Faced with this situation, he could choose to intervene and profit from it.
In truth, if he succeeded, the gains would be considerable. Usurping the imperial throne and ruling the entire Alliance might be difficult. After all, he lacked prestige, and both the common people and the nobility would voice strong opposition. But he could take a step back and support someone friendly to him as the new emperor, while he remained behind the scenes, manipulating the political situation through his hidden influence and becoming a figure much like the Protector of the Nation.
The process might take years and involve many risks, but once completed, he would be able to wield the greatest nation on the continent for his own purposes.
But was it worth it? He had once seriously asked himself that question.
Secretly and indirectly ruling the Alliance was indeed exciting. After all, nearly all men—perhaps even all humans—possessed a desire to conquer. Controlling a nation and the lives of countless people, making all manner of adjustments according to one's own wishes, and receiving the adoration and reverence of countless others was intoxicating beyond measure—this was the poison of power.
Naturally, he had such desires too. But compared with exploration, research, and unraveling the truth of this world, those desires had to yield.
In his view, uncovering the truth of the world outweighed everything else.
Only after understanding the world could anything have meaning. Otherwise, it would all amount to nothing.
Besides, he had always defined himself as a researcher, just as Soren had once said of the Truth Society: the greatest failure for an assassin was deciding to become a warrior.
Likewise, for a researcher to decide to become a ruler was to stray somewhat from his true heart.
Of course, this was not absolute—it did