Chapter 58: New Threats Emerge
Draven sat in his academy office. Lord High Investigator duties. Mountains of paperwork. Shuffle shuffle. Reports on noble corruption. Evidence gathering. Political maneuvering.
Boring.
Knock knock knock.
"Enter."
The door opened. Creak. Crown Prince Edward stepped inside. Alone. No guards. Unusual.
"Your Highness." Draven stood. "Wasn’t expecting you."
Edward closed the door. Click. Locked it. Clack. Walked to the desk. Sat down without being invited. Thump.
His face was serious. Grim.
"We have a problem," Edward said.
Draven sat back down. Creak. "What kind of problem?"
"House Redwyn. House Sterling. House Blackthorn." Edward counted on his fingers. "Three major noble houses. All forming an alliance. Against you."
Fuck.
"Why?"
"Take your guess." Edward leaned back." You humiliated House Corvus. You’re Lord High Investigator targeting corrupt nobles. You won the tournament showing S-Rank power. You’re fucking dangerous."
"I’m on your side."
"I know that. You know that. But half the nobility sees you as a threat. An upstart third son with too much power. Too much influence. No proper claim to legitimacy."
Draven processed. "They’re forming a coalition."
"Yes. Publicly, they claim it’s about ’maintaining noble traditions’ and ’preventing dangerous precedents.’ Privately, they want you gone. Dead. Exiled. Stripped of power. Whatever works."
"How serious?"
Edward pulled out a document. Rustle. Set it on the desk. Slap. "Read."
Draven picked it up. Rustle. Scanned the contents.
Formal petition to King Aldwin. Signed by Duke Redwyn, Duke Sterling, Marquis Blackthorn. Requesting investigation into Draven Arclight’s "inappropriate elevation" and "potential corruption" in his role as Lord High Investigator.
Bullshit. Political maneuvering disguised as concern.
"They filed this?" Draven asked.
"Yesterday. King received it this morning. He’s... considering."
"Considering?" Draven looked up. "I thought the King supported me."
"He does. But three major houses united? That’s political pressure. He can’t ignore it completely." Edward rubbed his temples. Rub rub. "He won’t remove you. But he might have to make concessions. Limit your authority. Require oversight. Something to appease them."
"That defeats the entire purpose of my position."
"I know. Which is why we need to act fast." Edward leaned forward. "Discredit them. Find dirt. Anything that destroys their credibility before Father makes a decision."
Draven’s mind raced. Three houses. All powerful. All with secrets.
"How long do we have?"
"Two weeks. Maybe three. Father’s giving them an audience. They’ll present their case. We need counterevidence before then."
"I’ll find it."
"Good." Edward stood. Scrape. Walked toward the door. Paused.
"One more thing."
"Yeah?"
"House Redwyn. Duke Marcus Redwyn specifically. He’s been meeting with someone. Privately. Multiple times. My spies can’t identify who."
"You think it’s connected?"
"I think everything’s connected." Edward opened the door. Creak. "Be careful, Draven. These aren’t academy students. These are seasoned politicians with armies."
Then he left. Click.
Draven sat alone. Thinking.
Three houses. Coalition forming. King under pressure.
This was worse than Aldric. This was organized opposition.
[System]: Uh oh
Political shitstorm incoming
Three major houses vs you
Better find dirt FAST
Or you’re fucked ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Yeah. Thanks for the insight.
Two days later.
Draven received a summons. Knock knock. A servant delivered it. Sealed envelope. House Arclight crest.
From his uncle. Duke Aldric Arclight.
Urgent. Private meeting. Tonight.
Odd. Aldric rarely contacted him directly. Usually worked through intermediaries.
That evening, Draven traveled to the Arclight Duchy estate. Clop clop clop. Horse hooves on cobblestone. Neigh. The carriage stopped. Creak.
He stepped out. Thump. Looked up at the massive manor. Lights in windows. Flicker flicker. Guards at the entrance. Clang clang. Armor shifting.
"Lord Draven," one guard said. "The Duke is expecting you. Study. Second floor."
Draven nodded. Walked inside. Tap tap tap. Marble floors echoing.
Up the stairs. Creak creak creak. Down the hallway. Tap tap tap.
The study door. Knock knock.
"Enter." Aldric’s voice. Rough. Weak.
Draven opened the door. Creak.
Duke Aldric sat behind his desk. Looked... wrong. Pale. Gaunt. Sunken eyes. Trembling hands. Shake shake.
He’d aged twenty years in six months.
"Uncle." Draven closed the door. Click. "You look—"
"Like shit. I know." Aldric coughed. Hack hack hack. Wet. Painful. Blood on his handkerchief. Spit. "Sit."
Draven sat. Creak. "What’s wrong with you?"
"Dying." Blunt. No euphemism. "Wasting sickness. Healer says six months. Maybe less."
Fuck.
"Does anyone else know?"
"Marcus. My wife. The head healer. Now you." Aldric coughed again. Hack hack. More blood. Splatter. "Keeping it quiet. Can’t afford to show weakness. Not with the political climate."
"Why tell me?"
Aldric looked at him. Sharp. Calculating. Despite the sickness, his mind was still intact.
"Because when I die, Marcus inherits the Duchy. He’s my son. Legitimate heir. But he’s..." Aldric paused. Choosing words carefully. "He is ...not ready. Weak. Easily manipulated. The Duchy will collapse under him within a year."
"Then prepare him better."
"I’ve tried. He doesn’t have it. Leadership. Strategy. Ruthlessness. All the things a Duke needs." Aldric leaned back. Creak. "You have them. All of them. You’re more suited to be Duke than my own son."
Draven stayed silent. Processing.
"I’m not offering you the Duchy," Aldric clarified. "Legally, I can’t. Marcus is legitimate. You’re a third son. But I’m telling you this because..." He coughed. Hack. "...because when I’m gone, Marcus will destroy everything I built. And Elise will suffer for it."
Elise. His mother. Aldric’s sister in law.
"How?" Draven asked.
"Marcus resents her. Always has. She’s more competent than him. More respected. When I die, he’ll strip her of authority. Probably marry her off to some minor lord. Get her out of the way." Aldric’s hands clenched. Grip. "I can’t stop it. I’ll be dead."
The room felt colder.
Draven’s mind raced. Marcus inheriting. Elise losing power. Being married off.
Unacceptable.
"What are you asking me to do?" Draven asked quietly.
"Protect her. Whatever it takes. When I’m gone, Marcus will move against her immediately. You’re Lord High Investigator. You have political power. Use it. Keep her safe."
"And if that’s not enough?"
Aldric smiled. Grim. Dark. "Then do what you do best. Break the rules. Find a way." He coughed. Hack hack hack. Worse this time. Blood everywhere. Splatter splatter.
Draven stood. Walked around the desk. Helped him sit up. Shift.
"Easy."
Aldric waved him off. Flap. "I’m fine. Just... dying slowly."
They sat in silence. The weight of the revelation settling.
"Six months?" Draven asked.
"If I’m lucky."
"And Marcus knows?"
"Yes. He’s already preparing. Securing alliances. Positioning himself." Aldric looked at Draven. "He sees you as a threat too. Third son who became Lord High Investigator. S-Rank power. Close to the Crown Prince. He’ll try to remove you the moment I die."
Perfect. Another enemy.
"I’ll handle it."
"I know you will." Aldric coughed again. Hack. Softer this time. "You’re more my nephew than I gave you credit for. Your mother raised you well."
"She did."
"Protect her, Draven."
"I will. I promise."
Aldric nodded. Satisfied. "Good. Now get out. I’m tired."
Draven stood. Walked to the door. Paused.
"One question."
"Yeah?"
"If I wanted the Duchy. Hypothetically. How would I get it?"
Aldric’s eyes sharpened. Interested. "Legally? Impossible. You’re not in the line of succession. Marcus is legitimate heir. Even if he’s incompetent, the law favors him."
"And illegally?"
A long pause. Then Aldric smiled. Dark. Dangerous.
"Prove Marcus unfit. Corruption. Treason. Madness. Anything that disqualifies him. The King can strip inheritance under extreme circumstances. Then petition for yourself as replacement. Third son, yes. But S-Rank. Lord High Investigator. Proven competent. The King might approve."
"That’s a long shot."
"It’s the only shot." Aldric coughed. Hack. "Unless you want to wait for Marcus to fuck up naturally. But that’ll take years. And Elise will suffer in the meantime."
Draven nodded. Thinking.
"One more thing," Aldric said. "Marcus has been meeting with someone. Secretly. I don’t know who. But it’s connected to the noble coalition against you. Find out who. Find out why. It might be your key to destroying him."
Same information Edward mentioned. Two sources. Confirmed.
"I’ll look into it."
"Good." Aldric waved him off. Flap. "Now leave. I need rest."
Draven left. Click.
Walked down the hallway. Tap tap tap. Down the stairs. Creak creak. Out to the carriage. Thump.
Sat inside. Shift. Door closed. Slam. Carriage moving. Clop clop clop.
His mind raced.
Duke Aldric dying. Six months. Marcus inheriting. Coalition forming. Elise in danger.
The pieces connecting.
To protect Elise openly. To be with her without hiding. He needed power. Real power.
He needed to be Duke.
Not just Lord High Investigator. Not just S-Rank mage. Duke. Head of House Arclight.
Only then could he protect her. Only then could he have her openly.
But how?
Marcus was legitimate heir. Proving him unfit would be difficult. Required evidence. Solid proof.
The secret meetings. That was the key.
[System]: Oh shit
You figured it out
To be with mother openly = be DUKE
But Marcus is in the way
Time to destroy cousin ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Political murder incoming
Not murder. Legal destruction.
Draven would find Marcus’s secrets. Expose him. Destroy his claim. Take the Duchy.
For Elise. For himself. For their future.
Three days later.
Draven sat in his office. Maps spread across the desk. Rustle. Noble house locations. Alliance networks. Trade routes.
Knock knock.
"Enter."
Lyra slipped inside. Whisper. Silent as always. Closed the door. Click.
"Report?" Draven asked.
"House Redwyn. Duke Marcus Redwyn. You were right. He’s been meeting someone in secret." Lyra pulled out a note. Rustle. Set it on the desk. "Three meetings in two weeks. Always at night. Always in the old warehouse district. I followed him twice."
"Who is it?"
"Couldn’t get close enough to identify. But..." Lyra hesitated. "...whoever it is, they’re giving him money. Lots of it. I saw the exchange. Gold. Thousands."
Draven’s eyes narrowed. "Bribes?"
"Or payment. For something."
"Find out what. And who."
"Already on it." Lyra smiled. Predatory. "I’ll have answers in three days."
"Good." Draven paused. "One more thing. Marcus Arclight. My cousin. Same thing. Secret meetings. Find out who. Find out why."
"Two separate investigations?"
"Yes. Both urgent."
Lyra nodded. "Consider it done." She turned to leave.
"Lyra."
"Yeah?"
"Be careful. These aren’t academy enemies. These are real threats."
She smiled. "I’m always careful." Then disappeared. Whoosh. Shadow magic. Gone.
Draven sat alone. Thinking.
Two investigations running. Coalition forming. Uncle dying. Cousin plotting.
The game was escalating.
He needed to move fast. Strike hard. Destroy his enemies before they destroyed him.
[System]: FUCK YES
Major quest unlocked
Claim the DUCHY
Marry mother OPENLY
This is ENDGAME material
But also DANGEROUS
Don’t fuck this up Host ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Draven stood. Walked to the window. Tap tap tap. Looked out over the academy grounds. Shhhh. Wind blowing.
Six months. That’s all he had.
Six months to investigate. Six months to gather evidence. Six months to destroy Marcus. Six months to claim the Duchy.
Then Elise would be his. Openly. Legally. Forever.
No more hiding. No more shame. His mother.His Duchess.
The ultimate taboo. Made legal.
He smiled. Dark. Determined.
The game was on.
And he always won.