In the ancestral hall of the Demor Empire.
An elderly man with deep wrinkles was arguing with others of similar age.
"It seems my granddaughter has joined the struggle for the throne," Magnus commented, breaking the silence.
"Indeed, Magnus. It looks like the succession won't be so simple this time," another elder let out a heavy sigh. "And just when we thought everything was settled, another prince has died…"
"Leonardo has the Vitalis and Valois on his side. There's no sense in supporting anyone else," one of them remarked, though his tone betrayed that he was far too favorable toward the prince.
"And Elara is very likely to gain the other two. We can't deny that just because you and the Vitalis have your own ideas, Lucius."
"Enough!"
A woman who showed clear signs of age yet still looked strangely youthful interrupted the conversation. What stood out most was that her presence felt completely different from the others: her level surpassed the ninth circle.
The air in the hall grew thick with her authority — a clear sign of a true Transcendent.
"I don't know what your son is doing, Magnus!" she declared, her voice heavy with clear anger that made the walls of the ancestral hall vibrate.
Magnus, despite his own age and position, did not dare reply immediately.
He knew she was referring to Alric and the disastrous management he was carrying out: the assassination of a prince in his own palace, the disappearance of the princess of Lucratis, the chaos with the Beaumonts, and the increase in corrupted beasts. He could keep listing them all day.
"Alric has always been impulsive when he feels threatened," Magnus finally murmured, trying to calm the waters. "But I never thought he would risk the balance right before the Legacy manifests."
"Impulsiveness is a weakness we cannot afford," the Transcendent woman sentenced, her voice cutting through the air like a sharpened blade. "The empire stands on the brink of an external war and an internal collapse."
"Speaking of the war…" one of them interrupted, his expression a mix of relief and envy. "It seems we have another Transcendent in our empire. Sylvia Sterling managed to break through the limit recently. I don't think those from Lucratis will try anything now, knowing this."
The woman who surpassed the ninth circle remained silent, processing the news.
The appearance of a new Transcendent was an event that occurred once every few centuries, and the fact that it was someone from the Sterling family — strongly tied to Elara's faction — changed all the bets.
"Sylvia?" the woman murmured, narrowing her eyes. "That woman has always been talented, but this is too soon. For her to have already achieved it…"
She shook her head and spoke again:
"Regardless, stay alert to what's happening. Demor is stronger now, but it's being said that the upcoming Legacy is not ordinary. We might not only gain someone who reaches the ninth level, but someone who surpasses it. If that happens, together with Sylvia, Demor will become a fixed powerhouse on the continent."
…
Inside the carriage, an uncomfortable atmosphere settled. I couldn't show myself any differently with that woman present.
Thalassa Serenia looked at me with doubt and a hint of fear.
My eyes grew even colder.
Fortunately, it wouldn't be much longer until we arrived.
The carriage doors opened. Before stepping out, I gave an order to the blue-haired woman to remain inside the carriage; I didn't want to see her.
Inside, we were greeted by a woman who bore a strong resemblance to Valeria, though with long hair tied back and a relaxed posture that couldn't hide the fact that she was someone who had been through countless battles. A scar over her left eye immediately made an impression on me.
Valeria stood beside her, which made me immediately cast an illusion spell to change the color of my eyes. They weren't exactly common, and since we had quite a bit of contact, it was better this way.
Even so, she seemed to stare at me for a little too long.
"I heard you wanted to meet me," I said, directing my gaze toward the formidable-looking woman.
She didn't respond right away. Her eyes slowly and analytically scanned my masked figure.
The silence in the room grew heavy, and I noticed how Elara held her breath beside me.
But I simply held her gaze, waiting for her to make the next move.
At that moment, a burst of energy shot out from her directly toward my mask. Her ninth-level aura unfolded at full power, with no hesitation — enough to kill anyone who wasn't at that level on the spot.
I simply waved my hand and calmly dispelled the attack, then took a few steps forward and sat down in front of her with a bored expression.
This interaction seemed to be enough for her to signal Valeria to leave. Valeria looked at her mother with some displeasure but still withdrew, giving me curious glances before exiting.
Understanding what she wanted, I did the same with Elara and Elizabeth, who simply obeyed my instructions.
Selyne watched that interaction with clear surprise.
She could understand it with Elara; although the girl was "talented" if you don't know about her forbidden practices, she didn't stand out much otherwise.
But Elizabeth… that was something else entirely.
Once we were alone, the air shifted. She dropped her relaxed posture and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees.
"So… Sylvia has been insisting that I support Elara. She didn't mention you directly, but she said a few things…" Selyne began, breaking the silence. "And I heard about two masked individuals in Beaumont. Now that I've met you, I understand a little better."
The duchess stared at me intently, evaluating me.
"But tell me, have you thought about how you're actually going to remove Leonardo?" Selyne asked, narrowing her eyes. "His title shouldn't be removable, even if Elara has enough support. And now that Sylvia has surpassed the ninth circle, the scales are certainly in your favor… but unless there's an official announcement from the emperor or someone with greater power in this empire…"
The duchess paused, leaving the doubt hanging in the air.
She knew legitimacy was the biggest obstacle. Leonardo wouldn't fall as long as the emperor continued to support him.
"The rules of this empire are clear," she continued. "The right of succession cannot be broken by brute force alone, unless you plan to kill them. Is that what you have in mind?"
"Because if so, you're being far too naive," Selyne stated coldly. "Although it seems you've surpassed the limit and are stronger than Sylvia, it appears she didn't tell you that before her, this empire already had another Transcendent. Besides… what exactly are you seeking with all of this?"
The mention of someone who had surpassed the limit didn't surprise me. It would have been stranger if no one had achieved it, and a Nascent Soul cultivator could live for quite a long time.
I also knew that behind the emperor stood the elders. Those old men were the ones who truly held the power in Demor. Even if Alric made the decisions now, if the others strongly disagreed or opposed him, it would be very difficult for anything to be carried out.
I leaned back in my seat, remaining calm. Selyne believed she was giving me information that would make me retreat.
"I'm not seeking anything that should concern you, Duchess," I replied coldly. "You only need to give your formal support. The rest will happen naturally. There are many ways to end someone without killing them, and right now my interest in killing Leonardo is quite low. I'd prefer him to live and regret it for the rest of his life. As for Alric, if Leonardo is no longer an option, he won't have a choice."
Selyne fell silent, absorbing my words. The fact that I didn't wish for Leonardo's death wasn't out of mercy, but out of a much deeper cruelty that she could sense in my tone.
"Very well," she finally conceded. "The Astafords will formally support Elara. Though I don't see what we gain from this."
I smiled at her question.
"About that… I recently conducted a small experiment with Sylvia. I'm sure you've noticed the result. I'm quite curious to see how it would work with someone who cultivates aura instead of mana."
Her eyes widened as she understood what that implied.
Her smile began to take on a much more interested tone, while her eyes looked at me, trying to decipher me further.
"Are you saying you were responsible for that?" she murmured, her voice filled with disbelief. "That would break everything we know… If Transcendents start appearing like mere soldiers joining the army…"
The duchess didn't finish the sentence, but the implication was clear: the individual value of the powerful would collapse, and the order of the continent would crumble.
Her gaze fixed on me once again, now with a trace of fear.
Her concerns and questions were starting to tire me, so I didn't say much more, leaving it implicit that I expected her support.
I turned around and left the room with the same calm with which I had entered.
Once she was alone in the room, her gaze darkened with concern and something more.
"Sylvia…" Selyne murmured to herself, clenching her fists. "Can we really trust someone like him? If he's as powerful as you say… who will be able to stop him if what he seeks is not peace?"
But of course, if she knew the true relationship her daughter or her friend had with him, perhaps she wouldn't be so worried… or maybe she would be much more worried.