The sound of a knock on the door diverted the old man's attention from the chessboard on the table. The creak of the opening door made General Greer look up to see Cassian walking in and approaching him before taking a seat directly across from him.
"So, you haven't forgotten you still have a grandfather." Cassian smiled at the old general's teasing remark. The young man picked up a black chess piece and joined in the war-strategy game. For a while, the two became engrossed in their battle.
"Old man, you'll lose if you keep playing defensively without attacking." General Greer laughed at Cassian's comment and shifted his gaze from the chessboard to his grandson. He picked up the teacup beside the table and took a small sip.
"So, what have you been up to lately?"
"What else?" Cassian tossed back the rhetorical question in an overly relaxed tone. "Soldiers in camp can get lazy if no one supervises their training."
General Greer sipped his tea and looked at his grandson fondly. Memories of the crying baby he once diapered still felt vivid. But time had flown by, and now Cassian had grown into the most formidable young man in Estharen.
Sometimes, General Greer wondered—was the incredible young man sitting before him really the same boy who, just ten years ago, was still swinging a wooden sword? The thought always made the old general smile unconsciously.
"It's about time you seriously looked for a wife and gave your grandfather plenty of great-grandchildren. Look at how old I am—I want to hold a baby again."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Cassian replied with a smirk.
General Greer glared in irritation at his grandson's half-hearted answer. Look at how arrogant this boy is. Of all the outstanding traits he possessed, the old general couldn't understand why that particular one had to be so deeply ingrained.
"Don't just agree and then forget about it the next day," General Greer grumbled before continuing, "Do you know how many nobles are lining up outside our residence just to propose a marriage alliance?"
"Don't worry," Cassian poured himself a drink and took a slow sip. "I'll station more soldiers at the gate to kick out any nobles who come knocking."
"You… damn brat…"
General Greer was left speechless by his grandson's flippant reply. The old man could only let out a long sigh and shake his head.
"What kind of girl do you even want? Just tell me, and I'll find her for you." The corner of Cassian's lips twitched, eventually forming a faint smile.
"What's the rush? There's still plenty of time."
"How much longer do you think this old man has left to live?"
"Well, precisely why you shouldn't worry about unimportant things and just enjoy your retirement properly." Cassian replied with a careless smile, then stood up and stretched.
"I still have some important matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave first." General Greer had no intention of keeping his busy grandson any longer and could only offer a few words of advice.
"Take good care of yourself. Don't just focus on your subordinates."
Cassian gave a faint smile and nodded in understanding at his grandfather's concern. The old man, though growing more talkative with age, always made him appreciate these little moments of care.
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In one of the top-floor rooms of Caelore, three young nobles sat with serious expressions, listening intently to a conversation from a nearby VIP chamber. A two-way mirror secretly connected the two rooms, along with a sound pipe.
Not a single guest in the VIP room suspected that three fellows of New College in the adjoining room were listening to their confidential talk.
To the general public, Caelore was merely a renowned establishment in the capital, famous for its strict confidentiality and respect for patrons' privacy. But deep within the underworld and the shadowy business of assassinations, it was a goldmine for anyone seeking information across the three great kingdoms.
There was no secret Caelore couldn't uncover—yet only a select few knew this shocking truth. The young man in brightly patterned robes curled a satisfied smile as the guests in the adjacent room concluded their secret talks. Their visitor was none other than the right-hand man of Marquis Maris, who had just discussed King Elvarion's covert orders to retrieve the strategic map of diamond mines along the border between Estharen and Sevrine.
"King Elvarion truly won't let a golden opportunity like this slip away," Dorian remarked with a hint of disdain.
Tharen stroked his chin thoughtfully. "That map has been missing for twenty years. It might be quite difficult to obtain."
In the northern region between Estharen and Sevrine lay a mountain range dividing the two kingdoms, rumored to hold vast diamond deposits. Decades ago, disputes over the map had nearly sparked a full-scale war between the two nations, leading to an agreement to destroy it.
Now, the Kingdom of Sevrine sought the map in exchange for military and political support for Crown Prince Kaedor Elvarion's claim to the throne. Unfortunately, since King Eldric's death twenty years prior, the hidden map had eluded King Elvarion's men.
"Sevrine's strategy is quite cunning," Tharen muttered under his breath. "In the long run, they're the only ones who stand to benefit. King Eldric and his lackeys were fools to act so hastily."
Dorian chuckled softly at Tharen's bitter remark before adding his thoughts.
"Half of Estharen's military is under Cassian's control. Since they know pulling our cousin to their side would be nearly impossible, King Eldric needs strong external backing to secure the Crown Prince's position."
The three fell silent, lost in their thoughts. Seeing Cassian sitting quietly with his chin resting on his hand, Dorian smirked slightly.
"Cousin, what's our move?"
"Retrieve the map."
Tharen gave a helpless smile at Cassian's casual reply. "But it's been lost for twenty years."
Cassian shook his head firmly. "It still exists. King Eldric's advisor hid it somewhere before his death."
Dorian and Tharen exchanged a serious glance. Ben, suddenly recalling a key detail from the intercepted conversation, nodded in agreement.
"The king's advisor was one of the most loyal men in history. Even under torture and at the moment of his execution, he never revealed the map's location. I heard he was exceptionally clever."
Tharen looked at Dorian with satisfaction upon hearing that information. Honestly, the idea of using Caelore as a front for their "shadow business" was both brilliant and terrifying.
Nobles, after all, were prone to spilling important secrets when drunk. It wasn't uncommon for them to deliberately use beautiful women and charming attendants to lure out valuable intel.
Dorian thoroughly enjoyed being an information broker, especially for Cassian. Tharen sometimes found it hard to believe how deceptive Dorian's appearance was—the young man looked handsome and sweet, yet his heart was as black as coal. But Tharen didn't particularly care. None of the people standing by Cassian's side were as simple as they seemed.
"The most dangerous place is the safest hiding spot," Cassian suddenly remarked with a sly smile.
Dorian tilted his head before breaking into a bright grin as he grasped the meaning behind those words.
"Cousin, are you saying the map is actually inside the palace?"
Cassian didn't answer, only offering an enigmatic smile. That alone was enough for Tharen and Dorian to understand.
"Then I suppose we should start searching the entire palace immediately," Tharen suggested. Cassian nodded in agreement before issuing an order to Dorian across from him.
"Send your men to retrieve the complete blueprints of the palace layout."
Dorian nodded eagerly, his smile widening as if he had just been handed an exciting new mission. Tharen could only shake his head at the young man's antics.
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In the study room of the eastern castle, a young woman was busy poring over documents scattered across the desk. Moments later, Neris entered and reported to Althea about missing sections from the kingdom's records from twenty years ago.
"Is it possible the original records were deliberately hidden?"
Neris didn't dare confirm or deny, remaining silent with a hesitant expression. Althea took that as further proof—someone had intentionally concealed those records to erase evidence.
The current historical archives were nothing but falsified copies, manipulated to fit a fabricated narrative.
Althea turned her attention back to the records. The accusations that King Eldric had abused his power—imposing heavy taxes on the people and executing officials who dared oppose him—were completely at odds with the truth. For over a decade, King Eldric had been known as an ideal ruler.
"Have you gathered detailed information on Prime Minister Anster?" Neris gave a short nod in response and placed a thick file on the desk. He seemed about to say something, but hesitated.
"What is it?" Althea asked.
"Your Highness must be careful," Neris nearly squeaked before adding, "It would be extremely dangerous if Prime Minister Anster found out someone is investigating him."
Althea nodded in understanding, a faint warmth stirring in her chest. Two years ago, she had found a young man in a narrow alley, badly wounded after sneaking out of the palace. Who would have thought that a simple act of kindness would lead Neris to swear loyalty and beg to become her secret keeper?
Though Althea initially remained wary, suspecting Neris might have been planted as a spy, her doubts faded over time. Neris was unfailingly obedient and honest.
"From the beginning, I've been prepared for the worst possible risks."
Neris said nothing more upon hearing Althea's words. After she dismissed him, he immediately slipped back out through the window.
Deep down, however, Neris was deeply uneasy. He wanted to report this potentially dangerous situation to his true master, Cassian Greer, as soon as possible.
…