News about Rui’s miracles spread through the Kandrian Empire and the Panama Continent. The most powerful Martial Sage in existence was going out of his way to use his power to complete mundane tasks like rubble-clearing.
"Hmph," Pri Minister Edward snorted as he read through the intel reports. "Such a transparent action of guilt. He should try to be more aware of just how large a figure he is in Panama. In the first place, refusing to deploy your power is a fool’s errand. Tsk, lacking in ego just like your father."
The thought of Emperor Rael made him pause. His expression softened. He heaved a deep breath, shaking his head.
"There’s no point in thinking about the dead."
His attention shifted to a letter on his table, illuminated by the light of the evening sky that bead through the windows beside his table in his office. The paper of the letter was of a high-quality, hand-crafted esoteric material, a proprietary technology that only powerful sovereign nations made use of as further ans of proof of authenticity.
His hand reached for it as his fingers brushed across the rough texture as he read through the letter once more.
It was an invitation.
An invitation to the Royal Funeral of the third Emperor of Kandria.
Pri Minister Edward’s gray eyes sharpened.
"Just what is your intention, Rui Quarrier?"
The letter ntioned that the Void Prince had organized and would host the Royal Funeral. This was deeply unusual and reflected so conscious intentionality from the prince, who was otherwise unconcerned with matters surrounding governance.
In the first place, it was odd that he had received an invitation at all. He did indeed consider Rael a friend towards the end of his life, but that was informal and private. Publicly, their nations had a relatively neutral relationship, with more strides towards bilateral normalization having proceeded, but the scars of the past still hung in the air between the governnts.
The letter also ntioned that other leaders of importance and significance would be invited as well, an unprecedented arrangent for a simple funeral. Pri Minister Edward was one of many people who were trying to decipher Rui’s will.
"Do you... intend to beco Emperor?"
His voice was heavy.
It was a question that contained a tint of resentnt, for he was relatively certain that the answer was no. If there was one trait that Rui had consistently demonstrated, it was an aversion to long-term responsibility and burdens. Even as a Martial Senior, he chose to pursue his Martial Path rather than beco Emperor; the probability that he would choose the throne as the most powerful Martial Artist in the world was almost perfectly zero, as far as the pri minister was concerned.
Then, the only other intention he could deduce was that Rui wanted to crush the throne war in its infancy in the most deliberate and straightforward manner in front of the entire world by backing one of the other princes or princesses.
"It is suboptimal, but the second-best option." The Pri Minister snorted. "If he chooses to back a prince or princess, then that would end the throne war in its infancy."
It didn’t matter how many nations in the world backed the other princes. They could have the sum totality of all Martial Sages backing them, but if Rui Quarrier backed another prince, then the latter was likely to ascend the throne.
This way, he could crush the storm that was about to engulf the entire continent, potentially destroying the integrity of Panamic unity as they knew it. However, a weak and unworthy man or woman on the most powerful throne on the continent was probably even worse than the throne war.
The throne war would end, and the most competent prince or princess would likely win, ensuring a strong candidate on the throne and so political stability thereafter.
But a weak one would always create a war in the shadows with their weakness.
If Rui Quarrier intended to announce his support for a prince and so sort of vision for the future that that prince would try to execute, then Pri Minister Edward hoped he would choose well.
"Out of the seven most powerful descendants of Rael... Ranea is the wisest choice," the Pri Minister huffed as he thought about the contenders in the throne war. "She was a leading candidate in the previous war and one of only two that managed to rise to even greater heights."
She had beco the Minister of Mariti Affairs and had beco the leader of an even more powerful seafaring bloc of the Kandrian Empire. Even if the mariti industry had taken massive blows due to Suneater, it was still deeply powerful because everybody knew it was going nowhere.
Roughly forty percent of the borders of the Kandrian Empire faced the ocean, and seafaring and mariti would always be an extrely important part of the empire.
"She has matured both personally and politically," he mused. "Of course, she doesn’t compare to Rael; nobody does, aside from . But she’s decent. She also has the support of that wily wolf, Bradt. And given the dramatically renewed importance of seafare, she is especially important. Out of all the options, she’s the most reliable candidate for the throne to guide the Kandrian Empire from this point on. After her there’s..."
His eyes sharpened. "The ’Martial’ Prince Raijun. Calling him that is just laughable when Rui exists, but alas."
The Martial Prince was the only other prince of the original seven contenders who had managed to grow even more powerful since then. Even though he had been defeated in the Kandrian Throne War by Rui in the past, he had not lost his foundation like the other princes and princesses had, especially those.
He had beco a Martial Senior, a mid-grade one too, at that, indicating he had made so progress since then. If he managed to earn Rui’s aid, then his crowning was guaranteed.
"He’s a fool of a prince, but... he’s better than so of the others. Especially that fool Raul."
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