Handler XX: Stock Maestro

They turned immediately, surprised

Anton stood up immediately, eyes widened. Trent and Marie just stared in disbelief.

T–The Emperor?

"S–Sir---"

"Sit down, Anton" the Emperor chuckled— he was being supported by a bodyguard while he walked towards them.

He smiled at Trent and took the seat at the far end of the table.

"It's good to finally meet you, Trent"

"It's good to meet you too... Your majesty" Trent stood up and bowed slightly.

Marie stood up too and just bowed.

"I know it's too late, but I'll love if you called me grandfather"

Huh? What's wrong with this father and daughter duo?

Do they think they just get to---

He exhaled as his eyes met Marie's

"It's good to see you, grandfather"

Not like it takes anything away from me.

"That's good..." He coughed, taking a clean cloth from the guard.

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions to ask. I understand whatever you are feeling right now" he paused.

"You can both take your seats. It's nice to see you too, Marie. I hear you've been taking care of Trent"

"I–It's nothing" She stuttered, looking at Trent. "H–He's been... He's been"

"Ease up" he chuckled, motioning for her to calm down with his hand.

"I'm a pretty chill old Man"

They looked at Anton and Wanda as they say down.

Trent stared at Emperor Thaddeus for a while longer.

He looks more frail than in the recent video I saw online.

"Wanda" he coughed, turning to her.

She stood up immediately, pushing her chair backwards.

"I'm sorry for placing all the stress on you. My old bones just don't seem to function as much as they should be doing these days" he laughed softly.

"It's alright, Father. Everything is under control" she bowed slightly.

"Have you talked to him about the issue? You shouldn't be nonchalant too to talk with him"

She nodded as Trent turned to her.

"I told him about what happened... Most of it"

What's happened?

The issue with Morlov?

"Trent..." He called out, taking the fork from the guard.

"You must've heard about the thirty years limit I have to them"

"Yes... I heard about it, but why is---"

"I gave birth to Wanda here, before I became Emperor fifty years ago" he cut in, stabbing his fork into the steak

"The only reason I sent her to the Handler's program was because her mother... and grandparents were killed"

Marie and Trent blinked.

"You can sit down now, Wan... This is going to be a sad story... Apologies"

"It's alright, Father" She chuckled, looking at Anton.

"A price?" Trent muttered and Anton and Marie gasped.

What was suddenly wrong with him?

He stared at Trent for a while and laughed.

"You're smart... I love that"

They turned to him immediately.

"I became the Emperor not because I had the blessings of my father... I paid the price— a price I couldn't dream of"

Trent leaned forward.

"Why were they killed?"

"They..." Thaddeus scoffed, shaking his head. "The Reeves— most influential family in Technology at the time. Cursed to have me and their daughter fall in love"

Reeves?

What an odd coincidence...

Reeves Technologies...

Did Seren get---

"I heard you bought a company called Reeves Technologies. What a fate..."

"Seren Rotschen---"

"I gifted it to him 30 years ago when he won the Clementine Award"

What? Trent's and Marie's eyes widened.

It was his company?

"It was the only thing I could find— papers to the company— Meredith Technologies"

"T–Then how did he---"

"A year of endless support and he was happy to change the name to Reeves Technologies"

Oh.

"Anyways... I had to place Wanda in the Handler's program... and" he paused

"Anton..."

"S–Sir..." Anton replied immediately.

"You found out who your parents were, didn't you? But you never went back"

"W–Who---" Marie looked at Anton. He lowered his face.

"The Sinclair Family" Thaddeus laughed softly, "Westeron's very own Royal family at one point"

Sinclairs? Wasn't that the family that has produced Seven Presidents?

"Royal dogs" Anton scoffed, raising his head.

"You're not wrong"

Thaddeus fell silent for a while, staring at Trent.

"I paid a price— one I only found out on my father's deathbed... with so many other secrets. His wife had given the Sinclairs the honor of toppling the Reeves as payment for their loyalty"

Trent blinked, turning slowly to Anton.

If it's for loyalty... Did the Sinclairs also...

He gulped, turning to the Emperor.

Why did he let Anton live?

"F–Father" Wanda called out, breaking the silence.

"It's okay" Thaddeus chuckled, "He's not one of them. That's why he's alive"

He mused.

"Plus you're both in love... Wicked fate" he added, huffing.

"The Handler's program..." he took a bite of the steak and dropped the fork.

"Taught me a valuable lesson... Want to guess what I made out of it?" He giggled, asking Trent.

"The Zero Project" Trent answered to his surprise...

Wanda and Anton gasped in surprise and Marie just stared confused.

How does he know that?

What's the Zero Project?

"You're truly one surprising lad" he chuckled, picking the glass of wine

"How do you even know that?"

Trent chuckled, looking at Wanda.

"Wanda Kravenberch. Retlen Oza. Predo Hendricks---"

"Oh?" Thaddeus burst into laughter...

What a surprising young lad

"I thought you had everything under control, Wan..."

"I–I do" she replied softly, looking at Trent. How does he know those names— top leaders of the Zero Project

"I know a lot of information" Trent scoffed, turning his face away

How ironic that I didn't find out who my parents were that easily.

"You shouldn't---"

"It's alright, Wan..." Thaddeus cut in,

"He's on our side. Isn't that right, Trent"

"I'm on my side. I don't betray those who trust in me" Trent mused, scanning the room.

"Spoken like a true Man"

Marie stared at Trent.

He just keeps bringing more surprises. Was that from the information he got from Yolaf Tyn?

"Now..." Thaddeus cleared his throat.

"I deemed it right to bring you here because of an important request"

A request from the Emperor himself?

Trent gulped.

Just what---

"I don't have much time left in this world" Thaddeus continued and they gasped.

"Y–You're going to get---"

"I've decided that my time is up, Wan. It's the last act I'll pull" he paused, a slow grin forming on his face.

"Defeating death"

What? They looked at each other.

How's that defeating death if you're going to die?

"I will leave the world at a time of my own choosing and I have set the date" he chuckled.

"That's a win for me"

"Uh... I don't---" Anton paused, looking at Wanda

"Isn't that a win, Trent?" Thaddeus mused

"It's..." Trent paused, looking at them.

"Go on..."

"It's... not"

"Why?"

"...You won't get to take your revenge if you choose to leave soon"

"That's why I want you to---"

"I have a better way"

They looked at Trent immediately.

What's he talking about?

"A way to win against death and get your revenge"

Thaddeus pushed the plates aside and leaned on the table, curious.

"First..." Trent looked at the guard.

"He's alright" Thaddeus chuckled, glancing at the guard.

He stared at Trent for a few seconds.

He's not convinced?

"Lu..."

"Your majesty..." the guard stepped forward.

"Step outside and kill yourself"

"Yes, Sir" the guard pulled his gun out and walked outside.

They watched as he left and after a few seconds a bang cut through from the hallway.

"Now..." Thaddeus mused, looking at Trent.

"The way to win against death and get my revenge"

Trent stared at him for a while.

What an interesting old Man.

Marie, Anton and Wanda looked at them. This is definitely a duo that shouldn't be formed.

"Seren Rotschen" Trent paused

"He's dead, no?" Thaddeus raised his brow.

"His physical body— yeah"

"You mean... Seren Rotschen isn't dead?"

"No" Trent chuckled, "His consciousness is in everything— like a god"

"That's..."

No need to explain too much.

"Seren! I know you're listening right now. Answer me from the Emperor's device"

"My---"

"Hello, Everyone" Seren's voice cut through from the Emperor's phone, surprising them.

"Hello, Your Majesty... It's awkward meeting you like this again"

Thaddeus stared at the phone.

This is...

"He found a way to upload his consciousness to the Internet... Thank you, Seren"

"A pleasure... Please don't call me again, I've got a project to work on" Seren huffed.

"So..." Thaddeus looked at Trent.

"That's how I'll win against death?"

"Exactly" Trent mused.

Marie, Anton and Wanda looked at each other.

Isn't that a godly thing meant for only the stars?

Thaddeus burst into laughter, raising his head.

"I knew I'd gain something from meeting you"

Trent chuckled, looking at him

"I can have my revenge however I want if I do that" Thaddeus lowered his head, eyes trailing the room

"Yes... You can— hitting them at the core of wealth, information... Anything..."

"You're a blessing to my bloodline" Thaddeus chuckled,

"But I wasn't just going to ask for that"

Huh?

"What else were you---"

"Succeed me as Emperor"

W–What?