He stared at for a mont before crossing his arms with a pout so shaless I nearly admired it.
"Fine. I shall not say more."
"Good."
"For now," he continued as a sorry excuse of an attempt for a coback.
I ignored him.
The possibility was... unpleasant. Not because it ruined my plan entirely. On the contrary, it opened a different road, one that might be far more useful than simply eliminating the Crown Prince.
If the prince truly was sick and I held the ans to cure him, then the situation shifted beautifully. More intricately.
It also made my previous plan look like a child throwing tantrums which left a bitter taste in my mouth.
Anyhow, a dead prince would plunge the court into chaos. A cured prince, however, would owe . Depending on the severity of his condition, he might owe greatly. It would be great if it becos a life-saving debt.
Gratitude was not the strongest chain, but when reinforced with desperation, secrecy, and political isolation, it could beco serviceable. Perhaps even elegant.
Still, I did not like how close this was to Abi’s ridiculous accusation.
Saving the empire.
Tch.
Disgusting.
I was not saving anything. I was rely reallocating resources.
The Crown Prince, if properly cultivated, could beco a useful tool. A sitting emperor indebted to would make acquiring influence far easier than rummaging through the Capital’s factional garbage myself.
I disliked doing nial work and he would be perfect for that.
If the Crown Prince could shoulder so of it, then allowing him to live was reasonable.
Yes. That was all. This was no rcy, it was a strategy.
The carriage finally arrived at the Elysian Estate. The gates opened without delay, and the familiar sight of the Konstantin residence greeted with far more comfort than I cared to admit.
Unlike the imperial palace, the Elysian Estate did not attempt to blind guests with its grandeur. Its beauty was quieter, colder, and more confident.
A house that knew its worth had no need to scream.
William was waiting by the entrance, of course.
At this point, I suspected the man had long abandoned sleep as a mortal weakness. He stood in his perfectly arranged butler uniform, silver hair neatly combed, posture flawless.
Behind him were two footn and a maid carrying warm towels and light refreshnts.
Such efficient employees. I should give them a raise.
And if I ever conquered the empire successfully, William would be one of the reasons.
"Welco back, Your Excellency. Lord Abinatha," William greeted with a bow.
"William," I acknowledged, stepping down from the carriage.
Abi followed, stretching as if he had suffered through a long campaign rather than a short carriage ride. "Human balls are exhausting."
"You spent half of it laughing at my expense" I said.
"Well, that still exhausted emotionally."
"Your emotions are a public hazard."
William wisely pretended not to hear that.
"Has Spiro fallen asleep?" I asked.
"Yes, Your Excellency. The Young Master retired earlier as instructed. Though he waited for so ti before sleep took him."
I paused.
"Nightmares?"
"None so far. He seed restless, but not distressed."
That was probably the only good news I welco tonight.
I handed my gloves to the maid and went inside. "I will go check on him first."
William looked unsurprised. Abi, on the other hand, wore that sa unreadable expression he had shown earlier before we left. It was starting to annoy .
"What?" I asked.
Abi smiled. "Nothing."
"Your nothing is adding to my irritation."
"I find that hard to believe. Your face doesn’t look the least bit irritated. Besides, I was rely thinking that you are a very strange villain."
"I was already aware of your poor judgnt. There’s no need to demonstrate it repeatedly."
He laughed and followed down the corridor.
The estate was quiet at night, but not lifeless. Servants moved softly in the background. Lamps glowed along the walls, their light warm without being excessive.
The scent of polished wood and faint incense replaced the oppressive perfu of the palace. My nose nearly wept in gratitude.
Spiro’s temporary room was located near mine. William had chosen well as expected. It was close enough for safety, but far enough for the child to feel he had a place of his own.
I opened the door quietly.
The room was dim, lit only by a small bedside lamp. It had been furnished quickly but tastefully. A child-sized bed with soft covers. There were shelves waiting for books and a low table with paper and ink. A few toys were placed carefully in a basket, though I doubted Spiro knew what to do with them yet.
The boy was asleep, curled slightly beneath the blankets.
He looked smaller like this.
During the day, with his careful posture and too-knowing eyes, it was easy to rember that he claid to be eight. It was easy to see the strange maturity in him and respond accordingly.
But asleep, with one hand tucked near his chin and his brows faintly furrowed, he looked painfully young.
He was just a child.
My mood soured. Whoever had treated him badly before he found his way to would not live comfortably if I ever discovered them.
I was not an ambassador of kindness despite other people’s belief. I was an advocate of proper housekeeping. Trash should be disposed of once found.
I stepped closer and brushed a strand of pale hair away from his face. His forehead was warm but not feverish. His breathing was steady. The seal Abi placed, reckless as it had been, seed stable.
At least that much had not beco another disaster.
My gaze shifted to the small table beside the bed. A notebook rested there, closed but not perfectly aligned with the table’s edge. Ink had dried recently near the quill.
I looked at it and then at Spiro.
Could it be a diary? It seed like it.
How unexpected.
I did not touch it. No matter how curious I was, and I admit my curiosity was a monstrous thing with sharp teeth, a child’s private thoughts were still private. If Spiro wished to tell sothing, he would do so in his own ti. If he did not, then I would simply find out through other ans like a responsible villainous father.
There was a difference between respecting privacy and being uninford.
A good father respected boundaries.
And a good villain gathered intelligence.
As I was both, I would have to be creative. And creativity, I dare say is sothing I don’t lack.
Abi leaned against the doorway, watching with his arms crossed. His voice ca softer than usual. Even he was adjusting around the child, although I’m unsure if he was aware of it or not.
"Aren’t you going to read it?"
I glanced at him. "No."
"Why?"
"Because it is his."
Abi tilted his head. "Humans are so strange. You claim ownership over people with blood and nas, but not over paper they write on."
"That is because paper tends to contain things people are not yet ready to say aloud."
"And that matters?"
"It does to children, yes."
Abi was silent for a mont.
Then he smiled, not teasing this ti. "You really are strange."
"I’ll take that as you confirming that I am exceptional."
"Whatever suits you."
I pulled the blanket slightly higher over Spiro’s shoulder. The boy shifted faintly, his hand tightening around the fabric.
"Father..." he murmured.
I stilled. His eyes remained closed.
A dream, perhaps.
My expression softened before I could stop it.
Damn this face. It had no respect for my image at all.
"I am here," I said quietly.
The tension on his little face eased. How troubleso.
I left the room after that, closing the door with barely a sound. William remained in the hallway, waiting with all the patience of a man who had endured three generations of Konstantins and had likely seen worse than my current circumstances. Which was impressive, considering I had acquired a Jinn brother and a son in less than two days.
"Keep a knight stationed discreetly near his room," I instructed. "Not too visibly. I don’t want him to feel imprisoned."
"Understood, Your Excellency."
"Also, have Bernard begin investigating the orphanages and slave routes connected to the eastern trade caravans. Do it discreetly."
William’s gaze sharpened.
"Do you suspect sothing, Your Grace?"
"I suspect many things. And most of them irritate ."
"Shall I prioritize any particular lead?"
"Start with the caravan that crossed Lorillis. There no more than few rchant companies that transport northern goods to the East. Even rarer are those with Boleoti crystals and slaves. They know I dislike that kind of filth. And yet here’s a child who got sold into a group headed for Sonomi." I paused.
"Soone wanted him gone."
Abi’s eyes flickered.
William bowed. "I will see it done, sire."
"Good."
I continued toward my study. Sleep was tempting, but my mind was too awake now. The conversation with the Crown Prince, the revelation from Abi, Spiro’s existence, and the ever-circling vultures of the Capital all moved around like pieces on a board.
Annoying, expensive, and potentially useful pieces.
I had to sort them all out once again.
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