph hadn't noticed. You needed Grand Master level to detect it.
“Yeah, but no need to worry for now.”
I replied that way. No reaction unless Setas did more.
“Huh? Feels like that thing.”
“Know something about it?”
Howard then fired a similar pulse at me.
“Some guy I met in the Great Forest ages ago used this technique.”
No need to ask how he'd learned it. Eaten, obviously.
“What does it do?”
“Nothing special. Measures the opponent's strength, sorta? Not that useful.”
“How far can you cast it?”
“Never tested properly, but maybe 100 meters?”
If Setas could blanket half the empire? Just how strong was he now?
Despite Setas's little event, the day arrived when the emperor formally introduced William to all.
Security was ironclad. No one yet knew William was the fourth prince—those few who'd guessed had their memories erased. Far more useful than killing.
The emperor suddenly summoned all ministers and nobles to the palace. Most assumed it was about the succession. Not entirely wrong—William would be the next emperor.
In the grand hall packed with thousands, the emperor called William to his side and declared him his fourth son. That alone was shocking, but the real uproar came when he officially named me William's guardian.
The capital erupted. William as a mere bastard fourth prince was negligible—slim succession odds. But me backing him? That changed everything.
I'd dominated the capital's social scene for a year. Even those unaware of my martial prowess knew my wealth from the fortune I'd spent. I'd absorbed much of the neutral faction, plus parts of imperial and noble ones. My forces now rivaled any.
Nobles flooded us with meeting requests. William stayed at my mansion, not the palace—too risky now. I wouldn't let harm come, but no need for trouble.
We met every noble who came. Many were useless, but William needed every ally. Now came time to unleash our long-prepared operation.
To the other princes, it was like meteors crashing from the sky. They'd suspected my schemes, but linking to a new prince? Unforeseen.
Rumors flew of several from the crown prince's office being carried out battered. True enough—several from the second prince's intelligence unit were dismissed. The third prince drank more.
My subordinates secretly recruited all those ousted by the crown and third princes. They weren't incompetents, and grudge against an abandoning lord runs deep.
William's influence spread like wildfire through the capital. He held no formal post like his brothers, but nobles weren't fools—they knew the others' limits. With a solid backer like me, hesitation vanished. Even those tied to crown or third weren't fully committed. I exploited that.
Nobles, especially, doubted the third prince's competence. Now a better option appeared. Some idiots had backed him to puppet him, but core nobles sought empire growth and noble power, not a puppet show.
Marquis Illibard and key nobles proposed a secret meeting. William showcased his talents there, delighting them. For emphasis, we added a martial display: a simple spar between Argin and Howard.
Nobles paled. Publicly, Akasha's top forces were Jayke and Joseph. Argin was known but dismissed as too young. Yet here he was, a full Grand Master. And another unknown one.
“Wh-who are you, exactly?”
One noble couldn't hold back, asking Howard. He didn't lie.
“Howard Callista.”
“What the fuck!”
The noble cursed involuntarily, then clapped hands over his mouth and retreated. Howard's legend loomed large—his human exploits already continental myth.
“Was this necessary?”
Marquis Illibard approached quietly, whispering.
“Better to be thorough, no? Fewer deaths that way.”
“The successor was decided long ago.”
He nodded. Civil war thoughts had evaporated from noble minds. Even mass armies wouldn't faze me—I had Guardian's Wrath. Illibard knew that best.
“Keep today's sight secret for now. It's not over.”
“Naturally.”
Thus absorbing the noble faction, William's bloc surged to top force, one step from the end.
Then imperial defections began. Ministers and officials fled crown and third princes to join William. Core imperial talents were the guardian's children. The guardian visited them.
Now fine adults, most hadn't forgotten their savior. Nearly all defected to back William, bar a few.
Once a dam cracks, it crumbles uncontrollably. Without key talents, the princes' camps ground to halt. Then the knockout blow: news of Hilda from Aegis house and William's engagement rocked the capital.