Shortly after, Levi announced his intentions.
The servants were ordered back in and breakfast resumed as usual. A hearty meal and a lighter mood followed what Levi had revealed. It was clear that his family members, namely his mother and father, were pleased with the development and quietly relieved that the heir of House Solareth was indeed worthy of his name.
The return of the power of frost also came as a surprise.
Although they did not have anyone suitable to teach him at present, the duke considered bringing someone in before Levi left for the academy. Even without a personal instructor, it was not a severe concern. The Solareth library held countless tomes and manuals detailing the nature and discipline of frost.
In that regard, Levi was not at much of a disadvantage, at least in the eyes of his family.
In truth, Levi already possessed more experience with frost than any of them could imagine. In his first life, he had wielded it with considerable mastery. Though it never rivaled his command of light, it was far from weak. He had outclassed several acknowledged masters despite it not being his primary element.
That alone had once earned him a formidable reputation as an ice wielder.
When breakfast concluded, the servants began clearing the table. Levi's mother and sister excused themselves. According to his mother, Charlotte had lessons to catch up on.
Levi offered her a quiet look of understanding, solemn and restrained, before they departed and left him alone with his father.
A far more serious conversation followed.
"Levi," the duke said calmly. "Follow me to my office."
Draken rose, and Levi followed.
The duchy was unusually lively that morning. The corridors buzzed with activity, and the air itself felt lighter. Perhaps the mood of their lord truly permeated every wall of the grand, ancient castle.
Levi noticed the head butler walking several paces behind them, careful to maintain respectful distance from the duke and his heir.
As they passed through the halls, Levi's eyes moved constantly, absorbing the details of the surroundings and the interactions of those they passed. He already knew the core traitors hidden within House Solareth, but he desired nothing less than a clean sweep.
They soon reached the duke's office.
Draken gestured for Levi to enter and instructed the head butler to remain outside. With a silent nod of understanding, the butler took his post by the door as father and son stepped inside.
"My office is soundproof," the duke said. "So do not worry, boy."
Still, for the sake of formality, he retrieved a pin and traced several symbols onto a parchment. He fed essence into it, and the atmosphere subtly shifted.
Levi felt the change.
It was as though sound itself could no longer escape beyond a certain boundary.
"Sit," Draken said. "Let us speak properly, my son."
Levi sank into one of the plush couches that lined the office walls.
The room was vast, adorned with portraits of his ancestors spanning three generations. His grandfather. His great grandfather. The founder of House Solareth himself.
A gilded fireplace rested against one wall, and the carpets beneath his feet were thick and regal. The duke's desk was enormous, large enough to seat four men working side by side, yet intended for only one.
Power, Levi thought.
Its distribution was rarely logical. Yet more often than not, those who held it had earned it in ways unseen.
His gaze returned to his father.
"Yes, Father," Levi said. "I believe we should have a conversation. You may ask me whatever you wish."
Draken studied him quietly before releasing a slow breath.
"I do not know where to begin," the duke admitted. "Perhaps we must proceed carefully. Tell me everything I need to know. What House Solareth is facing, and what dangers we must avoid before we move forward."
Levi inhaled deeply.
Then he began to explain.
He spoke of Dust Veil.
Of the fragments he remembered that were relevant to Solareth at this point in time. Of the hidden rot that had already taken hold within the empire.
There was a traitor in the house.
In truth, there were many.
Moles had been planted across numerous noble families throughout the empire. Some houses had escaped severe infiltration through stronger internal security, but others had not been so fortunate.
Dust Veil's influence ran deep.
Their rebellion was subtle, patient, and insidious.
Levi explained the motives he remembered. The long game they were playing. The reasons House Solareth had been targeted first.
Its strategic position.
If Solareth were to fall, the margrave of the north would be left exposed. The empire's most resource rich and militarily vital region would become vulnerable.
Their plan was to secure resources early while preparing for a coming intercontinental war.
The monarchs of Duskvale sought supremacy.
Total supremacy.
Not a casual kind of supremacy, however, but one of ancient origin. One that spoke of a single rule beneath one supreme monarch.
They wished to plunge the continent into chaos and return it to what many would call the dark times.
Levi understood how patient they had been in preparing this plan, and he explained that to his father as well.
That alone drew a reaction from Duke Draken. His hands trembled subtly with restrained fury.
It was clear the duke was upset about something Levi did not yet know. Perhaps matters of internal politics within the capital.
"I knew it," the duke muttered, his voice tight with anger.
He rose and began pacing the office.
Levi remained silent, watching patiently as his father wrestled with his thoughts.
"This is not… this is…" Draken exhaled sharply. "How can they never listen to me?"
He stopped and turned.
"Levi, my boy, for seven months I have advocated for a complete sweep of every noble house. Internal audits. Security audits. Financial audits. I brought these matters before His Majesty himself."
His jaw tightened.
"But the emperor lacks the financial understanding required to grasp the scale of inefficiency we face. It all flew straight over his head. And those nobles in the capital… spineless yes men who have never ruled land beyond their marble walls."
He scoffed bitterly.
"They know nothing of managing border territories. Nothing of repeated insurgencies. Nothing of blood and loss. They sit in comfort and speak of stability while the periphery burns."
Draken clenched his fists.
"See what has become of our great kingdom. Reduced to such complacency that even a minor neighboring colony believes it can bare its fangs at us."
He finally stopped pacing and sighed heavily.
"They succeeded, didn't they?" he asked quietly. "That is what you are saying."
"Yes," Levi replied.
The duke turned toward the window. The sky beyond was clear, scattered with only a few drifting clouds.
"Then we begin here," Draken said at last. "We deal with the traitor within House Solareth first. After that, we send word to the king."
He looked back at Levi sharply.
"You would not have told me all this without a method. You do not intend for me to begin blindly."
"No, Father," Levi said. "I already have a pawn in place."
Approval flashed briefly in the duke's eyes, though the frown remained.
The situation wounded his pride deeply.
Duke Draken was not merely another noble. He stood among the strongest figures on the continent. That his duchy had been infiltrated like a common territory cut deeper than any blade.
"Very well," he said. "We conduct an internal audit today. I will summon every accountant. Every record shall be laid bare."
His voice hardened.
"In the meantime, order the guards to assemble every member of this household. No exceptions. The duchy enters lockdown immediately. Not a single soul leaves."
Levi nodded once.
He was relieved that convincing his father had not required more effort.
After a moment, Draken turned back to his desk, retrieved parchment and pen, and seated himself across from Levi. He placed the parchment atop the low table between them.
"Now," the duke said, "rumours will already be spreading. Such is noble society. Fortunately, the details of your threads remain unknown."
He tapped the parchment lightly.
"They will naturally assume the sun. That alone will draw attention. I advise you not to display frost or Diligence openly. As for diligence, I know little of its nature. Explain it to me."
Levi studied his father carefully.
There was no manipulation in his gaze. No calculation. Only concern and resolve.
In this life and the one before, Draken remained among the few Levi could trust completely.
"It is a unique power, Father," Levi said. "Among virtues and sins, pride stands supreme. Among the virtues, kindness and faith are often considered the strongest."
He paused.
"Diligence is ranked low because it requires time. It grows only through constant effort."
Levi met his father's eyes.
"I have not lost a single fragment of my experience from my previous life. To speak plainly, I was known as a blade god. A sword saint. A weapon master."
Draken's eyes widened.
"I possess knowledge of the sun far beyond my age. And through diligence, I retained every title I earned before."
The duke inhaled sharply.
"Impossible."
Levi only nodded.
Then Draken laughed.
Not restrained. Not noble. Genuine and uncontained.
"This is good," he said, grinning fiercely. "This is magnificent."
He rose, confidence surging back into his frame.
"They will never know what struck them."
He placed a hand on Levi's shoulder.
"Well done, my son. Let us begin preparations."