CHAPTER 927: THE KING’S GAMBIT

"The utter destruction of Soaring Bird City is a catastrophic loss for the kingdom. It is a stain on our honor that will be hard to wash away." Grand Duke Richard had one hand on his chest in a posture of prayerful solemnity.

"He is a traitor!" Grand Duke William’s reflection in the mirror was visibly shaking with rage. "A viper we nurtured in our own house! This treachery must be punished with the utmost severity. We must do it to restore the kingdom’s dignity, to protect the interests of our noble class, and to send a clear warning to the fence-sitters hiding in the shadows."

Compared to Richard, William’s anger was far more personal.

He had the most to lose from the fall of Soaring Bird City; it was his faction that held the largest stake there. In fact, it was William who had directed his subordinate nobles to systematically sideline Torin in the first place.

King Harold watched the two Grand Dukes. They all knew the truth.

A large part of why Torin did what he did was because they had conspired to turn Baron Torin into a powerless figurehead.

Now, they were placing all the blame on him, shamelessly shirking their own responsibility and leveraging the full might of the kingdom to protect their personal interests.

He saw right through them, but his hands were tied. The Grand Dukes hadn’t kept all the spoils for themselves; they had been careful to give the royal family a slice of the cake.

"There is no point in assigning blame now," King Harold said, his voice cutting through their posturing. He had no desire to bicker with his ministers. "Let us decide how to deal with this Torin."

Uniting their strength to eliminate the traitor and repel the outside enemy was his only priority.

"Torin is a traitor. We must clean our own house," Grand Duke William insisted.

Torin’s sacrifice of the city had cost him dearly. His hatred for the man was bone-deep. Why Torin would choose rebellion over his comfortable position as a city lord was something William, blind to his own role in the affair, truly could not comprehend.

"The traitor must be dealt with swiftly," Grand Duke Richard agreed. "We cannot allow our neighbors to laugh at our expense."

Whatever the reason for the treason, elimination was the only answer.

"Very well." The King brought the hammer down, deciding against a pointless investigation into Torin’s motives. "After this meeting, I will issue a royal decree declaring Torin a traitor to the kingdom. We will publicize his crimes and make him an object of scorn for all."

He paused, letting the decision settle.

"Second question: who will lead the punitive expedition?"

As king, Harold had to remain in the capital; he could not lead the armies himself.

"The eastern coast is still unstable," Grand Duke Richard said immediately. "The naga race launches small-scale incursions almost weekly. I cannot be spared."

Harold and William both knew the situation on the east coast was precarious. It had to be garrisoned. There was nothing more to say.

"I will go."

King Harold looked at Grand Duke William, who had volunteered before the king could even ask.

"His Highness Prince Theodore’s territory lies in the north, very close to the lands of the dwarven Tribe," William continued smoothly. "I implore Your Majesty to allow the Prince to coordinate with me in this action to purge the traitor."

The old fox.

William was roping in the heir to the kingdom, ensuring the other two couldn’t plot against him behind his back. It gave his mission an extra layer of security.

"You have my permission," King Harold said after a brief moment of thought. "I will order Theodore to cooperate with you, Grand Duke."

Letting the prince take a small risk was a worthwhile price to pay if it meant William would be fully committed to the task. Besides, the campaign would allow Theodore to accumulate more prestige and honor. It was a win-win.

"Thirdly," the king continued, taking charge of the diplomacy, "I believe we must inform the stoneheart horde, the blood elves, and the dragons. Their personnel stationed in Soaring Bird City were all sacrificed. It is our duty to offer condolences. Furthermore, before Grand Duke William concludes his mission, we must proactively engage the other three factions on this matter. We need to manage them and ensure they do not interfere in our internal affairs."

As king, Harold not only had to push for the traitor’s elimination but also manage their powerful neighbors, creating the time and space William needed to succeed.

"The dwarven Tribe is a cake ready to be carved, and with the dwarven prophet Dain having come to our Royal capital, we already have the first slice. We know the dragons have a shadowy presence among the northern barbarian factions. This operation must be swift."

King Harold’s gaze fell on William again, his expression deadly serious.

"Rest assured, Your Majesty. I will give it my all," William promised.

Only then did the King nod slowly. "Containing our neighbors is also a contingency. We currently have no intelligence on the faction backing Baron Torin, but for him to have the gall to rebel, his support must be significant. If the Kingdom army suffers a setback, we can use the opportunity to invite our neighbors to the table. Let them have a piece of the cake as well."

It was the safest play. If you knew you couldn’t eat the whole meal, it was better to share the leftovers. You’d gain allies and put them in your debt.

"Grand Duke William," the King said, his tone heavy, "the speed with which you eliminate this traitor will dictate the kingdom’s entire approach to this crisis."

The pressure was immense.

"Your Majesty," William replied, "I understand the gravity of the situation."

Silence descended upon the three men, each one calculating what they stood to gain from the chaos.

"I will inform the Saint of this matter," King Harold said at last, his voice cool and distant. "The Saint will be watching over you."

Hearing this, a look of relief, even joy, flashed across William’s face. He bowed deeply. With the Saint’s attention, at least no major disaster could befall him.

They spent the better part of the day discussing the logistics of the armies to be deployed.

Finally, the magic mirror went blank. King Harold turned and left the secret chamber.

When he reappeared, he was in the south, at the sun-drenched Rose Manor.

"Harold? What brings you here?"

At the highest point of the manor, Ava stood leaning against a stone railing. She was watching her son, Kronos, in the distance, riding atop a Raptor and training with a giant bloodline warrior.

Ever since he’d learned that Pallas had hatched a black dragon, Kronos had been training with a desperate fervor.

As the older one, his young heart refused to accept being second best. He was determined not to fall behind, to never let Pallas surpass him.

King Harold said nothing at first, simply watching his nephew train for a long moment before turning to his sister.

"I’ve come about Soaring Bird City."

His voice was gentle, a stark contrast to the political maneuvering from moments before.

"That territory borders the blood elves and the ogres, and the ogres are a vassal race of the Stoneheart Horde. If I grant that land to you as your fief, no one in the Kingdom will dare to voice any opposition. It will be a place for you and Kronos, in the future."

It was a territory Harold had carved out for his sister amidst the Kingdom’s complex and dangerous political landscape. Fortunately for them, Ava and Kronos had a truly powerful entity watching their backs. Otherwise, a move like this would have been impossible.