There are only two ways an empire or kingdom can fall. The first is through force, a siege—the bloody and brutal normalcy of war. The second is for it to crumble from within. When its cracks are exposed, and weak points are struck, it will collapse.
Aric had no ans to utilize the first thod. As for the second, the deeper you are within sothing, the easier it is to destroy it from the inside. If Aric managed to enter the king’s ranks, he would gain an undeniable advantage—gathering crucial information and manipulating it to his benefit. This would be the prince’s ultimate card.
However, Aszer was no fool.
The king chuckled dryly, his voice echoing through the throne room before turning into a hearty laugh, booming through the castle.
"You co here to tell that you, a Valerian prince, are willing to aid in taking power from the current sovereign, and you expect to believe you?"
The king laughed once more while Aric watched in silence before speaking, his voice the calst and most level among them.
"What other choice do you have?" Aric asked. "Without , your plan is set to fail, and my offer is to ensure that it doesn’t."
The king leaned back on his throne, seemingly in thought for a mont. "Why should I trust you?"
"You don’t. You would be foolish to. Our partnership will not be built on trust but on a shared desire for a common goal: for the current imperial rule to fall. If I wanted to thwart your ambitions, I could have simply told the emperor everything I know, and the Valerian and Draken empires would turn this kingdom to rubble. Even the Northerners would hesitate to fight both.
So, you see, you don’t need trust to know I am not against you—only common sense."
[The King of Byzeth is intrigued | Susceptibility increased by 2%]
Aszer stared at the cloaked form of the fourth prince, uncertainty flashing across his features.
"Why do this? Why help ?"
Aric turned away from the king as he heard the question, perhaps deep in thought.
"Because… I have nothing to lose," he replied, turning back to et the king’s gaze.
"Yes, I am an imperial prince by na… but I’m certain we all know the story. The tale of the Forgotten Prince has spread across the empire, hasn’t it? Without Ki or mana, I’ve been abandoned by the royal family. I might be a prince, yet I live like a peasant, because in this world, it’s not a man’s na or birth title that matters—but his ability."
The king raised an eyebrow. "The ability to use Ki or mana?"
"Yes, but only to fools."
Aric scoffed. "Let tell you what abilities truly matter—the ability to take another man’s life, whether by knife, magic, or even by orchestrating it. The thod doesn’t matter. The ability to completely brutalize, chastise, and eradicate one’s enemies to such an extent that others dread enmity with you.
The ability to contaminate every single ter of land but the one beneath your feet so that competition never finds ground to grow!"
Aric paused, regaining his composure before continuing.
"In this world, what truly defines a person is their ability to beco the worst of n. I may have nothing to lose, but that puts in a position to gain everything. I get my vengeance and power, and you get to rule Valeria—is this not a fair business exchange?"
The king exchanged glances with his council, who had remained silent until now, then turned back to the prince.
"I would be honored if the prince would join us for a eting in two days at sundown. Perhaps then we may discuss a way forward."
"Wonderful, I’ll see you then," Aric nodded, turning around to exit the throne room.
"Please, allow to arrange a chamber for your stay… I am very hospitable," the king offered.
"I’ll have to decline, your grace. As I said, if I’m not in the place I’m supposed to be at the ti I’m supposed to be there, it would be a problem for both of us."
The prince continued toward the exit but stopped at the door.
"And before you give the order, I want you to understand that the mont I find out I’m being followed—because I will, whether it is by a person or even a mouse—this information will imdiately be relayed to the emperor. Have a pleasant rest of your day," Aric nodded, exiting through the large door opened by the guards.
---
The fourth prince, through the sa thod of travel he had arrived with, returned to the Midgard Province. The sun had begun receding into the horizon as he arrived back at what was now their base of operations.
Aric pushed open the door to see Serina and the old man sitting near the fireplace, both cradling cups filled with a hot liquid, as indicated by the trails of steam rising from them.
"Ah, you ca back alive," Hitoki said, genuinely shocked.
"I told you," Serina said with a smug smile.
"It seems the king is still under the impression that his plans have not reached the imperial city," Hitoki speculated.
"No, he’s aware. In fact, I confronted him about it."
Serina and Hitoki nearly spat out the tea they were sipping when they heard Aric’s words.
He spoke as if what he had just said was another mundane event in his day, while taking off the cloak around him and setting it aside.
"You did what?" Serina asked, shocked.
"It’s fine. I’m here, aren’t I?" Aric assured them. "Hitoki, I’ll need all the information you have on the king’s council by tomorrow morning… I’ll pay well for it."
The old man nodded.
"Where’s Lerai? I need to speak with the bandit leaders," Aric asked, glancing around in search of the young mage.
"He’s been in the basent with Alan for hours now," Serina responded.
"Yeah?" Aric turned toward the hallway that led to the basent. "I’ll go et him," he said, walking away.
He took the hallway path and then went through the basent door and down the stairs. The light from the torches barely illuminated the staircase.
As Aric stepped into the basent, his pupils dilated as his eyes widened. In a swift burst, his hand shot up, catching an arrow re inches from his face.
"What the—"
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