Chapter 67: The Master Schemer’s Final Move

“The final vote stood at thirty-one to thirty. With a mere single vote, the No-War Edict had been abolished.”

Wuxu clutched her chest, her face a mask of icy displeasure.

“But… why? The Divine Chosen faction has only me remaining.”

“Unless a blade was pressed to my throat, I would never abandon Lady Wuxu.”

A charming cat-eared girl bounded into Wuxu’s embrace, nuzzling her face with fervent affection. With an impassive expression, Wuxu gently pushed her away.

Alice rolled her eyes, a sigh escaping her lips. “Give it a rest. The Divine Chosen faction never held an advantage over the conservatives to begin with. The crucial point is… a faction of elders who opposed the conservatives emerged.”

“Cailin and her group actually colluded with the Original Order. It’s unforgivable!” an unfamiliar elder standing beside Alice exclaimed, seething with indignation.

“They even sent people to kill the diligent Alena! This utterly corrupts the integrity of an elder.”

“Cicero still stands on stage, acting so imperious? I’ve long grown tired of them!”

“If they are willing to draw blades against their colleagues over this broken edict, then I would rather see it abolished.”

The elders spoke over one another, their accusations collectively aimed at the conservative faction.

Chloe instinctively glanced at Cliff, who merely raised a single finger, a slight smile playing on his lips.

“First, it’s more important to create opponents than to seek supporters.”

Chloe suddenly understood.

From the assassination of Alena to the collusion with the Original Order, his actions had mirrored those of the conservatives at every turn.

Yet, viewed from another angle, he had merely packaged himself as a loyal hound, utterly ruining the conservative faction’s reputation.

“Carloman… he’s dead?”

Wuxu’s gaze fell upon one of the two corpses, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Cliff nodded, raising a second finger.

“Second, eliminate destabilizing elements and seize the initiative for our side.”

Carloman, an ancient figure whose seniority rivaled that of the elders, possessed knowledge and intelligence far surpassing Cliff’s. As one of the three heads, he was simply too volatile.

Moreover, Wuxu had her own designs for Carloman. If she had succeeded in disrupting things, the Three-Headed Alliance could never have been forged.

“What do you mean?!”

Carl’s face was contorted with fury; he seemed to have realized he had been played.

Cliff’s gaze drifted between Norria and Carl as he slowly raised a third finger.

“Third, provide the conditions. Present our old emperor with two beauties: one named Saint Fros, the other Eledis.”

Cliff had tempted Carl with Norria’s inheritance and the prospect of becoming emperor in Carloman’s stead—conditions he could not possibly refuse.

Chloe felt a shiver run through her body. She and Cliff were indeed not chess players of the same caliber. She turned to him, asking, “Then, what designs do you have for me?”

Cliff offered Chloe a smile, raising a fourth finger.

“Fourth, instill fear, holding this lovely girl firmly in my grasp.”

From inciting rebellion to planting spies, each of his actions had delivered a significant shock to Chloe.

Though these incidents had caused her no physical harm, they had thoroughly disrupted the rhythm of her life.

This was Cliff’s true objective: through a series of machinations, he had firmly seized control of Chloe’s delicate, tender-grass-like mind.

Finally, like a puppet, she would glide into the meticulously arranged chess game Cliff had set.

Yet, Chloe had a question. Had it not been for Xina, she might not even have attended Cliff’s wedding, precisely because he had consistently resorted to underhanded tactics.

Chloe immediately found the answer.

And Alice. She could not possibly allow Alice to travel alone to Jeannagos for the Curia Assembly. Indeed, this might have been Cliff’s true intention all along.

Regardless, Chloe would always appear at the wedding.

“You… you calculated all of this long ago?” Chloe asked, her voice filled with disbelief.

“No wonder Alena chose to trust you and relinquish her life.”

Alice looked at Cliff, shaking her head helplessly.

Cliff’s smile vanished, his face hardening as he spoke gravely. “It is thanks to Lady Alena’s proposal that my plan had a viable path forward. After all, this was my offering to the conservative faction.”

So, Alena had said, ‘This is all my doing.’ She had sacrificed her life to complete Cliff’s plan.

“You… what exactly is your purpose?”

Carl staggered backward, his gaze darting in terror toward Carloman’s body on the ground. He had realized the grave mistake he had made.

“I have neither the divine protection Chloe possesses, nor Carloman’s formidable strength. All I have is a ceaseless string of schemes and stratagems.”

Cliff shrugged, then knelt, gently stroking Dorota’s now cold cheek.

“My humble plan ends here. I have exhausted all my tricks.”

A profound silence descended upon the scene. No one wished to speak another superfluous word.

“Cliff, you bastard! If you—muffled screams—”

Cailin’s hysterical curses echoed from the corridor, but they were instantly muffled.

Chloe rubbed her eyes, feeling a profound sense of relief.

Cliff had risen from an impoverished frontier noble to a prince of the realm, and then to one of the Three-Headed Alliance.

He had nothing behind him, relying solely on his damned intellect.

Perhaps he should be bestowed a title: ‘The Master Schemer’ Cliff.

Or perhaps, ‘The Wise King’ Cliff.

Chloe sighed, speaking softly to Cliff. “Should I applaud you?”

“Now, we should offer a lament for Queen Dorota and His Majesty Carloman, who perished at the wedding.”

Cliff snapped his fingers.

The court musician rushed forward, rubbing his hands, a blood-stained dagger tucked inside his embrace. “You promised me a reward…”

Other black-clad nobles also pressed closer, seeking their rewards from Cliff.

Longinus yawned, then announced, “Prime Minister Charles attempted to assassinate the Prince and has been executed by me. His vast fortune includes many priceless treasures.”

“Undoubtedly, the Faraute family’s extensive territories will also be reorganized,” Cliff added.

The black-clad nobles cheered, singing praises to their Prince.

Carl’s face was grim. Leading a group of white-clad nobles, he left the wedding venue without a backward glance.

Norria hesitated, wondering whether to follow them, but Lilith knelt instead, gazing at Carloman.

“Hey, Lilith…”

Norria began to shield Lilith’s eyes, but she turned her head away.

“It’s alright. I had already guessed this would be the outcome.”

Lilith’s tears streamed down her face, clearly indicating her deep affection for her nominal brother.

The court musician played a mournful tune, long and drawn out like a stream cascading down a mountain.

A heavy stone tumbled from Chloe’s heart, plunging into a profound abyss.

The black-clad nobles gradually departed, eager to claim Prime Minister Charles’s belongings.

Cliff and Lilith stood on either side of Dorota and Carloman respectively, each expressing their sorrow in their own way.

“Her death… was that also part of your plan?”

Chloe looked at Dorota, the Queen’s face already devoid of color.

Cliff nodded slightly.

“She even tried to kill me,” Norria said, still shaken.

“May her soul be judged justly,” Cliff murmured.

“May your soul suffer eternal damnation.”

Cicero slowly emerged, accompanied by a tear-blinded Cailin and several other elders.

“Making an enemy of us will be the biggest mistake you make in your life.”

Cailin gritted her teeth, wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes.

“The Curia Assembly is over. What else do you want?”

Alice looked at the defeated figures with a helpless expression. Wuxu stood beside her, saying faintly, “Be careful.”

“Angelica will cut you all in half!” Cailin shrieked.

“Angelica?”

“Angelica?”

“Ange—”

Cailin’s cries faded, but Angelica was nowhere to be seen.

Cliff slowly rose, a wide smile spreading across his face as he raised his fifth finger.

“Finally, a clean sweep.”

The lament abruptly ceased. The whale-horn lamps extinguished one by one, plunging the royal court into sudden darkness.

Una clutched Chloe’s wedding dress. Chloe hugged Alice from behind, and Alice leaned against Wuxu’s shoulder, none daring to move.

A flicker of fire ignited in a dark corner, scorching the red carpet to black. The crackling flames drowned out a faint chanting.

The inferno gradually coalesced into a human form, from which emerged a naked girl. She casually snatched a tablecloth, draping it over herself.

Her beautiful face was devoid of expression. From the flames, she drew a sword forged of pure fire and slowly advanced toward the elders.

Chloe could barely believe her eyes, her lips unconsciously uttering the girl’s name.

“Alysia…?”