The Puppet Master

Nora spoke with a detached tone, "The reason you prevailed over those noble families before was their weak foundation. You always fought them one-on-one, and with Resarite's military prowess, victory was yours. However, the Ferret family you're up against now has a much deeper heritage. They're not just any family - they have Mibo, and even a duke among their ranks."

Howard pondered and then asked, "So, if I were still a knight and Blima had a powerful relative, would I have stood no chance of usurping his title?"

Nora replied coolly, "The diplomat from Duke Jiakai once told me that his lord, the Duke himself, was utterly alarmed by the rapid pace of your rise. He wanted to eliminate you."

Howard, somewhat incredulous, said, "What? The diplomat outright told you his purpose? That can't be true."

Nora explained, "The real intention of the diplomat was to use me to hasten your marriage. It seems Duke Jiakai thought that you would settle down once married."