Chapter 207: Plans
I hand over the documents Leona uncovered to Duke Remiro. These papers are the catalyst for our plan, the match to light the pyre of the king’s reign. The man is a paranoid, insecure fool, ruling not through respect but through fear. He sits on a throne stained with his brother’s blood—though not as thoroughly as he’d thought, since the "dead" former crown prince is very much alive. Amateur mistake. You never leave loose ends. Loose ends have a nasty habit of tightening into nooses around your neck, and that’s exactly what’s about to happen.
The duke whistles softly as he flips through the pages. His tan fingers tap rhythmically on the table, a gleam of excitement lighting his eyes.
"I’m once again in awe of her capabilities," he says, leaning back in his chair. "Leona truly is a marvel. A shame she’s yours and not mine."
"She’s not someone you’d want to owe favors to," I reply, though the smirk on my lips betrays my own admiration.
Duke Remiro waves a hand dismissively, his eyes already scanning another page. "Leave this to me," he says, his voice practically buzzing with glee. "This... oh, this is a treasure trove." He chuckles, shaking his head. "The king’s every move, his allies’ skeletons, and even his own. Not even his most trusted advisors are safe."
He pauses, holding up a particular document. "Look at this. Bribes to silence witnesses. Cover-ups of failed assassinations. False charges leveled against rivals. The man’s built his entire empire on lies and shadows."
"And shadows fade under the right light," I say, crossing my arms.
The duke laughs, a low, rumbling sound. "Indeed they do. This," he gestures to the pile of documents, "is our light."
"We start by targeting his inner circle," I say, my voice firm. "Discredit his closest advisors. Leak their secrets to the other nobles. Make them doubt their loyalty to the king."