Free Web NovelChapter 409: Chapter 409: The Investment with the Highest Return_1
It’s coming — Aiden felt a bit more at ease inside.
Under his guidance, Sera had finally made such a decision.
"What kind of wind is blowing all of a sudden? You’re suddenly interested in the throne, Princess?" He frowned at Sera, puzzled.
"I..." Sera was at a loss for words and her face became somewhat embarrassed.
To say that a nightmare had spurred her to make such a resolution felt a bit awkward; it would only make her seem fickle.
"Don’t be nervous, I just want to understand why you’ve suddenly changed your mind," Aiden quickly waved his hand to not discourage her newfound courage, "After all, you used to want nothing to do with politics."
Sera calmed down, and began to organize her words: "This... actually, Asenna did mention to me... Well, she’s actually been sarcastically scolding me these past few days, and she has quite a sharp tongue."
"I know that much," Aiden said with a nod and a smile.
Sera relaxed a bit more and spoke more fluently: "But thanks to her, I’ve made up my mind. I’ve thought about it, and even if I escape assassination once, after I get out of prison, my life will still be in someone else’s hands."
"But by actively entering the political fray, your life is equally at risk, which was your reason for refusing to reveal your identity before," Aiden said. "You could temporarily use the political factions opposed to your brother, the King, for protection, but they won’t truly support you. You’re just a banner for them to rally around against the King, a puppet."
"And as a woman, I’m an excellent puppet for marriage alliances; they will certainly choose an ’excellent’ husband for me to control the real power of the Kingdom," Sera picked up, "I might survive, but my life would be manipulated by them until I’m in my grave, or for whatever reason, end up on the scaffold."
Aiden was slightly taken aback, then nodded in agreement: "True, that is the reason you refused to reveal yourself."
It seemed the Princess was not just timid but also quite aware of her own situation.
"That’s why I must find a way to control my own life," Sera said earnestly, looking into Aiden’s eyes. "Only by holding real power can I use them instead of being completely manipulated by them."
"Your resolve is admirable, but gaining power isn’t as simple as just talking about it, pardon my directness," Aiden asked. "How much do you actually understand about politics?"
"Heinz... used to teach me some lessons," Sera said, shrinking a little.
"Knowing a bit of swimming theory doesn’t guarantee you won’t drown, let alone when the Kingdom of Gistas is like a stormy sea."
"So I need truly loyal staff; I need Heinz to support me."
Aiden appeared to ponder seriously: "That guy is quite troublesome as an opponent, and he holds the King’s secrets. With his abilities, you might really have a chance, but that’s assuming he will truly help you, supporting you is quite risky." freēwebnovel.com
"I believe he will stand by me," Sera said slowly, "and I believe I can convince him to do so."
"But this is a bit risky for me too," Aiden said seriously.
Sera fell silent for a moment, then recalled what Heinz had taught in a lesson: "The card of emotion is ultimately just a prop to stir people’s hearts, the foundation for garnering allies is a common enemy or interests."
She thought for a while, then tried to speak: "But Warden, isn’t it risky for you to obstruct the secret police’s assassination attempt? I think the new King may already know your reputation."
Aiden heard the subtext in Sera’s words — ever since he refused the bribe and hindered Heinz’s assassination, in the eyes of those aligned with the King of Gistas, he had already taken a side; on this, their stances aligned.
"I did it because I wanted to; it should count as their interference with my proper operation of the prison, I certainly wouldn’t side with them. Besides, I’m not a Gistastonian; I suppose your brother, the King, doesn’t have the capacity to target a senior warden from an autonomous region right now," Aiden said.
"That’s the situation now, but who can guarantee the future?" Sera started to argue earnestly. "If you stop one assassination, who’s to say they won’t come up with other methods? Even if you killed Heinz, the royal secret police wouldn’t just disappear. And if you did kill him, perhaps the King would truly not let you go." freёwebnovel.com
"Suddenly becoming articulate, when just minutes ago you were too nervous to speak; it seems you do have a bit of political acumen after all," Aiden laughed. "But you should have thought about it, if I’m willing to fight the royal secret police now, I’m surely not really afraid of any repercussions. In the autonomous region, the royal family of Gistas doesn’t have that much influence. If you want me to take a risk, what can you offer me?"
"In my current situation, I can’t offer much in return..." Sera said somewhat embarrassedly, "but if I am able, that is if I had the capacity to offer something in return, I would definitely give you what you desire."
"Are you asking me to make an investment?" Aiden laughed.
This kind of political investment could probably be considered the highest-return investment there is. He had learned in history from his previous life about such a businessman who had supported an heir to a Kingdom’s throne and became the prime minister of a great nation — although the end in the power struggle was not so pleasant.
However, Aiden had no intention of actually meddling in the politics of another Kingdom, especially given the extraordinary dangers of that political climate.
What he saw as a return was something else — Qiqimora’s activities in the southern part of Gistas had made no progress, if there could be an extra local spy network, like the Gistas royal secret police... perhaps they could break through this bottleneck and find the whereabouts of the Hand of Oblivion before Mr. Bloodrobe did.
Even if Sera failed in the struggle for the throne, at least Aiden could take care of the matter with as few problems as possible.
"The decision-maker here is you, the Warden." Sera said with feigned calm, having said all that she could.
Aiden studied Sera carefully, it was after all a decision made on the spur of the moment without much deliberation, but for her to have come this far was quite commendable.
He pretended to ponder for a while, then finally nodded at Sera: "Alright, then I’ll take a gamble on you."
Sera’s expression showed sheer relief.
That’s when Aiden suddenly changed the subject: "But we’re missing the final piece of the puzzle. If your boyfriend doesn’t want to be on your team, all of this is for naught... we need a plan that’s relatively safer."
