Chapter 654: Chapter 654 - 380: Before the Dragon Throne Council Begins (3)

The young man who rose to fame, his brother with the strength of a Peak Knight, commanded the battlefield with ease; both inside and outside the Imperial Capital called him "the one most like the Emperor."He stabilized the army's spirit, understood the people's sentiments, and dared to take responsibility - he was recognized by both nobility and commoners as the true successor.Kaelin never envied him.As long as that genius was alive, he was willing to always be the one on the front line, bleeding for the Empire.What followed was the disappearance of his father, and the Empire's authority scattered everywhere.Kaelin suddenly discovered that the responsibility he thought would never fall upon him was forcibly thrust onto his shoulders.Responsibility turned into obsession, obsession turned into an irreversible fixation.The more Kaelin thought, the more he was convinced: the Crown Prince was too weak to live long, the Fourth Prince was only cunning and deceitful with no military spirit, and the others simply weren't qualified.Only he could stabilize the front lines, lock in the nobility, and make the military department unified again.If he didn't take control, the Empire would surely perish.This thought burned in his chest like fire, keeping him awake in the pain and driving him to delve deeper.Kaelin took a deep breath, but it felt like breathing ice shards, piercing his chest tight.He knew very well what to do next, no need to make lists, no need for repeated weighing.His heart had long led him to the end of the road, leaving only one direction:At tomorrow's Dragon Throne meeting, he must suppress Rhine.Must make the military department believe he's still the "Prince who can fight."Even if he has to rely on the Spirit Fruit to hold on, as long as he can sustain at the critical moment, it's enough.Must regain absolute command of the military department, or else the military's heart might be divided by other successors at any time.The Regent King must hold for a few years; if he falls, the Fourth Prince could openly take over everything in a power vacuum.Must find the people behind the assassin, even if the answer is already lurking in his heart.Most importantly, must make everyone believe, only I can save the Empire!This is not ambition, but a decision forced by fear.And this decision is firmer than any ambition.As the light from the pattern-carved window fell into the residence, the Fourth Prince Rhine sat behind the desk, perusing heavy tomes.He disassembled every issue into controllable shapes, handling them one by one.The room was quiet, only the sound of a feather pen softly brushing against paper could be heard.The footsteps outside the door stopped very lightly."Your Highness."