A Mother's Conviction

"So, mom, this is what we'll need to do…"

Ezra began to explain key things needed for them to survive the coming storm.

"You need to start building a faction in earnest, and what we need isn't necessarily powerful nobles, look for wives and concubines like you, who are being suppressed because of their humble background, the key qualification being their loyalty"

"This will act as a body for us to influence the circle of nobles" Ezra said.

"But those witches won't just sit down and watch us create such a thing, not to mention that the noble wives won't stand for it, and what would be the aim of this faction?"

His mom pointed out the obvious problems in such a plan, after all, the empresses treated her like trash, it was easy to imagine them using all sorts of schemes to stop women who they deemed as peasants from establishing a stable foothold, especially when one imagined what such a faction would mean.

It would be giving peasant wives as well as concubines power and backing they sorely needed, which the nobles never wanted to see.

"Son, if the nobles get a whiff of such a thing, we could be beheaded!"

Low-class Nobles were scared, if anything, of the strength of commoners, which was why they oppressed and suppressed them at every turn.

So such a faction could easily give them a reason to start a mass killing in the name of culling a rebellion before it started, or some other crazy excuse, just to make sure it never happens.

"I know and I have thought of all those things. The process will naturally be slow, because we wouldn't want a traitor in our midst, as for how we would take action without arousing suspicion, I naturally have a plan for that too"

"But the first thing thriving faction needs is a strong and capable leader, because that is the bridge that would hold the various members together"

Ezra then pointed at his mother as he continued.

"You will be that leader, and thankfully, there is no better candidate than the wife of the emperor to take the reins in a faction, but to make sure that the formed organization is firm, you need to become stronger"

"That means…"

"Yes, you need to start learning both combat and mana techniques. While it is true that you have long past the age for such a thing, it is very much possible for you to become a Peak-rank Expert with appropriate measures, as for what measures those will be? I'll handle it. And before you ask, no, it's not something evil or related to demons in anyway, do you believe me?"

"Of course I do, if I don't, who else would?"

"Thank you for trusting me, you only need to choose a weapon, and I'll look for an appropriate technique. As for a trainer, I will naturally handle that too, in two months maximum"

Ezra assured his mother with utmost confidence, yet paused to see her reaction.

His mother could only smile at the insight and ingenuity of her son, yet also worry at the same time.

Seeing this, Ezra asked worriedly.

"What's wrong?"

"If I start training combat and mana techniques, those three witches won't stand still"

"Ah, right, first, I'm going to re-arrange all of your knight guards and maids. Most of them are working for those witches"

"Hmm" his mom nodded in affirmation. Naturally, she wasn't stupid, how else could poison get into their foods time and time again?

"The witches might try to make a fuss, but in the end, it's your business not theirs, and if they take it a step further, we'll hit back twice as hard"

"For now, you just keep a low profile, keep doing what you normally do, and take some Vier language classes as well as noble etiquette while preferably reading a lot of books"

"You need it if you are to go head to head against those three in the future. I will also pick out a new etiquette teacher, you need to start acting like an empress, so your temperament and behavior need to take a massive change. You need to make those three very uncomfortable, so that they might overthink things, which would lead to taking rash decisions, which will cause them to make mistakes"

"The more mistakes they make, the more weaknesses we can exploit, the better thing are for us, and it will also provide a smokescreen and pull their attention away from what we are really doing"

"It won't be easy, but it'll be worth it, because by the time they get a glimpse of what we are up to, it'll already be too late"

At this point, his mom's mouth had formed an O, at the grand schemes his son was cooking up.

Well, she couldn't know that her son had commanded knights as well as used mind boggling tactics in various wars.

Nevertheless, Ezra also felt pride seeing how awed his mother was, before he continued speaking…

"Naturally, I'll do some things on my part to provide assistance"

"So, I guess that's all, I'll look for a suitable mana technique during the next two months. If I don't find one, we'll have to ask the count to provide assistance"

"I need to organize some things on my part, I'll be leaving now"

Ezra said as he stood up slowly and walked to his personal room. He figured his mom would need some time to herself, after all, the plan he proposed was so grand that it was literally mind-blowing for someone like her.

But he also understood that the stakes were sky-high, like she had said, should the noble class catch a whiff of what they were planning, they were sure to be killed.

Yet, she also knew that the rewards should she succeed would make the sheer amount of effort worth it.

She had spent too many years scared of those bitches who keep trying to kill her and her son even though they did nothing to warrant it. And now, her dreams were about to come true, she could break the chains that the name "Maid" had bonded to her.

She knew that such an opportunity was one in a hundred, if not one in a thousand. Who knew when such a chance would come again? And of course, the one who had brought forward this daring plan was none other than her son. How could she let him brave such dangers alone? She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she did so.

She had shown a pathetic side of her to her son once already, how could she do it again?

And in this moment, she made up her mind, she would rather die standing than live kneeling. It was time for those three bitches to know who they were messing with.

She had been oppressed and terrorized for too long, and enough was enough. And so the words of her son rang in her ears.

"Strength, I need strength"

Yet, for her dreams to even remotely come true, she needed enough strength to demand respect, fear and authority.

She clenched her small fists as she said…

"It won't be easy but…"

When she said these words, she suddenly had a thought…

'It's better than living like this'

Yes, anything would be better than living like she currently did. She had no purpose, no cause, no friends, always scared, always hiding.

Well, until she gave birth. She could remember vividly like it was yesterday.

She had known, something within her had known that her boy would be special, but as he grew up, it seemed even that something hadn't known just how special he would be.

She remembered his small body that seemed more fragile than glass, and she felt her will ignite on that day.

A will to protect the fragile child in front of her, yet, she didn't think that her child would have the same feeling.

As she thought of this, she laughed.

'Who would believe that he's just five?'

It was absurd that a five year old boy could out-scheme some of the Empire's best schemers.

But she could only accept it, for he was her child, and her child was just that special.

It left a bittersweet taste in her mouth though, that the world hadn't been good to him, causing him to grow too quickly.

'But this isn't the time for such thoughts' she shook her head as she reminded herself.

She could only look forward to the future, while trying not to leave any regrets. And there couldn't be a better way to do that, than to support her son.

Yet, at that moment, something came to mind.

'Why did he ask me to study Vier?'

She could understand the rest, but she couldn't understand why she needed to learn the language of another empire, and one on another continent at that.

'Oh well, I don't know what's going on in that head of his, but he must have said so for a reason' she thought, throwing the question to the back of her mind.

What mattered was that her son said to do so, and that alone was enough.

Now she needed to also do her part, but where should she start from?

'He said he would provide the mana techniques as well as an instructor. Should I go to pick a weapon? No, I can do that at any time. Etiquette classes? I'll start tomorrow. Then… I guess I'll begin reading books? Hmm, I'll do that'

She thought, quickly coming to a decision as she called a maid to follow as she went to the library to begin reading.

Her uneventful days were going to be far less uneventful from this moment on.

Yet, strangely enough, she wasn't bothered, on the contrary, she was excited.

Things were taking a big turn, and she would become one of the big players in the future.

And so began the busy yet exciting days of Kiara Miller.