The Empror's Trap

Ch 35 - A Spectacle Unfolds

Kenji had many allies in court.

These allies weren't people he had personally trained but instead a network left behind by his father. Though many of them were senior officials, even elders to him in a familial sense, Kenji's current position in the court made him their leader. Thus, they worked tirelessly to ingratiate themselves with him.

Kenji was well aware that such connections, forged out of mutual interests, were anything but stable. Still, for now, he found their utility indispensable. Many of these allies were deeply involved in various affairs of the court, and their support allowed Kenji to wield influence well beyond the responsibilities of his formal position as Grand Marshal.

Now, it was time to mobilize these connections for his own purposes.

...

Pluvia woke up in her chambers at the break of dawn.

Her sleep had been far from peaceful. She had been plagued by dreams the entire night.

In one dream, she sat upright on her imperial throne, poised to issue a decree. Suddenly, a tall, imposing figure clad in majestic armor strode forward, sword in hand, and knelt before her. With seemingly sincere yet disconcerting words, he advised her to abdicate the throne.

When Pluvia flatly refused, the man sprang to his feet, pinned her down to the floor, and raised his blade.

What was unsettling was that this nightmare didn't wake her. Instead, she transitioned into a second dream.

In this one, she saw a treacherous figure usurp power, operating from behind the throne while controlling the entire Empire. She could only watch, helplessly, as her subjects perished in endless wars, families torn apart by chaos. Just when she thought she would crumble under the weight of it all, the shadowy figure demanded she draft decrees against her will, pushing her deeper into despair.

When she finally woke up, cold sweat drenched her body.

While the dreams weren't real, Pluvia couldn't shake the unease they brought.

She knew exactly who the shadowy figure represented—Kenji. Logical reasoning assured her that he wouldn't commit such treachery. He was too calculating to make a move prematurely; now was hardly the ideal moment for him to act.@@@@

But still...

Pluvia looked down at her hands, remembering how they had once gripped Kenji's neck tightly. For a fleeting instant, she had felt something bizarre—almost an illusion—that this man's loyalty to her might be genuine.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself down, Pluvia grabbed a pen and wrote her response:

"Do you take me for a fool? Every previous request for funds has been granted in full. How, then, have you still run out of money? I suggest you take care of this matter wisely. Or, should you find yourself short of resources, perhaps your own family's wealth could be used to fill the gap?"

Essentially, her message was clear: Stop extorting me, or I'll confiscate your assets.

While greedy, these officials knew when to quit. Surely, they would back down now.

"What else?" Camelot asked.

"There's also the matter of military reforms. Lord Kenji has submitted a proposal suggesting that we should bolster the army's combat capabilities by hiring a large number of cultivators to serve in its ranks..."

"Approved. I'll allocate the funds—wait a second!" Pluvia's eyes narrowed. "That's not his responsibility!"

The military reforms were supposed to be under General Balinos' jurisdiction, not Kenji's.

"General Balinos is currently leading a campaign in the north," Sonya reminded her. "Naturally, the duties fell to Lord Kenji since he's the Grand Marshal."

"...Grand Marshal this, Grand Marshal that!" Pluvia groaned in frustration, clutching her head. She let out a soft wail, regretting her earlier decision to let Kenji inherit the position.

Sonya chuckled and shook her head. "Even if Lord Kenji weren't the Grand Marshal, he'd still find a way to involve himself. Let's be honest."

"What else is on the agenda?"

"The Sal Kingdom has sent an envoy, and another delegation from a neighboring tribe has also arrived."

"Oh?"

A mischievous smile spread across Pluvia t's lips.

"Finally, something interesting. Summon our esteemed Grand Marshal. This is going to be quite the spectacle."