"Are you saying you're giving up your claim to the throne?"

"I thought about it alone at the academy, and I just really don't want to do it~. So, I decided not to."

Yuni spoke with a lively tone, but to Ian, it sounded like a bolt from the blue.

Ian grasped his head and looked at Yuni.

"Did Rudy put you up to this?"

He knew that Yuni and Rudy had a good relationship at the academy.

Now that she had brought Rudy to the army, Ian couldn't help but suspect him.

Yuni opened her mouth with a puzzled look.

"Rudy has nothing to do with it."

Yuni's decision to give up the succession was because she thought Rie was more suited for the emperor's position.

As she pondered this, Yuni furrowed her brow.

"...Maybe not? It seems there might be a little connection."

Rudy's influence was not entirely absent in her decision.

She chose to give up after seeing many people superior to herself and understanding their efforts.

Seeing people put in tremendous effort every day, she decided to give up, with Rie and Rudy being examples.

In a way, Rudy was not entirely unrelated.

But Ian had no way of knowing this.

He only knew the result without understanding the process in the middle.

He saw it merely as an action by Rudy to keep him in check.

Ian clenched his teeth.

'Rudy Astria...'

His plan to make Yuni a puppet emperor and sit atop the empire himself was unraveling.

But the impact wasn't significant yet.

Rather, the greater impact was entering the competition for succession with Rudy.

Ian's worries deepened.

'At this rate...'

He didn't know what his father would do.

Ian had seen Perrian's plan.

Mana stones condensed with the mana of tens, hundreds of people.

Using these mana stones for magic, the capital of the empire could be blown away.

Ian just wanted to rise to the top of the empire through official means.

What meaning would there be in sitting atop a crumbling empire?

Essentially, that would not be gaining the empire but building a new nation on top of a fallen one.

That was not what Ian wanted.

So, he planned to take over the empire in his own way and show it to his father.

If he took over the empire, there would be no need to destroy it.

But his plans were increasingly going awry.

At this rate, he would lose the justification and means to stop his father.

Ian stared intently at Yuni.

"So, are you planning to announce your renunciation of the succession officially?"

"Officially?"

Yuni tilted her head.

She hadn't thought that far.

Yuni's reason for making such a statement to Ian was an action she took because Rudy wanted to enter the army.

It wasn't a planned move.

"Hmm... I guess I have to do it? It's something I'll have to face eventually, right?"

Ian stroked his chin at Yuni's nonchalant shrug.

"Delay it a bit."

If he couldn't make Yuni a puppet, taking the head of the family's position would be meaningless.

With Rie and Astina, along with others, combining their strengths, they were no less powerful than the Astrias.

So, the timing had to be pushed back.

Without an official announcement, she could still change her mind later.

And if she doesn't, he could force her to change it.

How to do it could be decided after securing the head of the family's position.

"After the head of the Astrias is decided, then make the official announcement."

"Sure, whatever... It doesn't matter to me."

Yuni nodded.

Even if the timing was delayed, she had already told the people around her, and there was nothing Ian could do if she decided to announce it anyway.

So, in front of Ian, she just agreed to some extent.

"Well then, since my business here is done, I'll be going. Good luck with the succession competition!"

Yuni briskly stood up and waved her hand.

As she opened the door, two people were standing in front of it.

Yuni narrowed her eyes and glared at them.

"...Isn't that Rudy, who left me behind?"

"What could I have done there? Did you expect me to fight with Astina?"

In front of Yuni were Rudy and Astina.

They had come to find Ian after finishing their conversation in Astina's room.

Seeing them, Ian pressed his temples, looking extremely tired after hearing Yuni's shocking statement.

"Weren't you here to see Astina?"

"No, I also had business with my brother."

"Are you talking to me?"

Rudy slowly entered the room.

"Sit. I'll at least offer you a cup of tea."

"No, thank you. It's not something that needs a long conversation."

"Suit yourself. So, what is it?"

Rudy stood confidently in front of Ian.

"I've received training in spatial magic from father."

Veins throbbed on Ian's forehead.

"Did you come here to brag?"

"No. Father had something to say after the training."

"Father did?"

At Ian's question, Rudy opened his mouth.

"He said I should learn spatial magic from you. So, I thought you would teach me."

"Ha."

Ian looked at Rudy with an incredulous face.

The audacity was unbelievable.

Did he think Ian would teach him just because he came here?

It was preposterous.

Spatial magic is the spirit and pillar of the Astria family.

Mastering it proves the legitimacy of a successor and provides a standard for comparison with heads of the family from other generations.

Who would teach something so crucial to their rival in competition?

Ian was about to flatly refuse, losing his composure, but then he paused, pondering.

Refusing here would provide Rudy with an excuse to seek training elsewhere.

Since the empire demanded a fair competition for succession, any unfairness could lead to objections.

"I'm currently occupying the commander's position, so I can't teach frequently."

He devised an alternative plan.

"Once a month, I'll visit the mansion to teach."

Teaching Rudy once a month was the idea, but he had no intention of teaching properly.

Although his father had passed on spatial magic, Rudy wouldn't be able to use it.

Spatial magic wasn't an easy art, and without proper training, even if it's passed on, the basics would remain elusive.

Passing on Astria's magic wasn't just transferring knowledge, but about the fundamental conditions needed to use the magic.

Just like being allowed to use a sword doesn't mean one can wield it properly, spatial magic couldn't be used without proper training.

Furthermore, the once-a-month condition was set to keep an eye on Rudy.

On the off chance Rudy miraculously managed to handle spatial magic, Ian would be there to respond by visiting once a month.

Rudy frowned at Ian's words.

He couldn't argue though.

It wasn't reasonable to ask for more education from a rival who was also the commander.

"Understood. Could I at least get some books related to spatial magic?"

"There are no books on spatial magic, nor should they be created."

"What?"

"Spatial magic is only verbally passed from user to user. There's absolutely no record of it."

Rudy looked at Ian in disbelief.

"What happens then if all the users die? Does spatial magic just vanish?"

Ian didn't respond to that.

He got up from his seat.

"I have other matters to attend to, so I can't stay any longer."

Ian said and walked towards the door.

"I'll drop by next week. Until then, ponder over it yourself."

"Understood."

Rudy watched Ian with a dissatisfied expression, clearly unhappy with the arrangement.

After Yuni and Rudy left, a noisy commotion erupted among the soldiers.

It was a natural reaction given the sudden visit of the duke's heir and the empire's princess.

Astina was trying to quell the commotion as much as possible while returning to her room.

"Deputy Commander!"

A soldier hurried towards Astina.

He was in charge of overseeing the military's entries and exits.

"What's the matter?"

"Well... a gift has arrived for the Deputy Commander."

"A gift?"

"It was sent by Astria, who visited today."

Astina tilted her head in confusion.

"Why didn't you send it to my room? Why bring it to me?"

"...It's not just one or two items, ma'am."

Puzzled, Astina walked towards the entrance.

There, two carriages awaited her.

"What is this about?"

"Well... these are the items sent by Astria, but..."

"What items are we talking about?"

"Some furniture and plants. A rocking chair, Sansevieria plants, and also some disposable items like candles. Here's the inventory list; would you like to see it?"

The coachman earnestly replied and handed over the list of items.

Astina slowly read through the inventory.

"Why would he send all this..."

"And he asked me to give this to you..."

The coachman pulled out a neatly folded note from his pocket.

It was a small note, carefully stored in an envelope.

[Your room seemed quite bare. I've sent a few things you might need. Consider it a token of my gratitude for solving my problem. Please accept them.]

It was a brief letter.

A pleased smile stretched across Astina's face as she read the note, reading it over several times.

Realizing where she was, Astina coughed a few times and looked at the soldiers in front of her.

"Move these things to my room. I'll tell you later how to arrange them."

"Yes, ma'am!"

The soldiers, used to seeing Astina's stern demeanor, were taken aback by her smiling face.

"Handle them with care."

"Yes, ma'am!"

As the soldiers began to move the items, Astina looked back at the note, smiling contentedly to herself.