CHAPTER 280

“Second Prince Baros van Aser requests an audience!”

– Let him enter.

With the solemn voice, the doors to the office opened and Baros took a deep breath before carefully stepping forward.

Inside, a giant who seemed like he would never budge from his spot was shining his peculiar eyes, staring at him.

“I see Emperor Your Majesty.”

At the moment when his eyes met the emperor’s, his knees bent and his head bowed – out of habit long held or perhaps due to the overpowering charisma of the Regent Emperor, he could not yet determine.

‘Or perhaps it is the power that position holds.’

Someday he would know.

At the end of this austere journey, when he will have built the stature befitting that position.

Or, when he is recognized by the Emperor.

“What brings you here?”

“The repercussions of the assassination of a nation’s king?”

His tone was surprisingly calm for such a grave topic.

At that, Baros confidently nodded.

“As it is a newly established dynasty, there are many trying to smear its legitimacy. Planning to dismiss the incident as an act of remnants from the old dynasty.”

At that, the emperor’s eyebrows twitched.

“The public may be foolish but not ignorant.”

An out-of-context statement, it seemed.

Yet, at those words, Baros flinched, and the Emperor’s calm voice continued.

“I must have told you this before. It seems you still do not understand its meaning.”

Pitiful.

His voice grew even more indifferent. It seemed almost like he could hear the unspoken words ringing in his ears.

In that moment, as he saw the Emperor’s fingers move, Baros hastily exclaimed, preempting his speech.

“I know! Public opinion is easy to guide, but it must be based on truth. The words of Arius, the sage of the Empire 300 years ago.”

“Oh?”

Seeing the Emperor’s fingers rest again, Baros inwardly sighed with relief and continued.

“The psyche of the masses is easily swept by the tide, but clear evidence is needed to create that tide. A flow founded on falsehood, once uncovered, one must be prepared for the backlash many times over.” 𝙧𝘢Ŋồ𝔟Ё𝐬

“You knew this, yet you speak so?”

“Assassinations by Logan McClain. Those who might believe only our Empire had the ability to order such an act would be numerous. But even with those suspicions, the public would rather not believe.”

“They’d rather not believe?”

“Yes. During Your Majesty’s reign, the Empire has pursued a policy of peace for the past 20 years.”

“Is that so?”

Baros, seeing the Regent Emperor not attempt to intercept, continued more confidently.

“Are these the doings of those who dream of the old dynasty’s revenge, or an imperial assault? Faced with these two nonsensical conjectures, people will believe what they want to, even if it’s poison to themselves.”

The suggestion was people would believe in the specters of the old dynasty over a grim future initiated by the Empire.

At that, the Emperor let out a rare faint smile.

“Interesting, Baros. But even so, the bearers of the fragrance will not completely dissuade the suspicions of the heads of various nations.”

“Even with suspicions, it will not lead to actions like a coalition of nations. Allow the ghosts one opportunity before the grand plan.”

“Logan McClain. Does eliminating this child justify the revelation of the ghosts?”

“Yes, it does.”

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Though the tapping of the Emperor’s fingers on the armrest was brief, it felt lengthy to Baros.

Eventually, the Emperor spoke.

“Very well. I permit the operation of the ghosts.”

Fortunately, the Emperor had listened to his request.

Of course.

“But, as a penalty for breaking the rules of the succession battle, your score will be docked by 10%. Will you still proceed?”

It wasn’t all gain.

The Emperor looked at him with a strange glow in his eyes, as if questioning whether he still wanted to go on with such conditions.

But.

‘He must be eliminated.’

He would ruin everything. That’s the ominous premonition that been haunting his mind recently.

Though he loathed acting on baseless premonitions, for some reason, even as he was aware of this fact, his head nodded.

“Yes. I will bear it.”

Was his answer unexpected?

After a moment’s hesitation, the Emperor soon smiled faintly and nodded.