“You find a common goal.”
Veylara answered, smiling at Kael.
“A common goal…?”
“Indeed.
When your common goals align, you automatically become allies.”
Veylara then gave an example,
“If you think about it naively, then yours and Drakthar’s common goal would be to save Nerathis, so Drakthar is your ally.
Of course, that is only on the surface—there are many layers to it. Drakthar isn’t a single entity—it’s a web of factions, each with its own goals.”
“How do I find people with the same goal as me?”
Veylara chuckled at that question.
“Do you even have a goal yet?”
“…”
Kael said nothing.
“What is your goal?
To save Nerathis?”
Kael nodded, lying again.
“Why? Because you are a Hero?”
Veylara laughed.
“…”
Again, Kael remained silent.
“Your goal shouldn’t be saving Nerathis or anything grander, Hero. You are just a child who was pulled into this mess.
Your main goal should be to survive.”
“…are you sure you should be saying this?”
Kael questioned with an uncertain look on his face.
No matter how he looked at it, this seemed… strange.
Didn’t these people summon him to save Nerathis?
Why was she telling him not to have that as a goal?
“Why shouldn’t I say this?”
Veylara questioned back.
“I am the Hero…”
Kael didn’t know how to explain.
“What? You are the Hero so you should save the world?”
“…is that not what your people want?”
“Normal people, perhaps.”
Veylara nodded.
“But do you truly think the King and other nations think the same way?”
“…what does that mean?”
Kael frowned.
“We have no way to send you back, Hero.”
Veylara spoke, her tone heavier than before.
“For better or worse, you are stuck with us in this world.
If Nerathis falls, you fall with it.
So when I tell you to survive, I am essentially telling you to save the world—just in a way that sounds… much better to your ears.”
Kael narrowed his eyes, and Veylara smiled.
“This is how you form common goals. You pick something both sides want—in this case, you wishing to survive, and Drakthar wanting to ally itself with you, a man with the greatest talent blessed by Lord Feraos himself.
Again, there are complications to it, but it is one way to look at things. A way that isn’t flawed.”
Veylara took a brief pause, letting Kael absorb everything before continuing,
“Drakthar is your ally, Hero Kael. That is certain.”
She spoke with absolute confidence.
“The question you should be asking is whether all of Drakthar is your ally or not.
And that might not be true.
Some within Drakthar may have goals that oppose yours. Those are your enemies.”
“And how do I find them?”
Kael questioned, and once again, Veylara chuckled.
“You can’t.”
The Hero frowned in confusion, and the woman continued,
“The enemies are hiding. They have been hiding for a long time. Do you truly believe that someone like you, who has barely been in this world a few days, would be able to find enemies we—who were born here and have involved ourselves with politics all our lives—couldn’t find?
If you do believe this, then either you are overestimating yourself or… you are underestimating us.”
“…so am I supposed to live surrounded by enemies?”
Kael tilted his head.
Obviously, that wasn’t something he could do—it was no different than standing before them with open arms, allowing them to strike as they pleased.
“That is exactly what you are supposed to do.”
Veylara nodded, her words contradicting Kael’s thoughts in every way possible.
Kael frowned in confusion, feeling lost.
And Veylara, who saw that, smiled.
“You look confused.”
She commented.
“I do not understand your words.
Why should I live in fear amongst my enemies?
Isn’t it better to find out who they are and come up with ways to protect myself against them?
Is it not better to face an enemy standing in the open instead of one hiding in shadows?”
“So you wish to find your enemies?”
Veylara questioned.
“That is correct.”
Kael nodded.
“And how is that going for you?”
“Huh…?”
“You must have a list of suspects, don’t you?
Who do you suspect the most?”
“You already know…”
Kael muttered as he lowered his head, ashamed and somewhat confused as to how the woman had figured it out.
“How do you think I came to that conclusion?”
Veylara questioned with a curious look on her face.
“Is it because you suspect him as well?”
“No. It is because I know my children suspect him.”
The Hero frowned at those words.
“The scope of information you have is too limited, Kael.
The only people you’ve had any real interaction with within the Palace are your instructors, the King, the Prince, and maybe a few servants.
Considering Therian’s and Deren’s personalities, I can safely say they wouldn’t talk to you about anything outside of their duties. And with you hiding your Bond, you probably tend to avoid Lyric as well.
Servants would never say anything. Informally talking to the King and the Prince isn’t possible. So the only people you actually talk to are Elira and Arlan.
Thus your line of thought automatically aligns with theirs—and you suspect the Crown Prince, just like they do.”
“Are we wrong…?”
Kael questioned.
Were the doubts in his mind correct?
Was the Crown Prince not the enemy?
“It is not about being right or wrong, Hero.
As I said, your vision is just too limited. Your suspect list only has the Crown Prince, and maybe the King, but other than that, you are clueless.
What about the Ministers? What about the Queen? Other nobles? Different factions within Drakthar?
Why do you not suspect any of them?”
“…”
Kael remained silent, and Veylara answered her own question.
“It is because you do not even see them.
It is funny, isn’t it?
You are trying to find a hidden enemy, but do not look into people you do not regularly meet.”
Once again, Kael found himself out of answers.
What could he even say?
It was as if a mirror was being held up to him, showing him how foolish he had been.
“Then…
What do I do?”