Editing Tytania:Volume 3 Chapter 5 (section)

=== II ===
It is said that “conspiracy is the pastime of nobles”. Alternatively, it was described as “the weapon of the weak”. A person who embodied both propositions stood here. That person was His Imperial Majesty Harsha&nbsp;VI, Emperor of the Vardana Empire.

Even before his accession, Harsha&nbsp;VI had been under psychological pressure from Tytania. His late father, Harsha V, had made a very mild compromise with Tytania’s dominance, bequeathing a history of little consequence on both his own life and his nation. While he was not revered by the people, he was well-loved, and even more than ten years after his death, flowers were still laid upon his grave by the populace.

His son, Harsha&nbsp;VI, had not learnt from his father’s way of life. He believed that his father had flattered the treacherous Tytania Clan and had forgotten his honour as an emperor.

“The Tytania Clan was originally nothing more than subjects of the Vardana Empire. One day, I shall make those treacherous ministers learn their lesson, for they neglect their sovereign to play with hollow power.”

Harsha&nbsp;VI could not resign himself to being a powerless bystander. To accept his current circumstances was, to him, nothing less than defeat and humiliation. As far as he was concerned, power was “my house’s property, unjustly plundered by Tytania.”

Historically, for a sovereign disregarded by treacherous ministers, power was something to be reclaimed by one’s own hands; how that power might be utilised once obtained was hardly ever an issue. He never once imagined that, even if he were to reclaim it, such an act might instead bring about social chaos and ruin, ultimately bringing misery to the people.

Many disliked the rule of Tytania, yet none wished for the Vardana Empire to recover its former glory. Except perhaps Harsha&nbsp;VI. This was the fundamental flaw of those who claimed “legitimate kingship”: they failed to realise this. They deluded themselves into believing that what was merely a small measure of justice for their own cause was a universal justice for the entire universe, and they branded anyone who disagreed with them as disloyal subjects.

As for the recent resignation of Duke Ariabert Tytania, it brought no great joy to Harsha&nbsp;VI.

“At the very least, if Lord Idris is dispatched to Bargash as Lord Ariabert’s successor, he will be gone from the court. It is hardly a cause for celebration.”

When Empress Aisha expressed such an opinion, Harsha&nbsp;VI only directed a sombre gaze towards her.

“But even if we Idris leaves for distant Bargash, what happens if his successor turns out to be even worse than him?”

“Like Radmoth, for instance,” groaned Harsha&nbsp;VI. Idris’ younger brother, Radmoth, was eighteen years old this year, and even as a member of the main Tytania Clan line, the position of Minister of Military Affairs would undoubtedly be too heavy a burden for his shoulders. The conversation between the Emperor and Empress had been based on the rumour that Idris, currently holding the seat of Minister of Military Affairs of the Vardana Empire, would succeed Ariabert, but it was later revealed that this was not the case.

If Idris were to fail miserably on the battlefield, Harsha&nbsp;VI’s joy would be the greatest of his life. Furthermore, if the Tytania were to perish, his life would surely end in bliss.

However, his modest hopes were crushed within a few days. Another rumour arrived, which claimed that far from remaining at Uraniborg, Idris had become a leading candidate for the next Clanner.

Harsha&nbsp;VI’s optimism deflated like a cheap balloon. Should the day ever come when Idris becomes the Clanner of Tytania, peace would never again visit Harsha&nbsp;VI’s mind. “Someone, please help me. Save me from this purgatory,” he yearned, but in essence, he simply wished for someone to serve him. Empress Aisha, worried by her husband’s fragility, attempted to shut out the flood of irresponsible rumours flowing into the court; however, Harsha&nbsp;VI himself would not allow it, leaving the rumours to fly freely both inside and outside the palace.

In this manner, Ariabert’s resignation stirred great waves both inside and outside the stagnant Uraniborg, provoking countless mental activities ranging from conspiracies, calculations, speculations, and anxieties to philosophical self-questioning and historical contemplation. As a result, people had inadvertently forgotten that there was one individual who carried within her heavy demands and immense dissatisfaction.

It was on the 14<sup>th</sup> of February that this person reappeared, with such force as if she might well kick down the door to Jouslain’s office, scattering shards of metallic fury throughout the room.

“What has become of my succession to the dukedom? I am Zarlisch’s mother. I do not remember ever being treated with such neglect!”

It was Jouslain who was truly the one being inconvenienced; it was not as if he were personally obstructing the demands of the Duchess Theresa Tytania. She should, instead, be lodging her protest with Clanner Ajman. Jouslain could not understand why she placed her expectations upon him, but a sudden thought occurred to him. Perhaps, while setting aside her unrestrained agitation, Theresa was actually coming to probe his true intentions?

Since he could not simply drive her away, Jouslain welcomed the Duchess into the drawing room and attended to her, sacrificing his precious time to do so.

“And so, Duchess, once you have secured your seat at the Council of the Five Families, what sort of political policy do you intend to demonstrate?”

“That is already decided. We shall capture that rogue in exile, a certain Fan I believe, and see him face the judgement of justice for the crime of shedding the noble blood of Tytania.”

“I see. And after that?”

It was a valid, yet spiteful, question. It was common knowledge to everyone, not just Jouslain, that Lady Theresa lacked imagination.

However, at the same time, her desire to exercise power had never been particularly intense; she should have been content with her luxurious private life, the reverence of others, and, in particular, her high expectations for the future of her second son, Arses. Though she had descended into madness upon the loss of her two sons and had never ceased to revile everyone around her, Jouslain had long found the idea that she had suddenly awakened to an ambition for power to be psychologically implausible.

Lady Theresa cried out.

“The rest can wait!”

Jouslain let out a sigh deep within his chest. His suspicions from recent days had been transformed into certainty. Someone had incited Lady Theresa.

Did they intend to send Lady Theresa to the Council of the Five Families to manipulate her as a puppet? Or was the purpose simply to throw the Council into chaos? In either case, there was someone attempting to use Lady Theresa for their own selfish ends. Jouslain felt it necessary to discover who that person was.

''“Lady Theresa, I ask that you tell me: who is it that seeks to whisper sweet words in your ear and manipulate you?”'' is not what Jouslain said.

Asking such a blunt question would have achieved nothing more than effectively bolting Lady Theresa’s lips shut.

Instead, Jouslain guided Lady Theresa with great subtlety. He brought up the name of the late Arses. He mused that because Arses had been a devoted son, he must have been worried about his mother. If his mother were to become one of the Four Dukes, his soul might find peace, but he wondered if there was anyone who could assist Lady Theresa in place of Arses.

When asked, Theresa offered the name of Countess Theodora. Having exhausted every polite pleasantry and used all his skill to soothe her, Jouslain finally saw Lady Theresa on her way out. He wiped the sweat from his brow with his fingertips and muttered to himself:

“Theodora?! In a mere fifty or sixty days, she certainly stirred things up. The stagnant water is now a swirling vortex.”

Jouslain returned to his desk in his office and picked up his pen. His mind began to work feverishly.

''“If Tytania is the sort of entity that could be destroyed by a single woman, then perhaps that is all she amounts to. Nevertheless, I cannot simply fold my arms and remain a bystander. Perhaps I should devise countermeasures.”''

And so, he composed several personal letters.