SSS Talent: From Trash to Tyrant

A few days passed before everything was arranged.

Caelum had been quick to settle the details of the meeting, and Trafalgar was already on his way through Velkaris by the time the morning had properly begun. It had been a long time since he’d last visited the place he owned there, and even longer since he’d properly spoken with Marella and Arden.

During those days, Trafalgar had also used the Shadowlink Echo to speak with Caelum in private.

With Lysandra present during their previous conversation, there had been details Trafalgar preferred to keep to himself. Once he had the chance, he told Caelum everything that had happened in Thal’zar territory, including Darian’s information about Maeron and the strange approach he’d made toward House Thal’zar.

Caelum had listened without interrupting.

The problem was obvious.

They couldn’t simply take that information to Valttair.

If they did, Valttair would immediately want to know where it had come from. That would expose Darian as Trafalgar’s source shortly after House Thal’zar had finally freed itself from the pressure of both Morgain and Sylvanel.

That would ruin something far more useful than the information itself.

So Trafalgar had given Caelum another task.

Investigate Maeron independently.

If Caelum could find evidence through House Morgain itself, then eventually he could bring that evidence to Valttair without Darian ever entering the conversation. Trafalgar would rather move early than wait until whatever Maeron was planning had already grown beyond control.

The problem was that words weren’t enough.

Maeron had spoken through intermediaries. He had tested House Thal’zar and offered the possibility of a secret alliance, but until there were records, witnesses, correspondence, or something else concrete, there wasn’t enough to move against someone in Maeron’s position.

And Maeron’s position was considerable.

He was the First Heir of House Morgain, respected by a large part of the family and powerful enough that nobody could simply remove him because Trafalgar said he was suspicious.

More importantly, Maeron resembled Valttair more than most of his children did.

He was cold when necessary, intelligent, patient, and had spent years building relationships inside the family rather than chasing attention outside it. A large part of the military respected him, and several secondary branches already leaned toward him naturally.

Trafalgar’s own situation was different.

His accomplishments had given him far more weight than anyone would’ve expected years ago, but the old label still followed him in certain corners of the family.

The bastard.

People were beginning to question whether that mattered anymore, especially after everything Trafalgar had done, but that didn’t mean decades of prejudice disappeared overnight.

He had influence.

Maeron had structure.

Lysandra could’ve become another serious centre of support, but she had never wanted the position badly enough to build herself around it. Once that became clear, many of the people who might’ve backed her simply moved toward someone else.

That had left three names rising above the others.

Maeron.

Helgar.

And Trafalgar.

Helgar was the interesting one.

After everything he’d done during the war and the missions that followed, his standing inside House Morgain had grown at an absurd pace. Maeron still had more support overall, but Helgar’s faction was expanding faster every time his name returned attached to another success.

If things continued like this, the family wouldn’t split cleanly.

It would fracture.

And then there was Valttair.

Trafalgar had chosen to stand on his side for now, which automatically placed him beside the strongest faction simply because Valttair was still the patriarch. As long as the man remained in command, most of House Morgain would continue bending around him whether they liked it or not.

The danger would begin when that stopped being enough.

There were also the Morgain Squadrons to consider.

Around ten major squadrons held a large part of the family’s real military force. Moses and the First Squadron were the easiest to place, but the loyalties of several others were much less certain.

When the moment came, soldiers wouldn’t only be choosing between names.

They’d be choosing who they believed could keep House Morgain standing.

’This really could become something enormous.’

Trafalgar’s expression darkened slightly as he continued through the streets of Velkaris.

’I just need to get ahead of it. Find enough before anyone does something stupid enough that we can’t put it back together.’

Velkaris moved around him as if none of that mattered.

Carriages rolled through broad streets, merchants opened their shops, adventurers moved in small groups with weapons at their sides, and the city carried on with the usual confidence of a place that considered itself the centre of the world.

Eventually, Trafalgar saw the building he was looking for.

His place.

A familiar figure sat outside.

Arden was leaning back in a chair near the entrance with a cigar between his fingers, smoke drifting lazily above his short white hair. His shoulders were still broad, his body carrying the same heavy build Trafalgar remembered, and his dark brown eyes were watching the street without much urgency.

Trafalgar stopped a few steps away.

”Starting early today, aren’t you? Smoking at this hour seems ambitious even for you.”

Arden turned toward the voice.

For a moment he simply stared.

Then recognition hit.

”Trafalgar?”

He pushed himself out of the chair immediately, surprise giving way to a broad smile.

”Well, I’ll be damned. It’s been a while since we heard anything from you. I was starting to think we’d finally stopped being useful.”

Trafalgar gave him a faint look. ”That’s a cheerful way to greet someone.”

”You disappear for ages and expect warmth?” Arden laughed and took the cigar from his mouth. ”I’m joking. Mostly. It’s good to see you.”

He looked Trafalgar over for a moment.

”You’ve changed again.”

”So has everyone lately.”

”Fair enough.” Arden gestured toward the building behind him. ”What brings you here? I doubt you crossed half of Velkaris because you suddenly missed my company.”

”Unfortunately, you’re right.”

Arden put a hand over his chest. ”Cruel.”

”I need the place cleared.”

That wiped most of the humour from Arden’s face.

Trafalgar continued. ”Completely. I have someone coming, and I need privacy. No adventurers, clients, people looking for information, nobody hanging around downstairs because they suddenly remembered they wanted another drink.”

Arden studied him for half a second before nodding.

”That serious?”

”Enough that I don’t want anyone overhearing even half a sentence.”

”Understood.”

There were no more jokes after that.

Arden turned toward the entrance, then stopped and glanced back. ”Give me a few minutes. I’ll explain it to Marella first. She’ll complain if I start throwing people out without warning.”

Arden snorted and disappeared inside.

Trafalgar stayed outside while the building slowly emptied.

The first people out were two adventurers carrying rolled notices and arguing quietly about payment. A group followed them soon after, then another man with a satchel full of papers, and several others who looked like they’d been waiting for information or work.

The place had changed since Trafalgar bought it years ago.

Back then, he’d needed locations like this.

Information had been harder to acquire, reliable contacts had been precious, and Marella and Arden had given him another set of eyes in Velkaris when he couldn’t afford to have enough of his own.

Now he had Euclid.

Caelum.

His own soldiers, networks, and resources.

He didn’t rely on this place the way he once had.

Still, there was something satisfying about seeing that it had continued functioning without him.

People came here for missions, rumours, contacts, and information that couldn’t always be found through official channels. Arden and Marella had turned it into something useful rather than allowing it to become an expensive building Trafalgar visited once every few years.

A few minutes later, Arden appeared at the entrance again.

He held the door open and jerked his head toward the interior.

”All clear. Come on in.”

Trafalgar stepped toward him.

Arden gave him a sideways look as he passed.

”Marella’s going to be happy to see you, by the way. You might want to prepare yourself for being told how long it’s been.”

Trafalgar almost smiled.

”I’ve survived worse.”

”We’ll see about that.”

Trafalgar crossed the threshold and entered the familiar building.

Lyren would be arriving soon.