Archive Of Potentialities.

Chapter 3: The Worth of Trust.
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Most things have a beginning and an end----- the cycle of day and night, the life of a mortal, even the very stars.

But there were exceptions. Some things have always existed, with no point of reference for when they came into being, and some things wouldn't cease to exist, regardless of any circumstances.

Like the True Dragons.

Like the mind numbing tedium of bureaucracy.

Ayase hated meetings, she hated them so much that she had come to equate them to concepts as enduring as the True Dragons.

As she walked through the halls of Tempest's Administration Building, she loathed the fact that she had to regularly convene with monsters who had grown to resemble humans in desire and ambition.

She would very much be delighted if they remained as docile and content as they used to be.

Strolling through the doors that had been held open for her by two Goblina attendants, she let her eyes roam over the men and women already within the room.

They were on their feet, waiting for her arrival — and permission —to take their seats.

It was a show of respect for the seat of the Grand Regent.

A mere show.

Ayase sighed inwardly, but her outward expression showed no change whatsoever.

Clad in a Kimono of Imperial black and gold —- colours allegedly taken from the Emperor's aura — Ayase took her seat at the head of the table.

The room looked like a boardroom than anything else, tablets sat in front of each seat, screens already aglow with the day’s agenda.

“We greet the Storm of the Empire.” They all echoed as Ayase leaned into the seat and gazed at them.

She simply raised her right hand, a signal they all recognised, as they all proceeded to take their seats.

“Then, I will begin the summary of the last meeting,” Rani, a human woman responsible for conducting the proceedings, began.

Ayase’s golden eyes narrowed on the Enlightened as she wondered if she would end up in someone's pockets eventually.

As the woman began her drivel, Ayase split off her mind, only collecting the auditory data through Analyse and Assess.

She would find the raw data more pleasing than the monotonous droning.

The world slowed as her thoughts sped up, Ayase began to consider.

In the Tempestian Empire, the concept of a coup or anything of similar nature was almost non-existent. Ayase still had enough faith in the intelligence of her subjects to assume they recognised that fact.

This wasn't an Empire ruled by a mortal, it wasn't a legacy that could be snatched with all the ado of thieving operation.

It was constantly under the gaze of what was essentially a god.

The monsters should understand this more than anyone.

So, she thought. What is the endgame here?

Ayase knew the house of Amor was responsible for allowing the traffickers access to the train, she also knew that Sela being the one to find the “traitor” and subsequently being the one tasked with taking care of the issue was not mere coincidence.

She would be a disappointment if she couldn't figure out that much.

She also couldn't simply confront them about it. It would be easy to dodge any allegations by claiming it was a trap that they had intentionally set up.