Lucavion leaned back in his chair, his teasing smirk softening as he studied Valeria. His eyes gleamed with curiosity, his amusement giving way to a more thoughtful expression. “So,” he began, his tone casual but probing, “you’ve been busy before coming here, haven’t you? I’m guessing you had a little chat with the Marquis?”
Valeria blinked, her momentary embarrassment fading as her expression shifted to something more composed. “Yes,” she admitted, straightening her posture. “I did meet with Marquis Ventor. It was… an interesting conversation.”
Lucavion tilted his head, his grin returning faintly. “Oh? Do tell. What kind of ‘interesting’ are we talking about? Did he shower you with praise, or was it something more… complicated?”
Valeria exhaled, her earlier irritation melting away as she realized she could speak freely here. “Both, actually,” she said, her voice gaining energy. “The Marquis offered me an alliance.”
Lucavion raised an eyebrow, visibly intrigued. “An alliance, huh? That’s no small thing. What exactly does he want?”
She leaned forward slightly, her hands clasped loosely in her lap. “He sees value in my name and what I’ve achieved during the tournament. He believes that the Olarion legacy—combined with my abilities—could serve his goals.”
Lucavion’s grin widened, but there was a sharpness in his gaze that hinted at deeper thought. “Sounds flattering. But that guy doesn’t seem like the type to hand out offers like that for free. What’s his angle?”
“That’s precisely what bothers me,” Valeria replied, her tone shifting to one of skepticism. “He framed it as mutual benefit—strengthening his region, bridging divides between his territory and the central politics of the Empire. But there’s something about the way he spoke… I can’t shake the feeling that there’s more to it.”
Lucavion nodded slowly, his fingers drumming idly against the arm of his chair. “Smart of you to think that way.”
Lucavion leaned back, his expression contemplative, though his characteristic smirk lingered. “You know, Valeria, you’ve been a noble your whole life,” he began, his tone measured. “So you must understand better than most: ruling a territory efficiently requires a certain… shrewdness. That’s doubly true at the level of a marquis. Whatever they appear to be on the surface, you can bet they’ve got layers of cunning underneath. Isn’t that the case?”
Valeria nodded, her gaze steady. “That’s exactly what I thought,” she admitted, a flicker of tension leaving her posture. “But that only raises more questions.”
Lucavion’s smirk widened, and he rested his chin on his palm, leaning forward with an air of relaxed curiosity. “So what?” he prompted, his voice calm but probing. “Are you considering his offer? Or is this just weighing on your mind because it doesn’t add up?”
Valeria frowned slightly, her hands tightening in her lap. “Both,” she said after a pause. “The offer itself is tempting, I won’t deny that. But it feels too convenient, too perfectly aligned with my current situation. I can’t shake the feeling that I’d be walking into a trap.”
Lucavion tilted his head, his gaze sharp despite the casual tilt of his mouth. “That’s fair. But if it’s so perfectly timed, don’t you think it’s worth digging into why?” He let the question hang in the air, his eyes glinting with intrigue.
Valeria studied him, her expression unreadable, before finally speaking. “Are you suggesting I entertain the idea just to see what his endgame is?”
Lucavion shrugged lightly, the glimmer of amusement in his eyes never dimming. “I’m saying, if you’re playing the game anyway, you might as well learn the rules as you go. Marquis Ventor’s a player, Valeria. That means he’ll make a move whether you like it or not. The question is—how are you going to respond?”
Valeria repeated his words slowly, her brow furrowing as if trying to decipher a riddle. “Learn the rules as you go… What is this guy even saying?” Her voice carried a mix of skepticism and exasperation, her disbelief plain on her face.
Lucavion, unbothered, leaned further back in his chair, lacing his fingers behind his head. “It’s just something to think about,” he said smoothly. “Actually, it reminds me of this book I read once.”
Valeria’s eyebrows rose. “A book?” she echoed, her tone tinged with surprise.
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“Yes, a book,” Lucavion replied, his smirk widening slightly at her reaction. “It was about a group of people trying to expand their influence. See, they were from the north—cold, isolated, and far from the trade routes that connected most of the wealthier regions. They needed access to the warm seas to open up trading routes and grow their power. But the catch? To get there, they had to deal with everyone in their way.”
Valeria’s eyes narrowed, intrigued despite herself. “And I suppose they were blocked at every turn.”
“Exactly,” Lucavion said, his voice carrying a faint edge of satisfaction. “Because no one wanted a big player with no strings attached suddenly swimming in their waters, so to speak. It was a constant game of negotiation, alliances, and backstabbing. Sound familiar?”
Valeria sat back, the gears in her mind visibly turning. Marquis Ventor’s consistent absence from central politics suddenly seemed less like disinterest and more like strategy. Could it be that his influence, while significant, was limited by some unseen barrier? A geographical disadvantage, perhaps?
Her gaze sharpened, and she leaned forward slightly. “I always thought the Marquis stayed out of central politics because he didn’t want to get involved. But if he’s trying to build connections now… what if it’s not by choice? What if he’s forced to act because he needs something—something he can’t achieve on his own?”
Lucavion’s grin widened as he watched the realization dawn on her. “Now you’re catching on,” he said with a faint chuckle. “If you think about it, his offer to you might be less about what you bring to the table and more about what doors you can open for him.”
Valeria’s eyes darkened, her mind racing. “And if that’s true… then the question isn’t just what he wants from me. It’s why he needs me now, of all times.”
Lucavion’s gaze gleamed with approval. “Exactly,” he said. “So, Valeria, what’s the next move?”
********
Valeria sat alone in her room, the flickering light of the lantern casting long shadows across the stone walls. The air was still, save for the occasional crackle of the flame, but her mind was anything but quiet. She rested her chin on her hand, her other hand absently tracing the carved edge of the desk in front of her as Lucavion’s words replayed in her mind.
‘What’s the next move?’ she thought, her lips pressing into a thin line.
She stood abruptly, pacing the room as if the motion could help untangle the knot of thoughts tightening in her chest. The words she had spoken earlier echoed faintly, as if mocking her uncertainty.
‘What if he’s forced to act because he needs something… something he can’t achieve on his own?’
She paused by the window, gazing out at the city of Andelheim sprawled below, its lights twinkling like distant stars. The streets were quieter now, the festive buzz of the day giving way to the hum of nightfall. Yet her mind raced, refusing to find peace.
‘If Marquis Ventor’s territory has limits, why would he approach me now?’ she wondered, gripping the windowsill tightly. ‘I’ve only just begun to make a name for myself. My family’s legacy, the Olarion name, might carry some weight, but there are others with far more influence and power. Why me?’
Her gaze flicked back toward the desk where a map of the region lay unfurled, corners pinned down by the weight of her sword. She crossed the room, her steps measured, and studied the layout. Her finger hovered over the Marquis’ lands, tracing the borders of his region.
‘Geographical disadvantage,’ she mused, her thoughts aligning with Lucavion’s example. ‘If Ventor’s lands are isolated from major trade routes, then his ability to wield influence in the central politics of the Empire would be severely limited. But an alliance with someone like me… that could change everything.’
She leaned forward, her voice a quiet murmur as if voicing her thoughts aloud could solidify them. “If I agreed, he could leverage my name, my connections… perhaps even my skills in battle.” Her lips pressed together. “But in return, what would I gain? A share in his ambitions? Or would I just be a pawn in his larger game?”
The question hung heavy in the air as she stepped back, arms crossing tightly over her chest. She closed her eyes, and her mind conjured Lucavion’s face, his knowing grin as he’d said those words: “If you’re playing the game anyway, you might as well learn the rules as you go.”
‘Learn the rules as I go,’ she thought bitterly. ‘That’s easy for him to say. He acts like the game doesn’t touch him, like he can just watch from the sidelines and laugh. But me? If I make the wrong move, it won’t just be my pride at stake—it’ll be everything.’
Her fingers curled into fists as frustration bubbled to the surface. “What’s the next move?” she muttered under her breath. The question gnawed at her, relentless.
Finally, she sank into the chair by the desk, her hands resting heavily on its surface. ‘If he’s truly desperate, then I have leverage,’ she reasoned, her thoughts sharpening.
As Valeria sat in the stillness of her room, her fingers drumming lightly on the edge of the desk, another memory surfaced unbidden. It was something Lucavion had said just before she’d left their earlier conversation, his tone light, almost dismissive, but the words had stuck with her nonetheless.
“Tomorrow, come with me when I’m talking. You’ll see some crazy stuff.”
She let out a heavy sigh, leaning back in her chair as her gaze drifted to the ceiling. ‘This guy…’ she thought, pinching the bridge of her nose. ‘He really is a madman.’
The audacity of his words was almost enough to make her scoff aloud. ‘Crazy stuff,’ she repeated in her mind, her tone laced with exasperation. ‘What does that even mean? And why does he say it like he knows exactly how I’ll react?’ frёewebηovel.cѳm
But as much as she hated to admit it, there was a part of her—a small, insistent part—that was curious. Lucavion’s confidence, his unshakable ease in the face of chaos, wasn’t something she could ignore. It was infuriating, yes, but also… intriguing.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she tapped her fingers against the desk. ‘Why does he always seem so sure of himself? It’s like nothing rattles him like he’s already five steps ahead of everyone else.’ The memory of his grin flashed in her mind, that ever-present glint of amusement in his eyes as he had leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
Valeria huffed softly, shaking her head. “Madman,” she muttered aloud, her voice tinged with reluctant amusement.
Still, a seed of curiosity took root. What did he plan to show her tomorrow? She wanted to dismiss it as just another one of his ploys to amuse himself at her expense, but deep down, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Lucavion had a knack for turning the mundane into something extraordinary—sometimes infuriatingly so.
‘Fine,’ she thought, her lips pressing into a firm line. ‘I’ll go. But only because I want to see what he’s up to, not because he told me to.’
She straightened, her resolve hardening.