An Emperor's Ambition (3)

Xerath had been Azir's companion since entering the palace, always by his side, but they did not rest together.

One night, when Xerath went to the library to borrow books, he got so engrossed in reading that he ended up being locked inside.

This was a rare opportunity, so he wandered around the library and boldly came across some hidden grimoires.

From then on, he would often sneak into the library at night when it was about to close, and then carefully read and study the magic book, gradually learning a lot of its contents.

However, he only possessed some simple magic, and he needed guidance to understand the complex spells. Obviously, he couldn't ask Azir or his Teacher for help.

Just as he was filled with intense longing, a figure appeared before him. "Child, do you want to learn magic?"

"Yes! Can you teach me?" Xerath wasn't afraid; he still thought it was the spirit of the grimoire.

"Alright, I'll teach you some magic, but you need to think carefully about your purpose in learning it."

Xerath thought for a moment, then said, "I want to free the slaves!"

"This is not something magic can do. Magic is merely a tool; it cannot change minds."

"How can that be done?"

"Slavery was established by the emperor, and only the emperor could abolish it; of course, the emperor had to be convincing."

For some reason, when Xerath heard those words, Azir's face naturally came to mind.

Even though he often said that he was an insignificant Prince in the palace and would never be able to inherit the throne, Xerath was convinced of him!

"Perhaps my friend can do it; he's different from other nobles, he has a very compassionate heart."

"So what do you want to do? Support him or control him?"

"I... I don't know, I'll only be able to know after I learn magic!"

"Hehe, alright then, I'll teach you the basics. As for how well you can apply those basics, that's up to you."

From that day on, Xerath studied magic with the mysterious man, and even just a few meetings benefited him immensely!

Coupled with his extraordinary talent, he mastered immense power in just about a year.

At the same time, because he had learned the magic of concealment, no one noticed him, including Nasus.

The last time the two met was the day Xerath asked the mysterious man his name; he felt that the man was not the soul of the grimoire, but a powerful mage.

As a result, he didn't get the name, and the mysterious man never appeared again, leaving Xerath somewhat disappointed.

"That Great One is amazing. It's a pity I didn't have a chance to thank him."

Using the powerful magic he possessed, Xerath killed one person after another who looked down on Azir, while also unleashing the hatred in his heart.

He initially had a good impression of the tenth Prince, but unfortunately, he eventually became blinded by greed.

To Xerath's surprise, after the deaths of many Prince and Princess, the one who succeeded to the throne was not Azir, but his sister.

Xerath couldn't bring himself to harm Nashramae; she was kind to Azir and to him, and also showed leniency towards the slaves.

Perhaps in time, she can also liberate the slaves, then it won't matter who becomes emperor.

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In fact, Nashramae did not do that; she was eager to make a name for herself and realize her dream of ascension.

She felt that with so many bizarre murders occurring in the palace, which even the Ascended couldn't investigate, it was very likely that the gods were helping her.

In that case, as long as I work hard enough, it is entirely possible for me to successfully ascend and become the second Ascended Empress after Shetaka!

Unfortunately, Nashramae failed and was completely destroyed by the Solar Energy.

However, during her reign, Shurima underwent significant changes. It was successful in foreign wars and maintained harmonious domestic affairs, earning widespread praise for the Empress.

These past few years have also been the happiest time for Azir and Xerath. They've grown up together, built a deep friendship, and don't have to worry about what others might say.

They also frequently visited Xerath's parents in the slave quarters, bringing them food and money.

Over time, Azir became the most respected person among these slaves. One night, a beautiful slave girl caused him to lose his virginity.

Although life seemed carefree, Xerath never forgot his own thoughts, and later he found an opportunity to tell Azir about them:

If slaves were freed and everyone lived in harmony, Shurima would surely be more powerful than it is now.

He thought that given Azir's kind nature, he would definitely agree without hesitation, but to his surprise, he fell silent after hearing the answer.

His friend's silence pierced Xerath's heart like a sharp blade: Why wasn't he speaking? Didn't he want to free the slaves?

Was his behavior merely to satisfy his own benevolent heart?

Had he been faking it all these years? Had I always been insignificant in his eyes?

Xerath was too insecure; he became furious and embarrassed simply because he didn't get a reply to a single sentence, and mentally calculated countless possibilities.

He only thought about helping Azir kill many Princess Prince, helping him master a lot of magical knowledge, and helping him solve his problems... but he never thought that everything was just wishful thinking on his part. Azir did not ask him for help, and did not even want these things to happen.

Besides, silence is not a refusal; Azir was just afraid that he couldn't do it and that agreeing rashly would disappoint his best friend.

In short, this topic became taboo between the two, and Xerath never brought it up again.

In fact, Azir often pondered these matters. He knew that although Xerath was free, he never had a legitimate claim to power, and besides, there were millions of slaves struggling in Shurima.

He was willing to tell Nashramae about it if he could find a suitable reason, but she vanished before he could.

Azir naturally became the new emperor of Shurima, which gave Xerath hope again. If his previous silence was due to helplessness, now he could do it!

With a single command from him, the slaves of Shurima are freed, and no one dares to resist, not even the Ascended!

But several years passed, Azir still didn't do it because his stance had changed.

He used to be able to talk to his sister about this, ask for her opinion, and let her come up with a solution.

Now that he has become emperor, if he were to directly order the abolition of slavery, it would undoubtedly cause a huge uproar.

He couldn't tell Xerath about this problem, otherwise Xerath would use it as an excuse. After much thought, Azir decided to first establish his achievements and become a respected emperor before making any further decisions!