The king sat on his throne, his face a mask of grief and fury.𝗈𝗏𝔩xt.𝑪𝒪𝑀
The crown prince, his beloved son, was dead, poisoned by the followers of an unorthodox god.
He had ordered a thorough investigation into the matter, but so far, they had come up empty-handed.
Duke Charles, His younger brother, was suspected of colluding with the cult.
Charles’s whereabouts during the time of the poisoning were unknown, and several of his servants had been seen with known cult members.
The room was filled with tension as the king sat on his throne, flanked by his advisors.
In front of him stood Duke Charles, his younger brother, accused of colluding with the cult responsible for the death of the crown prince.
“Brother, I demand you explain yourself!” his voice was shaky with anger and grief.
Duke Charles remained calm as he spoke, “Your majesty, I swear on my honor that I had no part in the prince’s death or any dealings with this so-called cult.”
He turned to Shadow, his trusted advisor. “Shadow, what evidence do we have against the Duke?”
Shadow hesitated before answering. “Your majesty, we received a report from our informant that they spotted the Duke with the cult members on several occasions.”
The Duke’s face remained stoic as he responded, “I have many business dealings, and it’s possible that I may have encountered them, but I assure you I was not in any way related to the prince’s death.”
Despite their best efforts, the investigation turned up no concrete evidence against Duke Charles.
The king was beside himself with rage and frustration.
He slammed his fist on the armrest of his throne and suddenly slumped forward, unconscious.
His advisors rushed to his side, calling for the court physician.
After a few tense moments, The king regained consciousness, but it was clear that his old age was catching up to him, and the multiple life-extending potions and items he had taken before were now ineffective.
The Duke, who had been standing silently, bowed respectfully before the emperor and left the throne room, his name cleared but his reputation tarnished.
Shadow remained behind, deep in thought, trying to find a way to uncover the truth behind the prince’s death.
As the King’s health continued to decline, the political landscape of the empire became increasingly unstable, with factions competing for power and influence.
And in the dark, the cult responsible for the prince’s death continued to operate, their true motivations and goals unknown.
…
The news of the Crown Prince’s death spread through the kingdom like wildfire, causing uncertainty and fear to grip the hearts of the people.
For the nobles, it meant the start of a new and uncertain era.
As the process to choose the next heir continued for several weeks, the nobles reacted differently.
Some greedy nobles, who were easily swayed by money, began to plot and scheme to align themselves with the most likely candidate.
Others, the prideful noble who thought they were the decisive decision-makers as to who should be the heir, became more vocal in their opinions.
The majority of the nobles, however, chose to wait and see, carefully watching.
They knew that choosing the wrong heir could lead to a civil war, and they were not willing to risk their lives or their fortunes.
The nobles considered various unique characteristics and traits of the siblings to make their decision.
Some favored the older prince, who was known for his wisdom and diplomatic skills.
Others preferred the younger princess, who was beloved by the people and had shown great promise in her studies.
As the weeks went by, some nobles began to choose a new heir to support, based on the information they had gathered.
They communicated their support for the chosen heir in a more informal and behind-the-scenes manner, careful not to reveal their hand too soon.
On the other hand, leaders of the neighboring kingdom convened in the grand hall to discuss the political turmoil in the faerie kingdom.
The advisors and ministers discussed the potential benefits and consequences of intervening in the conflict.
One advisor argued that intervening in the faerie kingdom would strengthen the neighboring kingdom’s position in the region and create opportunities for trade and expansion.
However, another minister cautioned that intervening could lead to an unnecessary war and that the faerie kingdom could potentially become a liability.
As the discussion continued, it became clear that there was no clear consensus on what action to take.
The majority of advisors and ministers suggested a “wait and see” approach, monitoring the situation in the faerie kingdom closely before making any decisions.
The leader of the neighboring kingdom ultimately agreed with the majority’s recommendation and decided to adopt a wait-and-see attitude.
The kingdom would continue to observe the situation in the faerie kingdom closely and prepare for any potential developments that could impact their own interests.
The meeting concluded with the leaders acknowledging the potential risks of intervention and the need for careful consideration of their options.
…
Maximus, sat in his chamber, surrounded by stacks of letters from various nobles soliciting his support in their faction.
Each letter was sealed with the sigil of the sender, and each carried an enticing offer for Maximus to join their side in the political conflict that had been raging across the empire.
Promises of land, titles, and wealth had all been promised in exchange for his allegiance.
Maximus had never been one to make hasty decisions, and he took the time to read through each letter carefully, weighing the benefits and risks of joining each faction.
He also received envoys from some of the nobles, who made their pitch in person, hoping to sway him to their cause.
Despite their persuasive words, Maximus remained unswayed.
He knew that joining a faction now would not do him any good.
Besides, wealth meant nothing to him as his system could generate 40 gold coins a day, which could feed a huge family for a lifetime.
As for land, his property was larger than the imperial city, despite being barren.
In terms of title, it would be useless as he would become a lackey in the end, even if the one he supported won.
However, Maximus knew that staying neutral would not be without its challenges.
He would likely face pressure and attempts at coercion from both sides, as each faction would suspect him of having hidden agendas.
As the days went on, more letters and envoys arrived, each attempting to persuade Maximus to join their faction.
He politely declined each one, thanking them for their offers but stating that he had made his decision to remain neutral.
Some were disappointed, while others grew angry at his refusal to pick a side.
In the end, he decided to remain neutral and refused to join any particular faction.
It would allow him to maintain his independence and keep his options open, allowing him to be more flexible in case he was presented with an opportunity.
