After leaving Phantom, Merlin climbed into the carriage and said calmly, "Take me to Count Ootadi's castle."
The coachman asked no questions. He merely flicked the whip and drove the carriage toward Ootadi's estate.
Inside the carriage, Merlin narrowed his eyes slightly. The situation was becoming increasingly strange—or, from another perspective, increasingly clear.
The king, the Second Prince, and the Eldest Princess now stood in a three-legged balance. In truth, the king's power was not as terrifying as imagined; the princes and princesses of the Royal Family possessed frighteningly substantial authority as well.
For instance, the troops protecting the royal palace were entirely under the control of the Second Prince and the Eldest Princess. Naturally, the Second Prince held greater authority, but now that the Eldest Princess had Merlin's support, the situation would likely reverse at once.
Once the situation reversed, the balance would be shattered, inevitably giving rise to conflict. Perhaps Merlin would have to prepare himself for these sudden clashes next.
"The most likely one is the Second Prince. Perhaps he will make a move..."
Merlin continuously analyzed the matter in his mind. Once the balance was broken, one side would certainly act. He had never dealt with the Second Prince before, only knowing that the Second Prince had several Full Beastification experts under his command, apparently powerful figures from the army.
The army, the royal palace, and Phantom were actually three separate powers. Originally, the king controlled Phantom, the Second Prince controlled the army, and the Eldest Princess controlled certain forces within the royal palace. But the Second Prince's power had previously been too overwhelming, and his tentacles had already reached into the royal palace, forcing the Eldest Princess into a step-by-step retreat.
Fortunately, the Eldest Princess had acted decisively and spared no expense in winning Merlin