Ch 16 - Entrapment (Part 2)

At Prince Liam estate…

In the spacious courtyard, near the pond, Prince Liam was fishing.

Once the Crown Prince of this empire, Liam now lived a life that could only be described as lavish contentment. After all, stepping away from the fierce struggle for power meant the emperor had to compensate him. In fact, the emperor's generosity was substantial. Not only did Liam own the most luxurious palace aside from the Imperial Palace itself, but he also received a select group of beautiful women for his enjoyment. Anyone unaware of the backstory might even think he was the real victor of that succession battle.

But formerly the Crown Prince, now he was still far from satisfied.

It's hard to resist the pull of power. If someone has never tasted real authority, it's easier for them to move on, but once they've wielded it, they crave more. Liam was exactly that sort of person. He was once heir to the throne, and everyone believed he would eventually become Emperor, commanding the highest authority in the Camelot Empire. But fate took a different turn: his father passed the power to his younger sister.

Even now, Liam hadn't abandoned his ambitions. He believed he was the rightful ruler, and anyone else in power was illegitimate. He wanted to reclaim everything he felt had been ripped away, and right now, he was plotting exactly how.

"General Dueno, you do realize what you're saying?"

Liam asked with a stiff smile. His fishing rod quivered in his hand, though not because a fish had bitten. Rather, it trembled due to the shocking plan the tall general beside him had just proposed.

"I wouldn't dare be careless," General Dueno said with an easy smile. "I came to see you today because preparations are mostly complete. I need a real partner—someone who can help me fulfill my ideals. I believe that partner is you, my Prince."

As he spoke, General Dueno also took a moment to flatter Liam, even though he knew someone of the Prince's status wouldn't be swayed so easily. Still, sweet words were better than nothing.

"You flatter me, General" Liam replied, regaining his calm quickly. "But I must ask: do you truly understand the implications of your proposal?"

"It represents legitimacy, Your Highness." Dueno straightened, trying to appear righteous. "I believe the land should be governed by proper regulations. Even though the late Emperor left an edict, a Crown Prince inheriting the throne is the natural, lawful order. By ancestral tradition, the person who should be Emperor is you."

"And yet, my younger sister is more capable than I am. Isn't that simply called 'yielding to virtue'?" The Prince kept his composure. "I wasn't up to the task, so for the sake of the empire's future, it made sense for my sister to take the throne. That's how Camelot keeps moving forward."

"You're too kind, Your Highness."

Dueno frowned in indignation. "You relinquished power that was originally yours. It was an enormous sacrifice, and look what the current Emperor has done. The empire is beset on all sides by enemies. Our mighty Camelot Iron Army should be subduing them, spreading our might across the land… but the emperor seems to ignore these border provocations, fighting political battles at home instead, stifling her officials' voices…"

When he reached this point, Dueno knocked back the tea in his cup with dramatic flair, then set it firmly on the table. "Why should we cower? Camelot is wealthy, its people prosperous—why fear a few barbarian kingdoms? Look at our internal affairs now: the Emperor appears incompetent, Duke Anos holds too much power, and everyone knows of his boundless ambition. Yet the Emperor keeps giving him pass after pass, chilling the hearts of so many loyal subjects."

"So you want me to usurp the throne?"

Liam shook his head and fixed General Dueno with a level look. "General, Her Majesty has been more than generous to me. I have wealth and women. What more could I want? Besides, Duke Anos is just another minister. The emperor is likely using him until his purpose is exhausted—why call that incompetence?"

"Your Highness, my men and I are ready whenever you give the word. My Western Expeditionary Army of fifty thousand, and several allied generals commanding two hundred thousand more, stand ready to heed your call. Please, do not disappoint us!"

Seeing the Prince still reluctant, Dueno quickly dropped to one knee in earnest appeal.

Liam eyed the kneeling general and sighed softly. Couldn't a man fish in peace for once?

"Rise, General. I'm not going to be part of this." The Prince gazed at the still waters of the pond for a moment. But noting the sudden stiffness in General Dueno's expression, he added with a faint smile, "However, I'll pretend this conversation never happened. If your concerns truly come from patriotic worry, I don't mind giving you some discreet support. But I have no soldiers to lend."

"I require nothing else from you, Your Highness. I have my own means."

Dueno's gloomy face lit up at once. Though the Prince didn't explicitly offer to join them, he'd certainly softened his stance, which was exactly what Dueno had hoped. After all, the prince had once battled the current Emperor tooth and nail for power, so how could he let go of his ambitions entirely? The moment an opportunity arose, he'd never pass up the chance to reclaim what he believed was his.

Of course, the prince was sly as a fox, giving no direct commitment. That way, he assumed minimal risk. Yet if the plan succeeded, he stood to be the ultimate beneficiary. Cunning indeed.

General Dueno didn't mind. Military authority was in his hands. Prince Liam desired the throne; he wanted real power. For now, their goals aligned. With assistance from certain friends, raising an army of two or three hundred thousand wouldn't be difficult.

They could spread chaos throughout the imperial court with ease. The murkier Camelot's affairs became, the more it worked in General Dueno's favor. If they could eventually install Liam on the throne, all problems would vanish. At its core, as long as he sensed the Prince's tiny nod of approval, he had the green light to put his grand scheme into motion.