CHAPTER 106: SENATE REPORT

Aric stepped into the Senate House.

The building reeked of tension, smoke hanging heavy and pressing down like expectation. Grand columns lined the hall, their long shadows stretching across murals of past emperors and battles won.

Rows of high-backed seats spiraled upward, filled with the empire’s most influential nobles.

At the very center, upon an elevated throne, sat his father, Emperor Xavier Valerian—flanked by his three sons: Valen, Sylas, and Darius. Each regarded Aric with varying shades of curiosity, contempt, and veiled calculation.

As Aric advanced to the chamber’s center, Duke Thadrian Varys, Speaker of the Senate, raised a hand. The murmurs fell silent. Thadrian was no partisan figure—he held power not by force, but by the secrets he collected from every senator present.

His careful gaze settled on Aric.

"Aric Valerian, Fourth Prince of the Empire," Thadrian announced, his tone sharp with ceremony. "You stand before us to account for your conquest of Byzeth. The Emperor and the council of nobles wish to understand how this victory was achieved."

Aric met his father’s eyes. The emperor’s face was carved in stone, unreadable. Beside him, Crown Prince Valen leaned forward with predatory interest. Sylas wore a mask of boredom, though his fingers twitched with unease. Darius observed with detached curiosity, as though watching a game unfold.

"Your conquest was... unexpected, Aric," Valen finally said, voice measured but edged with challenge. "Byzeth is not easily subdued—certainly not by a single man. Explain how you managed this without imperial support."

The hall hushed.

Aric’s tone was calm, almost casual. "It was difficult, I admit. But careful planning, and the right timing, gave me an opening. I began by infiltrating King Aszer’s council, convincing him that I intended to betray Valeria."

Gasps and mutters rippled through the seats. Aric ignored them.

"He believed he had gained an ally within our empire. It gave me access to Byzeth’s inner workings—knowledge otherwise impossible to obtain."

Quills scratched furiously. From the Iron Circle, Count Feris Draylon leaned forward, suspicion etched into his features.

"A bold claim," Draylon said dryly. "But infiltration alone does not win wars."

Aric allowed a smirk to form before continuing.

"Afterward, I seized the Stretch of Miredis and its primary trade route using nothing but a band of common brigands. We struck their patrols and supply lines gradually, unnoticed until too late. By the time Aszer realized, his trade was strangled. I then sent him and his army chasing ghosts on a pointless march. Byzeth collapsed without a battle."

The chamber erupted with murmurs—admiration, disbelief, resentment. Aric stood motionless, letting their noise feed his silence.

It was Sylas who leaned forward next, voice soft but barbed. "And what of Aszer himself? Rumor claims you killed him with your bare hands. Tell us, little brother, how a previously bedridden prince accomplished such a feat."

Aric met his brother’s gaze, unflinching. "Strength lies in places most overlook. Aszer’s arrogance blinded him. With the Northrenders at my side, his undoing was inevitable."

The evasion was obvious. Valen’s jaw tightened, but he pressed no further.

Marquis Arwin Valtair of the Shadow League interjected, hawk-eyed. "Convincing the Northrenders to betray Byzeth was no small feat. How did you persuade them?"

"Charm," Aric replied simply, letting the word linger.

Scoffs and laughter rippled through the chamber, though some senators glanced at him uneasily. Aric knew he’d given them too little—and exactly enough.

Countess Amisa Morren narrowed her eyes. "You expect us to believe charm alone won the loyalty of seasoned Northrend warriors?"

Aric’s smile chilled. "Believe what you like, Countess. What matters is that Byzeth fell. I offered the Northrenders the same lands Aszer had promised them. Unlike him, I delivered. Byzeth’s loyalty belongs to Valeria once more. Results speak louder than your doubts—results you have failed to achieve for years."

Duke Thadrian’s voice cut through the rising murmurs. "If Byzeth’s trade routes are yours, Prince Aric, we must know—how secure are they? How will you sustain them?"

"Byzeth’s channels are under my full control," Aric said evenly. "Merchants have been placed at key points, and the Northrenders now look to Valeria—not the Draken Empire—for their trade. As of this moment, the North no longer depends on Draken."

Gasps scattered through the hall.

Baroness Leora Firael frowned. "Are you saying we now trade openly with the Northrenders?"

Aric arched a brow. "We?" The single word snapped like a whip—reminding them the victory was his, not theirs.

His brothers exchanged glances, expressions flickering with something—envy, anger, perhaps even fear—before smoothing into masks once again.

At last, Emperor Xavier stirred. His voice was slow, deliberate. "The empire has gained much from your... unconventional methods, Aric. But the Northrenders are volatile. Should they turn on us, all you’ve built will collapse."

Aric met his father’s gaze. "They respect strength above all, Father. I have shown them ours. This alliance was not born of promises, but of conquest and blood."

For a moment, silence pressed over the Senate. Then the emperor gave a slow, almost imperceptible nod.

Duke Thadrian cleared his throat. "Prince Aric’s achievements have shifted the balance in our favor. The Senate will review his methods further, but the specifics of this alliance must be addressed in closed council."

Before the session could adjourn, Count Lysander Drakov of the Silver Dawn rose. "If Valeria can achieve such victories, perhaps it is time to grant other provinces similar independence and resources. Prince Aric has proven what one determined leader can accomplish without imperial meddling."

Valen scoffed. "Decentralizing power? That would invite chaos. Valeria’s strength lies in unity."

Aric smiled faintly as the chamber fractured into debate, factions circling like vultures around fresh meat. He had shifted the balance with a single move—and now they scrambled to reclaim it.

As the meeting drew to a close, Duke Thadrian regarded Aric with a shadowed smile. "Today we witnessed an unprecedented report. Your conquest is commendable, Prince Aric. But remember—this Senate has sharp ears... and sharper blades."

Aric inclined his head, the warning clear.