Cronus Temple, in the name of humanity, incessantly recruiting Holy Class Awakeners from all over the world, unfortunately, this class mostly awakened by a pure soul, individuals who believe in peace and tend to harmless, originally have good nature but...
The purest things are the easiest to taint.
Naive and swayed by good words, the deceived awakeners thought they were helping people by being the temple's priests, but in truth, the temple has been monopolizing the healers, it was hard to find a healer who wasn't associated with the temple.
Moreover, to ask for a low-level priest in healing, people need to offer gold to the temple, without it, they will say the priests are out on duty, to make it worst, the temple has the authority to refuse any disadvantaged demands regardless of their status, no one in their right mind would want to make the Cronus Temple as the enemy.
It's the same as opposing a huge organization that gathered most of the doctors exist and dominating the medical world, as health is one of the basic human needs, people will pay even for the ridiculous price.
Because of this, the Temple is the wealthiest and most influential religion-based organization ever existed.
Even if Azure Empire knew that the temple is one of the preparators behind the rebellion, they couldn't do anything openly because the number of believers is more than half of the world's inhabitants, not to mention the other 2 Western empires, dealing with the temple secretly while maintaining a good relationship with them on the surface is the only way to counter-attack.
For now, Azure needs to keep pretending to know nothing about their dirty schemes.
"I am sorry Grizel, his Majesty has to attend another agenda of his schedule, we couldn't forward the discussion"
Rex said while sipping his tea, Grizel, Rex, Dion, and Levi have moved to the prince's work chamber after the unfinished discussion due to the Emperor's tight schedule.
"It's alright, Your Highness. All I need is the Royal stamp on my business contract"
Grizel said nonchalantly, it's good that she doesn't need to explain her business plan in detail to the Emperor.
"Speaking of which, when do you plan to start your business?"
"About that, can you help me to deliver this letter through the Imperial shadow stealthily to the 4th young master of Roseville Barony?"
"That infamous young master of the Roseville house?"
Rex's eyes narrowed as his eyebrows furrowed, he never raises a question regardless of Grizel's strange movement but not this time, he doesn't like the idea of his fiancee to contact this bad reputed young man.
"Yes, Your Highness"
"Do you have any business with him?"
He asked in a suspicious tone, sounds childish but there is a hint of annoyance in his words.
Sigh...
Grizel sighed helplessly and handed over the letter she planned to send, it's not a secret anyway.
"See it yourself, My Prince"
Rex who just realized his sulking behavior redden, but suddenly the red face changes into a confused one after opening the letter.
"Are you sure he is the right person to be entrusted with your big project? He is..."
"A famous womanizer, is it? Yes, he is indeed the infamous lady-killer, but only on the surface"
She casually let out another half-assed secret information that draws more curiosity to the listeners.
"Alright, but don't you have your own shadow?"
The Prince is not a fool who thinks his fiancee has gone around here and there to gather information by herself, though never seen any of them, he believes that she has her secret shadows.
"They are... Hhmmm, Training? yes, I believe they are... In training, maybe, perhaps, probably..."
She answered his question mumbling with a visible doubt, Rex who always watched his fiancee with her composure finds it strange for her to be this doubtful.
'Who is this mysterious trainer that can make my confident Princess feeling this qualm?'
"Alright, but there ain't no such thing as a free lunch in this world"
Rex smirked, just like Grizel, business and personal feelings are things that shouldn't be mixed, giving something for nothing is simply didn't exist in their belief.
Though little did he knows that he will regret it soon after.
"This is for you, your Highness"
Grizel handed over a document that she prepared for the Prince long before they are met with each other.
"A new list of people?"
"Yes, they are all potential Aide for you, I have listed their name and weakness for you to approach them personally"
Dion who was only listening in silence suddenly brighten his round eyes in hope, he is dying to serve this evil crown Prince by himself, if it keeps going on he will surely die old as an unmarried virgin.
Grizel's gift was the list of talented people who became his loyal subordinates in the novel along with their weaknesses to gain their loyalty, of course, it wasn't as talented as her elite members of Tartarus like Lucifer and Leviathan, but still, they far exceeded the average people.
"You evil, haha! but isn't it a little bit too much for this small favor like sending a letter? I can't believe you give me this much without a hidden motive"
Rex asked with suspicion of her other traps, it was too generous of her to give him talented people along with the perfect way to gain their loyalty.
'She must be up to something again'
"You will need them very soon, Your Highness"
"Ha, your words sound like you are trying to help me if I don't know anything about you"
"I will take it as a compliment, My Prince"
Grizel said casually as Rex sighed.
"It hurts my self-esteem but I have to acknowledge things that beyond my capabilities, even if it means I lost to my fiancee but..."
He said bitterly, he could see through the petty scheme of the nobles, yet sometimes he couldn't comprehend what is behind his wicked Princess.
"...but?"
Back to his normal haughty smirk, he declared.
"Someday we will stand on equal footing"
Grizel genuinely smiled at him, she recalled when the first time she acts as the heiress of the Samael family, she was around his age, both of the young Angela and Rex resemble unpolished gems, however, Angela had tasted the bittersweet of life experiences on Earth before reincarnated as Grizel, make it look like Grizel and Rex have separated by a wide gap.
'As long as he didn't give up we bound to be equal'
She said inwardly as her eyes gleamed like gold.
'Ha! Just look at that high status of his showing off who's the Male Lead of the Novel, the strongest person I've met so far'
Rex is indeed a Warrior Class Awakener, but with appraisal skill, Grizel could see his detailed status, just like how the novel described Levi's ability as a Tanker-Warrior, this Prince is also a different type of normal warrior since he is more like Mage-Warrior.
With Warrior Class as a dominant, he has a high aptitude for magic, his MP and M.Atk are too high for a mere warrior class, and though not as good as the Tanker-Warrior Levi, his defense is not a laughing matter, additionally, his speed far exceeded the average Rouge Class.
Moreover, he awakened 3 abilities and one of them is undoubtedly a magic attack, but the main point is his Power Mastery, no matter how high is his status, if he lacks training or motivation, he won't reach the number of 99% mastery in such a young age.
If he could lift the restrictions on leveling up, he will surely become Grizel's rival on equal footing.
'He even contracted more ancient items than me, beside a blessing, he has 2 swords, and 1 armor that I left in the First Emperor's tomb, I can't believe that Emperor Drake is such a doting father and give it all to his son'
That set of 2 swords and armor is not a usual item, just like Grizel's twin dagger, it was crafted with the best ancient craftsmanship by the Dwarf Race.
In the weird novel, these swords and armor are all taken by the Temple, and they called these items in the name of Yin Yang Swords and Flame Armor.
The Yin and Yang swords have the ability to use Light and Dark magic in each of them, while Flame Armor is a set of armor that will ignite and surrounds Rex like a walking hell melting the enemy's weapon that pointed to him when activated.
'He just needs a little bit of experience to be my perfect partner'
"Congratulations, My Prince"
"On what?"
Rex frowned his eyebrows for the sudden words of achievement.
"Admitting oneself weakness is the gate to broaden the horizon"
"Indeed I feel lighter after confessing, my self-esteem appears to be heavier than I thought"
Both of them leisurely sipping their tea after lifting his burden.
"That matter aside, I know Dion is reaching his limit for working alone as my only Aide, but why do I need these lot of Aides so suddenly? Dion is still young"
Dion nodded vigorously at first hearing the prince, but soon turn into a sour expression at his master's last words. Seemingly the Prince wants him to marry the paperwork and spend his youth in agony.
"You will find out soon, My Prince"
Grizel smirked as the sound of someone knocking on the door echoed through the room.
Knock! Knock!
"May the Azure sky overcome the dark cloud"
Rex who was leisurely spending time with his Princess suddenly becomes stiff along with Dion who turned anxious hearing those words.
The low voice from the other side of the door is reciting a secret code for the Imperial shadow guards to inform an urgent report.
There are only 10 elite members of the Imperial shadow, all of them called by their code names, Zero is the codename of the leader and the rest members are called from One to Nine based on their seniority, which means that One is the most senior among the others after Zero.
"Come in"
Dion opened the door for the hooded man, a slight trembling body could be seen from beneath the black robe, seems like he was haunted by the ghosts for days and nights, neither sleep nor eat could be done properly.
"Welcome back, Nine"
Rex welcomed the guest who is the youngest member of the Imperial shadow.
"Your Highness, I wish to report this urgent matter, but..."
The kneeling man glanced at Grizel who sips her tea casually and the indifferent Butler behind her, this secret information is not something that could be talked in front of the outsiders.
"It's alright, she is my fiancee and my ally"
"Ah, please forgive my rudeness milady"
Nine bows to Grizel, however, she just nodded and smiled at him without saying a word.
Rex who watches her strange behavior frowned because she keeps on silent ever since Nine comes to report.
'Is this matter has something to do with Grizel?'
"Nine, what is the urgency?"
Nine who kneeled back in front of Rex put off his hood, a familiar greenish hair flattered as his ebony eyes looking straight to his Prince.
"The black market is in chaos due to the sudden disappearance of a dark guild named Crescent Moon along with their members"
To be continued...