By outsourcing assassination to the same contractors his daughters were using, he created perfect deniability. Everyone blamed each other. No one suspected the Emperor himself was funding some of the attempts.
And the ones who survived? They'd be battle-tested, paranoid, skilled at detecting threats. Exactly the qualities needed to rule a dangerous empire.
Elara felt... nothing. Not betrayal. Not anger. Not even surprise.
Just cold assessment.
Her father had paid three thousand gold to have her killed. Twice. She'd survived both times. Therefore she'd passed his tests and remained in the succession battle.
Simple. Logical. Efficient.
The fox knight spoke from the doorway. "Your Highness? Is everything alright?"
"Define 'alright,'" Elara said.
"You've been standing there for ten minutes without moving."
"I'm processing new information." She turned back to the desk. "How many people in this palace know the Shadow Guild delivers intelligence to me?"
