Chapter 549

Chapter 549

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Chapter 549

The atmosphere in the Sun Palace had been anything but normal lately.

It was not long ago that such whispers reached the ears of Duke Diarca.

Initially, the Duke thought these rumblings to be an auspicious sign he had long awaited. The Emperor, who had secluded himself due to illness and didn't wish to reveal his deteriorating condition to anyone, was perhaps nearing his end. Though the Crown Prince's condition was not exactly promising, Duke Diarca felt that regardless, the course of the world would not deviate from the plans set forth by his house. It was a rational assessment, based on a long-standing observation of the palace's various eyes and ears.

However, his hopes were shattered when the Cavalry returned from the west and the Emperor emerged from his seclusion for the first time in years.

To the astonishment of the unwitting commoners, the Emperor looked reasonably well as he openly praised the returning Cavalry. Even more surprising, he brazenly wielded his authority, appearing with an entourage that included the Grand General and the Head of the Court Mages. Watching the Emperor and Empress return, after publicly lauding the Cavalry and elevating his brothers reputation, Duke Diarca couldn't muster even a sarcastic laugh.

True, the Duke had suspected he was placing false hopes on his brother and the Cavalry since its inception. Thus, he could come to terms with the ostentatious display. But only once.

The recent monster anomalies in the West have been exceptional incidents. It was the first time something like that had happened, and it was the first time that Duke Tain, who was so crazy about gambling that he could not afford to solve the problem himself, had brought them in. It was mere luck, not something to expect a second time around, that the Cavalry had identified and resolved the issue. Fôllôw new stories at no/v(e)lb/in(.)com

What difference did luck-made outcomes have from meaningless victories in gambling? Real victories were reserved for those who had patiently bided their time and prepared. They were not something that could be had by fools who stumbled into power by luck.

Yet, it seemed the Cavalry and Duke Peletta himself didn't share this viewpoint. At the gauche party reeking of vulgarity, they did not hesitate to provoke Duke Diarca.

After that damned party, Duke Diarca lost several confidants, including the always-obedient Baron Durmand. He even went to the extent of making sweeping changes among his inner circle, to deter any erroneous thinking about the Diarca family. Although it was something he was planning to do sooner or later, the fact that he was forced into it made it particularly disagreeable.

Still, amidst his frustration and anger, the Duke did what needed to be done based on his previous experiences. He maximally utilized the lessons learned from the party. Knowing that the awakened commoners were fiercely loyal to those who recognized their value, he decided to replace the worthless men around him with Awakeners hed never paid attention to before. As a first step, he finally sent reliable eyes and ears into the Cavalry, which he had ignored until now.

However, this motley crew, not even a year old, gave not an iota of attention to the people sent by Duke Diarca. It wasn't that they were satisfied with their current group, but they weren't easily swayed by money or prestige either. On the contrary, they regarded the people sent from Diarca with suspicion, making repeated attempts to discern their true identities, which in turn unnerved the Duke's messengers.

"Your Grace. I apologize, but the arrogance of those commoners surpasses all imagination. Given their inflated sense of importance, they're unlikely to accept our proposal at this juncture. May I suggest we wait for a better opportunity? Human greed knows no bounds, and these lowly beings will not know their place. Time will provide the answer to all."

The first plan, which aimed to buy off members of the Cavalry to act as eyes and ears within it, had failed. Duke Diarca regretted not planting his agents when the Cavalry was initially formed. However, he reasoned that new members would eventually be recruited. If these men had any sense, they would soon realize that they'd joined a rotten corps.

Instead, Duke Diarca started to fill his ranks with other Awakeners. Though not entirely pleased, he comforted himself with the thought that nothing in the world progresses perfectly in one go.

Patience never betrays. Even the Duke's irresponsible youngest son, Kiolle, had finally matured enough to act like a proper human being. Or so the Duke thought, unaware of the truth about his 'finally matured' youngest son. Duke Diarca was unconcerned with the details.

After the Diarca party, he planted even more eyes and ears around the Emperor, Empress, and the Cavalry. Those he had left alone, thinking they would fail on their own, had started to regain their vitality. He could not afford to ignore this any longer.

Soon, new shifts in the atmosphere that he had previously overlooked began to filter through to him. Duke Peletta, who had always been a wastrel and frequented all manner of parties, was now reportedly engrossed in training exercises with his Cavalry. Reports came in that the commoners' faith in him grew significantly when his new sword was verified to be genuine.

The Emperor, who was thought to be ineffectively hanging around the nobility and occasionally losing his temper, had recently started inviting several people into the palace. Even more shocking was the unreliable information suggesting a close correspondence between the Sun Palace and the upper echelons of Nelarn.

The Empress, usually so meek in social gatherings, was unexpectedly in frequent contact with her family, the House of Herne. Particularly concerning was her communication with the first and the second child of the Herne family, who were the most likely candidates to become the next Duke of Herne. This gave Duke Diarca an unsettling feeling.

"Should we not also inform His Highness, the Crown Prince in the Bright Palace?"

"Leave him be. And don't say a word to Kiolle either. Instead, get in touch with the 'healers' who frequent the Bright Palace."

If they planned to use the power of the Awakener to sustain themselves, then he could counter them with the same power.

Duke Diarca decided to fully exploit their abilities and issued the orders. Not long after, a report arrived saying that the healers had agreed to cooperate.

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