Unseating Margolin certainly would be easier if he could have been implicated in Ikithon's crimes as well, with the certainty that he was fully aware of them and likely picking likely candidates to refer for the Volstrucker program himself. But Astrid and Wulf, who would know, could not be convinced to speak a word about anyone but Ikithon himself, and Caleb has only his suspicions. His position on the Assembly and as Headmaster is also inherited from his father, which entrenches him even more deeply. This is a matter the Cobalt Soul taskforce Caleb belongs to has discussed at length, and it has become still more frustrating since he began working under the man.

There is a soft snort under Caleb's breath when he says, "Ah, no. I am well aware of the Martinet's intentions." He is already the most influential figure in the Empire barring the king himself, yet maintaining that sort of power requires keeping a careful stranglehold on each and every avenue where someone could perceivably disrupt it. Da'leth has had centuries to perfect his technique, but Ikithon's ousting and public disgrace has loosened what had previously been an ironclad hold. Caleb and those he works with at the Soul are quite determined to unravel that wide-reaching net of his. Strand by strand if they must. He is prepared to do this work for the rest of his life.

But Yussa doesn't need to hear about that. What is relevant is, "I expect this move means I will be watched even more carefully than I am already. They cannot have a radical such as myself influencing our next generation of young wizards unchecked." He is slicing beets carefully on a relatively new-looking cutting board as he speaks. The juice stains his fingers red-purple.

"Da'leth also correctly suspects that my friends and I are not content to stop at Ikithon when it comes to excising the corruption in this country, beginning with dismantling the Assembly entirely."