[Halcyon City, Chinebar Republic, Tellus, after the end of Daren's weeklong funeral.]
Days after Daren's funeral, nobles began holding events in Halcyon again. Everyone was eager to mingle but didn't dare to do anything flashy. Information was key in this time of turbulence. Social gatherings were critical for gathering it.
A popular masquerade ball was being held that night by the Natrali family. No matter which group or faction, they would always send someone to this family's gatherings. Edwina carefully adjusted her mask one last time. Disguised as a middle-class noble, no one should be able to recognize her.
Edwina never cared about this lower-class noble family before. But with the Sarrakians flooding into Halcyon, politics were changing quickly. There were too many new faces. She needed more information as fast as possible. With no other choice, Edwina casually entered the party herself.
The splendid venue still didn't compare to that of a proper high noble's party. She had never really understood why her mother and other high-ranking nobles liked to visit such a useless family. They had neither wealth nor power. A faint frown formed on Edwina's lips.
The Natrali family has been a fairly average noble family for generations. However, unlike most other vassals, they were openly neutral about supporting the next Halcyon City Lord. Their position had fallen with fewer allies and trade partners. The idiots should have chosen her brother from the beginning.
This house tried too hard to gild its flaws and climb to a higher rank. They were stubborn, indecisive cowards who liked to play both sides of a conflict. Someone even had the bright idea to invite peasants and servants to a party for nobles.
Edwina could barely stand staying here, mixing with all the rabble they invited. Still, their parties had been the most popular for over a decade for some bizarre reason. For the next two hours, Edwina wandered the halls. As the wine continued to flow freely, lips started to loosen.
Edwina focused on the youths with refined speech and the most expensive-looking clothes. They wandered around with flocks of followers behind them. They must be of a higher social class and would be better informed.
She smiled and nodded along as others praised her brother or talked about some new business venture. As a noblewoman, she never really learned about business stuff. Edwina had better things to focus on. Business matters were for servants, her brother, and her future husband.
Just as Edwina decided to turn the conversation from boring business stuff to something more useful, the conversation turned in an unpredictable direction.
"Say, did you hear about Lady Peacock investing in another of her friend's latest business schemes? I thought that she would learn after that last fiasco."
"Ooh! Are they trying to do something other than steal her money?"
Edwina frowned in confusion. She had never heard that nickname before.
"Lady Peacock? Who is that?" Fortunately, someone else embarrassed themselves to ask for her.
"Oh, you must be new if you don't know about her. She's the highest-ranking young lady around, being third in line and all. But she'll just be married out for an alliance. That lady is too vain and stupid for anything else. Or perhaps I should say that those friends of hers are too skilled at stroking her ego?"
"If anyone would dare to take Lady Peacock, that is. I hear that her budget for the last social season rivaled the size of the budget for the average noble family for a year. She's nothing without her backing. Thank the Celestials she doesn't have an interest in running her clan."
"Ugh. Let's change the subject. Lady Peacock's willful ignorance is too disgusting. She called my dad's new business partners from abroad his 'weird beastly toys' and proudly demanded that they perform circus acts at her birthday party two years ago. My family lost that business because of her."
The group cackled madly before turning to another topic. Edwina happily noted down the name 'Lady Peacock' in her mind. This idiot could be milked for some sorely needed cash. One of her friends was suffering because their father had his business funds cut off. Their vicious uncle was trying to take over the house and kept sabotaging their business to steal their grandfather's support.
Only later that evening did Edwina realize that she was 'Lady Peacock'.
But why did they call her the 'third in line'? Edwina was a woman. She couldn't inherit the family or City Lord position. She had to support her brother. That's what her friends and servants always said.
Was that all wrong? Those people told Edwina that her reputation was stellar, but that's not what she heard with her own ears. Did they lie to her? But, why?
**********
[Halcyon City, Chinebar Republic, Tellus, roughly six months after the Chinebarian federal government was reestablished.]
By some miracle, the nation seemed to be on the road to recovery. Hunting down the remnants of the True Order and the rampaging magical beasts helped boost the crippled economy. External enemies were deterred by the new demonic threat.
Students were finally released from their conscripted service and could return to class. Now they faced a new problem: where would they go?
Chinebar National University was essentially unsalvageable. Attendance had become a badge of shame. Before the revolt, complaints had steadily risen about favoritism and corruption. Then, it was captured almost immediately due to traitors at the beginning of the war.
Thousands of students, faculty, and staff had withdrawn and refused to return. Few could trust anyone from CNU. A costly and time-consuming investigation was needed, especially for the professors and graduates who had entered key sectors.
The decision to shut down CNU was almost set in stone. The tricky situation was Nafriton University. It experienced direct conflict on its campus and was in the middle of a federal hearing when the True Order revolted.
Yet, the university had shown that it could protect itself and make hard decisions. Nafriton University's faculty and graduates could still be trusted as a whole unlike CNU, which had been under the Department of Education. The public would be extremely skeptical of a government takeover.
Many still pushed to force Nafriton into the government's education system. The university had been left to its own devices for too long, and success with that school could boost the government's flawed image. Besides, without CNU, which school would counter Nafriton? There was no one to claim that position.
Others disagreed. They had their hands full with cleaning up CNU. Any attempts to take over Nafriton at this delicate time could cause it to collapse. Why mess with a clean situation?
After a month of debate, a decision was reached by force. The full extent of corruption in CNU was revealed and somehow leaked to the press. Too busy to deal with Nafriton, a hasty decision was made to leave the university alone. It would be allowed to open the next school year with added security.
**********
Until a few months ago, the overwhelming majority overtly or secretly supported Tregario to be the next City Lord. Even if they did not particularly like Tregario himself, they couldn't trust the child of those people to take over Halcyon.
As for Edwina, she was a vain woman without intelligence and sufficient magical talent. Most didn't consider her a potential heir, aside from the Natrali family who gave all heirs a chance out of principle. Even many in the Natrali family wondered why they did this.
However, the situation had begun to change. The future was bleak with the True Order threatening the entire nation. While Tregario Forolan did nothing, Daren Forolan actively stepped into the fray. The evaluation of the mediocre Tregario subtly dropped while Daren's rose.
The politically savvy sensed that Daren was going to shine like a star. He already had important backers, especially the City Lord, the Vear family, and his teacher, Headmaster Vargiphos Marin of Nafriton University. He was known for his magical skill. Now, he was gaining critical achievements.
Disturbing rumors about Tregario had begun to spread in private, which the Forolans could no longer stop. After Daren publicly stood against his parents and they were executed, many forces considered that good enough. They were finished supporting the mediocre Tregario only to safeguard against the Goldings.
But their new boat sunk after they had already leaped. New forces had taken their place by Tregario's side. Then Daren, the heir apparent, perished in the final battle to save the nation. What infuriated those loyal vassal families the most was that Tregario took great pleasure in his cousin's death and didn't bother to hide it.
They could never continue to support such an ungrateful scoundrel as the city lord. However, their former lord now despised them and greedy outsiders had grabbed his ear. The Sarrakians would not hesitate to crush them to steal the city. That foolish child would become a puppet and the short-sighted nobles their lap dogs.
These loyal vassals came together to petition the City Lord. He was also aware of Tregario's new supporters, but his hands were tied. The vassals' previous ploys to prop up Tregario now worked against them. Fortunately, the City Lord, his wife, and the former Lord all agreed with them.
Now, what they desperately needed was someone who could stand against Tregario. Otherwise, he would take over and so would the Sarrakians. Then Halcyon would be consumed by corruption.