An Understated Dominance (Dustin Rhys)

A chill crept down Matthias’ spine at the thought. If the mastermind behind the purge was Grace, then the situation had taken a dire turn.

As a staunch royalist, she had never involved herself in government politics.

Her unexpected involvement and the massive disruption it caused raised alarming questions.

What could she possibly be plotting? Had she already chosen a side? Did she know their father’s days were numbered and decide to secure her future?

The more Matthias pondered these possibilities, the more his heart raced with dread.

Grace commanded an intelligence organization with immense resources and networks. She could easily cut off his sources and deny him access to vital information. If that happened, he would find himself at a severe disadvantage before the succession battle even began.

Seamus said calmly, “Your focus has always been on your two brothers. You see them as enemies and spend all your time competing against them and trying to bring them down.

“But you never thought about the Princess of Ariella, who had been silently building her network behind the scenes. Now she has enough influence to shift the entire political landscape.”

Before last night’s great purge, Seamus had never given Grace a second thought either. To him, she had always maintained such a low profile in daily affairs.

She never displayed any ambition and consistently served the crown loyally. Plus, she also avoided conflicts, never took sides, and didn’t attract anyone’s attention. It was as if she didn’t even exist.

It wasn’t until last night that this invisible figure finally revealed her true capabilities. Only then did Seamus realize that among all the competing princes, such a remarkable woman of both wisdom and courage had been hidden in plain sight.

“Who would’ve thought Grace was so shrewd?” Matthias frowned. “Uncle Seamus, what should we do now? She seems like she’s up to something.”

by gathering intelligence,

abilities are, she won’t threaten your position. What

woman, Grace could never inherit the throne. But with the influence she had, she possessed the ability to reshape the political landscape entirely. That made her a force they couldn’t afford

I’ll see to it

responded with a nod and left without

Once he set his sights

“Godfather…” Anders began.

he stepped into the garden. He had been eavesdropping

is it?” Seamus raised

of last night’s incident in Oakvale. I’m concerned that if Matthias handles

with a

on, “One wrong move at a time like this could ruin everything. I just don’t trust someone

he asked, “And what

one basket,” Anders said, lowering his voice. “Though Matthias commands great influence, he’s still a brute. Going up against Nathaniel won’t be easy. If

the fight for the

principle,” Anders said. “I admit that brute Matthias is easier to control. If he takes the throne, we’ll have

fall with him. It’s risky to bet everything on this brutish fool. If possible, we should

are you proposing?” Seamus

You maintain your support for Matthias without changing