I’ll be the Red Ranger
Chapter 98 – The Great Houses Chess

- Oliver -

Oliver was still stunned by the match's outcome in arena 12 when Katherine abruptly entered the dormitory. The door slid open with a mechanical hiss, and she crossed the threshold with heavy steps, her face contorted in anger. Without saying a word, she threw herself onto one of the beds, her eyes fixed on the ceiling.

Oliver and Isabela exchanged uncertain glances. A heavy silence remained between them. He wanted to ask about what had happened at the end of the match or the fate of the recruit who had just killed an NEA officer. But Katherine's furious glare made him hesitate; perhaps it was better to wait until her anger subsided.

Minutes passed, and the tension in the air began to dissipate. Finally, Isabela broke the silence. "Kath, what happened in there?"

"That piece of trash had to show up right now," Katherine blurted out, her voice laden with bitterness.

Oliver's eyes widened. Katherine rarely used insults or swear words, so her inclusion of them was quite impactful.

"Well, I think I know who you're calling a piece of trash. But could you give us more detail?" Isabela gently pressed.

Oliver leaned forward, curiosity evident in his gaze. Katherine sighed before responding. "It's Mordred; he's the main heir of the Lot’s and a real son of a bitch."

"And a murderer," Oliver commented.

Katherine looked at Oliver with a puzzled expression.

"What do you mean, murderer?" Katherine asked.

"You haven't seen the replay yet?" Isabela asked, surprised.

"Not yet; I came straight to the dormitory," Katherine explained.

"You need to see this," Oliver said, activating the hologram on his gauntlet. The floating image illuminated the room, revealing Mordred's battle against the Mini-Mechas and culminating with him splitting a Mecha in half with a devastating blow.

Katherine's expression rapidly shifted between surprise and disgust as she watched each part of the fight.

After finishing the replay, she sighed and sat on her bed. Oliver could tell from her expression that Katherine was thinking.

"What do you think will happen to him?" Oliver asked, curious if there would be any punishment.

"I don't know. They probably won't expel him; maybe they'll hinder him a bit, but not enough," Katherine explained. "He's powerful; the Lots have been preparing for this upcoming Emperor's election ever since Maximus took over. There's not a family they haven't tried to forge ties with."

As soon as Katherine finished explaining, Oliver noticed that several recruits in the dormitory were trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. It made sense—many had watched the battle and learned that Katherine was, in fact, a princess.

"I think the first floor might be quieter at this hour," Oliver suggested to the girls, nodding slightly and pointing toward the other recruits.

"Sure. I need to have my afternoon coffee," Isabela spoke loudly so everyone could hear.

The trio descended the sleek, metallic staircase, heading straight for the dining area where a few cafes remained open. Since the entrance exams were still underway, few recruits were around. Those who were seemed more concerned with finding equipment or weapons to purchase.

Oliver found a table tucked away from the entrance while the two girls went to the counter to place their orders. They returned carrying two tall cups of some kind of coffee. Oliver couldn't quite make out the flavors, but there was far too much glitter swirling inside the cups for it to be regular coffee.

"Alright, you were talking about Mordred. Why did he approach you?" Isabela asked, her curiosity evident in her voice.

"It's complicated," Katherine sighed. "He was pressuring to collect on a promise between the Yorks and the Lot’s." She paused, choosing her words carefully. "I mentioned that his House wants to secure the Emperor's seat. To do that, they need the majority of votes from both Houses and Great Houses. Naturally, a Great House usually has several Houses under their protection, ensuring even more votes."

"But what does that have to do with you? Isn't your brother the leader of your Great House?" Isabela questioned.

"Yes, but... the promise was made long before he became the leader." Katherine hesitated, her gaze distant. "When our parents were still alive, they made a promise with the Lots that I would be betrothed to their son, securing our House's support for the upcoming election."

Oliver raised his eyebrows, surprised. "But are you going to marry him?" he asked.

"Of course not! That promise was made by them, not by John," Katherine replied firmly. "Besides, we still don't know what they received in exchange for such an agreement. However, Mordred is using this to put pressure on our family. He either wants official and public support—making the Houses of Mars vote for him—or he wants me actually to marry him, achieving basically the same result."

They sat in pensive silence for a moment until Oliver had an idea. "Couldn't you do the opposite? If he keeps pressuring you, why not support one of his opponents?" he suggested.

"Yes, but unfortunately, we don't have close relations with the other Great Houses that are running. We'd just end up with a new target on our backs, especially during a Wave, which is the last thing we need," Katherine explained.

"What do you mean, during a Wave?" Isabela asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Every Great House is obliged to offer at least a thousand Rangers during a Wave. Perhaps you've noticed, but the main battlefront is occurring at Olympus this time," Katherine noted.

Oliver and Isabela nodded. Oliver recalled his conversation with Nico before he departed to assist House Dardanus.

"We have sent millions of soldiers, tens of thousands of officers, and thousands of Rangers leading endless campaigns in Olympus. Now imagine that at some point, an 'accident' happens. For some reason, support from the Lots' Rangers doesn't arrive, or the supplies they're supposed to deliver get lost," Katherine elaborated. "Not enough to compromise the campaign entirely, but enough to weaken a House for a decade."

Isabela nodded, grasping the gravity of the situation, while Oliver's face twisted as he absorbed the harsh reality. He thought silently, hoping for Nico's safety. ‘I hope the Dardanus don't have enemies.’

"But couldn't you do the same?" Isabela asked, breaking the silence with a hint of challenge in her voice.

"John would never put other people at risk just to harm another House," Katherine replied firmly. "Besides, their military power could overpower us. We'd have to be careful not to turn this into an even bigger conflict once the Wave ends."

Oliver's mind seemed to be boiling, trying to keep up with the political chess game the Houses were playing. They were obliged to ally during the Waves but competed fiercely against each other as soon as the attacks ceased.

He also remembered Nico's words about doing what was necessary. If the necessary meant putting others at risk to ensure safety or the 'greater good,' would he be able to do that? Oliver didn't come up with an answer, but it lingered in his mind for a moment.

While he was lost in thought, the scene of Mordred splitting a mecha in half reappeared on his gauntlet's hologram. "How is he so strong? Is it normal for someone to split a mecha in half?" Oliver asked.

"No, not at all," Katherine admitted, crossing her arms. "Control Boons are extremely powerful. But even so, it's impressive."

"Control Boons?" Oliver inquired.

"Yes, powers to control something, usually elements. Because they are purer, they tend to consume little Energy, allowing you to apply much more power. In his case, controlling shadows—or like John, who controls electricity," she explained.

"But even so, he's our age. There's no way he already has the power of a Ranger or, worse, superior to several Rangers. If he had only damaged the Jelly Bean to the point of stopping it from functioning, it would already be impressive," Isabela argued incredulously.

"Certainly, he was using something. The Castors are close allies of theirs and are always developing new drugs and experiments to enhance power," Katherine commented while watching the hologram again.

Castor, Castor... Oliver repeated mentally until he remembered it was Kyle's House. Taking advantage of a moment when the camera partially captured Mordred's face, he used his hands to zoom in on the image. He could see that Mordred's irises were red, the same color he had seen in Kyle.

‘Was he using that same drug? But there was no mask…’ Oliver pondered, immersed in speculation.

"Even so, with or without the Castors, he has always been a genius. It's no wonder he's the heir, even though he's not the firstborn," Katherine concluded.

"But—" Isabela began a question but didn't finish. The girl raised her arm, looking at her gauntlet. "It's my turn."

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