The Martial Unity

"That's how Martial Artists are," Prince Randal narrowed his eyes. "I have spent enough time around them to know their thinking patterns. They think differently from human beings, and they suck at communicating their thoughts to anybody, not a Martial Artist. But more importantly…"

"If Prince Raijun has somehow made great progress in the Apprentice Realm towards the Squire Realm then we need to curb the source of his success," Princess Rafia completed his statement. "However, I am unable to identify the source of his success due to a lack of data on Martial Apprentice growth data patterns at the moment. I will have to consu-"

"No, you're unable to identify it because as intelligent as you are, you're an idiot without common sense who is helpless without data," Prince Randal snorted. "Think!"

He turned to Princess Raemina and Ranea. "Assume what you two said before is true, then we can assume that the reason he was looking for a great trainer is because of the issue with the Martial Artist you mentioned. And if we put that together with the fact that he's been hiding his appearance the entire time. Then…the timelines make sense."

The three women stared at him, puzzled.

"…He hired Rui Quarrier as a trainer more than a year ago," Prince Randal narrowed his eyes. "Six months after that, Raijun's campaigning progress within the Martial Union started growing tremendously, and he made great headway even though he was in a bottleneck prior."

He turned to Raemina. "A bottleneck because of his Martial Art, as you informed me."

He turned to Ranea. "A bottleneck that he was looking for a trainer probably for just that, according to you."

He turned to Princess Rafia with narrowed eyes. "Putting all the information that each of us supplied, what do you think can be concluded?"

"Your logic is a tad contrived and lacking in empirical evidence but…" Princess Rafia met his gaze with emotionless eyes. "The possibility of Senior Rui Quarrier being responsible for his growth is indeed very real."

Prince Randal's mouth curled with disdain. "This is why you're an intelligent idiot. It's not a possibility, it's the only explanation that fits the puzzle."

"I don't get it, not gonna lie," Princess Ranea stared at him, puzzled. "Raijun has the highest number of Martial Masters in his faction. Are you telling me Rui Quarrier did a better job than the esteemed Martial Masters of the Martial Union? That sounds extremely questionable and unlikely. How can a Senior surpass a Master in tutelage?"

"I am inclined to agree with her," Princess Raemina nodded.

"He already defeated a Master in combat, pound for pound," Prince Randal growled at them. "He's an anomaly. In every sense of the word. He revolutionized the Squire evolution breakthrough process with some mysterious technique. His so-called voidlet techniques earned thirty-one trillion Martial Credits half a year ago at the fiscal budget allocation meeting of the Martial Union. He earned the position of Senior ambassador from the Martial Union. He is the youngest Martial Senior in history, shattering the previous record by a whopping twelve years. That's historically unprecedented. He also had an extremely high reputation for tutelage even before he began training the Martial Prince and then there's the strange deal he signed with Prince Raijun more than a year ago."

His siblings knew what he was referring to.

"In exchange for something, Prince Raijun was willing to completely cease all offensive campaigning and sabotage against Ocean girl here and the peasant-humper upon Rui Quarrier's demand," Prince Randal narrowed his eyes. "I never understood it back then, but…think about it. Just what could be so massive that he willingly agreed to stop keeping two of his rivals in check, allowing their growth to be less hampered. It doesn't make sense unless…"

"Unless he knew that he would be able to grow even faster if he agreed to the deal." Realization dawned on Princess Raemina.

A chill went down Princess Ranea's spine. "…So that's why he agreed to not campaign against me. He knew that his agreement with Rui Quarrier would bring him closer to the Squire Realm, making the concessions invalid."

"This conjecture is unsubstantiated and without empiri-"

"Oh, shut up," Princess Ranea glared at Princess Rafia, cutting her off. "It's common sense when you pool together our information."

"Tsk, had I known that he was looking for a tutor even before and the reason behind the disapproval of him from the rest of the Martial Union, I would have come to this realization even sooner," Prince Randal cursed.

"The question is… what do we do?" Princess Raemina's eyes widened with interest.

"It's simple," Prince Randal narrowed his eyes. "We cut the source of his growth at its root before he reaches the Squire Realm."

His three sisters narrowed their eyes at those words.

He had just made an extremely controversial proposal.

It was beyond controversial.

It could very well provoke a war.

To say that Rui Quarrier was the golden boy of the Martial Union was an understatement. Not only was he the only Senior to have received the status of Senior ambassador, he was also the only Senior to be inducted into the Martial fiscal committee.

In addition to the many revolutionary contributions to Martial Art and the Martial Union that he had made that earned him the affection of the Martial Union and most of its Martial Masters, he had also become important to the Kandrian Empire as a whole simply by virtue of his alleged bottomless potential and status as the youngest Senior in Martial history.

That didn't even cover the economic contributions he had made to the Kandrian Empire.

The proposal of killing Rui Quarrier was so far beyond just controversial that the three princesses didn't even dare to agree to it. Just the thought of facing the wrath of the Martial Union inspired a lot of fear in them.

"…There must be other ways." Princess Ranea squeezed out.

"There is no other way," Prince Randal gritted his teeth, clenching his fists.

"Rui Quarrier must die."