The arrest of Viscount Harlowe didn't shake the empire. It spread quietly through noble circles and made people nervous. Small nobles were the first to react. Some checked their ledgers, others burned documents, and quite a few suddenly found reasons to visit the capital. The dukes, however, remained silent and chose to wait.
Inside the palace, Kylrus stood before a massive map of the empire. Pins marked taxation districts while red threads connected regions with suspicious financial records. Selene stood beside him studying the map, while Cassian leaned against a pillar nearby. Kylrus followed one of the red threads with his finger before finally speaking.
"Harlowe wasn't smart enough to build something like this on his own."
Selene nodded.
"I agree."
Cassian frowned.
"Then who did?"
Instead of answering, Kylrus pointed toward another district. The records showed almost the same pattern. Taxes increased gradually, the extra money was justified through security spending, and incident reports remained unusually low. The similarities were impossible to ignore.
"It's organized."
Selene folded her arms.
"What do you mean?"
"Someone gave them a blueprint."
The room fell silent. Simple greed was dangerous enough, but organized corruption was something entirely different. If multiple nobles were using the same methods, then someone was teaching them how to do it.
Cassian straightened.
"You think this is connected to the Veil of Ashes?"
Kylrus shook his head.
"No."
Both of them looked surprised. Kylrus turned away from the map and looked at his siblings.
"This started long before the cult became active. The Veil took advantage of the instability, but they didn't create it."
Selene narrowed her eyes.
"So we're dealing with two separate groups."
"Exactly."
Kylrus studied the map for a few more moments before making a decision. If he wanted answers, he needed to move carefully.
"Send a summons to Count Roderic of Eastfall."
Cassian blinked.
"Another public hearing?"
"No."
Selene looked at him curiously.
"Changing your approach?"
Kylrus smiled faintly.
"Doing the same thing repeatedly makes you predictable."
Three days later, Count Roderic arrived at the capital under a sealed summons. Unlike Harlowe, he appeared calm and composed. He entered a private chamber within the palace where only Kylrus and two royal guards were waiting. There was no audience, no nobles, and no opportunity for public spectacle.
"Your Highness."
"Count."
The silence between them lasted several moments. Unlike Harlowe, Roderic wasn't visibly nervous. Kylrus appreciated that. People who kept their composure were usually more interesting.
"You adjusted taxes in Eastfall."
"I did."
"For security purposes."
"That's correct."
Kylrus leaned slightly forward.
"What threats justified it?"
Roderic answered without hesitation.
"Bandit activity near the forest border, increased mana beast sightings, and attacks on merchant caravans."
The answer came smoothly, almost too smoothly. Kylrus watched him carefully before extending his hand.
"Show me the reports."
A servant quickly handed over several documents. Kylrus spent the next few minutes reading through them. The records were detailed, complete, and supported by witness statements and guard reports. On the surface, everything looked legitimate.
"Impressive."
Roderic inclined his head slightly.
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Kylrus walked toward the nearby window and stared outside for a moment.
"Tell me something. Who helped you?"
For the briefest moment, Roderic's breathing changed. Most people would've missed it. Kylrus didn't.
"No one."
Kylrus turned back toward him.
"You used the exact same financial structure as Harlowe."
For the first time, a trace of tension appeared.
"Coincidence."
Kylrus chuckled quietly.
"I don't believe in coincidences."
The atmosphere in the room grew heavier. Roderic remained calm, but his expression became noticeably sharper.
"With all due respect, are similar numbers enough to accuse someone?"
Kylrus smiled.
"You're bolder than most."
"I prefer honest conversations."
Kylrus studied him for several moments. The man wasn't panicking. That meant he was either innocent or protected by someone powerful.
"Imperial auditors will inspect your estate."
Roderic hesitated.
"When?"
"Immediately."
Another brief pause followed before he lowered his head.
"As you command."
The hesitation wasn't fear. It was calculation. Kylrus noticed it immediately.
A few minutes after Roderic left, Cassian entered the room while Selene followed close behind. Both of them looked at Kylrus expectantly.
"Well?"
"He's hiding something."
Selene folded her arms.
"You think he'll run?"
Kylrus shook his head.
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because someone higher up won't let him."
Selene's expression darkened slightly.
"So he reports to someone."
"That's my guess."
Cassian looked confused.
"Then why not arrest him now?"
Kylrus's eyes gleamed faintly.
"Because I want to see who gets nervous."
Cassian grinned.
"You're using him as bait."
"Exactly."
Selene immediately understood as well. If Roderic reported to someone, news of the investigation would spread upward through the chain.
"You want the message to travel."
"Yes."
Deep beneath the capital, Roderic knelt before a tall figure cloaked in crimson robes. Purple mana crystals illuminated the chamber, casting strange shadows along the walls. The atmosphere was tense.
"I was questioned."
The cloaked figure remained silent for a moment.
"And?"
"He noticed the patterns."
The figure tapped a gloved finger against the armrest.
"He's becoming more troublesome."
Roderic lowered his head.
"Far more than before."
Another voice emerged from the darkness.
"The damage to his mana core should've slowed him down."
"It did."
The cloaked figure paused.
"Just not enough."
Silence returned to the room.
"Move forward with phase two."
Roderic frowned.
"That increases the risk."
A quiet laugh echoed through the chamber.
"Everything increases the risk eventually. Timing is what matters."
Later that night, Kylrus stood alone in a training courtyard. Moonlight reflected across the stone floor as mana gathered around his hand. This time, he deliberately pushed harder than before. Golden energy surged outward and pain immediately shot through his chest.
"Damn..."
He steadied himself before the pain could worsen. The fracture in his mana core reacted violently, forcing him to slow the mana flow and carefully stabilize it. After several moments, the pain faded, but the problem remained.
"They did more than injure me."
This wasn't normal damage. Something within his mana pathways had been intentionally disrupted. Even now, traces of interference remained.
Kylrus looked at the golden light surrounding his hand. It was still powerful enough to overwhelm almost anyone in the empire, but it was no longer flawless. Someone out there clearly believed that weakness could be exploited.
"Good."
A small smile appeared on his face.
"Perfect opponents are boring."
The next morning, strange posters appeared throughout the southern district. They weren't openly hostile toward the Crown, but they were clearly directed against the reforms. Some warned that audits would damage stability, while others claimed aggressive governance would hurt prosperity.
Cassian tore one from a wall.
"Should we remove all of these?"
Kylrus looked at the poster for a moment.
"No."
Cassian frowned.
"No?"
"Leave them."
Selene studied him carefully.
"Why?"
Kylrus handed the poster back.
"Because if they keep pushing, they'll eventually expose themselves."
The empire was changing. Not openly and not violently, but the tension beneath the surface was growing stronger every day. Hidden enemies were becoming impatient, nobles were growing nervous, and invisible hands were beginning to move. Standing at the center of it all, Kylrus chose not to react immediately.
Instead, he watched and waited