Lord Of Puppets

[Meanwhile: Hidden base of vampires.]

(Welp, the news had spread around and the security changes are slowly being implemented.) – thought Korwan as his hidden base was straight up overworked as the agents were running everywhere, using communication devices left and right as well as looking through the documents.

"Sir. So far, we haven’t found any traces of the traditionalist vampires making any sort of activities." – said the female vampire in the glasses who held a bunch of documents.

"Keep watch for it and the other thing. There is no way they will keep quiet after what we did." – said Korwan.

"Understood." – said the female vampire as she left the room.

"..."

(Now... What blood will flow?) – thought nervous Korwan.

(There are currently few scenarios on what could happened right now.)

[First scenario – Vampires of the traditionalist faction will stop hiding and will cause as much destruction and death as possible.]

[Second scenario – Dungeon master theory – The attacks just now were pure distraction and Korwan thinks that the attackers maybe aimed at the high-ranking figures of the empire.]

[Third scenario – They are making distraction in order to launch attack at the just reborn Warmur kingdom and conquer it.]

[Fourth scenario – The enemy will just say fuck it and reveal themselves, not just vampires, and declare war on the empire.]

[Fifth scenario – Something unknown and unexpected.]

(The first scenario and the second scenario seems like the most likely ones, while the third scenario seems to have the lowest odds of happening.) – thought Korwan as he sat down and began messing around with one of the communication devices.

(As for the fourth scenario... Honestly, the odds are LOW as well... But not as low as the third scenario... Maybe they goal was to spread the distrust and then attack?)

(We cannot also let our guard down with the fifth scenario.)

(Maybe the enemy will do something that we truly didn’t expected?)

(...)

(But I’m most worried about the current situation.)

(Especially the person who recreated the camouflage device.)

(Who are they?)

(And what other sorts of inventions they have in store?)

"..."

"Either way, they can’t move right now." – said Korwan to himself.

(If they want to succeed in their plan, they would have to do it ALL IN ONCE!)

(Meaning, if they want succeed, they can’t do it half assed.)

(But what would it be?)

(The berserk? Or the assassination?)

(We also don’t know how long the enemy was inside of the empire and how many of vampires are currently in the empire.)

(...)

(So let’s think of it realistically.)

(In order for the enemy next move to succeed, they would need preparations.)

(If it is berserker type of plan, they would unleash ALL of their hidden vampire forces, causing... Well? Destruction.)

(However, if it is assassination, then this proves something.)

(The enemy DIDN’T exactly knew who was in charge of what.)

(They didn’t knew that I was in charge of the vampires.)

(They only knew that the vampires were here from the start.)

(And that we weren’t the members of the traditionalist faction.)

(Simple put.)

(If their aim is truly assassination, then they won’t move for much longer compare to the berserker plan.)

(And the moment it takes them longer to make a move, it will reveal their aim.)

[Meanwhile: Dungeon]

{"You are coming back?"} – written down Thauma on the piece of paper as it was using communication device as well as working on mage staff.

"Yeb. I planned to contact you early before I started heading back, but I’ve kind of encountered problem with some remaining demons that nobody had noticed that they had went missing and could possibly make a freaking destroy some stuff that I’ve build." – said Ariava as she was flying.

"Still, I have few teleportation checkpoints I’ve made up, so it shouldn’t really take me long to get back to the empire and deal with this new problem."

"Still, it is quiet annoying that I’m not given a moment to rest and there is already another conspiracy going on."

"Seriously, I know that I’ve proposed the whole deal on my end, but common."

"Just how cursed is that entire empire."

"..."

*Sigh*

"Anyway dear, how are the things on your end? Is your magic training progressing smoothly?"

{"Well... About that."}

{"The space magic, I still have problems with it, as for the metal magic, it is also difficult, but I’m making very small progress."}

{"Honestly speaking, gravity magic is going most smoothly for me. I’m making a nice progress with it."}

"?"

(With gravity magic?) – thought Ariava.

(But that thing is at the same level of difficulty as space magic.)

(I thought he would say something like "DAMN! THIS SUCKS!", getting pissed all over because of the difficulty... But... He is saying that instead?)

"So, like what? You have a natural affinity towards the gravity element?"

{"No. I think my natural mastery is just high."}

{"Still, I can’t use the gravity in combat, nor the space or the metal magic."}

{"I need more time to learn how to properly use all 3 elements and advance any of my researches."}

"Welp, it is like this."

"When it comes to the adventurers, they think that learning how to handle basic rank of magic will be enough, that if they level up their elemental affinity and make it stronger, it will be all right and good."

"But that won’t work soon."

"Same with weapon users."

"They need to learn how to ’handle’ their weapons."

"The more advance stuff you want to learn, the longer it will take to learn."

"Simple thing."

"Anyway, with space and gravity magic I could give you a hand. As for the metal magic, Porin should be able to do it."

"However, I doubt we will be able to do it since THIS FUCKING EMPIRE IS CURSED!"

"...Anyway, I’ve heard that you had contacted the empire and told them about your worries."

"And I will be blunt here."

"Your judgment that you had provided may had been correct."

"Obviously it wasn’t you exactly who figured it out, it was Korwan."

"But still, that warning that you had given him was more than enough to make him figure shit out."

{"So, was it helpful?"}

"Indeed it was."

"If anything, you may had played a role in discovering the enemy’s true aim."

"So congratulation buddy."

"..."

(Honestly, I want to ask him several other questions right now... But I think it would be wrong or may have a negative effects.) – thought Ariava.

(It is better to let things play out and see how he will react.)

"..."

"Anyway, I promise you that once things truly calms down, I will come and visit, maybe help you out with the magic. But until then, see yeah."

"..."

"Oh! Right! Before I end the call."

"There is one more thing you should be warry about."

"I wouldn’t be surprised if there was another assassination coming your way specifically."

"I don’t really think that it would surprise nobody."

"So, with that said, be prepared and good luck." – said Ariava before then ending the call.

"..."

(Assassination coming my way?) – thought Thauma.

(Well, I’ve already expected as much... Still.)

("Good luck"?)

(...)

(I know it is a common phrase said and everything... Still.)

(I don’t want to rely on the luck once again.)

(I will make sure that I will defeat my enemy without having use any luck!)

The panic caused by the vampires was still being heard about by the whole empire.

Distrust and fear were still... However-

There was no new incident.

Few days had passed... And yet? Nothing.

The security was being solidified further and more vampires were revealing themselves.

This made people somewhat nervous, with the security being tighter and vampires now being seen by the regular people.... HOWEVER!

This at the same time somewhat filled people with hope.

"Were they serious about all of this?"

Some people who thought that the emperor was nothing more than puppet, had now slowly started restoring their faith in the emperor.

That security was aimed more at the vampires than citizens, which people could tell.

The guards were only checking if the citizens weren’t vampires.

And the people who had harder time going through the security? Vampires.

(This will make our own people bit more "on the leash", however, it will make sure that the regular people of the empire will realize the difference in enemies.) – thought Korwan as he was observing from above on the building, in the cover of the night as the citizens of the empire were walking around.

(Obviously it will be only very small presentence of people at first, which would have barely any impact... Still, the longer we do that, the harder it will be for these bastards to make a move while the trust is also build in the empire.)

(Ariava should be by now in the empire too... So, we should be able to meet up soon.)

(Still... The attack could still happened.)

But it didn’t.

A targeted amount of time had passed after the announcement was made... And yet, the vampires of the traditionalist faction did not made their move.

There was just NOTHING.

Not even any small vampire attacks or some rumors getting thrown around by somebody intentionally.

Nothing.

And that "nothingness" didn’t took long at all for the Korwan the vampire to hear about this "peace".

"...Are you serious right now?" – asked Korwan as his secretary approached him and gave him the report.

"Yes. Everything is just as we reported." – said the female vampire with glasses.

"There was not a single incident revolving the vampires."

"...Huh..."

"..."

"..."

"Okay." – said the vampire as he stood up.

"What the fuck?"

"?"

"Sir?" – said the worried secretary.

"...Nothing... Well... Not just yet." – said Korwan as he approached a massive shelf with several different communication devices on it.

(Oh, fuck me.) – thought Korwan.

(The dungeon master guess was correct?)

(I mean... I did doubted him, yes... But really?)

(Fuck me.)

"...."

"Emperor. Can you hear me?" – asked Korwan as he turned on the communication device.

"What is it Korwan?" – asked the emperor who on the other end was both tired mentally and physically as his entire office was still filled with paper work.

"The dungeon master was correct." – said Korwan.

"We are dealing with the scenario B."

"?!"

"Are you sure about this?!" – asked Gustav.

"I’ve just received the data." – replied Korwan.

"And I can say with certainty, that the dungeon master warning was correct."

"We need to hold a meeting, NOW!"