EPISODE 174: [PRIME OVERSEER]
— GREAT EDRYAN, YEAR 7291. SEASON: COLOR FADING.
It was only chance —that Lawruthian’s plan of the Class-Based Constitutional Monarchy and the Path of Apotheosis coincided. And, it was only chance —that allowed it all to align so perfectly.
“Operation Awe is going as scheduled,” Lawruthian commented to his mother. The words of Ariena worked their way through the crowd like a sharp blade that cut away the excess fat clinging to a prime steak ready to be seared and eaten.
His mom remained silent for some moments. “…are you certain this is the right path?”
She didn’t doubt her son, at least not holistically . But…, the monarchy had never let go of so much power. Titiana showed her trust in her son and was slowly removing herself from the reigns of leadership—of Queenship. But…, the crown was a heavy responsibility—one that she held for nearly half her life. It was… difficult to remove herself from a state of mind she had kept for decades.
“It has to be,” he stated. “It has to be. I hold no plans to stay in Edryan and send troops to wage war on the continent. I am a powerful military asset and political figure who can dictate every movement this country makes. Who will watch over Edryan while I am away from it?”
She pursed her lips, and her eyes traveled to two young girls who stood together in a sea of people that they somehow… just didn’t blend into. “You have your… cousin.”
Lawruthian was already shaking his head before her words could finish. Titiana silently listened, but as she gazed at her son, a startling realization entered her mind—a sole question that shook her with guilt.
Who will protect my son when I leave? Who will watch his back?
“She is the [Light of the End] and does not yet know that we are cousins. She, too, is a powerful military asset that cannot be wasted placating what’s left of the nobility,” his strong words reassured his mom of her previous worry as a new one entered her heart. “This is the way—it allows the people to directly govern themselves while not having hard military power. The Overseers control the resources; the Bellum is the military, the Judiciary creates the laws and settles disputes, the Templum ensures the people never stray from the will of the Goddess—and, therefore, the will of me . And…, my Monarchy branch is insurance. By the time anyone realizes how I’ve subsequently split and divided the power yet consolidated it to an extreme… it will be far too late.”
Lawruthian turned to his mom. His short speech finished as he attempted to reassure her. Her face showed anything but reassurance as a new worry entered her mind.
“Mom…, what’s wrong?”
Queen Titiana’s face displayed an array of emotions: fear for the future, heartache at the thought of her departure away from her only family member, and most importantly—worry for her son. “I… I… should have asked the Goddess for a sibling for you.”
…
…
…
“What?”
Queen Titiana sighed and shook her head. “When I leave, what family will you have to watch your back and protect you? As the public knows… there are no more Edryanis but us.”
Lawruthian gazed at his mother confused—one eyebrow raised in slight exasperation. “Mom… what has you thinking this way? I will be fine !”
The Queen continued to shake her head—there was no indifferent look on her face as that mask slowly began to be worn seldomly. The cold, strong demeanor that Titiana usually kept wasn’t present. Instead, only a warm, motherly aura radiated from her—kept within the limits of their presence.
“Who will watch over you when I’m gone? What family will you have to confide into and be my Lawruthian and not our [Chosen of Madris],” Queen Titiana questioned, worryingly gazing at her son. “There are no more Edryanis not outside… my sister. And, unless I have another child—who will have your back when I am gone?”
Lawruthian held up his hands placatingly. His mom’s demeanor slowly began to shift as he began to enact more and more of his plans for Edryan. She was allowing him to take a more active role in directing Edryan and come into his position as its next ruler.
“Mom, I’ll be fine. This government will ensure I have great control over Edryan, and I’ll spend most days outside on the battlefield.”
“And when you come home? Who will hug you? Who will sit for dinner as you tell them your imaginative stories? Who will…,” Titiana continued to question. Her voice continued to grow louder with worry as she voiced her concerns. Fortunately, there was a subtle barrier surrounding the area the mother and son pair found themselves in.
Lawruthian's face had long since shed its indifferent expression. He kept one ear tuned to Lady Ariena’s ongoing tongue-lashing, while the other focused on his mother’s concerns. His eyes narrowed as she voiced her next worry.
“…Who will ensure these foolish factions and organizations do not overstep their boundaries while you are away? Who will keep track of the reports from the Undern—”
“What factions and organizations do I need to worry about?” Lawruthian interrupted. “Starglow Valley was one of the biggest outside Great House control—the rest are barely noteworthy. Besides, any of their more problematic members will be sent to Mt. Redcoomshi. Mom, I’ll be fine.”
Queen Titiana shook her head. “Yes, many of the immediate threats will be dealt with upon their transference to Mt. Redcoomshi, but what about their descendants—and the mindset they've instilled in them?” Her voice grew colder. "Even as a minority, they still uphold ancient class lines, capable of producing powerful mages—and more."
Queen Titiana’s gaze hardened, and her aura shifted until it grew less loving, less warming—a colder indifferent air entered. “Perhaps I should leave them with one more reminder of whom the [Iron-Blooded Queen] truly is,” she said, her voice low and dangerous.
Lawruthian shook his head. “You cannot, not unless you want to ruin everything I’ve built—and should you do such a thing… then my reputation will forever be tarnished. It’s time I start taking on these problems myself. I can’t be under your umbrella—your protection forever.”
For the third time today, Queen Titiana sighed. It was difficult allowing her only son to stand up on his own, and she knew in her heart his words were correct. Titiana was already allowing him to do so much without great input of her own. She’d only lend a guiding thought here and there, but the implementation of the Class-Based Constitutional Monarchy was entirely something Lawruthian did. Even now, much of what they did was his plan to direct the Edryan state toward a certain outcome he held in mind.
She sighed because she knew he was right, even if she would rather not accept it. “Then… if I cannot do such things… you must do something for me.”
Lady Ariena’s words neared their end, and Lawruthian began to prepare himself for the next part. Today… right here, right now , a [Prime Overseer] would be chosen. He refused to let the nobility delay any longer. They had already pushed the vote by a week, and if he allowed them time to rally support, they could stall the process for months. His position as Madris’s Chosen allowed him to expedite matters despite the discontent it might cause; however, that didn’t mean the Great Houses and other factions couldn’t use other methods and factors to stall. Princess Kabal’s quick thinking in asking for other minor nobility to have a say in installing the first [Prime Overseer] already delayed everything by a week. If he hadn’t shown up today and announced that the position would be filled, then they could easily install weeks of delay and create more factors. The bureaucracy held many more methods in their pocket, but with him watching over them, those methods could not easily be used. Lawruthian couldn’t watch over everything every day—he held no desire to be bogged down by such matters. His mind held one current goal—[ End of Adventure ].
Lawruthian looked down, his expression indifferent once more, as he replied to his mother. “Anything, as long as it doesn’t take too much time.”
“We… have documents that contain information about the previous two [Chosen of Madris].”
There went Lawruthian’s cue.
Many looked toward the monarchy, partly out of a desire to gaze at their expressions and another part to confirm if the words just stated were true. The silence was loud, deafening. It was only the awkward shift of clothes and body positions that added sound to this otherwise quiet environment. Eyes darted between the nobles and the monarchy, their anticipation palpable, yet no one dared to break the stillness. Even the air felt heavy, as though the room itself held its breath, waiting for the monarchy's reaction to this unprecedented disclosure.
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Then, breaking the silence, were Lady Ariena’s final words—words that Lawruthian barely heard, his thoughts occupied by his mother’s words.
“I want you to get married and have children before I leave for the Astral Above,” the Demigoddess of Love stated.
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The [Chosen of Madris] stepped away from the balcony that held him and his mother. On his wrist was a snake-like tattoo and a key to an inheritance. Covering the tattoo was a bracelet that held a large tome and another inheritance.
Thousands of eyes gazed up at him, and in them, there was a new understanding. This was not the first time the people of Edryan held a [Chosen of Madris]. This was the third —a finality , as three represented a completion. The Goddess’s goal would be accomplished with this divine youth before them.
As they watched him, he observed them—the magi . He saw each one, from an old man with bright yellow eyes and streaks of grey cutting through his black hair to the young woman wearing a red spider lily in her stark black attire. He saw them—their hopes, desires, ambitions. Lawruthian couldn’t help but see them; the very divinity within him allowed it. His connection to their Goddess attuned him to every man and woman who claimed Her as their own. He spoke to them and the divinity in them—the very one that protected their souls from the realm’s harshness—and that very divinity that pulled them to the Promised Land when their time came— responded .
“ I Am Lawruthian Imperius Koltius Edryani — Third Chosen Of Madris, And The One Who Will Return The Magi To Their Rightful Place At The Height Of This World. ”
His voice didn’t seem like one, but three —three voices entwined like intertwined fates, writing their way toward a shared finality. It carried two masculine edges, yet beneath it, one soft feminine tone resonated, echoing in perfect harmony.
They knelt as he spoke, the very divinity in them compelled them too.
Lawruthian frowned as he saw this, and he paused before he continued. The young man took a deep breath and closed his eyes, dismissing all skills that helped him formulate his words. He stayed silent for several long moments, the people gazing at him and waiting for him to continue.
“Stand,” Lawruthian spoke suddenly, his voice returned to its normal state. He quickly continued to lower his body, shutting off the magical ring that powered his flight before his feet touched the ground. He landed lightly at the center of the room surrounded by kneeling magi.
“You may stand,” he said—attempting to get those around him to stand again.
The magi-humans gazed around, confused, unsure if they should follow his words. Lawruthian frowned, and instead of repeating himself, he moved toward the nearest magi-human. His steps took him to an older nobleman who was well past a hundred, but he appeared to be in his late sixties. Lawruthian arrived before him, to the confusion of the older man. It was clear he was the lord of some minor house by the way his demeanor immediately shifted to one of subservience.
Lawruthian reached down and gently pulled the man to his feet. He gave him a pat on the shoulder and lightly dusted him off before moving on to the next person. This time, it was a woman with some status. Lawruthian could tell she was from a house with reputation, perhaps a Count or Earl of some renown. Like the previous man, she was startled by his approach but held herself together much better than he did. Again, he gently grabbed her by the shoulders and lifted her up.
They watched him, unease shifting to understanding—realization dawning on some as he moved quietly among them, lifting people to their feet with gentle hands. His aura was calm— encompassing . Lawruthian went from man to woman, old to young, and lifted each with care. After he had lifted half a dozen, his message became clear. One by one, others in the hall began to stand on their own. Archbishop Femi, draped in his traditional white and golden robes, was among the first to follow his lead. With the grace of Madris’s Chosen shown as an example, Femi gently helped the nearest person to him stand—his actions setting off a chain of movement, a ripple through the great hall, until the entire gathering slowly returned to their feet.
Lawruthian didn’t stop helping. Not until every last one stood tall before him. The Hall of Heroes, which once held an air of uncertainty, now buzzed with a shared understanding. This … was what he wanted. Not to speak to them as Madris’s Chosen, but Prince Lawruthian. They were humans— just like him .
Just. Like. Him.
“I am your [Chosen of Madris]…, the third and final…, which represents a completion,” he began, his voice soft yet resonant, filling every corner of the hall. “Just as our Goddess in the Astral Above has achieved her triad of domains, elevating Herself to a new state of wholeness, I too shall bring Great Edryan to a new level of unity.” His eyes swept over them as he spoke, his words measured, deliberate —but it lacked the careful measure he usually used to get an exact result. There was no arrogance in his tone, only resolve.
“I do not come to you today as your [Chosen of Madris]— nay —I am here as your Prince and next sovereign.”
He began to walk, his steps unhurried—intimate, like he was among friends and not followers. When he spoke, his words were directly before each person, like he was only a meter away. He moved through the people, the magi he’d rarely interacted with, but those who held the strength of the nation in their hands. He moved through them not as the [Chosen of Madris] but as Prince Lawruthian. He couldn’t remember a time when he’d actually interacted heavily with this part of the nobility—the true core.
They stood tall, proud —their clothing adorned with the wealth of their families—gems glittering in praise to Her and serving as silent indicators of status. Lawruthian’s gaze passed over them, understanding their pride but knowing the dangers it held. These were the people who would shape Edryan’s future, the ones whose choices would affect not just themselves but generations to come. Magi of every kind, ancient in wisdom or burning with ambition. They appeared no different from the humans of Earth, but it was only when one took a deep look on the inside… that they’d see what made them different. This was the magi . These are the humans .
“My goal— ambition —has always been to uplift the magi,” Lawruthian continued, his voice was soft but firm . Firm in its ambition and desire to see this goal complete. “…whether they claim themselves noble or common. Whether their class is Legendary or Uncommon. To me, there is no difference in the blood that flows through us—for it was granted by She,” he said, pointing a finger to the Astral Above.
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle over the room.
“I have kept this ambition to myself—like a greedy dragon hoarding its knowledge, or a bard refusing to share their best tale.” His steps carried him deeper into the assembly, the magi parting like a [Seamstress] scissors cutting through cloth. “This ambition should not have been kept to myself but shared, giving you time to understand its purpose. For it is not a desire for me alone, but for all of us. A Greater Edryan—a nation with unparalleled wealth and power. A nation where this continent—nay—this realm looks to us for guidance and leadership.”
He paused briefly, his gaze sweeping across those before him. “But this ambition,” he continued, “is not mine alone. It is a dream meant for all of us. A dream that envisions Great Edryan not as a fractured kingdom of classes and titles, but as a unified force, where every magi—every citizen—stands with the potential to reach new heights. This is the future I see. A future where we are not held back by the chains of our differences, but elevated by our common purpose.”
They followed his words, and for many, it was as if they were seeing him for the first time—under a new light, a new gaze. Not many nobles interacted with the [Chosen of Madris]—not out of a desire not to… but a lack of reachability. Status was needed to meet Madris’s Chosen, and even then, that was not a guarantee.
Now, as they watched him walk among them—speaking not as a distant [Chosen] but as their future king—their perception shifted. Their minds all but forgetting the revelation that he was not the first, but third . They saw in him not only Madris’s Chosen, but that of a ruler they could finally reach.
Queen Titiana smiled from above. She had not waged war and shed blood solely to free the common man from a near slave-like society; she had fought for a moment like this. A connection like this . A bridge she was unsure of how to properly cross had been done so by her favorite son. Her love for them was endless, whether they were born of a high status or not. She removed the strongest weeds that prevented growth, and now her son was sprouting the seed of change she never knew how to.
Lawruthian moved through the assembly with quiet purpose, his gaze steady until it fell upon one of the two candidates for [Prime Overseer]. With a subtle beckon, he called them forward, still advancing through the hall but now with Intent. The tall archbishop joined him first, followed closely by the second candidate. He’d silently approved of them both, and now there would be a vote to elect them.
Lawruthian’s voice was firm yet filled with the weight of what was to come. “To reach the future I have shared with you today, I have enacted a change in our government—one that reflects the strength of our people. No longer will rulers be determined solely by birthright, but by the will of the people, blessed with the right by the monarchy. This change will not only strengthen our country but prepare us for the glorious future that awaits.”
He paused, allowing the significance of his words to sink in. “Today, you will choose the next Prime Overseer, the one who will guide us in this new era. Choose wisely, for their vision will shape the destiny of Great Edryan—let it be known today whether Femi Zubair or Livia Abara will become your regent [Prime Overseer] and establish our ambition.”