Giliath demands your power stones! Let's try to get over 500!
*****
A few moments had passed since Emma began talking to Claire, both as her appearance as a Jaeger, and as a Witch. While not meeting any witches personally, things have started to click inside Claire's head, having things fall into place
But one question stood remaining for Claire.
What is a witch doing in Heimdallr?
'It really can't be referring to those legends of old...can it?', Claire wondered as the air of mystery still remained around Emma, even after she introduced herself as a witch. In Claire's eyes more questions were beginning to surface one after another as the two made idle chatter.
At the same time, back inside the Chancellor's meeting room. During the time the conversation between Emma and Claire had passed, the fleeting moment of the Chancellor hugging me had passed, and so Princess Alfin's shock in finding out the fact that the Chancellor was my father.
But just knowing that fact alone did not change things. The Chancellor is still Erebonia's Chancellor, while I am still the Crown Prince of Liberl. I was seen as part of the Auslese Royal Family.
I did see that Emperor Eugent did have worry in his eyes of me using the Osborne name, but both father and I decided it was not presently worth it.
If the public came to learn that another Osborne was out there, it could likely cause a structural collapse of the noble households as we speak. I did have a plan to challenge the other Great Houses head on, but not to the point where the entire system would collapse. That would change how Erebonia is viewed by other nations entirely.
After all, father was pretty well hated by most nobles. Imagine placing a second Osborne into the mix and inside Heimdallr no less where the Chancellor works with the Imperial Diet to file new laws one after another. I won't get into the details, but It's been clear as day most of Erebonia's nobles have come to hate him.
But they could not challenge the Chancellor directly. If they tried to dethrone father from his position, it would have to go through trial by the Imperial Diet. Otherwise, they would have to make due with short and backhanded attacks that would try to usurp Father.
Now what would happen if these nobles come to learn that another Osborne has been added to the mix? Well, it's a very simple answer. It's essentially adding oil to a well-lit fire. Once poured onto it, it wouldn't stop until one side has been put down in their place. Riots would start happening, and clashes would start to occur. The Provincial Armies that hailed under the Great House banners would likely rebel against the Imperial Army, causing widespread civil war against the country.
It would likely play out very similarly to the events of Cold Steel II, but with a different state of mind at play, since the civil war in Cold Steel II was nothing but a ploy. This version would act on much more hatred, trying to take down Father. And the Imperial Liberation Front would be at the head of it all. That was Crow's organization, and since it was the turn of the century, his organization has likely already been formed while he's been training in Ordis alongside Vita. It's been a couple years since we've last talked, but I'm curious to see how their latest progress is, but that would be a concern for another time.
Essentially, if I were to announce myself as an Osborne to the public here in Dreichels Plaza, it would be foolish of me to do so, and it was clear as day that father reached the same opinion, so both of us have been tight lipped on it. It was even tighter during our brief time spent in Crossbell. Minus that small brief period in one of the drawing rooms, we acted as strangers.
At the same time, it's a bit ironic, isn't it? Father is using force and war to bend people to his will to benefit the country better as a whole, while Rean struts about using the power of friendship to garner allies for his cause and quench the ensuing chaos, while me personally have been using the power of relationships to satisfy my selfish desires to try and make the world a better place, even if it was one small step at a time.
This was a big what if that I hope to not see shedding light down the road. For the present, I do not have plans to announce myself as father's child. Perhaps not until the destined time to where Rean sees father announcing his status to Rean as his father during the cold steel saga. But with how things are going to turn out now, it is possible that may not even come to pass.
I was grateful for father taking some time to have this conversation tonight, especially with the Emperor's presence. After all, in two months' time, I plan to activate the Vermillion Trial. Having Erebonia change to suit the Trial of the Vermillion Knight was the highlight of Cold Steel II. I am not sure what is going to happen during that time by taking it away.
Either way, the room we were presently in had calmed down considerably, after that first revelation of the bond that father and I share. Princess Alfin is a smart girl. She saw that I didn't pursue it, and she still sees me as Naoto. The fact that I am still her fiancé didn't change either. It was clear that she still liked me, despite knowing this fact now. I am grateful that her view of me didn't change as a result of learning who I was.
But that was just part of why Father brought us here. Princess Alfin and I could now be seen sitting on one side of the table, while the Emperor and Chancellor sat on the other side. Some tea was prepared, and we were currently calming our nerves with it. And since Princess Alfin and I went through all that dancing earlier in the night, drinking this tea was quite a stress reliever.
"I always had a feeling that something was amiss with the Chancellor. I really do thank you for shedding some light on this matter, Prince Naoto. I am also grateful that you haven't changed while knowing the Chancellor is your father. I can see why nothing is to leave this room now.", Emperor Eugent said, looking a lot more calm than he was prior.
"Yeah. Big Brother is always Big Brother to me! It won't change who you are. After all, you are to be my husband in the future, hehe.", Princess Alfin happily responded as she clapped her hands.
"Yes. I am thankful for you to be considerate on such a sensitive topic. Still, after we leave this room tonight, I do want to still be seen as a stranger to Father. You wish the same for me, isn't that right?", I asked, looking back at my father who sat across from me. I saw him nod his head.
"Yes. I do not deny that you are my son, but I also have this burden placed on you. I know it must have been hard, not having me there for you. I currently have several plans in motion, and until those come to fruition, perhaps I would consider stepping down as Chancellor to elect someone else to the position from the Imperial Diet.", The Chancellor suddenly said, causing Emperor Eugent to raise his eyebrows.
"Are you serious on this matter? This is quite sudden.", Emperor Eugent asked as interest appeared in his mind.
"It has been a fleeting thought. Even if my absence were promoted, it's not like these plans will change. What's set in stone is set in stone, and all that's left is to watch it play out. Still, I see myself being in office for a short while longer, to see how our neighbors will react.", The Chancellor answered while remaining mysterious. I could probably guess what is going on in my father's mind though. It was very possible he had already reached out to Ouroboros about their Phantasmal Blaze Plan, which was the second part that came after the Gospel Plan. The Gospel Plan will come to fruition in just a mere two to three years time, while the Phantasmal Blaze Plan won't happen for another five to seven years.
But to trigger the Phantasmal Blaze Plan, one required the Divine Knights to enact the Rivalries, and to slay one of Aidios's Divine Beasts with a forged Sword of the End.
And if I recall, presently, only Argreion, the Argent Knight, is the only one who is currently active, being piloted by Lianne Sandlot. It is likely that father currently has the Ebon Knight, Ishmelga. The other five were currently deactivated, being El-Prado, the Auric Knight, Zector, the Palatinate Knight, Testa-Rossa, the Vermillion Knight, Ordine, the Azure Knight, and Valimar, the Ashen Knight.
If going in order, it was Argreion, who has been with Lianne. Followed by Ishmelga. Crow would be next in waking up Ordine, followed by Rean who will wake up Valimar. After that, it was Testa-Rossa, forcibly woken up during Cold Steel II, then Zector by the Jaeger King, and lastly, El Prado by Rufus Albarea.
Only two pieces were in play presently, but in this next short bit of time the next couple of pieces would come into play.
That being me, I plan to wake up Testa-Rossa, and Crow, who is currently undergoing his Trials and training to wake up Ordine.
And with this meeting being so sensitive, I was going to inform the Emperor of my plans, since it is going to happen in two months.