"Velos was a clever child."
"He cared about reputation and affection, as well as Herzaken's evaluation of him and his position as imperial heir."
"That Abandoned Worm exploited this, bringing Yajiwen back, abducting Meishina, joining forces with the Root of the Faceless, and luring him here in secret."
"That is why I came here as well, for one final confrontation."
Yarmora spoke calmly.
The Gullad Empire was a whole.
The emperor was important, its territory was important, and stability was important. Naturally, the imperial heir was also an indispensable part of it.
Hearing this, the Storyteller was somewhat puzzled. "You seem to know about everything that happened in secret. If so, why didn't you stop it beforehand?"
To rule such a vast empire for thousands of years, Yarmora's wisdom was beyond doubt. Yet in this matter, he had been led around by the nose from start to finish.
But Yarmora remained exceptionally calm about it, neither angry nor disappointed.
"All conspiracies and calculations are merely bargaining chips. What determines the final outcome is still strength."
As he spoke, Yarmora's gaze fell upon the spot where the Abandoned Worm had died.
"They could indeed weaken us by throwing the empire into turmoil, or even bringing about its collapse."
"Conversely, if I could completely eliminate those lurking in the shadows here, then the power of whatever stands behind them would weaken as well."
"But—time was not on our side."
Yarmora's words were brief, but they struck at the heart of the matter.
Indeed, the Abandoned Worm and the existence behind it possessed greater strength than the Gullad Empire's side. But Yarmora had not been entirely unaware of it.
However, he and the Gullad Empire had always been the side exposed in the open. That was an unavoidable disadvantage.
Yarmora could repeatedly thwart