Chapter 918: Alternate Timeline: At Celestra (6)

Jacob Crescent could no longer keep his thoughts locked behind his teeth.

The words burst out of him with the same suddenness as steam escaping from a sealed kettle.

"My cousin said the exact same thing only a few days ago when we were discussing this matter," he said, his eyes bright with excitement as he looked from Kiara to the others. "You should meet him, Miss Kiara. I am certain the two of you would become good friends."

"Your cousin?"

Kiara repeated the words inwardly, and her thoughts shifted at once.

She remembered that King Caleb Crescent had a child.

Gideon Crescent.

Under ordinary circumstances, Kiara would have been curious to meet someone who viewed politics and economics through the same lens she did.

But the circumstances were anything but ordinary.

The throne was occupied by an impostor.

The real king was imprisoned somewhere, and Gideon’s existence is nothing short of a thorn in the eyes of Edward Crescent.

But why would Jacob bring up Gideon Crescent so openly?

Was the prince merely speaking honestly, his thoughts spilling out as freely as water from a tilted cup?

Or was there another hand moving behind him?

If Jacob were simply naive, then his words were harmless.

But if there was calculation behind them, then the proposal was almost too perfect.

If Kiara became close to Gideon Crescent, Edward Crescent could secure several advantages with a single move, much like a chess player who sacrifices one piece to control the board.

If in the future, Edward could actually side with the Phoenix Empire for the sake of the throne.

In that case, he could remove Gideon from the center of political influence, terming him a traitor who helped the Desmont Bandits through Kiara.

And he could ensure that Jacob’s future claim to the throne remained unchallenged.

And though Kiara had once thought of herself as an ordinary woman from another world, her circumstances had changed.

She possessed powerful skills, access to extraordinary weapons, and enough influence to stand before emperors as an equal rather than a petitioner.

She had seen Emperor Alexander Phoenix.

She had dealt with imperial princes and princesses.

She had watched nobles measure their words in her presence.

Whether she liked it or not, she was no longer a small fish darting through a pond.

She was becoming a creature that even sharks circled carefully.

Still, Kiara chose to play along.

A smile touched her lips.

"I suppose it would not be a bad idea to exchange thoughts."

In truth, Edward Crescent had not considered using Gideon in this manner until that moment.

But as soon as Kiara spoke, an idea flashed through his mind like lightning illuminating a dark valley.

If a path appeared before him, why not walk it?

He leaned back slightly and spoke in a tone that balanced pride and suggestion.

"Miss Kiara, I must admit that your way of thinking is remarkably similar to my son, Gideon Crescent."

His voice grew warmer as he continued.

"You may take that as sincere praise. Gideon graduated at the top of his class from the Heavenly Academy, which is not only the finest institution in the Leon Empire but is regarded by many as the greatest center of learning in the world. Even the scholars of our own court would struggle to out-argue him. And he is also the disciple of the Great Sage of Aryavarta."

Edward paused and studied Kiara’s reaction before adding, "I believe the two of you would find something worthwhile to learn from each other."

Though he spoke with measured dignity, the words left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Praising the child of his imprisoned brother was like polishing another man’s crown.

Yet at the moment, he saw no better option.

Unlike what Kiara thinks, Edward actually hoped to cultivate Kiara as a useful ally and control her.

The rumors surrounding her were extraordinary.

A powerful summoner.

A mysterious source of weapons beyond the understanding of this world.

An independent figure with growing influence in the Phoenix Empire.

But Kiara’s careful answers had made him uncertain.

She was not a woman who could be easily led by promises or flattery.

If she could not be controlled, then she had to be kept at a respectful distance.

Meanwhile, Philip’s hopes remained fixed.

He cared less for court politics and more for practical strength.

Kiara’s weapons could reshape the kingdom’s military.

Her personal power, if genuine, would add another 7-star rank expert to Celestra’s diplomatic weight.

To Philip, this meeting was a bridge being built stone by stone.

Whether it held or collapsed would soon become clear.

After Edward skillfully redirected the conversation, Philip and Jacob eagerly continued praising Gideon Crescent.

They recounted his academic achievements, his sharp memory, and his ability to defeat veteran scholars in debate.

Jacob, in particular, spoke with the enthusiasm of a younger brother describing his hero.

Kiara listened politely.

But inwardly, she found the praise excessive.

Every family, she thought, believed its brightest candle was the sun.

She searched for a suitable moment to shift the conversation elsewhere, but the compliments kept flowing like an overfilled cup.

Before she could intervene, the heavy doors opened. A soldier stepped inside, knelt, and announced the arrival of the queen and the Crown prince.

At once, the conversation came to a natural halt.

Chairs scraped softly across the floor.

Fabric rustled.

The four men rose to their feet and moved toward the dining hall.

As Kiara stepped out into the corridor, her eyes fell upon two figures approaching from the opposite side.

Their features were so alike that no introduction was necessary.

The same eyes.

The same refined nose.

The same noble bearing.

Anyone seeing them would immediately know they were a mother and a son.

The queen carried herself with mature grace, like a moon reflected upon still water.

Beside him walked Gideon Crescent, youthful and composed, his expression calm yet observant.

"So, this was the famed Crown Prince of Celestra. The one these people are so praising..." Kiara thought, observing the Prince. "Well, he does look charming, but compared to Arceus’s looks, he isn’t that handsome, and compared to Xander’s manly aura, his aura is quite dim."

After the formal greetings were exchanged, Kiara opened her inventory.

A small, neatly wrapped package appeared in her hands, covered in elegant paper and tied with a ribbon.

She stepped forward and presented it to Gideon.

"Your Highness," she said, "this is a small gift from me."

In this world, it was customary for a guest to present a token to the host.

Yet etiquette was a maze with hidden walls.

A stranger could not freely offer gifts to someone of significantly higher status unless there was already a close relationship.

Doing so was often viewed as presumptuous.

That was why Kiara had not presented anything to Emperor Alexander Phoenix or his family when she visited the Imperial Palace, because in social status, the royalty is at the top of the ladder.

But she was not a subject of Celestra.

The customs that bound local nobles did not apply to her in quite the same way.

Originally, she had intended to give the gift to the king. But after discovering that this king is an impostor, she chose to withhold it.

When Gideon appeared, she found a more fitting recipient.

Of course, no one else knew her reasoning.

To the observers around them, it seemed obvious. The famous weapon seller was trying to draw the attention of the prince.

Gideon, also misunderstanding her intentions like the others, felt a quiet spark of satisfaction. He accepted the gift with a gracious smile and stored it in his spatial ring.

"Thank you, Miss Kiara."

"Eh? Ah, Yes." Kiara nodded with a practiced smile. She actually slightly expected that the Prince would unwrap the gift right there and then. But then she remembered that these are medieval times. A Prince doing that, when he received a gift from a stranger, is unlikely does that.

The group then proceeded to the dining hall.