The Imperial Strategy Chamber hadn't been used for civilian matters in a very long time. Maps covered the walls while crystal projections floated above a large obsidian table in the center of the room. Usually, discussions held here involved wars, border disputes, and military campaigns. Today, however, the enemy wasn't outside the empire.
Standing at the head of the table was Kylrus. Around him stood Selene, Cassian, the Imperial Treasurer Lord Halbrecht, two senior archivists, and several royal guards. Once the doors sealed shut behind them, Kylrus immediately got to work.
"Let's start with the southern district tax records from the last three years."
Halbrecht looked slightly confused.
"Your Highness, the southern district isn't particularly important. If we're looking for corruption, there are probably better places to start."
Kylrus looked at him.
"Probably."
The Treasurer relaxed slightly.
"But I'd rather know than guess."
The relaxation disappeared instantly.
The crystal orb above the table activated and countless records appeared in the air. Kylrus stepped closer and began reading through them. His eyes moved rapidly across figures, percentages, expenditures, and reports. Within seconds he had already noticed several irregularities.
Cassian leaned forward.
"Everything looks normal to me."
"It looks normal because whoever did it was careful."
Everyone immediately focused on the records.
Kylrus pointed toward several entries.
"The tax rate was eight percent three years ago. Then it became nine. Then ten and a half."
Halbrecht frowned.
"Those changes aren't unusually large."
"No."
Kylrus tapped the table.
"What's unusual is that the legal limit is eight."
The room went silent.
Selene narrowed her eyes.
"So somebody ignored the decree."
"Looks that way."
Halbrecht quickly stepped forward.
"It could've been due to local circumstances. Emergencies, security concerns, regional expenses..."
Kylrus nodded.
"Then let's see the expenses."
More records appeared in the air. Everyone examined them carefully. Road repairs were minimal. Public works projects were almost nonexistent. There was no obvious reason for the increase.
"Where did the money go?"
Halbrecht hesitated.
"It should be under administrative expenditures."
"Show me."
A new projection appeared.
For a moment nobody said anything.
Then Cassian stared at one particular number.
"Three hundred thousand gold?"
Even Selene looked surprised.
The entry was listed under security reinforcement expenses.
Kylrus folded his arms.
"That's a lot of security."
The archivists quickly searched through additional reports.
"The southern district has one of the lowest crime rates in the capital."
"Any recent threats?"
"No, Your Highness."
"Monster attacks?"
"None."
Kylrus looked back toward the projection.
"So we've got a peaceful district spending more on security than some border regions."
Nobody had an answer for that.
Selene crossed her arms.
"He's stealing it."
"Most likely."
Kylrus looked toward Halbrecht.
"How many other districts are using the same trick?"
The Treasurer hesitated.
Kylrus simply waited.
The silence became increasingly uncomfortable until Halbrecht finally gave in.
"Six."
Cassian's expression darkened.
"Six?"
Halbrecht nodded.
"Two viscounts. Three counts. One duke."
The room immediately became tense. Investigating a viscount was one thing. Investigating a duke was something else entirely.
Selene looked at Kylrus.
"If we go after a duke immediately, the entire nobility will panic."
"I know."
"So what's the plan?"
Kylrus smiled slightly.
"We start small."
He looked toward Cassian.
"Send a summons to Viscount Harlowe."
Cassian raised an eyebrow.
"Private meeting?"
"No."
Kylrus's smile widened slightly.
"Public."
Selene immediately understood.
"You want everyone watching."
"I want everyone paying attention."
Two days later, the Grand Court convened. Nobles filled the chamber while guards lined the walls. At the center of the room stood Viscount Harlowe. Sweat covered his forehead despite the cool temperature inside the hall.
At the front sat Emperor Caelus and Kylrus. The silence inside the room was almost suffocating.
"You've been accused of exceeding legal taxation limits."
Harlowe immediately bowed.
"Your Majesty, every decision I made was for the protection of my people."
Before he could continue, Kylrus interrupted.
"Then explain the three hundred thousand gold."
The Viscount froze.
Kylrus continued calmly.
"What exactly were you protecting them from?"
Harlowe swallowed.
"There were security concerns..."
Kylrus activated a projection.
Crime statistics appeared above the court.
Zero major incidents.
No major threats.
No unusual activity.
The Viscount's face turned pale.
"Would you like to try again?"
The entire court remained silent. Nobody dared interrupt. Everyone understood what was happening.
"I intended to repay it eventually."
For the first time, genuine desperation appeared in his voice.
Kylrus looked at him for several seconds.
"You intended to repay stolen money?"
Harlowe couldn't answer.
Kylrus slowly stood and walked down toward him. Each step echoed through the courtroom. Nobody moved. Nobody spoke.
"You increased taxes little by little."
The Viscount lowered his head.
"You hid it under security expenditures."
Still no response.
"You assumed nobody would notice."
The Viscount finally collapsed to his knees.
"Mercy, Your Highness."
Kylrus looked completely unmoved.
"Confiscate his assets."
The room froze.
"Strip his title."
Several nobles visibly stiffened.
"Imprison him until the investigation is complete."
Gasps spread throughout the court. Nobody expected the punishment to come so quickly.
The guards immediately moved forward and dragged the Viscount away. He continued pleading until the doors closed behind him.
Once silence returned, Kylrus addressed the entire hall.
"This isn't punishment for ambition."
His gaze swept across the nobles.
"It's punishment for betrayal."
Nobody spoke.
"Taxes are collected in the Crown's name. If you abuse that authority, you're abusing the trust placed in you."
Several nobles lowered their heads.
"The audit will continue."
The statement hit harder than the punishment itself. Every noble present understood the meaning. Harlowe wasn't the end.
He was the beginning.
That night, panic spread throughout the capital. Secret meetings took place behind closed doors. Documents were destroyed. Messages were burned. Many nobles suddenly became very interested in reviewing their own finances.
Inside one hidden chamber, several cloaked figures gathered around a table.
"He moved faster than expected."
"He didn't even negotiate."
"He wanted everyone watching."
The room became quiet.
"He's building trust."
Another figure spoke.
"Then we break that trust."
Back in his chambers, Kylrus stood alone while mana flowed quietly through his body. The fracture in his mana core remained, though it had become noticeably smaller. Politically, the attack against him had failed completely. If anything, it had strengthened his position.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"They thought injuring me would slow me down."
Instead, it had given him direction.
Closing his eyes, Kylrus once again felt that strange emptiness deep within his soul. The sensation was still there. Faint, distant, but undeniably real. Something about this body remained incomplete, and sooner or later he intended to uncover the truth.
"If corruption is a disease..."
His eyes slowly opened.
"Then I'll remove it at the root."
Across the empire, nobles waited nervously for the next name to be called. For the first time in years, the Veloras Empire felt different. Not because of war or invasion, but because change had finally begun.