Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 315

Chapter 315: Infiltration II

Aiden’s other lieutenant, a tall and imposing man named Roran, gestured to him from across the room. “Found something,” he whispered, holding up a thick document emblazoned with the Dunham family crest. Aiden approached, taking the document from Roran’s hand and flipping it open.

The document outlined a trade agreement with the neighboring Graymarsh lands—something the King had explicitly forbidden due to Graymarsh’s alliance with potential enemies. This alone would be enough to threaten Dunham’s position, but Aiden’s instincts told him there was more.

“Keep looking,” he whispered, carefully folding the document and tucking it into his coat. The more they uncovered tonight, the stronger their leverage would be.

Suddenly, a faint scuff of footsteps echoed from the tunnel entrance. Zara’s head snapped up, her hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of her blade as she crouched low. Aiden gestured for silence, his eyes narrowing as he listened. They were no longer alone.

Two guards entered the chamber, clearly unaware of the intruders hidden in the shadows. They carried on a low conversation, their voices echoing faintly as they inspected the crates along the wall. Aiden’s crouched steadily, he can kill them all here but why rattle the nest, each thump keeping time as he analyzed the guards’ movements.

With a swift signal, he motioned for Zara and Roran to prepare for an ambush. Roran nodded, his massive frame silently sliding into position behind one of the guards, while Zara crept up on the other from behind. In a matter of seconds, the guards were subdued, their bodies lying unconscious in a corner, bound and gagged.

Aiden gave his team a look of approval, motioning them back to their search. Every second spent in this room increased the risk of discovery, but the value of the information they gathered was worth it.

As Aiden examined the room further, his eyes fell on an ornate chest tucked under one of the tables. He knelt down, carefully inspecting it for any signs of traps or magical seals. Satisfied that it was safe, he lifted the lid, revealing a collection of letters—each one stamped with the insignia of various noble families, including the Dunhams and the Vantrells.

Reading through them, Aiden’s eyes glinted with intrigue. The letters contained correspondence detailing a plan to undermine the King’s influence, securing power solely for the noble families. It was a delicate game of deception, bribery, and influence—a game Aiden was all too familiar with.

“So this is how they plan to divide the kingdom among themselves,” he murmured, scanning through the rest of the letters.

“What should we do with these?” Zara whispered, appearing beside him.

Aiden handed her a few documents. “Take only what’s essential. We can’t risk exposure after stealing with too much, but this evidence is enough to give us leverage against Dunham. It proves he’s conspiring to weaken the throne’s influence. He’ll have no choice but to fall in line.”

As they packed up the documents, Aiden’s gaze fell on the faint outlines of another hidden passageway leading out of the chamber. He signaled for his team to follow him, slipping into the shadowy corridor and leaving the storage room behind.

The passage twisted and turned, and as they emerged into the night, Aiden looked up at the sprawling cityscape above them, his mind already working on the next steps. He had what he needed to hold Dunham accountable, but he knew that the other noble families would need to be handled with equal precision. Tonight was just the beginning.

Back in the safehouse, Aiden reviewed the documents with his trusted lieutenants. Each piece of information was a thread in the web he was weaving, binding the city’s power players to his own plans.

“This will be enough to start with,” Aiden said, placing the letters down. “The Dunham family won’t be able to act without us knowing. But we’ll need to be cautious; they may already suspect something.”

Roran leaned forward, his brow furrowed. “What if they retaliate?”

Aiden’s gaze was cold, his expression unwavering. “If they try, we’ll have evidence of their betrayal against the King. They’ll either submit or find themselves facing the wrath of the kingdom.”

A silence fell over the room, each member of Aiden’s team absorbing the weight of their mission. They were infiltrators, shadows working in secrecy to ensure control. Aiden’s vision for the city extended far beyond power for its own sake; he sought to reshape it, to bring order where chaos had reigned under the nobility’s unchecked greed.

“The other noble families will soon realize they’re not immune to consequences,” Aiden said, his tone resolute. “We’ll approach the Loains next. Their loyalty can be secured easily if we provide them with enough support against their rivals. They’re the only house willing to stand for the kingdom.”

Zara nodded, a gleam of determination in her eyes. “If we can strengthen the Loains, the city will have a force capable of holding the throne steady.”

“Exactly,” Aiden replied. “Tonight, we’ve taken the first step. Soon, Moon City will belong to us, and when it does, the noble families will be bound to our will.”

He looked out the window, his eyes reflecting the lights of the city stretching out before him. In the shadows, he saw not just a kingdom, but an empire waiting to be forged. Moon City would be the foundation of his rule, and tonight’s infiltration was merely the beginning of his rise to power.

Next Day

As the first light of dawn crept through the window, Aiden stood before the tall mirror in his chamber, adjusting the final details of his attire. Today’s meeting with the Loain family was critical; they were the only family left with enough integrity and loyalty to be considered allies, and he intended to solidify that bond.

Aiden chose a sleek, dark suit embroidered subtly along the cuffs and collar with the intricate patterns symbolizing authority—a silent statement of his rising influence. He finished by fastening a silver brooch at his collar, the brooch was the insignia signifying his affiliation to Astral Maidens.