Chapter 413: Chapter 413 - Inflexibility Can Be A Positive Trait
A/N: Short Chapter today, my trip really threw off my writing time.
- - - - -
Those that had their own methods and had learned of the Shadow Whisker Sorority’s mission to the area of Teovar’s caravan reacted the most. Especially when connecting the dots with the missing ’scout’ from their number. But all of them flinched slightly at the words ’three people, missing’.
All of them knew - he understood a key point now. The reality that he would have been a sacrifice in their original plan. He had been set for a long time to be the one delivering the realmshard to the Goltbred parents after luring them out.
Few times had he questioned that and suggested a few possible alternate scenarios that would reduce the risk of their family being suspected of anything. But the claims that Anper should be there even if just to retrieve the trapped teleportation object were always made.
Being convinced that there would be no real reason to send two different conspirators on site when just the one trusted person would do just fine had been the excuse. Especially because the optimal time to hide this act was within the middle of the Descent, where it might be harder to pull off two Yecine in the first place to escort Ondua and Yatrel to the sight of the planned disappearance.
"It was elegant enough, I admit. I would walk right into that trap like an obedient fool - and solve all your problems by becoming the obvious perpetrator, if you needed me to be."
"How long have you known where the realmshard is?"
Several of the faction members shifted uncomfortably while one of them asked. Their plan had originally been simple. Anper’s disappearance at the same time would look suspicious... but not impossible.
But with this new alternate plan using planted evidence, there was too much of a trail. So they understood why he was thinking of things this way. Like his missing state would be cowardice or guilt, leaving his daughter to inherit his shame and making her easier to control by them.
And that was indeed one of the possible uses, if they were forced to admit they found the ancient cultivator tool and had ’suspicions’ of its purpose, they could explain what they think happened. Unless more people wanted to become trapped, they doubted anyone would be willing to verify it.
"I don’t. I only know that the artifact was meant to remove me too. A clean slate. The ’rogue elder’ disappears along with his supposed victims."
"That’s not-"
One of the younger conspirators started to protest, not privy to every possibility that those at the top had considered. But Anper was not having any of it. He was sure he was on the right track.
"That’s exactly what it was. Leave my daughter to carry the burden of my ’crimes’ while you guided her toward making the ’responsible’ choice to submit to your authority - and manipulate the holdings through her instead of through me."
The current leader of the council leaned forward with his sword squeezed tighter.
"These sort of accusations require evidence. Not just blind accusation."
"I kept records. Every written suggestion and every argument about why I specifically needed to handle the artifact personally. Every favor used and payment made to people outside of the family well documented, none of them being told why I needed them to do what they were doing."
Anper’s smile held no warmth to it. Keeping such careful operational security was always so that the Yecine faced no backlash for his own actions. But the same could not be said about those who plotted against those who were meant to be compatriots.
His rigid adherence to protecting their interests through a form of compartmentalization had ironically preserved much of the evidence of their intention of betrayal, once you knew where to look. Any part that involved him had been structured solely as *his* personal action, never as a full family conspiracy - and never in their personal name.
"While at times I was more than happy to get rid of Ondua, there were others where something like a conscious made me waver and consider if what we were doing had more negatives to those outside of ourselves than positives. Clearly it turned out negative. So..."
The admission carried only the cold assessment of the situation, making it hard to believe he had anything resembling a conscience. Pausing for effect, his smile finally did grow some sort of emotion to it.
"That’s why I removed your remaining tool. My daughter was never suited for the position you wanted to manipulate her into anyway. Too soft, too influenced by that witch’s ideas."
He chuckled again. Not with love, regret, or anything redeemable. He just found it funny.
"You wanted a compliant heir you could guide through her guilt and sense of obligation. Instead, you now have nothing. No leverage, no puppet, no way to salvage what you’ve lost for all of us by beginning to convince me to go this route."
Anper walked away slowly, with deliberate and controlled steps. Like Qatrand before, he was prepared for any attack from any of them. He did not have Cynosure, but he did have a Danger Astralism... and he was sure that moves in certain directions would be risky.
"I suggest you use that time to consider how thoroughly our ambitions have been reduced to ash all because you both needed me, hated me, and were too cowardly to do anything about either of those things."
He had accomplished exactly what he’s set out to do. A man who knew that redemption or reconciliation towards those responsible was impossible. Removal of assets from enemies that may want to harm him still and who had planned to discard him was all that was left.
The doors closed behind him with a soft click and he walked through the corridors with grim satisfaction. His daughter’s unsuitability for their form of leadership was now her own problem to deal with. What was left for him was making sure his real sons didn’t get swept up in the consequences.
And that he would survive to continue mentoring them, no matter what happened.