Chapter 1052: Unfit
Chapter 1050 of "Primordial Villain With A Slave Harem" begins unfolding events: Chapter 1052: UnfitâQâquestion my ability to uphold my duties?! My King⌠You-ââMe what?â Alexiosâs voice... Continue reading!
Chapter 1052: UnfitâQâquestion my ability to uphold my duties?! My King⌠You-â
âMe what?â Alexiosâs voice cut in. âI donât have the right?â
Alastairâs lips sealed. He didnât dare speak the words aloud, but in his mind, they rang as clear as a war horn: âExactly that.â
âBy the Law of Accord, signed and sealed by our ancestors, resigned by us upon taking our current positions, the Five Ducal Houses recognize the Valorian Crown as their sole sovereign. All land within the Vraven Kingdom belongs to the royal Valorian family. The Dukes are entrusted with the governance of their duchies, but sovereignty was surrendered when the Accord was signed. You were given stewardship, not ownership.â
The hall seemed to grow colder with each syllable. Alexiosâs tone was not a shout this time around, but it didnât need to be. The weight of the law itself hung over every noble present.
Alastairâs jaw tightened. Of course, he knew the law. Every duke did. But law and reality were two different beasts. No king in living memory had dared use that clause against them because they wouldnât survive the attempt. The ducal houses had been granted full autonomy in practice, regardless of what the Accord claimed.
Why? Because united, the ducal families could crush the Crown. If the royal family tried to take more than was theirs, the five duchies would rise in revolt.
Alexios was treading where no king had tread before.
Alastairâs gaze slid to the other dukes.
First, to his closest ally, Duke Harland of Thornhollow. The grizzled manâs eyes burned with quiet defiance. He gave a firm nod, pledging his full support without a word.
Then to Duke Zaren of Duskmere. Zarenâs sharp features were full of hesitation. His duchy bordered Ravenshade, and their relations had always been far warmer than with Greenvale. But even so, Alexiosâs maneuver was too blatant, too dangerous to be allowed. Zarenâs lips pressed into a thin line before he, too, inclined his head in agreement.
Two on his side.
Alastairâs mouth began to curl into a smile until his eyes found Tharion, Duke of Ravenshade.
Tharionâs teeth were gritted. Alastair could see the storm raging behind his eyes. But thenâshockinglyâTharion broke away, turning to speak to his young son as if the matter at hand was beneath him.
Alastairâs smile died. He suspected why. Alexios had married Tharionâs relative, Queen Morgana. That bond of blood was likely staying his hand. Still⌠He expected Tharion to know better than to weasel out. But in the end, he could accept it begrudgingly while cursing inwardly about âRavenshade dogs.â
Such bitter heat rose in Alastairâs chest as his gaze moved to the final duke.
Kaede of Silverwind.
The woman did not even glance his way. Her gaze remained forward, her expression unreadable, as if the storm swirling in the hall was nothing more than distant weather.
Alastairâs molars ground together.
Two duchies for him. Two against.
And the balance was not in his favor. Duskmere and Thornhollow were part of the Sustaining Arm. As such, their militaries were pale shadows compared to Ravenshadeâs and especially the Royal Central Forces. Kaedeâs Silverwind remained a complete unknown, and that uncertainty was more dangerous than an open enemy.
The realization hit him hard.
He had been outplayed.
While the nobility assumed Alexios was idly sitting on his throne as generations before him had, the king had been quietly shifting the pieces on the board. Heâd struck before Alastair could even see the trap being set.
Marrying Morgana was definitely not all that he did to dismay Tharion, and Alastair felt the relationship between the king and Kaede to be fishy as well. There was a chance they had struck a deal behind everyoneâs backs.
âI have every right to question your ability, Alastair,â King Alexios finished his lecturing with a sharp statement. âAnd thatâs exactly what Iâm doing right now.â
A stir went through the gathered nobles, but before the duke could muster a reply, a firm voice spoke from behind the king.
âRoyal Father, pardon the interruption.â
Elias Valorian, the first prince, stepped forward from his place on the dais. The resemblance to Alexios was unmistakable. Sharp cheekbones, eyes that seemed to read past oneâs defenses, and a presence that pressed upon those in his gaze. The king inclined his head, granting his son permission to speak.
Elias turned his attention fully upon Duke Alastair. His tone was polite but edged. âThere is a matter I wish to raise while we are gathered. Several months ago, a certain⌠super rookie emerged within your duchy.â
At once, murmurs rippled through the crowd. No names were spoken, for none needed to be. Everyone knew who the prince meant.
âDevil,â Elias continued, âthe rising prodigy of the Vesper Consortium. The crown has devoted no small effort to uncover more about this enigma. But ever since he became a Vesper Phenom under Black Fangâs sponsorship, even scraps of reliable intelligence have become almost impossible to obtain. That woman sees to it that nothing leaves their circles, save for the occasional rumor so absurd it is difficult to credit.â
âSurely, Duke, you too have spent considerable resources inquiring after this man. What have you found?â
Alastair gave a dismissive wave, the motion casual, almost bored. âWhen the Consortium first began flaunting him, they claimed he was an Elemental Sovereign, an achievement few elemental mages can even dream of. A true prestige, and one not seen among humans since Queen Morgana herself attained it three centuries ago. Naturally, I was intrigued. The first prince is correct; I invested resources, sought to learn more, perhaps even lure him into my service. But Black Fang⌠she made approaching him impossible.â
His expression cooled even further. âThen came the rumors, becoming more and more outrageous. I was expected to believe this man could cast any elemental spell without speaking? That he wields all four elements at once, with silent casting?â A scoff escaped him. âNot even Queen Morgana is capable of that. It seemed clear the Consortium was desperate for recognition, spinning tales to polish their reputation. I do not waste coin chasing phantoms. So I stopped investigating.â
Quinlan muttered.