"Information."
Valdric blinked in confusion, but Severin merely continued.
"With enough information, you can outmaneuver just about anyone in this world. Set traps, deceive, manipulate, exploit weaknesses… hell, you could have someone dancing to your tune without them even realizing there's music playing.
"And for decades, I've devoted myself to gathering every scrap of information I could find about this empire, making sure I had everyone firmly under my thumb. Even the church was nothing more than another means of furthering that goal.
"I was so damn sure no one knew this empire better than I did. No one could possibly outmaneuver me, but… haha, to think I was so wrong…"
Severin let out a self-deprecating laugh, finding the entire situation almost laughable. However, his amusement gradually faded, and his fingers tightened around the relic as a chilling look entered his eyes.
