SSS Talent: From Trash to Tyrant

Trafalgar rested his forearm against the table.

”I’m telling you this now because it probably will not be the last time I do something similar. If I can gain power through arrangements like that, I will. If I cannot bring people to my side willingly, I may have to do it another way.”

Cynthia looked at him with visible difficulty. ”Why go that far? It is so much work, and the sacrifices are enormous.”

Trafalgar’s expression shifted slightly.

For once, his answer did not come with a dry remark first.

”Because I want the power to protect what I care about,” he said. His gaze moved over the three of them. ”In this case, you. All of you. It sounds sentimental, and I suppose it is. I also have things I need to discover. Things connected to the Void Creatures, to the Primordials, to myself. But the simplest answer is that I do not want to be helpless when the world decides to bare its teeth.”

Mayla’s hold on Cynthia tightened for a breath.

Aubrelle’s unfocused red gaze lowered slightly, though Pipin kept looking at him.

Trafalgar gave them a few heartbeats to absorb it before turning the conversation back.

”After the war, Darian told me he found something in the laboratory Icarus used. Esmond was involved as well. He was Director Selara’s master, in case you do not know him.”

Cynthia shook her head faintly.

Mayla’s expression hardened. Aubrelle’s lips thinned.

Trafalgar continued. ”Icarus and Esmond experimented with an intelligent Void Creature. That alone would be enough to make the entire situation disgusting. But the strange part is that Esmond was under the Vaelion at one point.”

Aubrelle spoke this time. ”You think House Vaelion may be involved?”

”It is possible.”

”If they are, that would mean the Great Family of mages helped create the conditions for two great houses to destroy each other during the war,” Aubrelle said. Her voice had gone colder, more precise. ”Thal’zar and Sylvanel weakened each other while Vaelion stayed outside the fire.”

”That is one possibility,” Trafalgar replied. ”But there is no proof. Only the words of a mad alchemist and a few ugly connections.”

”Mad alchemists can still tell the truth,” Mayla said.

”Yes,” Trafalgar said. ”That is the annoying part.”

Cynthia’s face remained tense, but she no longer looked ready to crumble under the weight of it.

Trafalgar leaned back slightly.

”Esmond discovered things. I do not know for what purpose, not completely. What I do know is that he created a homunculus with Void-born material inside her. That is the girl you saw with Selara at the station.”

Cynthia’s eyes widened.

”The hooded one?” she asked.

”Yes.”

Mayla’s lips parted faintly. ”She is carrying Void-born material?”

”Yes. Inside her,” Trafalgar said. ”It was placed into her creation.”

Aubrelle’s fingers pressed into Pipin’s feathers, though the bird did not protest. ”And Selara has her now.”

”Yes. Selara took responsibility for her. I agreed because the alternative was leaving her to Aurevane, and that was worse.”

Mayla released Cynthia slowly and returned to her chair, though her posture had changed. The warmth of the meal was gone now. Food remained on the table, half-finished and cooling, forgotten under the weight of what Trafalgar had placed between them.

”That puts Selara in danger,” Mayla said.

”It does,” Trafalgar replied. ”If anyone discovers what the homunculus is, Selara becomes a target. Aurevane might want her back. Vaelion might want the information. Anyone connected to Void-born research could come after her.”

”And Esmond?” Aubrelle asked.

”Caelum has him.”

That answer was enough for Mayla to understand several things at once.

Cynthia needed more.

Trafalgar gave it to her, though not in detail. ”Esmond is alive because he is useful. For now. Caelum moved him quietly and made sure he remained under control.”

Cynthia looked as if she wanted to ask what under control meant. She did not.

”Matteo?” Aubrelle asked.

”He was involved only up to a point,” Trafalgar said. ”Caelum controlled what Matteo could know. There were parts he slept through, which was better for him. If he had heard everything, I would not have been able to let him walk away freely.”

Cynthia stared at him.

Trafalgar met her eyes without softening the sentence.

”I am not saying that to frighten you. I am saying it because this is what being close to me means. Secrets like this cannot spread. Not because they embarrass me. Because they can destroy people.”

Cynthia nodded, slowly this time.

Aubrelle’s voice came softer. ”And the public?”

”They know almost nothing,” Trafalgar said. ”The official event ended well enough. Orven was saved. Selara handled what she needed to handle. Aurevane kept its face. Most of the people present will remember scandal, pressure, maybe a few family wounds. They will not know there was a homunculus with Void-born material under the same roof.”

Mayla looked down at the table. ”And all Void-born material connects back to the Void Creatures.”

”Yes.”

No one spoke immediately.

Velkaris continued outside the apartment as if nothing had changed, muffled by walls, wards, and distance. Inside, the table had become something much heavier than a place to eat. Cynthia looked at Trafalgar differently now. Not with rejection. Not with fear of him. More like she was finally seeing the scale of the road she had asked to walk.

Trafalgar let the room breathe.

He had told them the first part. Darian. Lucien. Thal’zar. Aurevane. Esmond. Selara. The homunculus. Vaelion’s possible shadow over it all.

But this was only the outer layer.

The next part reached closer to his bones.

He drew in a slow breath and looked at Mayla first. She already knew enough to understand where this was going. Her face tightened with quiet worry.

Trafalgar turned to Aubrelle and Cynthia.

”Well,” he said, voice lower now, ”there is something important too. Mayla knows about part of this, but now that there are two more of you, I suppose I have to say it as well.”