"Come on in."
Before Konrad could announce himself, Adelar's voice came from behind the door. Without delay, Konrad stepped in.
Adelar sat before a table with a wine glass within his hand and motioned for Konrad to sit before him.
"Are you here to discuss father's move?"
He asked while Konrad settled within the chair.
"Actually, I have many questions. First, I can't understand why he is so adamant on making that eunuch boy his adoptive son? Even he should know that it can only bring harm and no good.
Second, why were you so aggressive in your words? This is not your style. Weren't you afraid that he would kill you in a fit of fury?"
Those indeed were Laurens' questions. Konrad merely used them to set the stage for his information gathering.
Adelar lowered his wine glass onto the table to lift his gaze onto Laurens'.
"Father is no fool. If he does that knowing full well the damage it will yield, he must have profound reasons. But I'm not sure those are favorable to us.
It also doesn't change the fact that the boy is now a stain to the imperial family's prestige. Needless to say, I will have him killed in the following days."
Inwardly, Konrad sneered.
"As for your second question, I was testing theories."
"Testing theories with your life?"
"Indeed. Us older princes know that Yvonne Voight is father's first taboo. Anyone that gets too close doesn't have a good end. If someone tells me that's why Wenzel died, I can believe.
But what is his second taboo?"
"His imperial power."
Konrad replied through Laurens' memories.
"Right. His imperial power is, without a shred of doubt, his most valuable possession. Nothing compares to it and anything that threatens it is put to death.
That being the case, why am I still alive? This question has been troubling me for many years. At first, I believed it was due to a mixture between personal bias and the fact I never challenged him in the open.
But now, I'm convinced there is something else. I insulted him before seven elders, his wife, children, and their mothers. So dissolutely stepped on his imperial power, and he just sends me flying?
No, anyone could have come out of that room alive except for me. Therefore, I conclude I have a particular use for him. A use that forces him to keep me alive until I serve my purpose. That being the case, I can now be unscrupulous."
Adelar's lips flashed his usual smile as he maintained eye contact with Konrad.
The combination of his words and expression caused discomfort within Konrad's chest. However, he shouldered the gaze.
"What if your assumptions were wrong and he killed you?"
Adelar chuckled and while still staring into Konrad's eyes, raised his glass.
"To fight for world domination, you first need audacity. Without audacity, what can you achieve?
Without audacity, how can you surpass the limitations imposed by birth and lineage to triumph over your enemies?
I believe that on the path to becoming supreme, he who can not gamble his life is unable to achieve anything."
Adelar's eyes shone with an eerie light that somehow reminded Konrad of Olrich's gaze at his worst.
"Have I answered all your questions, -Laurens?-"
The tone caused Konrad's eyes to widen in stupor, but before he could do anything, grey mist burst from Adelar's body to surround the two of them.
Konrad had seen this mist more than once. Be it Wenzel or Nils, both displayed it with various levels of proficiency. However, in Adelar's hands, this paragon spirit innate ability had reached a terrifying level.
The scenery changed, and the two appeared within Laurens' soul where Adelar faced Konrad in his purple fog form.
"Greetings, adversary."
Adelar said with the smile Konrad was starting to find rather irritating.
"How did you know?"
Konrad's voice echoed from the purple fog as Adelar eyed him with the interest of a hunter on his chosen prey.
"Since he became my man, Laurens has never been able to hold my gaze for more than five seconds. You failed that test.
He also tries very hard to conceal his fears. In your case, it is difficult to hide something you don't have. You are brazen, I like that. You possess many extraordinary means. I like that even more.
How about leaving the shadows and submitting to me? Allow me to make use of your talents, and in the future, you can be below one and above billions."
Konrad burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha!
A pity that in this world, no one is qualified to employ me. I will also give you a once in a lifetime opportunity. Forget your dreams of supremacy and submit to me. When I rule the world, you can be the chancellor."
Adelar shook his head.
"A shame that our goals are the same and our beliefs identical.
In this world, no one is qualified to employ me."
Adelar stretched out his hands, causing the grey spiritual mist to spread within Laurens' mind and assault Konrad's soul.
But before he could trap him, the purple fog Konrad vanished in haze, crossing the ethereal dimension to return to his true body.
*Puh*
Konrad spurt blood, and fell face first, alarming Krann who didn't expect such developments.
"Aaah, master!"
Krann roared while lifting Konrad's fallen body and injecting his demonic energies into his veins.
