The Shadows of Dominion
"We are going to take over this country!"
The moment was tense.
Surprise was evident on some faces. Had they misheard?
Did their master just say he was going to conquer one of the five great countries?
"Hahahaha! Did I hear correctly? Are we finally going to have some fun, master?" laughed a man with the appearance of a colossus. He had an ebony complexion, was bald, and had eyes as dark as an abyss. He wore a classic symbolic uniform.
He clenched his fists together, trying to contain his excitement.
"I'm not surprised you take such news joyfully, my dear Yonghoul," the man with the headband sarcastically remarked.
"Shut up," grumbled the colossus, named Yonghoul, who continued to clench his fists with excitement.
The man with the headband smiled.
"Otherwise, I can understand you. It's been so long since I've been able to stretch my limbs," he added.
The old man with the ebony skin and hat spoke up and asked, "Otherwise, master, may we know how we will go about it?"
At this question, Klein, standing beside Zeref, took the lead.
"As you know," he began, "I was tasked by the master to carry out a mission recently. This mission actually involved infiltrating the upper echelons of the Kingdom of Joranis to grasp its status. It turned out that the country is experiencing an internal power struggle between its noble houses and the royal house."
The boy stopped there.
Although he did not explicitly answer the old man's question, he nevertheless gave a response whose meaning was understood.
"I see," retorted the old man. "So, the central power is threatened. We can take advantage of that."
"That's interesting," intervened the man with glasses, with a mischievous smile. "Will it be a question of a phantom war?"
"A phantom war?" inquired the young woman with purple hair, confused.
"It simply means taking advantage of the weakness of one's opponent," explained the old man, "exacerbating it and letting it destroy the opponent without fighting. It's also called subversive warfare."
"What?!" protested Yonghoul. "How can that be done without fighting?"
"I thought it was too reckless to attack a power like Joranis head-on," remarked the man with the headband. "This indeed seems like the wiser path to take, even though I regret not being able to let loose."
"No!" exclaimed Yonghoul. "Why do we need to resort to cowardly tricks to win? Let me do it, master, and I will bring you the crown of this vulgar country in less than a month!"
Yonghoul fixed his master, imploring him with his eyes to agree to his suggestion. His body was burning with fervor.
"Do not openly display your stupidity, Yonghoul," intervened the man with spiky light green hair, in a calm tone.
"What? What did you dare to say?" Yonghoul retorted, feeling insulted.
"We're talking about one of the five great countries that dominate the world," continued the man with spiky light green hair, seemingly not taking Yonghoul's threatening tone seriously. "Although it's undeniable that you are the strongest among us, it remains that you will be taken apart by Joranis's vanguard. It's not just anyone who becomes a superpower."
"Oh?" replied the man with the headband in surprise. "It's not every day that you say something sensible, my dear Jiji."
At these words, the man with spiky light green hair gave a cold look to the man with the headband.
"You're lucky we're in the presence of the master," he declared. "Otherwise, you would already be a dead man by now."
The man with the headband smiled.
"How unfortunate indeed," he sarcastically retorted.
"As for me, master, I'm fine with it," solemnly declared the young woman with short blond hair.
"That works for me too," Gray chimed in.
"Rather say that you're proud of not having to do anything," added the old man disdainfully.
"Why do you seem to hate me so much, Amon?" inquired Gray, his voice monotone. "I've told you many times that I am the right-hand man." He casually pointed at Klein standing beside their master. "It's him you should envy before me."
To this, the old man, Amon, briefly glanced at Klein before returning his gaze to Gray.
"Don't talk nonsense," he finally said with a snort. "Why would I want that seat when I can have the highest seat, braggart?"
"Am I the only one who thinks this plan is a bit messed up?"
A voice spoke up.
It belonged to a woman older than the other two and the only one who hadn't spoken yet. She was a woman with blue eyes and hair of the same color. Her uniform slightly revealed her chest, on which a tattoo could be seen.
The woman's words echoed in the room, casting a chill over the assembly.
They turned to her, sometimes surprised, sometimes offended by her words.
The young woman with short blond hair coldly stared at the woman. Her piercing gaze was filled with contained anger.
"Aglaia, your words lack respect for the master and trust in his judgment," she said in a frigid tone, barely able to contain her anger. "How dare you question the master's choices?"
"To want to conquer a great country," calmly retorted the woman, now known as Aglaia, "even amidst internal disputes, is a venture far too risky. I am not questioning the intelligence or strength of the master, Libel. I am merely highlighting the risks of such an endeavor, risks that could turn against us all and cause our downfall. Especially since I am certain that the other four superpowers are surely well aware of the situation and watching. She stopped there and turned to Klein. "Am I wrong?"
At this question, Klein calmly nodded.
"That's indeed the case," he declared. "It has been reported to me that they have held a secret meeting for this purpose."
The assembly fell silent for a moment.
The previous enthusiasm had slightly diminished.
This was only more normal.
Aglaia's words had reminded them who the real opponent was. If it was just a vulgar internal dispute that could destabilize it, then it would never stand among the great nations.
Could their organization stand up to it?
The young woman with short blond hair, apparently named Libel, her face furrowed, stared intensely at Aglaia. Then, she chuckled, declaring in a sharp voice: "That's what one would expect from an opportunist who hasn't yet grasped the magnificence of our master. Know that our master has no need for a weak mind. You are free to leave if you wish."
"I'm not surprised that a simpleton like you sees it as a sign of weakness and opposition," Aglaia replied just as coldly.
"Both of you calm down," said a voice in a calm tone but with undeniable authority. "Let me settle this dispute and make you understand my vision."
Libel and Aglaia glanced at each other for a moment before silently nodding, ready to listen to the voice.
Indeed, the voice was none other than Zeref's.
His voice had put an end to the verbal jousting that had animated the room.
He took a deep breath, letting a brief moment of suspense linger before declaring in a grave voice: "My goal is to sit in the shadows."
Aglaia raised an eyebrow, showing her skepticism towards these words.
"And how would that allow us to take control of an entire country, master? Isn't it just a waste of resources?" she questioned.
Libel clenched her fists but abstained, leaving her master to answer for himself.
"That's where my words have not been understood. I seek to control, not to establish," Zeref explained.
Aglaia's eyes widened as she realized something.
"In other words," intervened the man with glasses, "seize the country and establish pawns who will manage the country on our behalf."
Zeref nodded.
"However," Aglaia interjected, still slightly unconvinced, "that doesn't change the fact that it remains a risky operation. How exactly do you plan to play with the opposing factions?"
Zeref smiled, once again unsettling the assembly that was not accustomed to his smile, and replied, "Isn't that why I gathered you? Unless you're only good at arguing and contradicting me?"
His tone, although gentle, made the audience tremble, especially those who felt targeted.
"Now that the groundwork has been laid," he continued, "it's time to delve into the details. Show me that you are of any help to me, my dear ministers."