Vain

46. Political Struggle

In the month before the school year started, students of the academy, especially first years were abundant all around campus. Many had quickly formed cliques with the singular purpose of expanding their social circle. It was a commonly known and accepted fact that nobles were socially adept since children were honed from birth to perform well in high society. Whether it was parties or gathering, all nobles were birds of a feather whom flock together with those of the same status and faction.

It was only those of higher status who were sought after as acquaintances, instead of having to navigate the world of nobility by themselves. They were constantly surrounded by those who wanted nothing more than to flatter them and use them.

The Three Houses of Austrion were of the highest authority amongst the noble population of the country and was the dividing fractions. Though the houses are all loyal to the royal family and may even appear cordial on the surface. There was always tension between the factions. Very few nobles were neutral in the conflict and any faction besides the three houses are weak and easily shut down, one after the other.

Her Lovell house had actually been the most powerful faction in these years, with her parents' close relationship to the royal family. Their faction was highly valued, though it wasn't to the point that it looked unfair to the public. Especially since they were favored, no one would have ever guessed that they had been backstabbed by their "friends." So even if the incident was strange and the investigation short, no one was able to change anything.

The two other factions were finally relieved of an opponent and the Lovell faction had no power to fight back. It was a successful and decisive action of the royal family. They were beginning to cut off all power that wasn't their own and Aileene couldn't sit by and watch it happen.

So she took on a stance of a weak prey, a young defenseless little girl. The royal family wasn't wary of her, they set their focus on larger preys. The two factions unknowing of their immediate doom, the victims for Aileene to rise.

Her plans were simple, she merely decided to lend her strength to a power that had the same goal as her. That power was none other than the neighboring country of Kinlar, with the weapon of her over encompassing knowledge of the world of Vain. She knew that Kinlar and Austrion only had the picture of allies on the surface, due to Austrion's actions. They had turned their allies against them without knowing themselves, and so a war would be fought against the two countries after the events of Vain. In the very last year of Academy for the heroine and capture targets. At this point, Aileene had long been dealt with and the leads are finally given their happy ending.

Normally the game would end, but after a player had achieved the good ending for Lucian. Which does not include the war, but there are mentions of it to the heroine and she is tasked with changing Lucian's and Kinlar's mind about the war. They would be able to unlock a special aftermath game about how the war affected them in each capture targets path. Even in Lucian's good ending the war does start but is ended quickly by the heroine.

Now Aileene was given the chance to capitalize on that since she had a common enemy with Kinlar. Even her uncle had close ties to the country, so she took a gamble and presented herself to the King. Whom was skeptical about her claims, but decisively gave her a way to prove herself, as a spy.

So with the assurance of her uncle being her connection to Kinlar, she used the power that came with the Lovell faction to spread her influence across Austrion. Though it was all done in secret, only a weaken faction showed to the world. She used both Kinlar's network and her own network to pick apart the very structure of the royal family. Then when the time came, the war would give her the vengeance her heart desired.