As the door closed behind Vivienne Devereux, Alistair sat in silence, sorting through the implications of their conversation.
Aurion was making a move. A direct one.
That meant they saw him as an asset… or a threat.
He had no doubt that rejecting Vivienne's proposition had only escalated their interest in him.
Which meant they wouldn't stop.
The Imperial Council of Ministers gathered in the grand chamber, a semi-circular room lined with towering marble columns and stained-glass windows depicting the Empire's history.
Alistair sat at the head of the long council table, fingers lightly tapping the armrest of his chair.
The nobles seated around him ranged from military generals to economic advisors, each one representing a key faction of the Empire.
And as usual, most of them were absolute idiots.
Duke Lennox, Minister of War, cleared his throat. "The border tensions with Aurion remain stable, but their diplomatic envoys have been unusually active."
Alistair didn't react. Of course they were.
Lord Vance, the Minister of Finance, leaned forward anxiously. "Speaking of envoys… there are whispers that the Duchess of Aurion personally visited you yesterday, Lord Ashencrest."
The chamber fell silent.
Alistair sighed internally.
He set his cold blue eyes on Vance. "And?"
Vance swallowed. "Is it true?"
"Yes."
The room erupted into whispers.
Duke Lennox scowled. "And what did she want?"
Alistair's expression remained neutral. "The usual. An alliance."
More murmurs.
Duke Lennox's grip on the table tightened. "And what did you tell her?"
Alistair tilted his head. "What do you think?"
Silence.
Then—a few smirks.
They all knew how much Alistair despised political maneuvering disguised as diplomacy.
The Minister of Internal Affairs, Count Reinhardt, chuckled. "I'd wager she left disappointed."
Alistair shrugged. "Or entertained. It's hard to tell with her."
A few council members laughed under their breath.
But Duke Lennox remained serious.
"Aurion doesn't make offers lightly. If they're reaching out to you, it means they see you as central to the Empire's stability."
Alistair leaned back in his chair. "And?"
Lennox narrowed his eyes. "And that makes you a target."
Silence filled the chamber once more.
Alistair already knew that.
He had known since the day he took this position.
Still, it was annoying to hear it out loud.
He sighed. "Let them try."
Count Reinhardt smirked. "Confident as always."
Alistair's expression didn't change. "I don't have time for paranoia. The moment I start playing defense, I've already lost."
Lennox exhaled heavily. "Let's hope that confidence holds, Lord Ashencrest."
It will, Alistair thought.
Because unlike the nobles sitting around this table, he wasn't playing for power.
He was playing to win.
End of Chapter 10