Chapter 001: Influence

Almost at the same time, in the Duke of Green’s study at his residence.
“You mean Du Fan was taken away by Prince Fischer?” The Duke of Green, dressed in a white robe, stood with his hands behind his back behind the desk, staring at a military map before him, his eyes filled with gloom.
Old Mark nodded slightly and said, “Yes… and he was taken away in a grand display.”
“Oh.” The Duke of Green finally took his eyes off the military map and glanced at Old Mark. “Mark, you were once the greatest warrior in the army. I sent you to follow Du Fan so that you could protect him… But now that he’s been taken away by Prince Fischer, instead of following him, you come back and tell me this… Have you grown old? Have you become confused?”
Old Mark smiled bitterly and said, “My lord, I’m not yet old… It’s just that Alva from the inner court is there too, so… it’s not convenient for me to follow.”
“Alva from the inner court? The one who fought you to a standstill in the imperial training grounds back then? But with him around, most of the people from the inner court will likely be there as well. I guess Du Fan shouldn’t run into any trouble.” The Duke of Green’s eyes finally held a deeper meaning as he looked at Old Mark with a strange expression.
Old Mark let out a soft sigh. “It’s him indeed. And I can tell that over the years, his skills have improved greatly. If we fought again, I’d likely not be his match.”
“Alva from the inner court… the greatest warrior in the inner court…” The Duke of Green murmured those words twice, then couldn’t help but walk a few steps around the study before sighing. “A few years ago, the court magicians were already under the control of our Prince Fischer. Now even the old emperor has handed over the inner court to him? It seems our Prince Fischer is truly favored… I wonder what expression our eldest prince would have if he knew all this.”
“However, our eldest prince also possesses considerable strength. Not only does he control the imperial guards, but I guess he also has control over the secret guards. Though things may seem evenly matched…” The Duke of Green paused before continuing, “As long as Emperor Austin III is still alive, the imperial guards will remain loyal to the emperor, not to our eldest prince… So this apparent balance is just that—apparent. If a fight really broke out now, our eldest prince would most likely not be a match for Prince Fischer…”

Old Mark’s expression changed as he said, “Duke, do you mean that in this struggle for power, His Highness Fischer… If that’s the case, shouldn’t we also declare our stance soon?”
“It’s not urgent,” Duke Green shook his head. “What’s the use even if we gain those two forces? After all, Emperor Austin III is still on the throne. We don’t need to rush to take a side. If we choose the wrong side, things will likely turn out badly. Right now, the other three of the four great legions haven’t declared their stance yet. Why should we rush? Remember, the first to act will be the first to be targeted. Our Green family must under no circumstances take the lead.”
Old Mark nodded and said, “In that case, I’m relieved. But regarding Young Master Du Fan, letting him get close to His Highness Fischer—won’t that cause problems?”
Duke Green sighed and said, “For now, ignore Du Fan. After all, his status is special. If he becomes close to His Highness Fischer, we can’t deliberately stop him. If others find out, they might think we’re siding with the crown prince… Hmph. Is it really a coincidence that His Highness Fischer encountered you all today? He must have planned this long ago; he just acted today… But it’s strange. Our His Highness Fischer used to be extremely cautious even when going to the cathedral. His bold appearance this time probably means… Let me think. Hmph, that old fox Anthony—while showing favor to the crown prince, he also allows His Highness Fischer to appear openly in the cathedral… What’s his real intention?”
Old Mark’s eyebrows raised slightly. “But His Highness Fischer is after all the Pope’s adopted son…”
“What does that matter?” Duke Green sneered. “Mark, after all these years, haven’t you seen through the true nature of those clergymen in the Holy See? They’ll side with whoever offers them the most benefits. They claim to be above the secular world, but that’s just nonsense to fool children. When will they ever be able to deceive you or me? Just watch. When Emperor Austin III falls, they will definitely have to make a choice… For now, they’re just waiting to see… Even the Mage Guild must be pursuing a similar goal, right?”
Old Mark shook his head. “Duke, I think this matter is far more complicated than just His Highness Fischer forcing you to take a stance… He likely has other plans as well. I’m afraid it will be unfavorable for us by then!”

Duke Green glanced at Old Mark, then suddenly sneered and said, “So what if Prince Fischer has other plans? He’s just trying to force me to take a stance. If I refuse to do so, what can he really do to me?”
Old Mark nodded and said, “That’s true. We have troops at our disposal. Whether it’s the Crown Prince or Prince Fischer, they can only demand that we take a stance but dare not go too far, for fear of pushing us against them… So the situation in the capital is extremely delicate… But none of this is the real issue. The most crucial thing is Emperor Austin III’s attitude. We all know he likely won’t live long, but what does he mean by allowing his two sons to fight each other like this? You see… although he has a thorough understanding of the overall situation in the capital, if he lets the two princes act recklessly, the imperial power he’s worked so hard to maintain might well…”
Duke Green snorted and looked at Old Mark, saying, “Might well lose his throne? Old Mark, since when do you start using such insidious words?”
Old Mark replied gravely, “My lord, I’m not being insidious; I just don’t understand… With Emperor Austin III’s great wisdom, how could he allow such things to happen?”
Duke Green nodded and said, “There’s some truth to what you say. That old emperor has allowed such things to happen in recent years, seemingly on purpose… Could it be…”
At this point, a fierce look flashed in Duke Green’s eyes. He sneered and continued, “Throughout history, when imperial power changes, old emperors like to suppress key officials to pave the way for the new emperor… But Emperor Austin III’s method is truly interesting…”
Old Mark’s expression changed, and he said, “My lord… are you saying… that these two princes’ struggle for power was all orchestrated by Emperor Austin III?”
Duke Green nodded and said, “I couldn’t figure it out before, but now I understand. It’s likely the case. He’s afraid the new emperor’s power won’t be stable, and he dares not openly weaken the power of the nobles. So letting the two princes fight each other is the best way. No matter which prince wins and ascends the throne, the nobles who support the other prince will suffer greatly… In this way, at least half of the noble families in the Gavin Empire will be reduced… It’s impossible for the new emperor’s power not to be unstable… Hmph, our old emperor is truly cunning. He sacrificed one son to preserve the Austin lineage for a thousand years… Truly the art of being an emperor!”

Old Mark’s expression changed as he said, “Duke, then we…”
Duke Green frowned and said, “It seems we can’t stay silent any longer. If my analysis is correct, I’m afraid that among the powerful families in the imperial capital, all except ours have already taken a stance. Otherwise, Prince Fischer wouldn’t dare to act so openly. If we don’t declare our position now… both sides will likely join forces to suppress our Green family first.”
Old Mark frowned and said, “Then what should we do…”
“We’ll declare our position,” Duke Green sneered. “We’ll send a response to both sides. I’ll have Daniel handle that. As for you, continue to stay by Du Fan’s side. Right now, Du Fan not only holds a solid position within the Holy Church but it seems even that old fool Edward is ready to be friendly with him… With him around, even the old emperor will have to think twice before targeting us… Besides, do they in the royal family really think our Green family is some easy target to be manipulated?”
As he spoke, Duke Green slammed his hand on the desk, and a flash of combat energy appeared, instantly splitting the desk in two. Items on the desk flew everywhere, and a huge military map slowly drifted to the ground, showing the military layout of the imperial capital…