The Bigger Picture

[Kuzan POV]

Sitting alone in the quiet, ancient chamber, I waited for the Queen to fulfil the first of many absurd commands I had issued. My finger tapped rhythmically against the polished wood of the table, the only sound in the stillness as my mind drifted in growing boredom. Would she succeed in carrying out my request? It seemed unlikely. Ridiculous, even.

'In hindsight, it was a foolish request,' I sighed inwardly, my brows furrowing. But I had no choice.

I needed someone capable—a steward to serve me in this foreign kingdom. Someone trustworthy, reliable, and competent enough to handle the tasks I had no interest in. I needed someone to shoulder the burden of logistics, politics, and the intricate affairs that came with my new position, while I reaped the benefits. It was a tall order. 

But it had to be done.

The need for this had become more apparent after I finished my 'research' in the Royal Library. It had been a magnificent place, filled with knowledge spanning generations, but time was not on my side. I could only scratch the surface of its offerings, barely storing fragments of it in my mindscape. What I had absorbed was useful but narrow, akin to a child skimming non-fiction in their school library while the world of literature sprawled around them, vast and untouchable. There simply wasn't enough time to delve deeper.

Of course, my curiosity had tempted me to seek out spellbooks, but none had been within my reach. The library, for all its treasures, lacked the arcane knowledge I craved. I would have asked the librarian for assistance, but thanks to Azuleth's caution, the palace had been emptied to keep my presence a secret. I could only assume the more powerful tomes were locked away, hidden in royal vaults or treated as priceless treasures, rather than simple tools of knowledge.

"Tap." Another sound from my finger against the table.

'Am I moving too quickly?' I rarely doubted my decisions, but even I had to acknowledge this was reckless. Normally, I would take the time to study the kingdom's structure carefully, and find the best place to fit myself into its vast and complex machinery. Instead, I had rushed into negotiations, taken risks, all in the hope of securing a foothold here.

'But what choice do I have?' Waiting for a formal acknowledgment of my worth wasn't an option. The very reason I had approached the Queen was to leverage her gift—to show her the threat I posed, should she ever grow too bold. No other kingdom would offer me the same chance. Politicians, bureaucrats—they were wild cards, unpredictable and dangerous in their own right. I needed control.

In some twisted sense, Azuleth was the best option. She was brilliant, calculating, and above all, mad. Her madness made her transparent, her intentions easier to read. People like her were often more honest in their desires, driven by primal urges and single-minded goals.

Yet despite her abilities, she wasn't quite what I wanted.

'She's too young.'

From my research, I'd learned a great deal about her and her family's history. Her reign was still fresh, only a few years old, and though she had managed the nation competently, something was missing. She ruled more out of habit than ambition, as if the very act of governing bored her.

There had been no sweeping reforms, no bold new policies under her watch. The kingdom ran on autopilot, coasting on the golden age left behind by the previous Emperor, Luscious Alkavia, her father. His legacy had cemented the nation's prosperity. The common people were content, their lives peaceful and filled with the spoils of his efforts. 

Even the nobility, ever scheming and ambitious, had been kept in check after the purges of the last war. Only the most loyal and competent had survived his rule, resulting in a surprisingly competent upper ecolean of those in power.

'He'd be the perfect man to speak with,' I mused bitterly. 

Unfortunately, there was a 'small' problem with that.

A problem that I had run into before, and was still trying to overcome.

He was already dead.

'Chee, looks like I'll have to settle for Azuleth.' I huffed indignantly.

Of course, I had considered working with other nations. There were two other kingdoms of note in the region: Aetherfall to the west and Nala to the east. The three kingdoms were positioned on a peninsula, with ocean on one side and mountains and forests on the other, both serving as natural borders that made it difficult to travel in or out of the peninsula lest you possessed power rivalling one of the Kingdom's armies to travel securely. 

The Kingdom of Alkavia was the strongest of the three by a narrow margin, thanks to the prosperity ushered in by the previous Emperor's reign. Its wealth and stability had given it a strategic edge in trade and diplomacy.

Meanwhile, the Kingdom of Nala was the complete opposite. Plagued by internal strife and a succession crisis, it was a nation teetering on the edge of collapse. A place filled with chaos, treachery, and uncertainty—a dangerous pitfall for anyone trying to stake their claim or find footing.

'They say it's best to fish in troubled waters...,' I mused, recalling the old adage. 'However, the rewards wouldn't justify the effort.'

A nation at war with itself was no place to build alliances. Even if I could take advantage of the power vacuum, the constant infighting would sap any benefit gained. Nala was a black hole of resources, ambition, and time. No matter how tempting its instability might seem, it was a fool's errand. I had no intention of wasting energy on such a losing gamble.

The Kingdom of Aetherfall on the other hand…

It was another matter entirely. A land shrouded in mystery, steeped in magic, and home to the most prestigious magical academy in the region, the Academy of Magic. It was a tempting target, a kingdom ripe for the taking—if not for the fact that it already had a ruler.

'The Mage King.'

Just thinking about him sent a cold shiver down my spine. His name alone carried an aura of dread, a kind of power that made the air feel heavier. My blood boiled at the thought of him, my entire body responding with excitement.

'God, I want to meet him,' I thought, feeling a wave of heat course through me. But my rational mind pulled me back. Charging headlong into a confrontation with him would be tantamount to seeking my own death.

I can't be reckless, I reminded myself. I could only afford to fight battles I knew I could win, battles where I could control the outcome. Taking risks was unnecessary when I had so many other ways to grow in strength. There was no need to throw myself into danger at every opportunity, especially not against someone as dangerous as the Mage King.

Besides, the last thing I wanted was to end up as some kind of experiment for the equivalent of a "mad scientist" in this world. When I first heard his name, my body shuddered instinctively. It wasn't just fear—it was a sixth sense, urging me to stay as far away from him as possible.

…

'Looks like I've found the identity of my next master.'

The Mage King embodied everything I aspired to be. Aside from the former Emperor, he was the only one in this world who had truly impressed me. If I could get close to him, learn from him—study his motivations, his goals, and the depths of his power—I'd willingly take him on as a teacher.

'I mean, just look at him,' I thought, a smirk pulling at my lips. No wonder Azuleth had been so composed when I first appeared before her. In a way, I'm like a younger version of the Mage King—only one who isn't interested in the hassle of founding a kingdom from scratch.

Despite his strength and influence, it seemed not everyone was fully aware of just how important and powerful he was. His name was widely known, but few seemed to comprehend the true scope of his existence. The little prince, for example, viewed him as nothing more than a mage who happened to hold the title of king.

But that was because Azuleth had deliberately hidden the truth from him. When I first delved into the prince's memories, I too had dismissed the Mage King as insignificant—a mistake that I was glad I had made up for by continuing my research in the Palace.

'It's easy to see why she wouldn't want the young prince getting too attached to him,' I mused. 

She had already lost one sibling to the Mage King's influence. No way would she let that happen again. Losing one had fractured the royal family, and losing another would destroy her hopes entirely.

'Poor girl. If I were to abandon her as well, she'd likely declare war on Aetherfall out of sheer desperation.'

Despite the reassurances I'd offered myself, working with Azuleth would surely prove to be frustrating without support. She was undeniably clever and resourceful, but entrusting her with the delicate task of managing an entire kingdom's resources was a gamble I wasn't entirely comfortable making.

I liked Azuleth, but I trusted the Queen.

As I contemplated these thoughts, the door creaked open, and a figure stepped into the room. My eyes snapped to them, and I felt a quiet smirk forming on my face.

'The perfect pawn.'

The woman before me had sharp, violet eyes that gleamed with intelligence—calculating, careful. She wasn't a fool, that much was clear.

'Well done, Azuleth,' I was clapping for her internally in recognition of her work. 

'Perhaps you're someone useful after all.'