After finalizing the alliance in the study, John did not linger at Frostahe Manor. After briefly discussing their future business cooperation with Olivia, he summoned Bruno, who had been waiting outside, and returned directly to the Imperial Grand Hotel.
Splash!
In the back seat, John watched the scenery rush past the window, his gaze somewhat unfocused as he continuously replayed the alliance negotiations he had just held with Olivia in the study.
In truth, John was far less optimistic than Olivia believed about succeeding William's arrangement and becoming the Reformist Faction's leader after the Ostan Duke died of illness.
After all, as a player, he possessed far too much classified information that she did not know.
Naturally, he understood that the Reformist Faction leader's downfall due to illness was not as simple as everyone currently believed.
It was the result of an internal power struggle over succession within the Ostan Family.
In the original plot, after Dries Ostan died of illness two years later and his son, Iver Ostan, inherited the dukedom, Iver led most of the original Reformist Faction members in defecting to the Old Guard Party. This officially swelled the Old Guard Party to its greatest size in history, allowing it to seize nearly four-fifths of the Empire's military authority and essentially complete political unification.
Left with no other choice, William then nominated another member of the Thirteen Heroes Families within the Reformist Faction—Marquis Bertolt Grimm, the "Heir of Rune Magic"—as its leader, hoping to reverse the situation.
However, although Marquis Grimm, who commanded Rune Formula and possessed an exhaustive understanding of all twenty-four Rune Sigils, stood only one step away from Crown Tier and ranked among the Empire's foremost experts in magical knowledge, he knew absolutely nothing about politics.
Thus, after the marquis became the new leader