Why is he here?
Aijira looked at the man infront of her, wearing just a black sleek uniform. He nodded his head and everyone went silent.
Aijira watched as Malik slowly went up to the Golden Throne and sat down. He then leaned his back and looked at the vassals. The vassals sweated in fear and awe as he watched them one by one, he then turned to look at her and spoke.
"Go on."
...Is he trying to find something? No, he couldn't have caught on to my plans of trying to probe the Imperial Laws he set... Even then, there is no reason that he should be suspicious of me.
She stared at him for a moment, coughed loudly before sitting back down on the Silver Throne. She raised her hand and spoke, "Then in 5 months it is!"
5 months, its both close and far away. Putting my focus on consolidation my influence in the capital will come first. Charlie and the others can do that for me.
The vassals nodded their heads, still sweating as they smiled.
Aijira turned to Redrick, who was sweating buckets and said, "I will leave the preparations to you. Please send me suitable locations that can be used for the wedding as soon as possible."
So all i need to do now, is to think of a way to control the tyrant. Which sounds super easy without context but now that i knew what he is capable off, i would have to try even harder. Manipulating him without him knowing is even more harder with how seemingly intelligent he is.
"At once, Dear Consort." Redrick bowed his head.
Step by step, Aijira. One step at a time. Patience will give me what i want in the end, no matter how powerful the tyrant is.
Malik watched the scene unfold of Aijira giving orders and listening to the vassal's suggestions. He then turned to Aijira for a moment, looking at her red hair as she gave out more orders.
"I would need the best of bouquets for the wedding. Also, which kingdoms and countries do you think will worthy to be invited to the wedding..."
Malik stared at her.
Then turned to the glass ceiling above.
Capable.
That was Malik's impression of her. A capable ruler. He could clearly see how she managed to keep the South from chaos. Even the feat of unifying the entire South, home to some of the most deadliest races and creatures in the world, a feat that was thought to be genuinely impossible to achieve, Malik could understand how she was able to do it.
Charisma that could charm anyone into loyalty.
Principles that she would never break.
Morals that keep her on the pedestal in the people's minds.
And the Will to uphold her promises of unification and eternal peace to her nation.
Malik listened as Aijira started steering the conversation towards the politics of the capital. Noting that she was nodding on certain things, Malik could somewhat see what she's trying to do.
She wants to unify and uphold justice to the capital...
Narrowing his eyes, he stared at the vassals, who were speaking to one another.
That was a problem for Malik. Corruption to him was essential for a country's growth, if the corruption was controlled.
It would give rise to opportunities for talents to rise. And those who were buried? Then that just meant that their convictions wasn't complete.
Malik didn't need weak people, those without conviction and will to fight. Those who would stay silent in face of danger and corruption. He needed those who would fight, those who yell for the death of corruption, those who will fight teeth to bone for survival.
If people like that filled the entire empire, then they wouldn't need him, nor the royal family anymore. The concept of Nobles, Lord, and Kings would cease to exist as those of the lower class doesn't need to rely on them.
Bethasdore will become an autonomous Empire. An Empire he needed to make so that this throne wouldn't get in the way of his research. An autonomous Empire that needed no leader or ruler to rely on for guidance.
The Autonomous Bethasdore Empire in the future will move, develop and build on its own through its citizens and the Royal Family will become its guardians through military force and such. This is why the Noble Faction was scared of him becoming the Emperor. They knew what kind of man he was, and so did his sisters.
If it meant completing his research, Malik would solve any kinds of problems that would impede him from researching, which was the most effective way he had learned for him to research continuously.
He had tried on procrastination, pushing the problem, ignoring them, so on and so forth but the problem would come back sooner or later, which was detrimental for him. He found that solving problems then and there was the best way to get rid of them.
That was why the Noble Faction was desperate on taking him off the throne. But they didn't have enough justification to force Malik to step down. Though if they had just asked, Malik would've told them "Okay. But go find me an heir first." and ignore the entire empire.
The Noble faction are desperate to find clues of what he is planning, but Malik was confident that they couldn't see through his plans. After all, his plan was something only a madman was capable of thinking.
Corruption was the foundation of his plan for it to work, and if Aijira intended on cleaning up the corruption because of her sense of justice, then it would give Malik a big problem to solve. A problem that he was getting a headache to.
I need to stop her or atleast delay her.
Malik thought to himself, looking at the woman who had suddenly barged into his life.
"That is all for this meeting. Dismissed." Aijira waved her hand and stood up.
Slowly, the vassals left one by one through the door. Redrick had also left. The knights who were hidden in the shadows had all gone away the moment that Malik came inside. They feared that Malik would treat them as eavesdroppers and promptly execute them with that reason, which is why they all left and waited for him to leave before they take post again.
Aijira took a small glance at Malik sitting on the Golden Throne before turning to him fully and bowed.
"Excuse me your Imperial Highness. The meeting had finished. I will return to my quarters to rest."
Malik stared at her for a moment, then nodded his head. "Go."
Aijira smiled at him fakely, then turning around, she left the room, leaving Malik inside, alone.
The darkness around him shifted, shadows crawled everywhere as Malik stared at the door.
His red crimson eyes glowing in the dark.