The Same Page.

"Tragic accidents."

"They are so very common in the murky world of politics."

"Offend the wrong person, and you can find the next day, as far as the world is concerned, you decided to hang yourself."

"You can also die during a fire."

"There are many ways for one to have an accident."

"Oh, so many ways."

"At times, even entire families are lost to these unfortunate events that have absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with their enemies plotting their untimely demise."

"Kings can fall victim to accidents."

"Ministers can fall victim to accidents."

"Anyone can really, but the number of accidental deaths and unexplained suicides among the nobility of Dynasties Online far exceed that of every other social class."

"Such a curious phenomenon this is."

"It's almost as if it is not a phenomenon at all."

"But something far more man-made and sinister."

Baron Malwin Thornsworth, Teacher of Railius Aurellion, and the second wing of Athurus.

….

Time continued to flow as three months quickly passed, and a letter from halfway across the world finally made its way into the hands of one Baron Malwin Thornsworth.

A letter that would lead to an event that would shock The Kingdom of Nathia to its core as, for the first time in years, House Aurellion would make a move no one would suspect.

February 15th, 4008 ASA (After Species Awakening)

Baron Malwin was sitting in his house's office on a comfy brown leather chair, a place he routinely comes to after he had finished giving lessons to the youngsters to go through the day's various administrative tasks, though, thanks to some of his students graduating from their studies under him these tasks were far less draining and numerous than they were only a few years ago.

Alongside dealing with these exhausting administrative tasks, he also had to manage a brilliant and mischievous teenage lord whose daily antics gave every adult around him countless headaches.

They all loved and respected their little lord, who had already shown that he would become a formidable force in the future and a worthy lord to follow. They all truly did love him.

But why the hell did he have to be so eccentric and, at times, a massive pain in the ass?

He supposed that the son would take after the father, who was well known for seeing things in a rather unique way compared to everyone.

But why did it appear that instead of a noble upbringing making the scions of House Aurellion more normal and grounded, it only exacerbated the Dynasty's eccentric tendencies?

Eccentric tendencies that many get frustrated by.

Luckily, those days were, for the most part, behind him now that his lord was of age and gallivanting around the world, making him the world's problem to deal with and not his, not that every now and then Railius pulls a stunt that has sent him scrambling for one reason or another leading to more than one of his hairs prematurely turning white.

At the rate he grew white hair, he would look like an old man before he turned 45, not a prospect he was looking forward to by any means.

A perfect example was when the young lord suddenly decided to splurge 250,000 gold on a five-ship merchant fleet, a sudden and unexpected expense that Malwin was really not ready to accommodate by any means.

For no matter how prepared or well Malwin managed House Aurellion's assets, it still took a lot of effort to find 250,000 gold from thin air suddenly. Luckily, he had some emergency funds for the first instalment of the payment, and the rest came from spending 80% of their monthly income and a few loans, which were quickly paid off.

It was not that Malwin disagreed with Railius on the matter. In fact, he was very much in favour of creating merchant fleets. All that the middle-aged baron wished for was a bit of a heads-up before Railius spent half a million gold on it, so he was not presented with a sudden large bill to deal with.

Either way, that was a problem from months ago, while this letter was a problem for today.

A problem that he suspected would have him scrambling around again, though, whether it was because he had to raise even more coin for another one of his lord's projects or for some other reason, the ageing baron could not be quite sure.

It was a letter that was months old by this point, clearly showcasing the enormous travel time it can take to get from place to place in Dynasties Online delivered by a trusted messenger instead of by bird a letter which only left the messengers hands to enter his own.

It indicated it was not a letter meant for prying eyes, with the actual message Railius wanted him to receive likely hidden in some form of code, riddle or underlying meaning.

Malwin also suspected that it was not the only message or messenger sent to him, a precaution made to ensure that at least one of the letters entered his hands in the event that any of the messengers got killed or captured.

After all, roads are not the safest places to be alone, where bandits and other brigands routinely attack such lonely travellers.

'We really need to expand our information network worldwide.'

Malwin thought as it was just one of the many expensive long-term projects he would have to accomplish in the future for the ageing baron was certain that his liege was nowhere near done with this world which would have to deal with his schemes and antics for years to come.

House Aurellion has not yet managed to infiltrate many countries in Dynasties Online, only having a mature intelligence and messaging network within Nathia and certain parts of Rinada.

As a result, there was no reliable way for Malwin and Railius to communicate that was not by messenger.

The various international banks, those banks with branches all around the world, all provide delivery services for letters and messages, but only a fool trusts them not to read such correspondences before resealing it and sending it on its way.

There are only two reasons why someone goes to a bank in Dynasties Online, whether they are a player or not.

Either they are having money troubles of some kind, or they are looking to purchase information.

Which at times can be more valuable than even millions of gold.

That's right, these banks, alongside being places that horde vast sums of money, are also some of the game's biggest and most reliable information brokers.

So, one must wonder where these banks get their information from.

It couldn't be from all those letters that were accidentally read while passing through their hands, could it?

Why such an accusation would be nothing but slander to the outside world no matter how true it may be in reality.

For, who would not try to read whatever secrets were sent by these letters, especially letters sent to and from influential figures within one of the many nations that make up the virtual world?

It was an opportunity only a fool would let go.

And the CEOs and leadership of these banks are no fools, as who knows when this information may come in handy.

It may even become their lifeline if relations ever sour between the bank and someone important.

Railius, being an intelligent and suspicious young lad, would not trust these banks to look at his letters nor to pry into why there was a Pelican seal on them. As a result, he decided to use a messenger, which was the best way at his disposal to get a confidential letter to Malwin.

With a weary sigh, Malwin opened the letter with a sharp letter opener, breaking the red Pelican wax seal, and began to read.

Dear my Thorny friend.

The letter began as Malwin stopped reading, shook his head, and chuckled slightly; his lord seemed to be in a good mood when he was writing this letter while still being as obstinate as he usually was, Malwin mused before starting to read once again from the letters beginning.  

….

Dear my Thorny friend.

I hope this missive finds you well and would like to let you know that I am very much enjoying my cruise around the world. You would not believe the incredible sights and things I have encountered while travelling.

It truly was a fantastic experience, as a most peculiar occurrence delayed us. We were waylayed by ships whose sails turned from black to red as we passed them by! Can you believe it?

It was almost as beautiful as that pawn structure from our last chess game. You know, the one it's that one where I beat you so hard you cried, but to reminisce on my fantastic experience galivanting around the outside world is not why I have written this letter.

Instead, it was sent to implore you to organise a few holidays for me for the next few years.

Look not to Chavaria, for those steppes are far too dusty and cold for my liking.

Also, look not to where our business rivals dwell, for I do not trust them not to make a move on me during a leisure trip there.

Instead, look for a shadowy mountain that looms over the landscape filled with noble spirit and gold, blending perfectly with the background, for that would be a perfect place for us to visit.

I trust you to plan and prepare for my holiday and be sure to invite our friends from the capital as we will be working very closely with them in the future.

From your most beloved young friend.

….

An expression that started as amused turned into one of confusion until it morphed into one far more serious and laced with killing intent by the time Malwin finished slowly reading the letter to make sure he had not missed anything.

When he was done reading it, he immediately called out to one of his family's old trusted servants, a man who had accompanied him from Chavaria to his exile in Nathia.

"Aulus! Tell Leon I wish to see him and that the matter is beyond urgent."

The baron said before turning his attention back to the letter, where he read it carefully again and again while underlining certain words just to be he had not misunderstood anything. 

As he underlined words, he quickly began to piece together the underlying meaning of the letter, which only those intimately familiar with House Aurellion and its recent actions would be able to piece together successfully.

It turned out Malwin didn't misunderstand anything; his first reading of the letter allowed him to deduce the message Railius wanted to send him perfectly.

The Baron was confident that this was not a forgery as he had helped to teach Railius how to write since he was 10 years old, and so only almost identical forgery would be able to deceive him, which this was certainly not because it came f.

The baron's expression turned incredibly dark as soon as he was sure he had understood the underlying message that Railius had sent him.

He then took a piece of parchment out of the drawer and began to write down six names, finishing just in time because only a few seconds later, Leon knocked on his door and was given permission to enter.

"Malwin, what could have happened for yo-"

Leon started talking jovially as soon as he walked in, but once he saw Malwin's dark, solemn expression and angered glare, he stopped as his own demeanour began to match the baron's own dark one, quickly catching on that something was very wrong.

Something which must have gone terribly wrong for Malwin to look so severe.

Not even when their young lord had suddenly bought a 250,000 gold merchant fleet did the skilful administrator look so angered and worried.

"What happened."

 Leon asked iceily as worry began to fill his heart.

"Read."

Malwin said in an equally cold voice, his expression unchanged as he held out Railius' letter for Leon to read.

The grandmaster of loyalty quickly took it but became immediately confused and angered at Malwin for bothering him with such a message, which could only be a joke or prank pulled by Railius.

"What the fuck is this meant to mean? You didn't just call me because our lord has played a joke on you, did you?"

Leon said angrily; however, Malwin just sighed before speaking in the same cold tone that he had begun the conversation.

"Read. Carefully this time, and pay special attention to the words I have underlined."

Leon did so, but even with Malwin's help still couldn't piece together the ominous underlying message that had spooked that usual calm baron.

"All he talks about are black sails and holidays! What the hell am I meant to get from this?!"

The Grandmaster of Loyalty exclaimed, waving his hands around, the opened letter flapping wildly as his anger and annoyance rose. Malwin had obviously seen something in this weird letter that he hadn't, which frustrated him to no end.

This made Malwin let out another sigh, this one laced with despair.

Leon never had the sharpest mind, but he really hoped that there would be more to the brain behind House Aurellion than just himself and Railius.

But this hope was dashed by the muscled-headed man before him.

Malwin was thankful to the gods at this moment for his lord's high intelligence, even if it gave him sleepless nights at times.

Not that he would serve a stupid lord, even one with a military force as loyal to him as the Pelican Guards, but such a fact was irrelevant as Railius far surpassed his expectations.

He then took out two wine glasses from a nearby glass cabinet and a bottle of wine from the drawer, pouring the crimson liquid into the circular glasses and putting them safely on the table as he motioned to the chair in a commanding voice he rarely used.

"Sit."

Surprised at the tone that was uncharacteristic of the usual casual exiled noble, Leon did as he was bid, concluding that he would get the answers that he wanted quicker if he did as he was bid as Malwin put the letter on the table between them both as he began to point to the crucial parts of it.

"The first part of the message that is important is where our lord says that he had been 'waylaid by ships whose sails turned from black to red as we passed them by.'"

Malwin said calmly before continuing.

"This tells us that our lord has encountered pirates and fought them off. They are now either dead or turned into allies."

"Though the next part of the letter confirms that they have turned into allies, or more specifically into a pawn for our lord to move at his will."

"A stroke of genius, in my opinion, as such a force of pirates has many uses, especially ones like these with no easily identifiable ties to us."

Malwin added the last part in a vain effort to stem the coming storm of emotions, not that it worked as Leon's anger threatened to burst when he heard that his lord was attacked, and seeing the impending explosion coming, Malwin decided to try to temper it as much as possible while also giving the grandmaster the information he had on hand.

"I can assure you, my friend, I am just as angry about this as you are; however, it gets worse, as you are aware, while our lord's merchant fleet is transporting cargo and acting as merchant ships…."

"We both know they are not merchant ships at all; instead, they are top-of-the-line warships made with the latest and greatest techniques known to the world, just with large cargo capacity."

"Tell me, Leon, do you think that any pirate or small pirate fleet would dare to attack 5 top of line warships without being provoked by someone."

Malwin said, dropping his bombshell of a conclusion, which, as expected, led to an explosion of unfiltered rage from the more impulsive man before him, making sure at that exact moment to take a sip from his glass of wine and, more importantly, off the table as he waited for the inevitable….

BANG!

Rage-filled outburst.

"YOU MEAN SOMEONE PAID FOR THOSE FUCKING THUGS TO KILL OUR LORD!"

Leon roared, rising to his feet while smashing clenched fists onto the wooden table as his knuckles broke through the smooth oak surface, creating a fist-sized hole. His glass of wine spilt over as the table visibly shook under the old grandmaster's unrelenting force.

Even though he was expecting it, Malwin was momentarily surprised at the damage Leon had managed to do during his rage-filled outburst, as it was rare for one to see the full extent of a grandmaster's overwhelming strength because usually, they restrain themselves somewhat so it was only when they were in a life and death situation or lost control over themselves somewhat that you could witness and judge the full extent of their power.

 And Leon Mantalon, the legendary Grandmaster of Loyalty, more than lived up to his name and widespread reputation as one of the deadliest grandmasters in the world with his impressive display.

Though whether all grandmasters were capable of such feats is a question Malwin doubted he would ever get an answer to.

'In hindsight, maybe telling The Grandmaster of Loyalty you suspected that you suspected someone tried to kill his beloved lord and son of his best friend is not the best way to calm him down, especially when his blood was already up.'

Malwin idly thought, his gaze turning from the freshly punched hole in his table to the offending fist, which seemed only slightly bloody and bruised after smashing through his expensive, solid wooden table, his eyes shining with curiosity.

The only problem was that Leon needed to know this information for this conversation to reach a satisfactory conclusion.

And while Malwin was stuck in his thoughts, Leon's inferno-like raging continued, having long lost any semblance of composure.

"THOSE FUCKING CHAVARIAN CUNTS! I'LL HAVE THEIR BLOODY HEADS! I KNEW WE COULDN'T TRUST THAT DAMNABLE WAR MINISTER!"

Leon roared angrily, once again, coming to an incorrect conclusion in his mindless rage during the few seconds Malwin had spent thinking and admiring the legendary grandmaster's strength, immediately thinking that this was something plotted by their biggest enemy.

An incorrect conclusion that Malwin would need to quickly rectify if he didn't want Leon to go rampaging through the Chavarian Empire.

Not that such an event would not be amusing or justified in his eyes. After all, any loyal servant of House Aurellion would celebrate any chaos they could bring to that accused country that tried to exterminate them, leading to the last of its line having to hide while being hunted down like an animal.

However, it would bring heat that House Aurellion could not afford right now, so he would need to carefully put Leon back on his leash before he goes running off, causing chaos that would only make Railius less safe and send more problems his way.

"Calm down, Leon and try not to cause too much collateral damage. We are trying to save money at the moment, and breaking things in my office will not help us fulfil our lord's endeavours."

"After all, it was not the Chavarians who sent the pirates after our lord."

Malwin said, trying to calm the old grandmaster down.

"If not them, then who?"

Leon asked icily. Either way, someone would be dying for this attack of that, Malwin was sure, as Leon was not a man who would let such an attack on his beloved lord go unanswered.

Whether the man he kills is a Chavarian or someone else entirely is irrelevant.

All that mattered to Leon was that his spear was allowed to send at least one of the unfortunate schemers to the depths of the underworld.

Something which, in this case, Malwin was more than happy to help indulge the Grandmaster of Loyalty's need for revenge.

"If this letter is anything to go by, then it would be the nobles who helped Amos Hosted take over the Golden Goods Merchant Group, as they would have the connections, money, motivation and sense of safety to attempt such a thing."

Malwin said in a calm, cold voice.

Just because the baron had a much better handle on his emotions did not mean that he was not equally as pissed off as Leon was about this situation.

"Why would they want to attack our lord?"

Leon asked in a voice confused but laced with anger. He understood why Amos might try once again to attack their lord but didn't understand why the man's powerful backers would.

"Because our lord threatens their interests and, more importantly, the profits they gain through their partnership with Amos Hosted."

"They also have no idea just who they are dealing with and have managed to piss off."

Malwin said confidently because no matter how dissatisfied those less powerful nobles may be at Railius for cutting into their profits after they had just taken more of that lucrative pie that was The Golden Goods Merchant Group for themselves. These noble lords would never dare take such actions if they knew they would draw the ire of House Aurellion.

Well, more specifically, the ire of the feared Grandmaster of Loyalty Leon Mantalon, but in this case, they are one and the same, so the distinction between them was irrelevant.

Meaning that attacking one is as good as attacking the other.

"So what are we going to do about it? We're not just going to let them do as they please with no consequences, are we."

Leon said through clenched teeth after having finally managing to control his anger.

"Of course, we're not. It seems we are also to enlist the help of Kodjis Kendari, the crown prince of Nathia, to see to their just punishment."

"Our lord has finally picked his side."

Malwin said calmly, though he was not surprised that Railius decided to join up with the crown prince as they both have a similar worldview. Even if there may be more to gain if he supported the second prince, his lord had a plan, and it was not for him to screw up.

"Why would the crown prince help us?"

Leon asked as he was utterly oblivious to the current political strife within The Kingdom of Nathia, having spent all his efforts training up the young up-and-coming Pelican Guards and others who have paid to receive his teachings.

Malwin let out another depressed sigh as, for just a moment, he missed his battle of wits with Railius.

Though it was only for a moment.

Why was he surrounded by idiots?

If people ever wondered why Railius left Malwin in charge when he was not away and not Leon, then one look at this conversation would answer all that person's questions.

If Malwin was being completely honest with himself, he was surprised Leon even learnt to read.

But it seems that miracles happen from time to time.

Malwin then continued with his explanation.

"Because these six nobles supporting Amos are all viscounts or part of the lower nobility, all also happen to be part of the second prince's faction, so the crown prince will happily work with us to deal with them."

"If you want to do more than just follow orders, please at least try to keep track of the kingdom's current political situation."

Malwin said his last words, a plea for Leon to use his brain for once, though having a political idiot who only followed orders as Grand Commander of the Pelican Guards did have its advantages.

Leon was silent but nodded, finally understanding everything.

"This is a list of the six nobles."

Malwin said, his voice cold and ruthless, as he put the list he had made only minutes before on the table.

Leon picked up the list of names and read it.

Vicecount Karstan Kale.

Vicecount Symon Springmore.

Baron Robert Rothsford

Baron Davan Foreker

Lyman Lawdell, heir to the Lawdell Barony

Ser Steffen Stemberd.

"Five of these men we can bring down with the help of the crown prince; however, there is one that may prove problematic.

Malwin said, pointing to Vicecount Kale's name with his index finger.

"Unlike the others, we have nothing on Vicecount Karstan Kale. He is meticulous in his dealings, so meticulous that I doubt even the most renowned spymaster would have evidence or knowledge of any of his wrongdoings."

"You see, these nobles think that their status will protect them from facing any severe repercussions for their actions."

"And to a certain extent, they are right as nothing short of murder of a powerful noble or charges of treason will see them lose their heads alongside their lands and titles."

"Unfortunately, while our lord may be content with seeing five of them fall out of favour and maybe lose their heads, I am not and neither should I assume are you."

Leon nodded an affirmative at Malwin's words, both on the same page for once, which is a rarity, to be sure.

"Tell me, Leon, how do you feel about letting off some steam for the both of us by visiting our dear Vicecount Kale and having House Kale suffer a tragic accident."

"And make sure to send them our lord's regards."

Malwin said with a scheming evil grin and a vicious glint in his eyes matched only by the one that appeared on the face of the Grandmaster of Loyalty, looking like an evil genius concocting a plan for world domination as his hands clenched and shattered the now empty wine glass whose shards imbedded themselves into the baron's skin, the act finally releasing some of Malwins pent up emotions.

Emotions and plans that did not bode well for House Kale at all.