The Eldrim Cards

Nero’s perception of Luna was not bad. In fact, he quite admired the strength of her resolve. He also could not help but think of her as a cute little girl, trying to show off, every time she bragged about how strong her innate ability was.

"Is her innate ability really so impressive?" Nero could not help but ask. How come no one tried to get him as a son-in-law? His innate ability was pretty strong too. What kind of gender bias was this?

"I do not know the specific details, although I think everyone has, in general, been told to build a good relationship with her. What I know is that it’s related to ice, and that it’s devastatingly strong. She’s already been labeled as a strategic resource to be specifically nurtured."

Nero nodded, but did not think too much about it. It was only good if she was strong - he had no ulterior motives.

"Forget about Luna and Vilhelm for a moment," Nero said seriously. "Gabriel, how you want to deal with your family is up to you. But just remember this - your own strength is the most reliable thing. All schemes, all plans, all plots will fail if you are strong enough.

"People can be deterred by the influence of the Great families, but as long as I am valued by the army, the influence of the Great family’s is irrelevant. Many people have tried to deter my progress, but my contributions have made it impossible for them to succeed. The same can be true for you. For now, you can play along with your family’s whims, but as long as you’re weak, they will control your life no matter how much you play in the shadows."

Nero was not nearly as open and friendly as he used to be with Gabriel, because once doubt had taken root, it was difficult to remove. Whether Gabriel was pretending to be his ally, or he was genuinely interested in maintaining their relationship against his family’s wishes, it did not matter. As long as Nero could control their relationship, it would still be manageable.

However, the moment he felt like Gabriel might benefit more from turning against him, Nero would raise his guard. Although Nero and Gabriel had sworn an oath to keep the matter of the hidden vault secret, who knew if there were ways to circumvent those oaths in the Great families?

Moreover, their relationship from the start had been one of mutual benefits. Sure, there was some element of friendship involved, but in truth they both were making use of each other. So, as long as Nero was useful to him, he could be sure that their relationship was secure. The moment his utility decreased, he would be vulnerable.