Road to the Crown

24th October 1574

"Whoa, wait a second! Don't you think that bringing that up with so many people around…"

Hearing the envoy's aide response, I could only congratulate myself. It seemed that I was right on the spot when I guessed that some other people were in possessions of system-like talents just like me!

While it was a pity that I had no idea what Muscovite leader's abilities were, at least I had the general idea of what Ostros were capable off!

Their actions during the conflict clearly stated that they didn't care about the loyalty of their people. Instead of improving their lives to buy their allegiance and making sure than anyone trying to offer them more would be pictured as the devil himself in their propaganda, there was no evidence in any of the places that my forces scavenged to support that statement.

But if we put the endless potential ability there, the equation of Ostros forces and plans suddenly started to make sense. As long as it was similar to what I guessed already, then their now deceased leader could form an army of any size he would ever want, just by forcing his subjects into full and unwavering loyalty to him!

"How stupid of you to think that even a single one of my soldiers that I brough here could ever speak a word of this matter. Do you really think they have any resemblance of free-will left in their bodies?"

Given how in essence, this was nothing but a foul play on my part, I couldn't do anything about the fact that by bringing the matter of the special abilities, I would inevitably expose my own people towards this topic. 

Yet, in reality, it was all planned. Just like I couldn't start the building of the trainlines connecting all the furthest part of the commonwealth together without setting a proper base industry beforehand, I would be unable to push for any changes related to the systems that I and the others most likely had, if I were to figuratively travel to the Vatican and have a talk with the Pope himself.

In order for the ploy and scheme to grow, its seeds had to be planted way in advance, so that its sudden growth sprout wouldn't surprise anyone, forcing their hand into cutting a new plant inviding their garden. By bringing this topic right now in the limited openness of my soldiers, I just made sure that while it would inevitably leak outside with time, tracking its source would turn simply impossible for the investigators of the current times.

"Ough, that's right, how stupid of me…"

Backing down and once again lowering his head, the envoy's aide clearly struggled to come with some kind of decision for a moment, before his head raised back to its usual position.

"Respectable sir, now I have confirmed that you are indeed an envoy from the Ostros forces. If that would be within your liking, I would like to invite you, sir, along with your people for the meeting with the Envoy of the glorious Imperator."

Hearing the second sentence, I didn't pay almost any mind to the invite itself, but focused my attention in whose name was used to herald the invite!

While I never was good with the precise dates of the stuff, I was more than sure that the actuall Imperial titles only appeared in Russian Tsardom at least one if not two hundred years in the future, after Muscovy turned from nothing more than a regional power located at the absolute edge of what was considere to be a civilised world. To that point, the rulers of Muscovy that was later renamed as Tsarate of Russia always called themselves Tsar in an attempt to continue the legacy of the byzantine empire that they always claimed to be the successors off. 

Ever since princedom of Muscovy succeeded at repelling the Mongol control, it always strived to be the uniting force that would bring back all the other rhuthernian clans under its own rule. Taking the mantle of the heralds of the eastern slavic tribes, they came up with the idea of Muscovy being a third rome after the latin city and constantinople has fallen. Due to the vast amount of rhuthernian lands quickly getting conquered by the Lithuanians who were spared the onslaught of the european mongol invasion, Muscovy was nearly in an eternal conflict with the grand princedom and later Commonwealth after Lithuania and Poland merged into a single state.

"It would be an honour to attend this meeting. But as you can see, in the process of repelling those idiots from Tarnowian lands, I got hurt quite painfully in my leg, so it would be a great act of magnitude if his majesty the envoy could settle with the meeting taking place here instead. After all, we have all the tents, tables and seats for the people of honour ready!"

Swinging my hand around, I pointed at all the different kinds of furniture that was brough fresh from the wood factory in new Tarnow. With the trains rushing on the daily basis to logistically connect my already developed lands with the province that was nearly in its entirety under construction and renovation, ordering a single cart full of fancy furniture devoid of any brand markings was troublesome just a little bit.

"I will pass this request to the envoy then. With all due respect, but I would like to take my leave now."

Hitting his forehead against the solid ground, the envoy's aide slammed his knees and hands into the dry earth of the steppe, awaiting my approval. It seemed like the silly show of strength that I presented to him before managed to work wonders on his attitude.

But to be fair, I didn't enjoy seeing another man humiliate himself like that before me. I couldn't understand how others could enjoy giving others such kind of treatment. If I wanted to fix my low self-esteem, only by doing it with my own effort could I achieve results that would last for a long time. Trying to make myself look bigger by lowering others, was a measure that worked only for as long as I was powerful enough to bend the knees of anyone who would ever become a possible threat to this fake authority of mine, built on nothing but the premise that I was indeed the strongest. 

"Sir?"

As soon as the aide along with the men that approached our camp with him left the vincity from where they could hear what we were talked about, nearly all of the officers in my camp along with Hans himself approached me a bit closer.

The question they wanted to know the answer for, although unspoken, was obvious.

"This thing is something that I originally planned to bring up during the conflict with Ostros in case we would turn out to be unable to crush their power. That's also the reason why those who managed to kill their entire bloodline got rewarded so handsomely. But before I say anything else, you all need to swear on your swords and faith, that not a word of what I will tell you will ever leave your mouth."

This kind of promise was bound to be broken. As much as I trusted my people to never utter a single word about the explanation that I was about to give them, as soon as even a single one of them would find the time to get properly drunk, then the information would spread all over my lands within just a few days, through the entire country within weeks, and across the entire continent within months. 

I wasn't as conceited and self-entilted to assume that only the nations in this specific part of the continent were blessed or more likely cursed with the people from the future. Knowing so little about the entire process that resulted in me appearing in this timeline in the first place, it was easier to point out what I know rather than the lapses in my knowledge. In fact, it was more accurate to say that there were lapses of knowledge in the sea of my ignorance about those topics!

But one thing was certain. It was only a matter of time before the world would learn about the existence of the systems, or special powers how I was about to call it. If this matter was left alone, then by the time it would become a vibrant topic in the high society, a new wave of witchhunt would ensure, but this time it oculd easily sweep through the noble community of commonwealth!

That's why, instead of relying on the luck of never being found out despite how quickly I made it so big, I decided to be the spark behind the explosion of this problematic matter in the society. As long as I could be the first to bring this topic up in the papacy, with the backing of the entire commonwealth, then there was a huge chance that I could find a way to save myself from the God's redemption as much as the crusades from the countries that would still be ruled by people without the system by the time this plan would come to its fruition!

"Sir, we swear!"

In this moment, all of the officers and soldiers that accompanied me on this risky mission gathered around, raising their swords and sabres at the height of their heart. Even Hans, despite not being a noble, took part in this ritual.

"To put in short words… There are some people around the world, that were either blessed or cursed with means that others could only dream about. While it's only a guess of mine, that fucker's reaction only serves to confirm the fact that someone in the Ostros household was capable of enforcing absolute and nearly mindless loyalty of their subjects."

Taking a short breath to get some air into my lungs, I looked over the faces of the soldiers around me, all focused on me.

"And to tell you the truth, you could say that I'm just like Ostros. The difference is, they were cursed with the power to enslave the others, while I was blessed with the knowledge about the times that were yet to happen."

Declaring myself to be special, even to such a small group, would have great effects soon. Just like I claimed before, I knew that it was only a matter of time before the roumours would start spreading. And given how I would be their source, adding the fact that in the recent months, I was one of the most active people in the entire country, I wasn't as naive as to think that the general investigation that was bound to ensue would miss my family.

"Sir, does that mean you have the gift of divination?!"

Stepping forward, Hans asked the question that was on the lips of everyone gathered. Sadly, it wasn't the case. Otherwise, how could I ever allow even a single casualty to appear on my side?

"That's not the case. Divination is nothing more than a set of tricks, maybe some predictions based on one's accumulated knowledge and experience… What happened to me, was entirely different."

Standing up from my chair, I looked towards the disguised diplomatic mission that was slowly approaching our vincity. Knowing that I had little to no time to finish, I ignored the sharp pain in my yet-to-be-fully-healed leg.

"There was a single day, no different than any others, when I went to the church. Staying behind after the holy mass, I continued to pray for the welfare of my household and our country, when I suddenly found myself drifting through the times that are yet to come. It was then that I saw the deterioration of the commonwealth, many long and exhaustive wars that depleted our resources and population. It was during those god-sent vision that I saw the collapse of commonwealth, followed by the ages of empires, age of bloodshed that brought human's tyranny and cruelty to levels unimaginable for any of you, all the way to the times when humans completely lost their sense of self."

Once again taking a quick peek at the approaching group, I realised that at most, I had time for a single sentence more, before I would risk the diplomats from Muscovy hearing the content of my speech.

"That's why, I'm doing my best to change that cursed history I saw. This is what I believe to be the reason why God himself bothered to grant me the mercy of those visions."