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Chapter 244: Aldrian’s Plan for the Future
"Maybe this isn’t entirely about reading people, Your Majesty. The devils have their own methods to make their targets betray the empire. However, they seem to choose selectively, rather than bringing everyone in," Aldrian said.
Emperor Durand looked at Aldrian solemnly.
"Then, young Aldrian, from your perspective, what should we do about this situation? It seems the devil’s advocates are everywhere, and I’m not sure whom I can trust in this empire. It’s truly irritating that these devils can roam freely and corrupt so many of my people."
"If you want my opinion, Your Majesty, at this time, we only need to wait. I feel that something big will happen soon. I’ve already crippled some of their information networks with the cleanup of the Information Guild and the Rivas family. Now that your curse has been dispelled, I’m certain they’ve also sensed that, one by one, their plans are being disrupted. The only way for them to salvage the situation is through drastic measures, but we still don’t know what kind of drastic measures the devils will take," Aldrian said.
"Yes, I agree with Sir Aldrian. With many of their eyes and ears uprooted from the empire, they will be blind in certain areas. Their plans have also been thwarted by Sir Aldrian, and they must be feeling quite anxious. This will likely force them to take drastic measures. We must prepare for whatever the devils have in mind," Hector said.
Emperor Durand nodded in agreement with Aldrian and Hector.
"Then I will strengthen our surveillance across the empire. With the problem of the Information Guild resolved, we can move more freely than before."
Aldrian sipped his tea before looking at Emperor Durand.
"Your Majesty, I also wish to discuss another matter. It is still connected to the devils, but this concerns something that could decide the future fate of the continent. It’s regarding the prophecy of the Heavenly Direction Church," he said.
Hearing that this was connected to the prophecy, the faces of the other three grew more solemn. The prophecy, which many claimed foretold the end of the continent, spoke of darkness that would swallow them and suffering that would befall them. They believed it was related to the devils, as the darkness was strongly associated with them.
From Aldrian’s way of speaking, it seemed clear that the devils were indeed connected to the prophecy. With his abilities, they already trusted that Aldrian knew something they did not.
Could the devils be planning to start another war?
"The prophecy of the Heavenly Direction Church... I must say, we need the power of the entire continent to unite," Aldrian said to them. "What we will face cannot be dealt with by the strength of individual empires or fragmented forces. We must stand as one."
"Is there another war looming over us?" Emperor Durand asked. "The war 3 million years ago truly caught us off guard. The devils are surely formidable, but if we prepare this time, I believe we can minimize our losses."
"Yes, preparation is important, but what we are about to face cannot be dealt with through preparation alone," Aldrian replied. "We must be proactive in preventing the devils from successfully executing their plans. I believe the recent war was merely a prelude to what is yet to come. The devils’ power and behavior are far from ordinary."
"Young Aldrian, what exactly is it that you believe is coming, to make you feel this way?" Emperor Durand asked. "With your strength, I can confidently say that there is almost no one who can go toe-to-toe with you. Whatever comes in the future, I doubt the devils would want to mess with you."
Hector and the steward also looked at Aldrian, wondering what kind of information he had to make such a statement.
"First, I apologize, but if I were to show you what I know, I fear it might give rise to an inner demon instead, Your Majesty. However, I assure you that every word I speak is serious and true. I am not joking about this matter, for it concerns our fate in the future," Aldrian said solemnly.
"The point is, please trust me. This is the only thing I need from you right now."
Emperor Durand, Hector, and the steward were silent. Aldrian also looked at their faces, wanting to know what they were thinking. A second later, Emperor Durand nodded with a smile.
"Young Aldrian, whatever you say now, I already believe it. If I can’t trust someone who has already saved my life and my empire, then it would be better to die here with the curse still inside me."
"Me too, Sir Aldrian. To me, you are someone with vast knowledge and more capable than any cultivator I know on this continent, so I believe you must have a solid reason for telling us this. If you need me to do something, I will gladly help," Hector said, while the steward simply nodded, indicating that he also agreed with them.
Aldrian smiled, sensing their determination and trust in him. He would now share the plan he had been thinking about since he came out of the Dragon Back Mountain area.
"I want to create a coalition force consisting of both orthodox and unorthodox factions. We will launch a preemptive strike against the devils in their territory," he said.
The three others widened their eyes, but then Emperor Durand frowned.
"Coalition force? That is easier said than done. Although the devils are our main enemy, each power has its own interests. To unite them, there must be a strong reason, not all of them will simply believe in you. Moreover, if Young Aldrian wants to strike the devils first, many will be reluctant to join if they are sent to another war. Some of them believe that a defensive position would be more advantageous in light of the prophecy," the emperor said.
"Yes, that doesn’t even account for the fact that some of the powers also have their own issues with other factions, so uniting them will be quite challenging," Hector added.
"If we’re talking about that, then don’t worry. I can persuade them, and I can say with confidence that gaining the support of the Ivory Empire, Demon Territory, Forgeheart Kingdom, and Heavenly Direction Church will be much easier. I have a special relationship with their sovereign families, so you don’t have to worry about it. This is one problem I will take care of," Aldrian said.
Looking at Aldrian’s confidence, they could only believe in him. But to think that Aldrian had connections to the sovereigns of these places—it was beyond their expectations. As they had already thought, Aldrian was someone who couldn’t be measured. Just when they believed he was mysterious enough, he revealed yet another aspect that could astonish them.
They then discussed the prophecy and how the devils would likely act in the future. Aldrian explained his master plan for the future in more detail, which was met with a positive response from the emperor. By the end of their conversation, the emperor gave Aldrian his word that the imperial family would assist him in the future with his plan.
After an hour, Aldrian finally stood up and slightly bowed his head.
"I think this is enough, Your Majesty. I’ve already taken up quite a bit of your time," he said.
"No, Young Aldrian, I’m glad you’re willing to spend time with me. Truly, I’ve gained much from you, and I feel ashamed that I can’t offer you anything worthy of your achievements," Emperor Durand replied.
"Your Majesty, your support is more than enough for me. It has brought peace to my heart," Aldrian said with a smile.
A few moments later, Aldrian and Hector finally left the room. Only after they had gone did Emperor Durand speak to his steward.
"Truly an amazing young man. He is what we call a singularity. This is the first time I’ve felt it in front of someone. I believe his very existence is a blessing for our continent," the emperor said.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I feel the same way. He is amazing, but too mysterious. I wonder where he came from. It’s as if he just appeared out of nowhere and caused a sensation everywhere," the steward said.
"Balin City is the starting point, but I agree. The fact that we never heard of him until the incident there is truly intriguing. He’s still young, yet he’s already accomplished amazing feats and miracles. What is his origin? Who are his parents? He said his parents left him when he was a child, but I still feel he’s hiding something."
These questions continued to linger in their minds, but they refrained from pressing Aldrian with them, feeling it would be inappropriate. So, they stored the questions in their minds, waiting for the day when the answers might reveal themselves.
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Aldrian and Hector were on their way to another location, where a carriage awaited to take Aldrian back to the tavern. However, on their way, they unexpectedly encountered someone. The man looked at them, frowning.
"Wait."
