Chapter 44: The Empire Belongs to Crown Prince

[Imperial Palace — Crown Prince’s Private Chambers]

The door closed with a soft click, and for several moments, the crown prince remained standing before it, his hand resting against the polished wood. His expression was unchanged, the pleasant smile he had worn in his father’s study still lingering on his handsome face.

Then he slowly lowered his hand, 5he smile disappeared. It did not fade gradually. It vanished so completely that it seemed impossible the same man had been smiling only moments earlier.

His royal-blue eyes, which had appeared warm beneath the golden light of the Emperor’s study, turned cold.

Whatever charm had softened his refined features drained away, leaving behind an expression of quiet contempt.

"That woman."

The words slipped from his mouth like something bitter; he crossed the chamber, his polished shoes striking the marble floor. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, illuminating the expensive furnishings, the gold-threaded curtains, and the magnificent portrait of the imperial family hanging above the fireplace.

Everything in the room spoke of wealth, authority, and an unquestionable right to rule.

Everything belonged to him. The throne would belong to him, the empire would belong to him, and yet, somehow, a woman he had forgotten years ago had managed to make herself the subject of his father’s concern.

Luceille Ashcroft.

The name alone was enough to sour his mood.

He remembered her from childhood—or, more accurately, he remembered how little attention he had ever paid her. She had been a unremarkable girl, lacking the beauty, influence, and ambition that made someone worth remembering at the imperial court. She had possessed no remarkable magical talent, no influential connections, and no qualities that might have made her useful to the imperial family.

When she had been sent to Ashcroft Territory, he had considered it a convenient solution to an inconvenient arrangement.

The Grand Duke of the North was dangerous, difficult to control, and politically troublesome. Sending the girl there had removed her from the imperial family’s immediate concerns while binding her to a man whom the court had long regarded as a necessary evil.

It had been a simple matter.

A worthless piece removed from the board, he had never expected to hear her name again.

And now?

A mana-stone lake, rare magical beasts, a high mage who had abandoned the Imperial Palace, and rumors of a connection with the reclusive elves of the Northern Forest.

All of it had somehow become connected to the Grand Duchess; the Crown Prince stopped before his desk.

"How interesting."

His voice was soft, but there was nothing pleasant about it.

He reached for the reports his attendants had delivered earlier and began reading them again, his gaze moving over each carefully written line. He had already reviewed the information in his father’s study, but he wanted to examine the details himself.

The mana-stone lake was undoubtedly valuable. Depending on the quality and quantity of the stones, it could transform Ashcroft from a remote northern territory into an economic power capable of challenging the influence of the capital.

The White Fox Beasts were another concern. Magical beasts of that rarity could become formidable assets if properly trained—or devastating weapons if their loyalty was directed toward the wrong person.

And Aurelius Vaelmont?

The Crown Prince’s fingers tightened around the paper.

The former Imperial High Mage had not merely resigned. He had chosen to remain in Ashcroft, far from the comforts and privileges of the palace, because he believed something there was worth his time.

Aurelius was many things, but he was not a fool.

If a man like him had abandoned the Imperial Palace, there had to be a reason. The Crown Prince leaned back in his chair, tapping one finger against the desk.

"Perhaps she has finally learned to be useful." A brief laugh escaped him. It was a cold, ugly sound. "No. That would be giving her too much credit."

He had seen countless people mistake coincidence for talent. A fortunate discovery, an unexpected opportunity, or a powerful husband standing behind them—any of these could make an ordinary person appear extraordinary, and Luceille had married Cassian Ashcroft.

That, he decided, was the most likely explanation.

Whatever she had accomplished, the Grand Duke was probably responsible for the results. Perhaps she had been fortunate enough to be standing in the right place when the mana-stone lake was discovered. Perhaps the beasts had responded to some peculiar circumstance. Perhaps Aurelius had found something interesting and decided to stay.

There were explanations for everything; there always were.

The Crown Prince disliked mysteries only when he could not control their outcomes.

He placed the report on the desk and opened the drawer beneath it. Inside lay several sealed documents, correspondence from noble houses, and a small leather-bound notebook containing information he preferred not to entrust to his official records.

He removed the notebook and opened it to a page marked with a narrow strip of black ribbon.

Names filled the pages. Beside some were brief descriptions, while others had notes concerning family alliances, debts, personal weaknesses, and political ambitions.

He had spent years learning that people were rarely as complicated as they pretended to be. Most wanted money, some wanted power, and others wanted love, recognition, or revenge.

Find what a person wanted, and sooner or later, they would show you where to place the knife.

His gaze settled on the name Cassian Ashcroft.

The notes beside it were old, written before the recent developments in the North.

Dangerous. Uncooperative. Difficult to influence. Possesses considerable military authority.

The Crown Prince’s lips curled.

Cassian had always been an unpleasant obstacle. The Grand Duke’s loyalty to the empire was convenient, but his independence was not. He commanded the North with an authority that often made imperial decrees feel like suggestions, and his reputation ensured that few dared challenge him openly.

Yet even Cassian had weaknesses; everyone did.

The question was whether Luceille had become one of them—or whether she was merely another possession the Grand Duke had decided to protect.

The Crown Prince closed the notebook.

"If she has become important to him, then perhaps she is finally worth looking at."

There was no admiration in his voice. Only calculation.

He rose and walked toward the mirror beside the window. His reflection greeted him with silver-blond hair, immaculate clothing, and the flawless features that had charmed countless nobles since his youth.

He adjusted the cuff of his white uniform, then he practiced a smile.

It was effortless. His lips curved gently, his eyes softened, and the faintest trace of warmth appeared in his expression. The transformation was remarkable. The man in the mirror looked courteous, intelligent, and trustworthy—the sort of prince a kingdom would proudly follow into the future.

He tilted his head slightly.

"I wonder how long it will take before you understand that none of it in this empire belongs to you."

He straightened his collar and turned away from the mirror as a knock sounded at the door.

A young attendant stepped inside and bowed deeply. "Your Highness, shall I prepare the travel arrangements for your journey to Ashcroft Territory?"

"Of course." The crown prince returned to his desk, his expression once again composed. "Inform the palace steward that I intend to depart within three days. Prepare an appropriate delegation, but keep it small. I would prefer not to make the visit appear more significant than necessary."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"And send a letter to the northern administration requesting an updated report on Ashcroft’s recent activities. I want information concerning the mana-stone lake, the magical beasts, and the former High Mage’s research."

The attendant hesitated. "Should we also inquire about the Grand Duchess?"

The Crown Prince looked up, and for one brief moment, the room seemed to grow colder. "Naturally."

The attendant bowed again, unaware that his prince’s fingers had curled around the edge of the desk.

"Find out who she has been meeting, what she has been doing, and how she has managed to attract so much attention. Speak to the servants, the merchants, the knights—anyone who might know something useful. I want facts, not flattering stories about a woman who has suddenly become everyone’s favorite subject."

"Understood, Your Highness."

The Crown Prince’s smile was gentle enough to put anyone at ease.

"These inquiries are to remain discreet. I would hate for the Grand Duke to misunderstand my intentions."

"Of course, Your Highness."

When the door closed again, the crown prince’s smile disappeared.

Misunderstand?

He almost laughed.

Cassian Ashcroft could misunderstand whatever he pleased. The Crown Prince had no intention of allowing a northern duke’s temper to dictate the limits of imperial authority.

Still, he was not foolish enough to provoke Cassian without reason. The Grand Duke’s reputation was built on more than rumors, and an open confrontation would accomplish little before he understood the full extent of Ashcroft’s newfound power.

He would visit as a gracious prince, offer his congratulations, praise the territory’s prosperity, and compliment its duchess, and he would discover exactly what had changed.

If Luceille was merely fortunate, he would find the truth soon enough. If she had somehow acquired genuine influence, then he would determine whether that influence could be used, redirected, or taken away.

There were many ways to make a person surrender something valuable.

The Crown Prince returned to his chair and gazed at the imperial crest engraved upon the desk.

He had been raised to believe that the empire was his inheritance. Every noble house, every territory, every person of consequence existed within a hierarchy that ultimately led back to the throne.

Ashcroft was no exception. Cassian might command the North, but the Grand Duke was still a subject of the crown.

And Luceille?

She was a woman who had been sent away because the imperial family had found no reason to keep her close. Whatever she had become, she had done so under a title and within a territory that ultimately answered to the empire.

At least, that was what the Crown Prince believed.

"Let’s see what sort of woman you have become, Luceille."