“You’re wrong, Tristan,” Matthias said with a meaningful look.
He continued, “Sure, I’ve got the Moseys to back me, but I’m still far from securing the throne. Nathaniel’s got strong backing too, and this won’t be an easy win. But if you were to support me, I’d say my chances shoot up to 80%.”
In his eyes, Tristan’s support was worth more than the Ballard family.
If he could win Tristan over, his odds would jump from 60% to nearly 80%. The only question now was whether Tristan would be willing to shelve his own ambitions and place his bet on Matthias.
“You know me, Matthias. I’ve never been one for ambition or glory. This kind of power struggle just isn’t for me. I hope you can understand that,” Tristan said.
After thinking about it thoroughly, he finally turned his brother down. He knew his chances of winning were slim, yet he couldn’t let go.
Tristan was the eldest legitimate son, the rightful and undisputed heir to the throne. Aside from his poor health, he had no real shortcomings.
Every move he made had been carefully calculated. He’d spent years waiting in silence just to make it this far. There was no way he’d give up now.
Even if he only had a few years left to live, or if he only got to be the king for one day, he would still fight for it with everything he had.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, Tristan, but it pays to know your own limits,” Matthias said with an insincere smile.
He continued, “If you’re not interested in the throne, you can live comfortably with your title, and no one will bother you. But once you get caught up in this mess, walking away won’t be so easy. I hope you give it some thought.”
Matthias could tell Tristan still had ambition, even if he didn’t have the backing to match it. A man like that wasn’t a real threat unless he got in the way. And if that happened, things would get complicated. So he laid it out-not just to make things clear, but as a subtle warning.
“You’re absolutely right, Matthias. I understand,” Tristan replied. He returned the smile, though his eyes held a glint that didn’t quite match.
“Well, I’ve said what I needed to. If you ever have time, stop by my place. It’s been a while since we shared a drink like old times,” Matthias said, still smiling.
“Yeah. Next time.” Tristan nodded, but he didn’t refuse the invitation.
“Tristan, I’ve got things to take care of. I’ll be going now.”
With that, Matthias walked away.
Tristan narrowed his eyes and stood there for a long time. His expression shifted as thoughts churned behind it.
Of the four ancient houses, the Moseys had already pledged their support to Matthias. The Spanners-the strongest of them all-stood behind Nathaniel. The Fallons were closely aligned with the Moseys, which meant they’d likely follow suit.
That left only the Ballards, the last neutral family, and Tristan’s final hope.
Without the backing of any ancient house, he couldn’t count on a handful of scattered gentry to secure the throne. He had to win the Ballards over, no matter what.
After the three princes left, the Ballard estate received another distinguished guest -Princess of Ariella, Grace Linsor.
As always, she wore a veil, and her features were hidden. Yet, her presence was still unmistakably noble-something words alone couldn’t capture.
Unlike the three princes, each with their own motives, Grace had come simply to mourn Jovian. That alone eased Simon’s heart a little.
It seemed not everyone from the royal family was cold and calculating. At the very least, she was different.
Valon had often confided that if Grace had been born a man, he wouldn’t have had to worry about choosing an heir. With her ability, she was more than capable of taking on the role.
But the throne had always passed from father to son, not daughters. Even if Valon wanted to change that, he couldn’t go against the will of his ancestors.
After offering her condolences, Grace left quietly. She didn’t stay long enough to draw attention.
Before she left, she looked at Dustin like she had something to say.
Not long after, his phone vibrated. She had sent a message, and it read, “Important. Meet me at Soluna Hall tonight.”
Dustin stayed at the Ballard family’s funeral hall the whole day. Once night fell, he found an excuse to slip away.
Outside the estate, he took a cab and headed to Soluna Hall.
About 40 minutes later, he arrived at the meeting spot Grace had mentioned.
Soluna Hall wasn’t well-known in Oakvale. Most days, the place was dead quiet. But despite the lack of foot traffic, it raked in serious money because she had turned it into an intel hub.
Anyone with the right connections could buy or sell information there. The selection covered almost everything, but the price was the only downside.
Still, it was worth every penny for the high rollers who relied on good intel. The information from Soluna Hall often proved to be a lifesaver at critical moments.
