Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 324

Chapter 324: Mayhem II

As the inspections continued over the next few days, tensions mounted among the noble families. Rumors of secret tunnels, alliances with outsiders, and embezzled city funds circulated like wildfire, each family desperate to clear its name while subtly implicating the others. It was precisely the chaotic landscape Aiden needed to tighten his hold over the city.

He watched from afar, sending subtle messages to Eldrik, advising him on how to position the Loain family as the stable, trusted authority among the increasingly fractured nobles. Soon, Aiden knew, the other heads would turn to Eldrik, seeking his counsel, unintentionally elevating him as the most influential among them.

In the dim evening light, Aiden returned to his quarters, joined by Valeria, who brought fresh updates from his network of spies. She handed him a note.

“Reports from Lord Valros’s estate,” she said. “They’re already hinting that Durnham’s been dealing in contraband. Valros’s people are preparing to ‘investigate,’ though their investigation might be a bit… intrusive.”

Aiden smirked. “Perfect. Valros won’t pass up a chance to weaken Durnham’s influence. And with Edran maneuvering his merchants, we can ensure that her estate becomes isolated from its usual allies. Soon, she’ll have no choice but to act, and that’s when we strike.”

Valeria leaned closer, her voice dropping to a murmur. “Master, at this rate, it won’t be long until Moon City is yours.”

Aiden looked out over the sprawling city, feeling the weight of his plans settling into place. His empire’s foundation was being laid, family by family, house by house. Soon, Moon City would be his in all but name, and when the time came, even the kingdom would fall to his machinations.

“To the empire,” he murmured once more, watching the city lights as they flickered in the night, each one a spark in the vision he was slowly bringing to life.

The following days unfurled like a game of chess, each piece on the board moving at Aiden’s command. Within the noble families, whispers of betrayal and clandestine dealings spread as each estate ramped up its defenses, believing they were under threat. True to Aiden’s plan, the Loain family gained more sway in city matters as a stabilizing force amid the disorder.

In the meantime, Lord Eldrik held daily briefings, updating Aiden on the families’ actions. The Loain family’s soldiers moved quietly and efficiently, earning a reputation for vigilance while Eldrik maintained an air of neutrality, subtly feeding the narrative that the Loain family was the only one left with Moon City’s best interests at heart.

On the night of a scheduled inspection of the Durnham estate, Aiden met with Eldrik in a secluded chamber. They were surrounded by maps, coded reports, and strategically placed red markers representing each noble family’s forces.

“This is the last piece we need,” Aiden murmured, tracing a line from Durnham’s estate to one of the tunnels. “Once Durnham’s defenses are down, we can initiate a raid under the guise of an inspection. With our men in place, it will look like an accident—a tragic mishap during a thorough investigation.”

Eldrik nodded, a slow smile forming. “The city will be ours by morning.”

As the clock struck midnight, Aiden’s operatives slipped into the tunnels beneath Durnham’s estate. Their silent movements went unnoticed, their dark clothing blending into the dim corridors. Valeria led them, her crimson eyes gleaming as she moved like a shadow through the passageways. She and Aiden had trained these operatives extensively for such missions, each one skilled in stealth and capable of carrying out their orders with unwavering precision.

Aiden observed from his vantage point near the estate’s outer perimeter, watching for any signal from Valeria. A soft whistle—a signal from his operatives—echoed through the still night air, confirming that they had successfully infiltrated Durnham’s inner chambers.

Inside the estate, Lady Durnham was oblivious to the subtle shifts in her household’s routine. Her soldiers patrolled, yet their vigilance had grown lax after days of heightened tension and uncertainty. The families’ constant suspicion toward one another had eroded their unity and defenses, leaving Durnham’s estate vulnerable.

Valeria moved silently through the halls, dispatching any guards who threatened to notice her team’s infiltration. With each step, she brought Aiden closer to his goal of dismantling the Durnham family’s power. She stopped at the doors to Durnham’s private study, where documents, blueprints, and transaction ledgers lay sprawled across the desks.

“These will be enough,” Valeria whispered to herself as she sifted through the documents, marking each one for her operatives to collect. With the evidence in their hands, the Durnham family’s secrets would be revealed to the city’s populace, and their reputation dismantled.

Aiden watched as Valeria’s team disappeared into the tunnels, carrying their stolen documents, while a handful remained to create a scene—a false indicator of sabotage. He needed Lady Durnham to believe she had been attacked from within, a ruse to fuel the division among the families even further.

The next day, rumors swept through Moon City like wildfire. Word of the “inspection mishap” at Durnham’s estate painted a chaotic scene of lost records, stolen funds, and even secret passages leading out of the city. The other families were quick to react, raising concerns over the supposed corruption within Durnham’s ranks, each eager to distance themselves from the scandal.

Eldrik capitalized on the chaos, subtly positioning himself as the city’s voice of reason, ensuring that the citizens saw the Loain family as protectors amid the corruption plaguing the nobility. Aiden’s influence seeped into every corner, from the guard posts to the city’s markets, shaping public perception to align with his goals.

Days passed, and the city’s trust in the Loain family grew, the other families fracturing as tensions escalated. With each calculated move, Aiden pushed Moon City further under his control, knowing the time was nearing when he could claim it as his own.

Aiden met with Eldrik and Lana one final time in the Loain estate’s war room. Eldrik, whose respect for Aiden had deepened, spoke with a sense of newfound camaraderie.

“The city is ours, thanks to you,” he said, pride and satisfaction evident in his voice. “The remaining families are weakened, their influence waning. We’ve reshaped the city.”

Aiden inclined his head in acknowledgment. “But there’s still more to be done. The kingdom won’t ignore the changes here for long.”

Eldrik met his gaze. “Then we prepare, fortify the city, and ensure that when the time comes, we stand united under a single banner.”

The three of them—Aiden, Eldrik, and Lana—looked out over Moon City from the high balcony, watching as the citizens went about their daily lives, unaware of the power shift that had occurred. For now, the city lay in their hands, and Aiden could feel the weight of his ambitions finally taking shape.

In the shadows of Moon City, his empire was beginning.