Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Shadows of schemes
Kael walked into his room with a smirk as the maid followed behind.
"Why is he so happy? What is he smiling about?" The maid was confused as Kael didn't say anything.
"Guard my door. If the king decides on when I'm going on that journey, inform me, okay?" Kael said, and the maid bowed.
She was about to leave when Kael stopped her.
"What's your name?" Kael suddenly asked. He realized that ever since this maid had been working for the crown prince, he had never once asked for her name. Now that he was vastly different from the former crown prince, he felt the need to know.
"A... Ash, my name is Ash, master," the maid replied, bowing. Kael raised an eyebrow but nodded.
"No one should disturb me. I will be busy for a while," Kael said. Ash simply bowed again and left the room, leaving him to his thoughts.
Alone in his room, Kael fell onto his bed and sighed.
"This world is really muddy," Kael thought, his experiences already leaving him slightly frustrated.
Let's start with his kingdom. At first glance, it looked fine, but it wasn't. The power struggle was real. After all, this crown prince was really foolish. He knew nothing about leading a kingdom. He wasn't wise, couldn't calm down to make good decisions, and was irrational and impulsive. He was quick to make poor choices and filled with lust.
But all this worked in Kael's favor—no one would suspect him of scheming beneath this arrogant fool's facade.
Because of the crown prince's reputation, his siblings were already preparing, seeking both financial and physical support from aristocrats and ministers. They were dabbling in the military and trying to form their own armies.
To Kael, it was all just an interesting show. They had no idea of the power the crown prince held. But Kael wanted to seize everything at once. He wanted his siblings to know that their crown prince was a cunning old fox.
So how was he going to do it?
If he married his so-called bride, he would face no opposition and would ascend smoothly to the throne. But that wasn't going to happen now. Even so, Kael already had the highest level of support among the ministers and aristocrats. It was a decision made by the king, and Kael was the firstborn.
Basically, Kael wasn't facing any immediate issues. However, he still had to prove himself worthy of their support. He needed to accomplish something significant on the upcoming trip—that was what he was thinking about.
But what could he do? After all, his so-called bride had an ancient master, and he had no comparable talent. From his lean build, it was clear he was just an ordinary human. He lacked cultivation abilities.
Still, credit had to be given to the crown prince—he had created his own private army, hidden from everyone except the king, who secretly supported him.
Kael exhaled deeply, his eyes narrowing as his expression became solemn. He would meet his army first. But now, something more critical occupied his thoughts.
The former prince had been poisoned. Judging from Ash's expression, she wasn't the one responsible. This meant there were other assassins within the kingdom.
"Good. Well done. It's time this prince reshuffles this kingdom. I'll take you all down, one by one," Kael said as a murderous intent briefly emanated from him before disappearing.
Kael stood, ready to meet his army.
"Jake," Kael called out, and a figure emerged from the shadows. Yes, he had a bodyguard, but even so, he had been poisoned. This only showed how skilled the assassin was. The assassin must have been of the same rank or higher than Jake.
The martial ranks in this world were as follows: Martial Disciple, Martial Warrior, Martial Master, Martial Grandmaster, and finally, Ancient Warrior.
Each kingdom had at least one Martial Grandmaster, but few had an Ancient Warrior. These old monsters had lived for centuries and rarely took disciples.
Jake, on the other hand, was merely a Martial Warrior. The assassin was most likely a Martial Master.
Kael sucked in a cold breath, a smile creeping onto his lips.
A Martial Master was a valuable asset to any kingdom. Ministers and aristocrats couldn't secretly possess one without the kingdom's knowledge. Since none existed within his kingdom, it was clear that this assassin was a foreign Martial Master, likely hiding in one of the aristocrats' or ministers' estates.
This, in simple terms, meant another kingdom was involved. But which one? Was it the Fin Land Kingdom or the Kingdom of Jimi, where his so-called bride came from?
"Well, all will be revealed soon. But first, I need to meet my army. I feel like a great opportunity is waiting for me there," Kael thought as he glanced at Jake.
The assassin only dared to poison him. If they had attacked directly, the Martial Masters and Grandmasters of this kingdom would have emerged to kill them.
"Summon my army. Let's meet in ten minutes," Kael instructed.
"As you wish, my prince," Jake said, merging back into the shadows and disappearing.
"What opportunity awaits me in my army?" Kael wondered as he moved to a hidden spot in his room.
Sliding a few blocks aside, a secret door opened. Kael stepped through, and the door vanished behind him.
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Outside the Room
Ash stood outside the prince's chamber, her expression tense and cautious. Her thoughts churned as she recalled the way Kael's eyes had been watching her, observing her every move. A sudden chill ran down her spine.
"Why did he ask for my name now?" she wondered, unease prickling at her senses.
But then, her irritation flared.
"Wait... Am I being too paranoid? He's just a crazy, lustful fool! How dare he?!" Anger surged within her, and she clenched her fists.
As an assassin, Ash was trained to pick up on even the subtlest body movements and expressions. The way Kael had scrutinized her made her question whether his foolish behavior was an act. But after spending five years with the prince, she dismissed the thought.
"No, it's impossible. He's just a big fool. Nothing more."
With a resigned sigh, Ash relaxed her posture, leaning against the doorframe. Her mind wandered to a more pressing concern.
"When will Master call for me? I'm tired of babysitting this idiot. Just one word, and I'll end him."
If Kael had overheard her thoughts, he would have burst into laughter. The crown prince's reputation for idiocy was so deeply ingrained in everyone's minds—even Ash's—that no one could imagine him as anything else. Not even his own father.
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Across the Inner City of the Kingdom
In a lavishly furnished room within a grand estate, a man furiously smashed priceless artifacts against the floor. The sound of shattering glass and porcelain echoed through the chamber, amplifying his frustration.
"Why?! Why is he still alive?!" he bellowed, his face contorted with fear and fury. Thoughts of discovery haunted him. If his betrayal were uncovered, he would be branded a traitor, and his entire family would face brutal execution.
"You need to calm down," said a second man, his voice cool and composed. Seated leisurely in a plush chair, he sipped wine as though the chaos around him was beneath his notice.
"Calm down?! Easy for you to say! Your family isn't at risk!" the enraged man shouted, slamming his fists onto the table and splintering it into pieces.
The calm man, unperturbed, set his glass aside and rose to his feet. "William... Relax," he said, his tone firm and commanding.
William froze as the man placed a hand on his shoulder. Though the gesture appeared gentle, the weight behind it was anything but. William winced, the pressure making his shoulder throb.
"If it were any other prince or princess, perhaps we'd have reason to worry," the man continued, his words measured and deliberate. "But this is the crown prince. The most foolish royal I've ever encountered. We are perfectly safe."
William's expression began to ease as the words sank in.
"But... as long as he's alive—" William started, but another firm pat on the shoulder silenced him.
The man smirked. "You yourself said it—the crown prince is set to visit the Jimi Kingdom to meet his bride-to-be, someone he hasn't even laid eyes on yet. Think about it. The Jimi Kingdom has an ancient warrior, and the prince's fiancée is highly talented. She will most likely reject him. This is our opportunity."
William frowned. "But won't he be protected? I mean—"
The man interrupted with a knowing smile. "The king will likely downplay the visit to avoid embarrassment. He won't send high-profile guards; instead, the prince will be accompanied by ordinary escorts, all under the radar."
Realization dawned on William, and a sly grin spread across his face. "Ah, I see. The heavens are truly on our side. Should I send a martial warrior to handle it?"
The man shook his head, his tone turning icy. "No. I don't leave loose ends. I'll take care of this myself. It will be clean, and I'll ensure the blame falls squarely on the Jimi Kingdom. Sit back and wait for the news."
William nodded, his earlier panic replaced by trust in the man's abilities. He thought to himself, "Thank the heavens for this Martial Master. Without him, I'd be lost. He's far calmer and more cunning than I could ever hope to be."
The Martial Master, now seated once again, picked up his wineglass and took another sip. His eyes gleamed with calculated malice as he silently envisioned the downfall of the crown prince.
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