It took a few minutes of Veritas being interrogated for the other Oathsworn leaders to begin… tolerating him.
Thankfully, Ixion had been quite fortunate with the questions asked of him.
Did he truly have a connection with Baxter Artoris, Reina's father?
'Of course I was a friend of Baxt!'
They'd fought on the frontlines together for years. Saved each other's skin countless times.
Why did he want to dethrone Ixion?
'I never wanted the bloody throne in the first place.'
His ruling was a matter of circumstance — a matter of a victim of war.
'And, yes, I do see Ixion's treatment as harsh and unjust.'
That was the exterior he wished to display, after all.
A few more questions they asked had helped to solidify his standing as an ally. An ally who still couldn't be trusted, but had shown his values were closely aligned.
With that mostly settled, Veritas was shoved into the background.
The group of nine continued their discussion where they'd left off.
Ixion listened well.
As for what Duke Marlowe had asked of them…
Marlowe had reached out requesting support from the slums after one of his spies learned of the Oathsworn.
Honestly speaking, the Duke wasn't asking for much.
In essence, Marlowe intended to rely on the Oathsworn to maintain order in the slums until King Ixion departed; and, afterward, to help people adjust and accept the new rule.
Most notably…
Marlowe wished for Reina's name and existence to be made public.
While an outsider's knowledge of Reina would have usually sparked unrest in the group, it was clear how that information was leaked…
'Oops.'
As for the benefits Marlowe had offered…
All he'd given were empty promises of equal treatment and a better life, though he had no true proof he'd fulfill them.
It was up to the Oathsworn to decide if they would trust this noble — if they trusted his leadership was worth standing behind.
Sure, he had a good reputation.
But what was he like behind closed doors? Did he carry the same values internally as he showed externally?
That was the gamble at the issue's heart.
The Oathsworn wished for Reina or one of their own to ascend the throne. But if they accepted the offer, it would be Marlowe or another noble.
Sadly, in the end, they had no choice in the matter.
It was a truth left unsaid, but there was very little chance of their ideal coming to pass.
That in mind, they wrote back with a counteroffer that would at least secure additional benefits for the people from now until Ixion's departure, as well as more concrete promises for the future.
The next issue was the disturbance of a radical group in the westside slums.
A few suggestions were thrown out, but it was Illium's idea to send a bit of their resources to help stave off hunger and spread rumors of Ixion's departure.
The goal was to calm the people with the promise of change — a promise of a future.
Of course, all of this only went to plan assuming King Ixion did as he said he would.
'And of course I will!'
Ixion sighed as the meeting dribbled to a slow end.
Still sitting on the cabinet against the wall, his eyes fell upon a map of the Catatran streets.
Streets that were once vibrant…
Not that Ixion ever got to witness that vibrance.
'I hate this charade. I truly do.'
But, it had to be done.
Ixion had to make himself a villain, else he'd become a god.
Ixion wanted to sigh, but held it in, doing his best not to draw attention.
Few knew the truth of godhood that Despair just so happened to tell Ixion before he left.
'Origin…'
If a person is synonymized with an aspect of the world and worshipped, their soul will ascend upon the death of the vessel.
Something Ixion vehemently didn't want…
So, he had to destroy that Origin.
He had to destroy the reputation he'd built up on the battlefield.
To cast off his claim of the epitomized warrior, the peak of nobility — crush the heroic notion that followed him.
'But it wasn't that simple.'
He wasn't allowed to become synonymous with foolishness and worshipped for it — if any had a warped view of his actions as a measure of defiance and lauded him, he could become the god of fools.
For a fool is someone who acts the part.
Therefore, he simply had to become known as an idiot.
A hated idiot with zero reason for one to worship him. If someone tried, he'd make them regret it.
Ixion wouldn't stop tarnishing his name until not a single person looked upon him with reverence for any reason.
'Even that's not enough…'
There was also the heinous sin Ixion needed to commit.
One he could only bring himself to do to an enemy.
Therefore…
'I'll make the entire world my enemy.'
It wasn't necessary.
It was simply an attempt to retain his sanity once it was all over.