Yurik sat in his mansion, waiting for Rudy.

As he sat in silence, his mind was filled with nothing but doubt.

Rudy was the son of his brother Perrian.

The son of a man who had betrayed him, Rudy could betray him at any moment.

That thought never left his mind.

"Good day to you."

After some time, Rudy arrived at Yurik's mansion.

"Yes."

Yurik responded to Rudy's greeting with a short one of his own.

'He looks quite polished on the outside.'

Rudy's greeting was perfectly respectful.

Yet, Yurik was not pleased.

Anyone can look decent on the outside.

It's easy to hide sinister plans behind a faade.

Yurik gestured towards the front.

"Have a seat."

"Thank you for inviting me."

"There's no need to thank me. I didn't invite you because I'm considering your proposal."

"Still, you gave me the opportunity. I'm grateful for that."

As Rudy smiled broadly at Yurik, Yurik scoffed.

"Let's get to the point."

Without any delay, Yurik continued.

"I can't help you."

His words were firm.

"You must feel it too, looking at this mansion and at me."

Yurik's mansion was extremely shabby.

There was only one maid serving as a housekeeper, and even she was an old woman.

A rundown mansion with no family or servants.

Though related to the Astria family by a distant branch, the mansion was all he had in terms of wealth.

"I don't know what you want, but I've already lost all my power. I have no wealth, and it's been over ten years since I gave up on magic. My body has decayed."

His body, uncared for, had grown fat, and he looked utterly shabby.

He used basic magic to survive in such a place, but it had not improved since the past; rather, it had regressed.

Ever since being ousted from the family, he hadn't read a single book on magic.

Consequently, he had forgotten even what he once knew.

'All I have left are a few people.'

Having been betrayed by his brother, he feared for his life.

So, Yurik built connections to survive.

At least with people around, his brother, the head of the Astria family, wouldn't dare kill him carelessly.

But that didn't mean he trusted those people.

'Even those connections could betray me at any time.'

Without significant abilities or background to keep people close, Yurik now had nothing.

Currently out of politics, he didn't know what would happen if he re-entered and tried to help Rudy.

Those people enjoyed talking with him, not meeting him to become companions in politics.

"So don't waste your time..."

"I don't think so."

"What?"

"As you said, Uncle, you don't have anything now. But the fact that people are still around you means they trust and follow you. They are people who would follow you even if you return to politics."

At Rudy's words, Yurik let out a wry laugh.

'I see why Owen thought he reminded him of myself.'

It was not a pleasant smile but a bitter, mocking one.

Yurik had once thought like Rudy.

Nobles who supported him when his chances of being the successor were slim.

He firmly believed in them.

And then he was betrayed.

"People trust too easily."

"That trust is the foundation of my strength," Rudy said confidently.

"Let me give you a piece of advice. Trusting people too much will eventually lead to betrayal."

"If that happens, I'll just get back up again."

"But can you really say that after being betrayed by someone you trusted?"

Betrayal by a trusted person hurts more than one might think.

So much so, that it's hard to get back up.

"Even if they take everything you have?"

"My original goal was survival."

Rudy smiled faintly.

"I just thought I needed to survive by any means necessary. Struggling to do so, I gradually gained allies. I received help from them, and I helped them in return. Through that, my thinking changed."

Rudy's priority had always been survival.

Of course, to survive, he needed people around him, so he gathered allies, even if it meant a loss for him.

But now, it was different.

"Whats the point of pushing people away with suspicion? What's the meaning of surviving alone after doubting everyone?"

Rudy already knew how to survive.

He had done so in the future and managed to live.

But using that method resulted in everyone's death.

The academy burned down.

That scene was still vivid in his mind.

At that moment, he realized his feelings.

It felt worse than death.

What was the point of having great power and surviving if he lost everything?

It felt like losing everything.

"Even if I am betrayed, I will continue to trust and move forward with the people around me. And for their sake, I will grow stronger."

A life for those around him.

In a way, it was also a life for himself.

I exist because of the people around me.

That's true happiness.

Living for others was ultimately living for oneself.

"From my perspective, I can only advise you not to push away those around you too much, just because they might betray you. As you said, Uncle, the people around you are those who stayed even when you had nothing. It won't change much if you choose a different path."

Yurik stared intently at Rudy.

He seemed like a pure child, yet also like a saint.

"So you're saying you'll trust those around you, even if you're betrayed?"

"Yes."

"What will you do when you're betrayed?"

"I'll think about it when it happens."

"The consequences could be severe."

"I don't want to live in doubt. I have many powerful enemies around me. It's hard enough to understand them, let alone doubting my allies. How can I win like that?"

Yurik let out a hollow laugh.

'He said I was similar to him.'

Not at all.

Rudy was different from his past self.

He liked people, trusted them, but he never thought like this.

It was, in a way, a blind faith.

Just a naive fool who had never even considered betrayal.

But Rudy had a purpose.

For Rudy, the people around him were the goal itself.

Protecting, trusting, and being with his people was Rudy's purpose.

Yet, Yurik didn't completely trust Rudy.

He wasn't sure whether Rudy's words were sincere or just fabricated to get his help.

But still.

"What kind of help do you want from me?"

Yurik's heart had slightly opened.

At least he wanted to observe Rudy's actions to see if his words were genuine.

In the early dawn, as the snow was falling heavily.

Crackle.

The sound of a campfire burning.

Surrounding it were various documents in disarray, and behind them, a large map was spread out.

Aryandor was half-lying on a sofa, fiddling with a dagger.

"Is that guy still lurking around the Astria family's vicinity?"

"It seems he's not moving much now. He hasn't given up, but it's true that he's put things off for now."

In front of him stood Daemon, who had been guarding the necromancers near the Astria family.

"Then I guess it's time for me to return."

"Yes, as long as he doesn't move, I plan to stay here."

"No, there's no time to stay here."

Aryandor stood up.

"Proceed with the plan immediately."

"What do you mean?"

At Daemon's question, Aryandor pointed behind him with the dagger in his hand.

Behind Aryandor, a large map was spread out, with an X marked on one region.

"Astina Persia."

As Aryandor uttered that name, Daemon's expression turned cold.

The one who killed Jefrin.

Daemon wasn't particularly close to Jefrin, but they were comrades.

"Do you plan to attack?"

"Yes."

"The consumption of troops will be significant."

"That's why I called you."

Daemon was a necromancer.

A wizard who could create an army by himself.

It was the reason why the rebels could continue to lead to victory despite having fewer troops compared to the Empire.

Aryandor stood up and thrust the dagger into the map.

The dagger landed on Astina's hometown, the Persia territory.

"You and I will go."

"It won't be easy. Even if the leader himself goes..."

"I know. Troops have moved towards the Persia territory."

"Right. It's a commercial city, so they moved to protect it."

"And possibly to protect the people around Astina Persia."

Whatever the reason, it was true that many soldiers were deployed in the Persia territory.

"There's no need to occupy the Persia territory."

Aryandor pulled the dagger out of the map.

"We're just going to issue a warning."

He smiled and fiddled with the blade of the dagger.