Chapter 415: The Plot Behind the Writs

[Homeworld Announcement: Lord Corven Talcrest has founded Jade Nation. Its constituent Provinces include Plain Yellow, Plain Blue...]

"Another Nation? In half a month? And the Jade Court, of all people?"

Cassian stared at the announcement.

"With the strength this sector has now, how could anyone find two Founding Writs so quickly? You don’t find them on every market stall."

His expression hardened.

"No. This goes beyond the Realm trying to balance our advantage."

A video request sounded while he was still thinking. The caller was Odette, whom he had not spoken to for some time. With an unpleasant suspicion already forming, he accepted.

"Lord Cassian, something terrible is happening."

The Bloodkin Prince had lost her usual languid charm. There was genuine alarm on her face. Before he could ask, she began telling him what she had learned.

"The news has only just reached me through my elders. Fivefold Heaven is behind this. They’re supplying Founding Writs so the Homeworld’s great factions can establish Nations quickly and trigger an early Outer Realm Invasion."

She took a breath.

"They’re clearing native nations in the Outer Realms now. It may not be long before they obtain a third Writ."

"Those bastards." Cassian’s voice turned cold. "They mean to bring the whole Homeworld down."

Now it made sense.

For all its dangers, the Realm usually maintained a balance. Cassian’s own Writ had come from the destruction of the Bloodmaw Court during the third Provincial Ranking, when the special rules had guaranteed the opportunity. Outside those conditions, even he might spend months trying to obtain another and come away empty-handed.

The other Homeworld powers had far less chance.

Under normal circumstances, the Outer Realm Invasion should still have been at least half a year away. It might have taken more than a year. By then, the Homeworld’s Lords would have grown much stronger, giving them a better chance of holding back the invaders.

Fivefold Heaven was forcing that process forward.

Western Beacon and the Jade Court had gained the status of Nations without the strength that should accompany it. When the invasion began, they might even guide the outsiders in.

That was what angered Cassian most. The Beacon, the Black Banner, the Jade Court—there seemed to be no depth they would not sink to. He had underestimated them because it was difficult to imagine people destroying their own world merely to spite an enemy.

Sector 667 had already opened, yet nearly ten billion Lords remained in Sector 666. Those Lords stood to lose more than two years of development. The damage would leave a gap of years in the Homeworld’s progress.

"So that’s how little the Homeworld means to them." He gave a cold laugh. "Then I see no reason to keep treating them as fellow Lords of it."

Odette stiffened.

"Lord Cassian, you..."

He already destroyed nations. What would he do after deciding he had been too restrained? Wipe out Western Beacon or the Jade Court before the Homeworld fell?

"I understand the situation," he said, his tone calm again. "Thank you for bringing me the news."

He sent her five drops of Emperor Blood Essence from his stored supply.

Odette accepted without the usual polite refusal. Even that precious gift could not entirely lift the shadow of what was coming.

"Lord Cassian, I can promise you protection in the main world on behalf of the thirteen Bloodkin clans. Absolute safety. We can also help you start again in Sector 668."

To her, the outcome was already clear. However strong he had become, Cassian could not stop a plan like this. Leaving the sector would be his best choice.

And leaving would strip him of everything he had built here: his Domain, his throne, his territory, his attributes, Heroes, troops, and World Wonder. Years of effort would disappear in an instant.

Her offer had another purpose, of course.

Cassian’s connection with Blood Throne was far too valuable to let slip away. If she could get him into her hands in the main world, she would use a Blood Curse at once.

"Thank you," Cassian said, sounding even more sincere than she did. "I’ll give it careful thought."

He was ninety percent certain that her intentions were hostile. That was more than enough. Why would he place his life in Bloodkin hands? He would not entrust it entirely even to Edran’s promises.

If the Homeworld in Sector 666 truly fell, he still had another option. Pay the cost to move Riftward into Pandora, keep his head down there, and grow until he reached Rank XXV. Then he could use the Ascension Platform route to enter an older sector.

That was the worst case.

Neither he nor Divine Nation had shown everything they possessed.

Once the call ended, Cassian opened the other Channels. The Jade Court’s founding had thrown them into uproar.

[Have we all gone mad? Now even the Jade Court can found a Nation?]

[Wait. Aren’t those Crown Provinces? Why are Dawn Coast Provinces joining their Nation?]

[How else would Corven scrape together a hundred National Fortune? Did you think he’d manage it on his own?]

Corven’s triumphant mood soured as he read the messages. His face darkened, but he knew his own position too well to argue. Answering would only invite more ridicule.

Other Lords began noticing the larger problem.

[It looks as though the Jade Court founded a Nation just for the sake of founding one.]

[And since when were Founding Writs so easy to get?]

A Governor from Bharan suddenly posted an alarmed message.

[Merciful heavens! The number of Nations is one of the main measures the Realm uses to judge the Homeworld’s strength. Could this bring the Outer Realm Invasion forward?]

Lords who understood the rules went pale. The Homeworld Channel erupted again, this time in fear.

Divine Nation’s leaders read the messages with grim faces. Alwin had raised this very possibility at the banquet half a month earlier. None of them had wanted to see it come true.

In their smaller group, Seraphine tagged her brother.

[Seraphine Valcrest: Alwin, did you have to say it? Including us, there are three Nations now!]

Alwin seemed scarcely able to believe it himself.

[Alwin Valcrest: It shouldn’t be possible. Two Writs in half a month, at our present strength? The Jade Court is weaker than the Black Banner was!]

He had experienced several older sectors. That only made this sequence of events harder to accept.

Then Cassian posted in the Homeworld Channel.

[Cassian Vale: Quiet for a moment. I know where the Jade Court’s Founding Writ came from. Western Beacon’s too.]

He used his authority as a national ruler to pin the message at the top.

The recognized strongest Lord in the Homeworld had spoken. The torrent of posts slowed to silence.

Gavin and several other Lords involved in the scheme felt their expressions tighten. Odette stared at Cassian’s message, then gave a helpless, bitter smile.

Cassian paused briefly before continuing.

[Cassian Vale: Fivefold Heaven is working with Western Beacon and the Jade Court to destroy our Realm. Here is what they’re doing.]

He began laying out the scheme in plain language.

Cassian had never enjoyed making people guess at his meaning, and he had even less interest in swallowing an insult quietly. A misunderstanding should be cleared up. A foul scheme should be dragged into the open.

It was satisfying, and it saved a great deal of trouble.