Calvin’s residence on the grounds of the inner palace definitely had an appearance that suited its location. But it was just one building of the inner palace, which—despite its name—was a vast place, basically a city in itself.
Several high-rises stood around the residence, which itself covered a wide area and even boasted an inner courtyard. It was certainly splendid enough to serve as the crown prince’s home.
The residence shimmered with light even at night…but inside lay a ghastly scene. In a spacious hall sprawled countless knights and masked agents—all guards of Cleo’s who’d been dispatched by House Banfield. Most were already dead, but one clung to life even as he coughed up blood; he was from Kukuri’s group.
“You’ve betrayed Master Liam!” he declared.
Kukuri’s subordinate was looking up at a raised platform, atop which rested Calvin’s throne. Calvin himself was seated there, but Kukuri’s subordinate was staring to one side of the seated prince.
Standing at Calvin’s side, gazing down on Kukuri’s subordinate, was Cleo.
“I’m grateful to all of you,” Cleo said as he observed the man coldly. “It’s doubtless thanks to you that I’ve survived until today. However…I’m done with House Banfield.”
“If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll at least take you down, traitor!”
Kukuri’s subordinate tried to activate his internal explosive device, but before he could do so, blades flew at him from every direction, impaling him. The explosive failed to detonate, and the man collapsed face-up to the floor.
Hundreds of knights and assassins had been hidden here in Calvin’s palace earlier, both to protect the crown prince and to carry out this plan. A number of skilled knights stood near the princes, their guard still up even with Cleo’s security team neutralized.
Calvin gave Cleo a skeptical look. “I didn’t think you’d join forces with me. You know Count Banfield won’t shrug off a betrayal like this.”
Liam had dispatched talented guards—precious human resources—to watch over Cleo. He’d also deployed some of Kukuri’s followers, who were irreplaceable assets; those guards had been killed as well. Cleo saw this as a show of sincerity to Calvin.
“I’m prepared for that,” he said. “I wanted to show you that I won’t renege on my word now that I’ve joined forces with you, Brother. I’ve broken my ties with Count Banfield.”
There’s no going back now. For the sake of the Empire, Liam, I will betray you.
His eyes lightless, Cleo remembered Bagrada’s words. In the prince’s mind, those words had become a directive. He couldn’t give everything to House Banfield. If he let Liam keep supporting him, Cleo would remain safe, but he could no longer be satisfied with that.
Besides, I can’t stand being treated like Liam’s accessory any longer.
He needed to get rid of Liam, he felt, even if that meant joining forces with Calvin. He continually ignored the fact that, even more than his new “directive,” his personal feelings were driving him.
Though Cleo had offered this show of sincerity, Calvin was still wary of his brother. “Just to show me that, you’re throwing away the rock-solid position you achieved? What is it you’re after? At the rate you were going, you could’ve become crown prince without needing to do anything yourself. Couldn’t you have ousted Liam after you became emperor? That’s what I’d have done in your position. It’s what anyone would normally have done.”
Discarding a vassal who’d faithfully supported you only made sense after you’d achieved your goal. Calvin couldn’t understand what Cleo was thinking. Even Cleo himself knew that he was arguably making a mistake.
“It’s all for the Empire’s future,” he insisted. “I figured it’d be equally hard to betray House Banfield after taking the throne, precisely because it’s House Banfield. But…the main thing is that I care less about being emperor than about not being Liam’s puppet.”
Even if Cleo were installed as emperor, the people would revere Liam, the peerless vassal who’d made him ruler.
“As a man, I want to leave my own mark on this world,” Cleo told Calvin. “If I have to be remembered as Liam’s lackey otherwise, it’d be better to make my mark by destroying House Banfield…don’t you think?”
That excuse only made Calvin more suspicious. “You’d betray him for a reason like that?”
“It might seem insignificant to you, but it’s a strong enough reason for me to do it.”
Calvin gazed down at the dead guards Cleo had betrayed. He seemed to pity the men, who’d been killed in a sneak attack. “So you offer your guards up to me as proof of your betrayal. I see how determined you are, but that’s not reason enough for me to trust you.”
Cleo sighed, perceiving Calvin’s wariness. “Not very courageous, are you, Brother?”
The knights around them put their hands on their weapons, but Calvin raised his own hand to stop them. “Wait! Cleo, do you really understand what you’re doing? This kind of betrayal is much more serious than you seem to think. Especially considering who you’re betraying.” Did he really plan to double-cross Count Banfield, of all people?
Cleo smiled faintly at Calvin’s indirect question. “You obtain the Empire, Brother, and I’ll serve as your support. So long as we keep the Empire out of House Banfield’s clutches, its future is guaranteed.”
Calvin couldn’t dismiss that suggestion. His brother might’ve looked awfully youthful, but Calvin knew better than anyone that he couldn’t win unsupported against him—against Liam—the way things were going now. Nonetheless, joining hands with Cleo was something he had to consider carefully.
“What other choice do you have, Brother?” Cleo whispered. “Now that I’ve betrayed Liam, I’m out of options too. As two people with no other recourse, why not join forces?”
Calvin finally made up his mind. “Very well.”
Once Calvin had made that decision, Cleo knelt before the crown prince and bowed his head. “I shall be your arms and legs from now on, Brother.”