As the final course was cleared away and the plates replaced with delicate desserts, Aldric leaned back in his chair, signaling the end of the meal. The warm glow of enchanted candles bathed the room in a soft light, and the murmur of polite conversation quieted as the moment of seriousness approached.
Aldric looked over at his second eldest son, a tall, lean man with piercing grey eyes that reflected his father's sharp intellect. The young man sat upright, his face stoic, and awaited his father's signal. Aldric's gaze was intense as he gave a subtle nod toward his son, who stood up and said in a measured tone, "Your Highness, we have matters at hand. We apologize for not being able to accompany you longer."
"Don't apologize, Lord Lucien. I am the one imposing," she said, and as she spoke, everyone stood up and performed a bow and curtsy to each other.
"I think it's time we move to more pressing matters, Seraphina," Aldric said, his voice still calm but carrying an air of authority. "Please excuse us for a moment."
The younger sons glanced at one another, and Seraphina offered them a polite smile before turning her attention back to Aldric. With a graceful gesture, she acknowledged the need for privacy, knowing the matters were not for their ears. Everyone except for Lucifer, Seraphina, Aldric, and Valerius his eldest son left.
Aldric and his son Valerius led the way to a more private part of the hall, the heavy oak doors closing softly behind them. The conversation had now shifted to something more important.
Once the doors were shut, Aldric gestured for Seraphina to take a seat. "Now, Seraphina," he said, his tone becoming more serious. "I assume that you have something of great import to discuss with me. You did not come all this way merely to exchange pleasantries."
Seraphina took a moment before replying, her voice even and calm. "Indeed, Your Grace. I seek your support in securing my place as Empress of this realm. As you know, my siblings' ambitions are many, and their power grows with every passing day. It is crucial that I align myself with those who hold influence—those who can help tilt the balance in my favor."
Aldric leaned forward, his hands clasped together on the table, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "And why would I help you? What do I stand to gain from such an alliance, Seraphina?" His voice was sharp, but there was no malice—just the cold logic of a man used to making calculated decisions.
"Twilight Vale," Seraphina answered, her gaze unwavering. "In exchange for your support, I will ensure that your family holds complete control over Twilight Vale. You will be compensated for your loyalty in ways that will secure your influence, wealth, and position, beyond what even you have now."
Valerius, standing by his father's side, watched the conversation carefully, his expression visibly shocked but soon relaxed. The silence was tense, the weight of Seraphina's words hanging heavily in the air.
Aldric leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepling before his lips as he studied Seraphina intently. His piercing grey eyes never wavered, weighing the words she had just spoken. The atmosphere in the room shifted, the once comfortable warmth replaced by a tense silence as the weight of her proposition lingered between them.
"Twilight Vale," Aldric repeated softly, as if testing the name on his tongue. His expression remained unreadable, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of interest. "And you propose that I pledge my loyalty to you in exchange for control over the forest that not even the great ancestor of your family could control solely?"
Seraphina met Aldric's gaze with unwavering determination, her voice steady but filled with the weight of her promise. "Yes, Twilight Vale, with all its untapped resources, magic, and strategic value. It is more than just land—it is the key to immense power. A land where no other family has been able to establish dominion for centuries. But with my help, the Vale will bend to your will."
"Your words are bold, Seraphina," Aldric said, his tone low and measured. "I don't want to sound rude. But promises such grand ones often dissolve before they have even started to proceed. I must ask—how can you guarantee that you can deliver on this claim? Twilight Vale is not a simple piece of land that you can just throw to me. You don't even possess it on your own. How can you give it to me? Your Highness, if you are here to make bleak promises, I do not entertain whimsical dreams." Aldric's voice carried an underlying threat; if she was here to waste his time, she might as well leave.
Seraphina held her ground, her expression unwavering despite the sharpness of Aldric's words. She had anticipated the skepticism, knowing well that Aldric would require assurances beyond her mere promises. The Duke of Valthora was not a man swayed by flowery words or empty guarantees. He demanded results, and it was results she intended to deliver.
"You're right, Your Grace," she said, her voice calm but imbued with a quiet intensity. "Twilight Vale is not a simple piece of land. It's been fought over by us and the elves for centuries, if not more. But I have the means to claim it." She paused, letting the weight of her statement hang in the air before continuing. "Meet this gentleman here. He is called Sir Pompous Gloom. Though he currently is a Diamythe-ranked adventurer, don't ever underestimate him just by that."
Lucifer stepped forward as she said that. "This is my personal guard." Aldric looked Lucifer up and down. Though he had been noticing Lucifer from the moment they came, he still couldn't assess what the power level of this guy was. One had to know that Aldric was an S-Rank Mystic Mana user. So him not being able to assess someone was very rare.
There could be three reasons here: first, this guy was a nobody, and he didn't cultivate his mana at all, which was not possible, as Seraphina just said he was a Diamythe adventurer and also her personal guard; second, this guy had a technique that could hide his presence from cultivators of a higher rank, which also had very slim chances, as normally though people liked to control their power and these skill also helped them but it was not to the point that someone like Aldric who was among the top in the empire—or so he thought at least couldn't even guess; and third, which was the most reasonable and terrifying at the same time, he was someone who was above him in level, and so much so that he couldn't even fathom how much. Ahh common cliché to introduce powerful character I can't help but do this, Which I am extremely sorry about.
Aldric's sharp eyes studied lucifer with intensity, his expression unreadable. He leaned back in his chair, feigning a relaxed posture, but his mind was calculating. If this man was really as powerful as he thought, then he is either an extremely valuable ally or an extremely dangerous threat.
"You bring an interesting companion, Seraphina," Aldric said, his tone light but laced with an edge. "Sir Pompous Gloom, was it? A peculiar name. Forgive me, but I have an avoid to let mysteries left unsolved. Perhaps you'd care to explain what makes this man so indispensable?" He had been thinking why had seraphina let him eat at the same table as her and even let him sit at such a proximity but he didn't say anything. But when she brought him even in his study to discuss about the throne he knew something was more than off.
Lucifer met Aldric's gaze for the first time, his piercing purple eyes faintly glowing under the enchanted candlelight. His presence was magnetic, yet unsettling, as if the very air around him bent under an unseen weight. "I serve to ensure that Her Highness achieves her goals," Lucifer said, his voice calm, with an undercurrent of authority. "And I ensure that anyone who opposes her doesn't even live enough to regret it."
Aldric raised an eyebrow at the veiled threat, but the corner of his mouth curled into a faint smile. "A bold statement, Sir Gloom. Tell me, do you always speak so arrogant is not is not the word to say maybe so candidly, or is this a special occasion?"
"I speak only the truth," Lucifer replied, unfazed. "Should you choose to align with Seraphina, Twilight Vale will become only a stepping stone for our alliance and bigger things await. You may or may not know about it but there have been several incidents in the elven empire in the past few days and the same in our empire, do you think they are just mere coincidences."