Chapter 464: The Mad Gambler

After hearing Jonathan’s response, Henwell remains silent for a long time.

Finally, he speaks softly, “I have to admit, I underestimated your ambition. You really dare to dream big. On a smaller scale, you’re betraying the royal family; on a larger scale, you’re tearing the kingdom apart.”

Jonathan heads over to the dining area and picks out a fine bottle of wine.

“Henwell, you don’t understand. If I fail, it won’t be as simple as becoming a powerless noble. I’m risking my life.”

Henwell frowns. This doesn’t fit his understanding of royal power struggles.

Feudal power struggles differ from modern politics. Even if one loses, most of the time the new king doesn’t purge the defeated. But Jonathan’s all-in, almost reckless attitude clearly isn’t a joke.

This means Jonathan could very well be executed once the new king takes the throne, and that execution would be accepted by all sides.

As Henwell continues pondering what crimes Jonathan might have committed to deserve such a fate, Jonathan speaks up on his own.

“Henwell, over these years, with my father’s backing, I’ve made many enemies. My father wanted me to be an arrogant, glory-seeking prince, so I played the part! I offended the Duke of the Western Regions and Fabio, I offended the Duke of the Northern Regions, and others have grudges against me too.”

“Even you, a rising power, I’ve already crossed! If the new king wants me dead, I don’t believe anyone will plead for me.”

“Most importantly, I refuse to accept failure. I refuse to be a noble who lives off the system doing nothing. I was born and raised to be a king. If I can’t be king, I’d rather die.”

At this, Jonathan lets out a bitter laugh. “Heh... Henwell, you know what? My father taught me, guided me relentlessly, demanded so much from me. In the end, I became exactly what he wanted. “

”And now? Just because the situation no longer needs me, they want to toss me into the trash! That’s royal power! It’s the combination of royal authority and paternal authority that leaves me powerless to resist. So I’m going all in, betting my life to claim that supreme power!”

Henwell exhales deeply. “There’s no such thing as supreme power. Your father Amir is already ruthless enough. But he not only kneels before the Archbishop of the Holy Spirit Church for coronation but is also restrained by us powerful ministers. Even as king, he can’t do whatever he wants.”

“Even the Archbishop answers to higher powers. Above the pope, there’s a god watching over. In this life, no one truly acts as they wish. We’re all controlled, one way or another. And if we’re not controlled by people, then we’re controlled by gods.”

Jonathan pays no mind to Henwell’s lecture. “Now, I’ve laid out my terms. It’s your move, Henwell. You probably understand better than I do what an elective monarchy means. It means you have a real shot at becoming king. “

”You’re the Grand Knight, and in a few decades, you’ll still be strong and full of energy. By then, you’ll have a great chance to rule Vorry. Even if you don’t want to be king, your descendants, who will be raised under your guidance, won’t be ordinary. They’ll have even better chances.”

Henwell drains his glass. “Sorry, I can’t support you. I want Vorry to have a period of peace. As we discussed in the meeting, Vorry needs time to recover its population. There can be no more conflicts.”

Jonathan doesn’t lose his temper or push harder to persuade. Instead, he calmly stands and shakes his head at Henwell. “You don’t need to explain. You have your reasons, and I have mine. We all have our own demands. “

”I still promise that once I’m king, your territory can expand south of Cloud Tree City. That’s already three times the size of Peace Haven’s lands. All you have to do is do nothing. I won’t infringe on your interests, you just sit back and enjoy the fruits of victory.”

Henwell frowns. “I’ll stay silent, but I must remind you, your plan is too rough around the edges.”

Jonathan heads to the door, turning back with a smile. “Henwell, you’re smart and strong. But before you showed up, Vorry still had plenty of exciting acts. You’re a standout lead, but not the only one.”

With that, Jonathan opens the study door.

Henwell personally escorts him back to the guest quarters floor.

Back in the study, Henwell glances at Simon, who looks hesitant. “Speak up! Don’t hold back.”

Simon replies, “My lord, Prince Jonathan’s offer is tempting. We could expand our territory by dozens of times. That’s ideal for Peace Haven’s rise. The land there is fertile, and the population is sizable. It’s already quite promising.”

Henwell sighs. “Simon, everything comes at a price. If the coup fails, Amir will have grounds to suppress Peace Haven. If it succeeds, gaining land and population might not be a blessing.”

“Vorry will completely separate from Ogiro, and we’ll bear all the pressure from Ogiro’s side. Meanwhile, Vorry can divert significant troops and resources elsewhere. Ogiro will grow wary of us, possibly even ally with other nations to launch an attack on Peace Haven. “

”If Ogiro and Ika unite, as long as they don’t occupy anything beyond Peace Haven, Jonathan won’t intervene. He might even prolong the war, rallying support to reclaim the kingdom’s lands.”

“In the end, his prestige and power will soar. Changing the system from election to inheritance isn’t impossible then.”

Henwell continues, “Simon, this must stay secret. Don’t tell anyone. Peace Haven needs time to develop steadily. We’ve moved too fast, we must settle down and consolidate.”

Simon bows solemnly. “My lord, I won’t breathe a word.”

Henwell paces over to the map of the Vorry Kingdom. “There’s a bigger problem. I don’t trust Jonathan’s plan. The elective system seems to unite almost all nobles, including royal factions. But there’s a fatal flaw he never sees. Amir is far tougher than he imagines. He’s still too green, no match for that cunning old lion.”

Henwell’s gaze fixes on Silver Peak City on the map, his brow furrowing.

After a moment, he murmurs, “Unless… someone else is pulling the strings behind the scenes.”

Simon lowers his voice. “You mean Veil?”

Henwell nods. “I’ll look into it.”