Kai got busy the next day, so much so that he didn’t have time to worry about Queen Regina’s retaliation. He left the matter with a simple instruction to Killian—increase the security around them. Not that he expected anything to happen just yet. If Regina was going to strike, it would be during the Assembly, or a day or two before it, when it would make the most noise.
For now, she would wait.
So Kai did the same. He sent a brief message to Amara outlining what had happened in their meeting and assuring her there was nothing to worry about, for now. Then, without delay, he stepped into the storm of meetings that awaited him.
His arrival in Hermil had already swept through noble circles. If he had been the topic of every banquet before, now it seemed nobles whispered his name even over breakfast. His survival in the fief war, the beast wave, his new title as Count—it all made him too visible to ignore.
And visibility drew attention.
Many of the Barons and Viscounts were now asking to meet him—some who had already offered their support, others who were clearly weighing the cost of it. Most of these meetings were short-term affairs filled with long, unnecessary words. They followed a familiar routine, stiff introductions, polite flattery, talk of his bravery in the beast wave and the fief war, followed by a few probing questions about his relationship with Princess Amara now that rumors hinted she was backing him.
And then—finally—they would get to the part that really mattered. What they wanted in return.
Spellbooks, artifacts, promises of future trade routes or protection. Some were bold, others subtle, but all of them were playing the same game.
Of the dozens of nobles Kai met in a day, only a few seemed to genuinely respect him. Most were simply calculating, gauging his usefulness or fearing the sheer weight of what he’d accomplished.
None of it surprised him. This was the nature of power. And now, he was in the thick of it.
Some even asked him outright how he had killed Lucian—completely convinced that he was responsible, despite the fact that Kai had already said that he hadn't killed him. It wasn’t just a rumor anymore. In the eyes of many, guilt was a given.
Kai left each meeting feeling more drained than the last, but there was little he could do about it. What he had now wasn’t a true faction—not yet. It was a rough outline, a gathering of opportunistic nobles who didn’t know him well, and whom he barely knew in return. They were taking a gamble by supporting him, choosing to oppose the Princes because they believed they had more to gain that way than to lose.
Kai understood their mindset and didn’t bother correcting them. He brushed aside everything unnecessary and focused only on what mattered—their demands. He promised them what they were looking for.
Some asked for obvious things—preferential trade deals, access to the mana cannons. Others had heard murmurs of his intention to build a Mage tower and wanted him to send Mages to their territories to help with beast infestations. A few were even bolder, asking for vague favors to be named in the future.
They had clearly done the math. If the Assembly favored him—and more and more believed it would—there was a strong chance Kai would inherit the Duke’s title. After all, his second brother, the only other legitimate heir, had allegedly left the kingdom months ago and vanished without a trace.
And so, two long days passed in a blur of conversation, posturing, and negotiation, stretching from morning to midnight. And with the third day came the long-awaited banquet.
But even as the servants began preparing his formal attire and his advisors finalized the seating arrangements, Kai’s thoughts were elsewhere—circling around a single question.
How was he going to get Baroness Marren and Viscountess Vaessa into his faction?
That question had haunted him since the day he’d learned of them.
They were both power players who’d been playing the game since ages yet were well respected. And more importantly, they hated each other.
And both had accepted personal invitations from Duke Blackwood to attend the banquet.
Kai didn’t believe in chance. If he wanted to truly solidify his position before the Assembly… he needed both of them.
Even they couldn’t outright refuse an invitation from a Duke—not when it was just a banquet. And Kai knew, without a doubt, that if he wanted any chance of getting Baroness Marren and Viscountess Vaessa into his faction, tonight was his last shot.
But no matter how many times he went over it in his head, a solution slipped away every time, like water through his fingers. Every single time… he was met with the same fate, no matter how hard he thought—
It almost started to stress him out until something clicked. It came out of nowhere, half memory, half instinct. But he was glad it did when it did.
It was a story his master had once told him, back when Kai was just another apprentice in the Sorcerer’s Tower, constantly clashing with a fellow student. It was a story he’d heard decades ago, one that was buried so deep in his mind he hadn’t thought about it in years.
But now it resurfaced—clear, sharp, and absurd enough to maybe work. A way to get both women into his faction.
Not permanently. Kai wasn’t delusional, but for long enough—in that case, a week. Maybe just until the Assembly. If he could manage that, it would shift the balance in his favor dramatically. Still, for the plan to work, everything needed to go his way. Everything including every word, every moment and every reaction.
And that required finesse… and a hell lot of luck. The kind of luck Kai wasn’t sure he still had.
When he explained the idea to the others, the reactions were mixed at best. Apprehension filled the room like fog. No one had a better plan, but that didn’t stop anyone from casting doubt—loudly and repeatedly. Still, it was the only thing that seemed like it even had a chance of success, so it was accepted.
With that decided, Kai found himself walking beside Leopold as they made their way up the stairs toward the banquet hall, hands behind his back, voice dry as ever.
“I’ve made a bet with one of your Knights,” Leopold said casually, “on whether those two are going to burn my ancestral house to the ground tonight.”
Kai stopped mid-step and turned. “And who’s that?”
“He prefers to keep his identity a secret. But he put a lot of money on it working out.” He gave a nonchalant shrug.
Kai gave a tired huff of laughter. “I don’t share his optimism.”
“Neither do I,” Leopold said, lips twitching. “But we’re going through with it anyway.”
“We need to try.”
Because at this point, it wasn’t just about politics. It was about survival.
Kai started walking up the stairs again, footsteps steady but his thoughts running miles ahead.
Right now, they were at Duke Blackwood’s estate in the capital—the chosen venue for the banquet. It hadn’t officially begun, but he’d already seen the carriages lined up outside. Nobles had arrived early, eager to make conversation, eager to be seen. Some had come for Duke Blackwood, others for him. The Duke was already entertaining a few in his chambers, and Kai had no doubt new rumors were swirling faster than the servants could refill their drinks.
Among the early arrivals were the two women in question—the ones Kai needed most.
If things were going according to plan, then Francis was handling one, while Killian was keeping the other ‘company’. But the real play had yet to begin.
They needed to move quickly. The timing had to be perfect—flawlessly so. Without that, it didn’t matter if every word they rehearsed landed and every look was timed to precision. The whole thing would crumble.
As they turned into a wide, gold-trimmed corridor lit by chandeliers, Leopold spoke again, hands clasped behind his back.
“You know,” he said, sounding completely serious but eyes twinkling, “maybe we should just offer them both marriage contracts again. I can even throw myself at one of their daughters. For the cause, of course.”
Kai slowed, glancing over his shoulder with a raised brow. “You’d really do that for me?”
Leopold grinned. “Well… they do have pretty daughters.”
A chuckle burst out of his lips. “Why don’t you ask one of them out tonight if the plan fails?”
“Oh, I plan to,” Leopold said smoothly. “One way or another, I’ll leave tonight with something.”
Kai shook his head, but his smile lingered as they reached the door. This was it.
Behind that polished Blackwood was Viscountess Vaessa. He could already hear her voice, the way she accentuated her words, speaking with Francis. That was a good sign. She hadn’t stormed off. Yet.
Kai exhaled slowly, adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves, smoothing his robe once more. Everything had to be perfect.
He glanced at Leopold, voice low but firm. “Make sure you do your part right.”
Leopold gave a nod, more serious now.
And with that, Kai turned the handle, opened the door, and stepped inside. As soon as Kai stepped inside, every pair of eyes in the room turned to him.
Francis, seated at a low table across from Viscountess Vaessa, looked visibly relieved. He stood up at once and gave a respectful bow, clearly more than happy to hand things over. The Viscountess, however, remained seated. Her sharp eyes moved to Kai, scanning him from head to toe in an obvious sweep.
He knew the look. He’d seen it on merchants sizing up jewels, generals
measuring battlefield terrain.
From the polished finish of his boots to the piece he wore, Kai had prepared for this. Everything was well-taken care of, even his hair was brushed back just enough to seem effortless.
The Viscountess’s well-known appreciation for refinement was not something he had overlooked.
She looked no older than her early thirties—an illusion, of course. Kai knew she was closer to fifty, but there wasn’t a single wrinkle on her face, and her skin held the smoothness of someone who could afford the best healers and mana treatments in the kingdom. Long, straight blue hair cascaded down her back like a silken waterfall, carefully styled, not a strand out of place.
Finally, she spoke, giving him a nod as if approving his appearance.
“Count Arzan,” she said, “you’re here. Your administrator was just telling me how much you were looking forward to meeting me.”
“I was,” Kai replied with a polite smile, walking forward. “I just got caught up speaking with Duke Blackwood. A few guests arrived early, and I had to greet them.”
“Yet you’re here,” she said, a small smirk curling on her lips. “Meeting me personally.”
“Some people,” Kai said, “are worth giving attention to.”
She raised a brow, eyes glinting. “If you talk like that, I might assume you’re interested in an old woman like me.”
Kai almost flinched.
He had forgotten—she is not joking. After the death of her husband, she’d earned a certain… reputation. Dozens of lovers, most of them minor nobles, all left in her wake. Some whispered about it. Others called her names. She, apparently, didn’t care.
Kai quickly recovered, offering a smile that aimed to charm without invite. “I am interested in you, but in a very different context. Why don’t I tell you about it?”
He gestured to the empty seat in front of her. She studied him for a moment longer, then gave a nod.
As he sat down, the Viscountess leaned slightly forward. “Is this in the context of the Assembly?” she asked. “You should know, I’m already in Prince Aldrin’s faction.”
She spoke, her usual accentuation highlighted Prince Aldrin even more, it was deliberate. But Kai understood the hidden meaning behind it. A warning.
Now, he had to thread really carefully.
“I know,” Kai said calmly, “but I don’t think you care much about him.”
The Viscountess's eyes narrowed, the faintest twitch at the corner of her mouth. “Huh? That’s a poor thing to say, questioning my loyalty,” she said. “I’ve been loyal all my life.”
“And yet,” Kai said, pausing, “you’ve also always been ambitious.”
That earned a raise of her eyebrow. She adjusted her necklace coolly and listened to what he’d to say. Kai took the sign.
“Not only have you chased after things considered out of your reach, just to prove you could take them, but you also have a taste for power. And unlike the usual power-hungry nobles or Mages, you know how to nurture it. Grow it. Make it bloom. That’s a rare quality.”
Her eyes didn’t soften, but they didn’t look away either.
“I remember a story,” he added. “About a spell—a rare one, crafted by a Third-Circle Mage. You wanted it. Challenged him to a duel. Again and again. Lost hundreds of jewels and half your vault’s treasures chasing it, but in the end? You won. You took it.”
Viscountess Vaessa's lips curved upward ever so slightly. “You’ve done your research.”
“I like to be prepared when I’m making an offer.”
She gave a light nod. “That’s good. I like that. But do you really think your little faction can offer me enough power to leave a Prince’s side? Last I checked, you weren’t running for the throne.”
“I’m not,” Kai said, meeting her gaze evenly. “But unlike the royal family who haven’t managed to produce even a single Magus in generations—my bloodline has. If you remember, my mother was—”
“The greatest Magus in the kingdom’s history,” she interrupted in a soft voice. “The Frost Queen who could freeze entire valleys.” Her eyes that were fully on him until now, seemed to be distant, even for the briefest moment. He could tell that she was thinking about something else.
Kai almost opened his mouth to ask what it was, but she spoke.
“I was there at her funeral.”
Ah… Kai knew that. But he offered a small nod. He sighed as if the grief caused him deep trauma. His eyes left hers for the next two minutes, and Kai hoped he was showing a good solemn expression.
“I’m sorry about your loss,” she said. “What were you going to say?”
Kai nodded again, appreciating her sincerity.
“Like her, you dabble in the ice affinity too, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do, Count Arzan. What about it?”
Kai’s gaze didn’t waver. “That’s what I’m offering you. Some of my mother’s secrets—her research. Books she wrote on ice magic. And more than that… I’m willing to teach you a different way to form spell structures. A better way.” He leaned forward to the edge of his seat. “The current structures are… faulty. They aren't as effective as they could be. Too many fault lines. Too many inefficiencies. I believe they can be stripped down, refined. I’ve already started doing it.”
For a heartbeat, there was silence.
Then mana pulsed from her body and grazed Kai’s skin. Her emotions had spiked before she could suppress them. A second later, the pressure vanished as she reeled it back in, but the slip was enough.
He had touched something real.
“You’d give that to me,” she said slowly. “Just for a vote? I thought your mother’s inheritance was the most precious thing to you.”
“It is. There’s nothing more precious to me than what she left behind,” Kai said, shaking his head slightly. He paused, then looked at her. “But I have a different perspective on it, Viscountess Vaessa. I believe it’s of no use to the kingdom if only I hold it. And since she entrusted it to me, I’d like to think she trusted my judgment too.
“I’d help you grow as a Mage, Viscountess. And you already know what I’ve achieved in the last year. Things that take most Mages decades.”
As he spoke, mana surged from within him—not in a showy burst, but in a smooth, controlled flow. It formed the faint, glowing silhouette of a fourth-circle spell structure. He didn’t form it fully, no. He maintained the silhouette for a few more seconds right where it was.
The Viscountess’s eyes widened, going round enough that for a moment Kai thought they might actually drop out of her skull.
“The rumors were true,” she whispered. “You’re… you’re a step away from becoming a Magus.”
Kai nodded once and let the structure dissolve, pushing the remaining mana outward—not to impress, but to let her feel it; the truth of what he’d said.
And for the first time since entering the room, the Viscountess’s posture changed. Her shoulders didn’t stiffen, they tilted. Her eyes flicked downward, just for a second. The wheels behind them turning.
She’s considering it, Kai thought. Good, take your time.
Politics had failed her. But magic? She still wanted it. Craved it. She might’ve played the game like the others, but deep down, she still had the ambition of a Mage.
And that was the thread Kai had tugged. But it was only half the plan.
Before he could say anything else—
“That bitch!” A thicker accent, an even louder voice—no, screech came from the other room.
Viscountess Vaessa’s face drained of color, literally. She sat up straighter, shoulders going rigid.
Kai exchanged a quick glance with Francis, whose eyebrows had shot up, but the flicker in his eyes said everything.
It’s starting. The second phase of their plan had just begun.
***
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