After motivating and giving orders to his Dark Division, Manuel turned and left the castle, heading back to the palace. It was still morning, and on his way back, he also reviewed the deeper reasons why he finally decided to act against Mara Hatton.
Perhaps most people, including the high-ranking members of the Dark Division who received Caesar's direct order, were still extremely puzzled: if Bosporus truly had the capability to assassinate Ottoman high-ranking officials, why not assassinate the Sultan, a prince, or the Grand Vizier? Why target Mara, one of the Queens? If they died, wouldn't that shake the Ottoman court even more?
But Manuel, with his extensive historical knowledge, could unequivocally shake his head in disagreement based on the history he knew from his previous life: Officially, on the surface, the Ottoman suffered a devastating blow from the Battle of Ankara and the subsequent Interregnum over a decade ago. However, in reality, under the rule of Muhammad I and Murad II, the Sultanate had largely recovered its strength, possibly even becoming more powerful than during the time of Bayezid I, 'the Thunderbolt'. Therefore, for his future success, Manuel decided to stir up trouble within the Ottoman.
Those unfamiliar with the Ottoman might think that if the Sultanate simply replaced its ruler with a weaker or pro-Christian Sultan, it would quickly decline. However, this is far from the truth. According to the 'Fair Cycle Theory' summarized by later generations, if a Sultan was weak or his personal style did not align with the interests of the Sublime Porte, these Ottoman nobles would, in accordance with Islamic law, unite with legal scholars to overthrow the Sultan who did not suit them. Under these circumstances, resolving the Ottoman issue was not as simple as merely killing a Sultan. Moreover, the Ottoman system was not as loosely structured and leaky as the Seljuk or Rum Sultanates. After learning from East Rome and other European countries, although still far from the reforms implemented by Muhammad II in official history, the Sultanate was now considered a tightly structured government. Unless Manuel wanted to expose himself, it would be very difficult for his Dark Division to find an opportunity to assassinate the Sultan.
As for why he didn't target the heir, Manuel also had something to say. As mentioned before, he had already found a way to influence Aksham-Sadin, to help him subtly hinder the Ottoman from raising 'divine ruler' heirs in the future. As for why not eliminate Murad's children, isn't it obvious? If one of Murad's sons died unnaturally, wouldn't the Ottoman then strengthen the protection of the imperial princes? Was Manuel going to gamble his success on being able to silently cause the unnatural deaths of all of Murad's children?
What about the Grand Vizier? His assessment was that assassinating them would have no practical effect. Unlike regimes like the Seljuks or Rum, which relied on the Sultan or Grand Vizier to lead, after years of tempering by war, even if a Grand Vizier was chosen only from Turk families like the Çandarlı in the Ottoman, it would be difficult to select a truly incompetent person. Coupled with the implementation of systems like the Millet and the blood tax, the Sultanate's elite could even be said to be inexhaustible. Although Manuel was reluctant to admit it, Bosporus still had a long way to go compared to the Ottoman in terms of social mobility. Under these circumstances, the Ottoman political situation could not be shaken by the death of a Grand Vizier.
So he finally set his sights on Mara Hatton, a Serbian noblewoman from the Branković Family. If she was believed by the world, especially the Ottoman, to have died at the hands of Turk Muslim aristocrats, then he might be able to try to use Mara's death to disintegrate the consensus among the various internal factions of the Ottoman. Even if the most mundane outcome occurred, at the very least, the Christian nobles under Ottoman rule would not be immersed in the forcibly concocted notion that "everyone is the Sultan's beast of burden, and therefore, beasts of burden are equal regardless of origin or faith."
After Manuel finished pondering these thoughts, he had already arrived outside the palace gates.
Upon returning to the palace and chatting with his pregnant wife for a while, Manuel immediately gathered his thoughts, trying to prevent this secret matter, still in its preparatory stage, from interfering with his handling of official duties. After resolving these routine matters at a speed that even an excellent bureaucrat like Serenus found astonishing, he let out a long sigh and had his servant lead him and his Chief Secretary to the palace terrace. Sitting on a long bench on the terrace, gazing at the rare bright sunshine, he decided to do something he hadn't often done before.
Caesar sat up straight and, for the first time in a long while, gazed out at the city now under his rule. Although it had gone through many twists and turns and much chaos before, under his governance, the city of Trabzon had effortlessly regained its former prosperity, even subtly surpassing it.
"It's truly beautiful," he exclaimed with joy, "Standing here, it feels as if everything is within reach."
But not long after, dark clouds quickly gathered over the Trabzon area, which somehow made the atmosphere a bit heavy, and this atmosphere also triggered gloomy thoughts in Manuel that he hadn't had in a long time. Fortunately, Serenus was now someone who could read the atmosphere; facing Caesar's change in mood, he immediately spoke up, engaging in a casual discussion with his monarch and potential friend.
But for some reason, as they talked, their conversation inexplicably turned to the "Re-Baptism Movement" that Manuel had personally ordered to be implemented two years prior. When discussing the various acts of violence during this period, Caesar smiled helplessly, saying,
"Slaughter is, after all, merely a means, not an end." This was Manuel's current explanation for it.
"So, this is why Your Majesty ordered the slaughter of tens of thousands of Tatars who had lived in Tauris for generations?" asked the current Justinian.
"Are you questioning my decision? Or are you suggesting I made a mistake? And I did not kill tens of thousands; the Tatar rebels I truly ordered to be explicitly purged were fewer than ten thousand." Manuel turned around and reprimanded Serenus with considerable displeasure.
"I wouldn't dare, Your Highness. I never considered the elimination of a few infidels to be an act requiring repentance. I was merely wondering how later generations would judge us for this, because with the guidance of a cunning person, the moral values of ordinary people can undergo a drastic change in just one generation." Justinian bowed, responding with trepidation.
"They will understand me. I made such a choice entirely out of helplessness, and moreover, it was a necessary sacrifice." Manuel responded to him with righteous indignation, "The actions of a monarch are, in the final analysis, very simple. My doing such a thing was ultimately for the country and its people." At this moment, his handsome face, now with a short beard, was full of resolve, and he clenched his right fist, placing it on his left shoulder to signify his determination at the time.
Yes, it was a necessary sacrifice! Thinking of the order he had just given today, he repeated these words to himself once more in his heart.