William slowly lifted his head, his old eyes narrowing as he studied the young emperor before him.
Though Aurek's body still looked thin and frail, there was nothing weak about his gaze. His eyes gleamed with a hawk's sharpness, piercing and unflinching.
And in his hand—gripped with steady confidence—was the scepter of the Crossbridge throne, the symbol of imperial authority. It radiated an aura of command that Aurek had never possessed before, an imperial dignity that seemed to awaken the very air around him.
William's heart gave an involuntary jolt.
He was no ordinary man; he was the Secretary-General of the empire, long seasoned in the ways of power and politics. Yet at this moment, in the presence of his emperor, he felt something he had never felt before—pressure.
A suffocating, commanding pressure.
What in the world has happened to His Majesty?
Doubt flickered in William's heart, but decades of political survival had honed his instincts. He swallowed his questions. A ruler could have secrets. A ruler could change. And it was not his place to ask.
Instead, he lowered his voice and reported soberly:
"Your Majesty, the state of the empire… is not good. Especially of late. In the capital, gangs run rampant. The people suffer endlessly beneath their violence.
"The Minister of Police has petitioned for funds on numerous occasions, but little has changed. As for the rest of the situation… it remains much as it was before your accident."
Aurek gave a slow nod.
It was more or less as he had guessed.
Until Crossbridge had been completely drained of its wealth and marrow, the Ordon Theocracy would not allow any other force to seize it.
Still… Aurek's eyes lingered on William. He realized something else.
These past years, for the empire to have survived at all, must have required no small effort from this old man.
Compared to the memories he had inherited—of a tall, robust figure—William looked thinner now, a little hunched, his hair much whiter than before.
Even more telling was his aura. Once, William had reached the Expert Rank. But after years of neglect, his strength had eroded. Now, Aurek realized, William's presence did not even feel as sharp as the Elite Rank assassins he had just summoned.
The implication was clear.
This man had sacrificed his own growth, his own future, in order to prop up the crumbling empire.
Aurek let out a soft sigh in his heart.
After a long pause, he finally spoke.
"William… these years must have been hard on you."
He tightened his grip on the scepter, his voice gaining weight.
"Tell me. In the parliament, among the ministers—who can I trust?"
William's expression changed at once.
He straightened, his face solemn.
"Your Majesty, the Winston family has always stood with the royal house. You may trust us completely."
"Relax, William," Aurek said evenly. "Your family's loyalty—I have never doubted."
Turning, he gestured at the grand wall of the chamber, where the great map of the Crossbridge Empire hung, its once-proud borders now filled with cracks.
"Look around you. Crossbridge weakens with every passing day. We cannot simply watch it rot away. We must act. We must change."
He drew in a breath, his eyes cold as steel.
"So tell me, apart from your family… who else can I trust? I refuse to be remembered as the last emperor of the Crossbridge Empire."
William froze.
He stared at Aurek in disbelief.
So His Majesty… had seen through the empire's condition all along?
And not only that—he actually wanted to change it?
A sharp ache welled in William's chest, his eyes pricking with heat.
For so many years, he had silently wished for the revival of the empire's past glory. He had dreamed of a day when Crossbridge would once again shine.
But reality was a cruel and merciless thing.
Just keeping the ship afloat had drained him of everything.
To hope for revival? To hope for change? Impossible.
The water already spilled could never be gathered again.
It was too late.
The empire had entered its twilight.
Deep in his heart, William had already accepted this fate.
He had resolved to spend his remaining years preserving what little dignity the empire had left, to steer the ship of state gently into its grave, and to sink alongside it when the end came.
Even dealing with the vipers in parliament had left him utterly exhausted. And beyond parliament, there were still gangs, corrupt nobles carving up their fiefs, and foreign empires lurking hungrily just beyond the borders.
Even as Secretary-General, William felt himself powerless.
And he was not alone.
The entire Royalist Party, those who had once shared his loyalty, had fallen into the same despair. They no longer dreamed of victory. They only hoped that when the empire died, they could die with honor, their families remembered as loyal unto the last.
He wanted to tell this truth to Aurek—to open the boy's eyes to the bleak reality.
But in the end, he bit down on the words.
Instead, after a long moment of hesitation, he asked quietly:
"Your Majesty… what do you intend to do?"
Aurek turned, his gaze like a blade.
"You will see, William. In time, you will see for yourself.
"For now, I only want one thing from you: tell me who can be trusted. Who still stands with the Veynar dynasty?"
William fell silent, thinking carefully. Then he began to speak.
"Besides the Winston family, there is House Smith, Senator Heimerdinger, and Commander Gaia of the Imperial Guard.
"There are a few others, but those are the main pillars."
He paused, then continued, explaining the factions currently dividing the parliament:
The Royalist Party, led by the Winston family and House Smith.The Judicial Faction, led by the Minister of Police and the Chief Justice.The Military Authority Bloc, led by the Grand Marshal.And lastly, the Clerical Order, dominated by the priests of the Ordon Theocracy.
At the head of that final faction stood Cardinal Austin, the Theocracy's highest-ranking representative in Crossbridge.
When William finished, Aurek fell silent.
His thoughts churned, sharp and deliberate.
At last, he spoke.
"William. I have a task for you.
"First, pacify them. Make sure they remain patient and wait.
"Second, begin cultivating a new group of officials in parliament. I want them loyal to the crown, and preferably not from noble bloodlines."
William blinked, his brows furrowing.
Why?
Why would His Majesty want to do this?
Was it simply to strengthen the Royalist Party?
If only it were so simple!
His instincts screamed danger. He knew all too well that such moves would instantly draw the suspicion of every other faction. The moment they sensed it, they would unite to crush the royalists. The result could be disastrous, deepening the empire's fractures beyond repair.
After a long pause, William spoke cautiously.
"Your Majesty… are you planning to pressure them? To remind them of the crown's weight?
"If so, be careful. Their strength is considerable. If they are driven to desperation, it could spell catastrophe for the empire."
Aurek gave a cold, humorless laugh in his heart.
History has shown me this pattern a thousand times before. I know it better than anyone.
And this time, I have the system at my side.
Even the great Cardinal Austin, with his supposed Master Rank power, did not frighten him.
Soon enough, Aurek would show them all.
Master Rank? It was nothing.
All he needed was time—time to grow.
And when the time came, he would sweep them aside.
"William," Aurek said at last, his tone like iron, "you need not concern yourself with these things.
"Just complete the tasks I give you. That is enough."
William frowned, the urge to argue rising to his lips. But when he met Aurek's eyes—eyes blazing with imperial authority—he faltered.
His words died in his throat. Against his better judgment, he bowed and retreated.
What… what has come over me?
And then, as William withdrew, Aurek's voice rang out once more, firm and resounding, echoing through the chamber like a vow to the heavens:
"William. Grant me time.
"For the great Crossbridge Empire shall once more shine with glory!"