Shirou looked at Cedric. "Is it really that easy to replace a Highlord? Even if someone plotted against you, doesn't the king have the final say? And if they want your position so badly, wouldn't it just be easier to kill you? If they've already infiltrated the system, then sneaking close enough to do it shouldn't be that hard."
Cedric leaned back, a faint smile on his face. "You're wrong about that. Killing me isn't that simple. This place is under heavy protection. No one can just walk in here and land a strike. Even attempting it would set off dozens of alerts. Trust me, they'd be caught before they reached the door."
Shirou frowned. "Even so, replacing a Highlord isn't easy. And I still don't understand how mana stones help you prevent that."
Cedric nodded. "You're right to question it. First, let me make one thing clear. We don't have solid proof of the infiltration. But there are signs, little things that point in that direction. It's more than a theory, but still not enough to act on publicly."
He leaned forward. "And no, they don't necessarily want to replace me. It's just that, out of the three Highlords, I'm the easiest one to target."
"Because Velgrath is the main economic hub of Lucariaus," Shirou said.
Cedric smiled faintly. "Exactly. Every coin, every trade, every contract, it all passes through Velgrath. That puts a huge responsibility on me. If I slip up, even slightly, the whole kingdom feels it. And if they can make me look incompetent, the king might be forced to act. He doesn't want weak links."
"So the king doesn't know about the infiltration?"
"Like I said, no proof. For all the king knows, I could be part of the Crimson Eclipse myself. That's the level of suspicion we're dealing with."
Shirou crossed his arms. "You still haven't explained the need for mana stones."
Cedric's tone lowered. "Just because I'm the Highlord doesn't mean I have unlimited funds. Lately, trade routes have been attacked. Supplies gone missing. Contracts falling apart. It's almost like someone's trying to sabotage everything from the shadows. And it's working. I'm slowly losing control of Velgrath's economy."
He paused, then continued. "Lucus was an old friend. I told him once about these problems and that's when he told me about the magical beast. About the mana stones it produced. It was risky, but it was the fastest way to keep things running."
"So you joined hands with him," Shirou said quietly.
"Yes. And no one suspects anything because these incidents are only happening in Velgrath. Or at least, that's what I believe."
Shirou stayed quiet for a moment. Then he asked, "Still, how does me joining the Sovereign Order help you?"
Cedric leaned back again. "The Sovereign Order holds special authority within Lucariaus. It may not outrank a Highlord, but its members have power. Enough to make changes, even in places someone like me can't reach."
"But isn't that authority still below yours?"
"Yes. But the Sovereign Order was created for one purpose, to take down the Crimson Eclipse. And you, Shirou, you're an outsider. Someone I can trust. Just like I trusted Elliot."
For a moment, Shirou's expression changed. His eyes widened slightly. His hand clenched under the table, the name striking deeper than expected. But a second later, he returned to his usual calm.
"So you think the Crimson Eclipse has infiltrated the Sovereign Order too?" Shirou asked.
"Not exactly. The majority of members are young, around your age. Only the squad leaders are veterans. The chances are low, but I still can't shake the feeling."
Shirou stared at Cedric, golden eyes narrowed. He could sense something genuine in Cedric's voice. Like the man wasn't lying.
"What if I don't qualify for the Order?"
Cedric gave a small smile. "Come on, we both know you have what it takes. You might fail the first time, sure. But eventually? You'll make it. I don't doubt that."
Shirou didn't reply.
Cedric stood and walked toward the tall window behind him. He stared out at the city below. "Even if you do fail, Faidryn will guide you. That much I can promise."
"And who is Faidryn exactly?" Shirou asked.
Cedric glanced back. "You really don't know much about Lucariaus, do you?" He chuckled lightly. "Faidryn is the Highlord of Ravaryn."
Shirou raised an eyebrow. "And you trust her completely?"
"Yes, I do," Cedric said without hesitation.
In his voice, Shirou could hear something, a deep, personal truth.
Cedric spoke again, his voice quieter. "Shirou, I've fought in all three wars. I hate to admit it, but I wasn't much use in the first two."
Cedric turned fully now, his face calm. "When the third war began, I was assigned to a squad. The leader of that squad… was Faidryn. That was the first time I met her."
"I wanted to change the world, to bring back the peace it once had, but I was never strong enough to make a difference. Back then, I was just a powerless nobody. And when I got assigned to someone younger than me… I hated her. Not for anything she did but just my pride."
He paused.
"But then I watched her. How she fought, how she led. That pride turned into jealousy."
A silence settled over the room. Shirou could feel the quiet pride behind Cedric's words.
"Then I saw it, in her eyes," Cedric continued. "To her, I wasn't a nobody. I mattered. For the first time, I believed I could become the man I always wanted to be. That maybe… I could change this world if she were by my side."
Shirou didn't say anything.
"We fought together. Bled together. Lost friends together. And one day, we made a promise that when the war ended, we'd still be standing. That we'd do everything we could to make Nytherra a place worth living in."
A faint smile touched his lips. "Now here we are Highlords of two kingdoms in Lucarius. Doing our best to keep that promise."
Cedric reached into his drawer and pulled out the coin again. The same one from before. He tossed it toward Shirou, who caught it easily.
"The Crimson Eclipse is the one force standing between us and the world we dreamed of. I have authority, but I can't act freely. That's why I need people like you."
Shirou stared at the coin for a long second, then slipped it into his pocket. He stood up.
"I can arrange transportation for you to Ravaryn if—"
"No need," Shirou interrupted. "I'll find my own way."
He turned to walk away but stopped at the door. "If working for you means I get to kill the Crimson Eclipse... then I don't mind working for you."
Cedric looked at him and nodded.
And with that, Shirou left.