Rebirth System: Blood and Ash

The knife gleamed under the barely luminescent light fixed carefully inside the carriage, and Aric turned it between his fingers before a flick of his wrist made it disappear as smoothly as it had come.

He leaned back against the soft leather seat, a slight smile tugging at his lips, but Serina was quick to pull him from his thoughts.

"What's the next move?"

Her voice was calm, unshook, her gaze resting squarely on him as if already understanding part of his answer.

Aric's eyes drifted toward the window, watching the lights of the imperial palace fade behind them.

"We stay with the plan," he murmured, his tone low but resolute. "My second brother… he'll need to be taken care of quickly. But Darius—I plan to make him understand a relevant type of despair."

Serina nodded slowly, her eyes narrowing with thought as she loosened the ties of her dress.

She slipped her arms out, revealing bare shoulders and then tugged it down, leaving only a dark wrap around her chest, noticeably large when uncovered. Without pause or hesitation, she reached into a compartment under the seat and pulled out a fitted black top that was sleek and tight made to hug her skin and increase mobility, she was efficient and silent as she changed.

Aric occasionally looked away, keeping his gaze steady and casual despite her half-dressed state, and she didn't miss a beat.

"House Vane," she said, drawing his attention back. "They were… curiously close to you tonight. I noticed them observing even after the confrontations, cozying up far more than I'd expect."

Aric let out a quiet laugh, laced with a mix of humor and cunning.

"Yes, they were. But it's not because they've lost faith in Darius; they're just cautious. House Vane knows that any unchecked threat—even one as subtle as my own return—could disrupt their position."

"So what do you plan to do with them?" she asked, sliding her arms into the sleeves of the fitted top. She pulled it down and smoothed it out over her torso, her movements calm as if they were simply discussing the weather.

Aric shrugged, eyes glinting with a thoughtfulness that masked much more.

"For now, nothing. But I'd be wasting a rare opportunity to ignore them."

Serina's gaze sharpened.

"How so?"

He took a breath, leaning back as he explained.

"House Vane's roots run deeper than most people know. They come from Eryndor—a port city that connects Valeria's trade with the Solan Empire and the elven territories." His tone turned amused, almost reverent. "The family began with Derek Vane, a common-born merchant. A nobody who saw a gap in the system, found a foothold with the lesser guilds, and rose by empowering them against larger, corrupt guilds that worked under the noble houses' control."

Her eyebrows lifted with intrigue.

"And now, they've somehow managed to become a part of the imperial nobility. That must have taken more than just… charm."

Aric nodded, lips twisting into a smile.

"More than charm, yes. The empire needed funding, and Derek Vane was clever enough to offer a sizable 'loan' to the treasury in exchange for a title. The irony? The loan was never fully repaid." He glanced at her, eyes dancing with mirth. "They've built an empire within the empire."

Serina, adjusting the top over her chest, arched a brow. "And now they control…?"

"Forty percent of Valeria's import and export business," Aric replied smoothly. "The rest of the kingdoms within Valeria control only about twenty percent. And as for the remaining forty," he paused, letting a knowing smile tug at his lips, "that's us. Or rather, Byzeth. Every trade from the Northrend relies solely on Byzeth, a fact no one in Valeria is aware of."

Serina paused mid-movement, her eyes flicking toward him with sudden understanding.

"So what does this offer us, with House Vane?"

"A possible alliance," he said softly. "If they realize the enormity of business in the north that Byzeth manages, they'll be quick to grasp the opportunity. Profit drives them—more than loyalty to Darius. It's in their blood to follow the flow of gold. When they see a chance to join forces with a trade network as vast as ours, they'll find it difficult to stay bound to Darius."

Serina crossed her arms, her tone skeptical.

"And if, by chance, their loyalty to him does surpass their desire for wealth?"

Aric's smile turned cold.

"Then Byzeth will not just hold forty percent of the trade. It will control eighty."

At last, Serina was fully dressed, her clothes practical for stealthy infiltration, her top clinging to her form, highlighting her chest provocatively as she smoothed her dark hair up, lifting her arms to twist it into a tight knot at the back of her head.

Her gaze caught his, a glimmer of humor flashing across her face as she noticed his lingering glance at her chest.

"Focus, your highness," she said, her voice lightly teasing.

Aric grinned, his expression unrepentant.

"That's proving difficult."

She chuckled, swinging open the carriage door and stepping out into the quiet night air. Aric followed close behind, nodding to the driver, who understood the silent cue and continued forward, leaving them near the mansion of House Brienne.

As they stepped out onto the street, the faint scent of burning torches drifted on the breeze, mingling with the cool night air.

Two men emerged from the darkness nearby, Borag and mandel materializing before them like shadows born from a flash of light

"Is everyone ready?" Aric's voice was quiet but sharp, filled with a controlled intensity.

Borag nodded, his expression grim yet resolute. "We are prepared."

Aric's gaze swept over them, he sighed as a flicker of decisive resolve settled in his expression. The light from the moon carved a sharp gleam across his face as he straightened, setting his shoulders back looking to the estate.

"Then we move," he murmured, a wicked straightness playing at the edge of his mouth.

"Let's pay my brother's fiancée a visit."