Above The Sky
Chapter 463 - 463 433 Exactly What I Want 33

463: Chapter 433 Exactly What I Want (3/3) 463: Chapter 433 Exactly What I Want (3/3) Decades ago, the Dark Moon upheaval caused a thorough reshuffling of the power dynamics within the Setar Empire.

The Former Emperor, King Inega II, and the Empire’s First Knight, Hiliard, were assassinated by a mysterious force within the Imperial Capital’s palace.

Of course, the mysterious force wasn’t mysterious, it simply had to be.

In any case, that night, the faction loyal to the Emperor fought a desperate struggle against the mysterious force.

The brilliant radiance of Origin Quality illuminated the entire surroundings of the Imperial Capital like daylight, even as the moon was obscured by clouds.

As a result, the Former Emperor passed away, and the blood heirs of the royal family, including the Crown Prince, all perished…

Along with them, nearly all of the mysterious force’s high-end combat power, and half of the Imperial Capital were buried.

The current sovereign, Protector Axer, after defeating many brothers and sisters in the Imperial Capital to ascend the throne and succeed the great rule, discovered something quite humorous, yet also quite tragic.

That was…

the Empire that was supposed to be weak, ruined, and thoroughly declining…

Was functioning even better.

Yes.

A bunch of ministers died, a batch of Nobles died, a group of high-level Ascendants died, as well as too many court ministers, key pillars of the Empire, and a great number of elite scholars to count, along with who knows how to estimate the leading figures that could probably be counted in heaps.

There appeared a massive void in the core ruling class of the Empire—by all accounts, the entire nation should have been completely inoperable.

But when Protector Axer thought he was to inherit a mess…

this new Imperial Emperor was shocked to find that what he was left with was not a mess, but a vast and empty ruin.

An incredibly efficient empty ruin where his word was law.

——Self-organized groups in the Imperial Capital, and the low-level officials who, bewildered and at a loss, could only try their best to maintain stability, were waiting for him, the Emperor, to take residence and issue commands.

All those grand Ascendant Noble Families, the courtly Noble coalitions, the Imperial Capital’s academic syndicates, the major commerce guilds and their behind-the-scenes supporters, and the spokespersons in the Imperial Capital supported by who knows what local Nobles from other places—they all died off cleanly, and even the few little fish and shrimps that were left were crushed by Axer himself.

His administrative team brought from the Eastern Border, after reluctantly taking charge, actually managed to absorb quite a bit of talent from the populace…

This was thanks to the Former Emperor’s universal education policy.

And these people became the new batch of Noble families, and officials and ministers.

Yes.

Yes, indeed.

The Empire lost its control over the local Nobles in various places, the two previously suppressed dukes could breathe again under King Inega II’s rule and revitalized their spirits, while many real-world Nobles subtly became the emperors of their own domains.

In these regions, imperial orders were always met with resistance in secret.

But what of it?

The directly administered regions of the Imperial Capital are so vast that they still surpass many other nations on the Tella Continent.

The new Emperor Axer, with no internal constraints, almost no backstabbing, and without anyone dragging their heels or causing internal strife in the short term, used this ruin…

To defend the Empire’s borders.

Even decades later, the power of the Imperial Capital could still reach everywhere, making all the Nobles wholeheartedly surrender—at least on the surface.

It sounds absurd, and it is indeed laughable to talk about, but the meaning behind it still made the Second Prince shake his head slightly: “Grandfather must have been under unimaginable pressure; something we younger ones cannot comprehend.

Others might worship, mock, or even secretly grind their teeth in hatred…

But only when one is close to that position does one understand what it means to be a great emperor.”

“But you’re right, whether the Grant Family and the Cheharlowa Family were grandfather’s secret hands or not, they are now our strength,”

“Not yet.

But they will be in the future.”

The old general turned his head to look at the moonlight outside the window, his expression somewhat distant: “And that includes me.

Your Highness.

I am still His Majesty’s Knight, only I know…

the time is nearing, I must choose someone.”

“I understand, I am not like the elder brother and sister, I am not so aggressive,”

The Second Prince smiled: “Father has been more reclusive lately, obsessing over the legacy left by grandfather—We must lighten his burden, mustn’t we?”

Marquis Barton did not reply; he fell silent for a while before saying, “The Leyan Family has already been stripped of their name.

But the Leyan Territory still exists, the Mountain People will have grievances, and South Ridge must not fall into chaos.”

“Let the flower sea be theirs, and have Man Cliff deal with the aftermath.

He has reaped the benefits and must give something in return.

I want news about the Canaan Moore Labyrinth.

I certainly won’t let go of the Bison Dragon God and the Karan ancient Dragon,”

The Second Prince added to the conversation as his Heart Light Body shrank, “As for the other parts of the Leyan Territory, we could divide them into several Knight’s Domains, half of which should be given to the knights with Mountain People Bloodline to stop their complaints.”

“As for the leftovers, I think we should leave a portion for our young knight.”

“Him?

Isn’t it too early?”

Marquis Barton was somewhat surprised, his pupils shimmering with focus as he looked at Ian in the armory, selecting suitable Armored Clothing and Side Sword with the guidance of a knight: “Your Highness, you said to make him an Inspector Knight, but that’s not a job one can always stay within their domain for, even if he has reached the Second Energy Level.”

“But no one said it’s not possible, right?”

The voice of the Second Prince carried a hint of nonchalance, “This child’s temperament, in my view, belongs to the kind of bird that, once it flies away, doesn’t want to return.

Harrison Port isn’t a sturdy enough nest.

He has to build his own if he’s ever to want to return.”

“You wouldn’t want a talent from South Ridge to flee to another province.

So, what’s wrong with binding him with a Knight’s Domain?”

“He’ll certainly reach the Second Energy Level before he’s twenty, possibly even before he’s eighteen.”

Marquis Barton narrowed his eyes, and the old general also began to ponder the possibility, “I just feel he’s too young, lacking in experience…

It’s too conspicuous.”

“He will have the experience,”

asserted the vanishing bird confidently: “Don’t worry about this, General…”

“He will,”

Meanwhile, Ian was unaware that his future had already been arranged…

Of course, that was impossible.

With a halo of aqua gleaming in his eyes, the youth surveyed the armory as if merely inspecting the quality of the Armored Clothing, occasionally running his hands over them to ensure their quality.

Yet in reality, his gaze was fixed on the hall where Marquis Barton resided.

“Fourth Energy Level…

a silver radiance…”

Ian muttered to himself, his expression showing realization: “I had thought the lack of fluctuations was due to a high-level Sublimator’s artifact carried by Marquis Barton, but could it actually be a Heart Light Body similar to Master Oak’s?”

“So, which great personage is taking an interest in me?

Hah, there’s no need to guess.

Apart from the influence of the royal Bloodline from the Yisen Gard side, who else with a connection to Marquis Barton could have the Fourth Energy Level?”

—It was just that he didn’t know whether it was a Prince or princess.

No.

Ian thought it over and felt he already knew who it was.

—It must be someone like Lady Erlen, whose other half in the family has a symbiotic parasitic Bloodline.

That royal family member whose wife’s Bloodline was ‘Mimetic Night Shadow,’ and whose daughter had also inherited this blood of the Mimetic Night Shadow.

Second Prince Michael Setar.

Only he, who also likely knew about the Echo conspiracy involving Guardian Axel, would have the leisure to come and pay attention to me, even dropping hints through Marquis Barton’s words!

—In this, Master Gossay probably also played a role in threading the needle.

This kind of attention was dangerous for me…

but it also meant tremendous benefits.

The glint of Spirit Energy Radiance in his eyes faded slowly as Ian smiled.

He raised his hand, pointing to the Armored Clothing before him: “This one will do.”

“It’s exactly what I want.”