"Choose someone who isn't a part of Veil Forest Settlement's Cultivators? Don't be foolish. We can't offer an important inheritance to an outsider, let alone reveal a great secret to an outsider."
Warrior of Spring waved his hand as if berating the little bunny's proposal.
"Think about it. The Cultivators under Veiled Forest Settlement are loyal to us. It would be best for us to keep the choice of Summer's Heir within our Settlement."
"Hmm... Is it really that important? What if Summer chooses a Cultivator who isn't within your Settlement?"
"If little Summer does decide something that..."
Warrior of Spring pondered.
"Who else could I even choose? Actually, what guarantees the chance that little Summer will choose someone in time? Not only that, but what guarantees that the chosen person can succeed the inheritance to the standard of our demands?"
"Oh... I did not consider that."
Should a Spirit have the ability to blush, this pale blue bunny's fur would warm a faint crimson blush.
"Stop picking on my Guardian, Brother Spring. This idea is not completely baseless."
"Forgive me, I understand, but how exactly can we follow this idea?"
"Tell me, do you remember what the requirements are to become Summer's Heir?"
"The Heir must be one who will live a long life, one who wishes to help others prosper, one who can eat plenty of fruits, one with a hearty laugh, one who associates with warm colours... How many more do you want me to list?"
"That is enough, but other points I was looking for relate to Summer's righteous attitude, the Spirit's affinity with male Cultivators, and above all else, a desperation that wishes to prove itself."
"Yes... What are you getting at, Sister Winter?"
"I had a short conversation with Sister Autumn. We discussed the events of the Settlement and the tides, and she relayed to me her experiences with the people here, specifically that blonde man."
"Sun...? Don't tell me, Sister..."
"I heard that he seeks redemption, for whatever reason does not matter to me, but her desire crosses the border of desperation, to the point of self-destruction. Such acts could be misinterpreted as righteous and a desire to see others prosper."
"Yes, indeed, but would self-destruction not be contrary to little Summer's requirements? Also, why offer this inheritance to Junior Sun of all Cultivators?"
"He also associates with warmer colours, like that golden hair of his."
"Please stop joking, Sister..."
Chuckling lightly, Call of Winter gestured for Winter's Spirit to return, and the little bunny listened, turning back into a wisp and flowing into the sleeve it had come from.
"As I heard from Sister Autumn, this 'Sun' seeks redemption, so very desperately, to the point that he wishes for any means to do so. At the very least, he seeks redemption through fighting."
"Why don't we offer him the means to seek redemption? We offer him power, to become Heir of Summer, to become what we had built: Herald of Summer."
"From what I know, his mentality is fragile, so not only can he be easily coerced into becoming Summer's Heir, but also a pawn for us to use. We let him become the true Heir of Summer, and he will keep his mouth shut, retaining our image as he plays the role of a Summer which predates him."
Call of Winter leaned back in her seat.
Her proposal was thorough. Taking advantage of Sun at his lowest, and remedying a problem which plagued them for too long.
Warrior of Spring inwardly praised this scheme; even if it felt a little dirty, he still admired such scheming.
"However, the only problem would then lie in little Summer's opinion. If the Spirit does not choose Sun, then our plan would go to waste."
"That may be true. We do not need to reveal our plan now; we can retrieve Summer's Spirit at a later date, have him secretly inspect Sun, and judge our next course of action when we confirm whether Sun and Summer have an affinity."
"I understand... but I must ask, why exactly have you chosen Sun? I've never seen you show this must interest, let alone effort, in the ordeal surrounding little Summer."
"Hmm. I thought that it would be interesting. There is another reason, but I think that you should pay more attention to the people around you."
"What...? What is that supposed to mean?"
"Don't worry about it, you will see soon enough. So. What do you think about my proposal?"
The confused expression soon left Warrior of Spring's face.
Breathing out turbid air and sinking into his seat, Warrior of Spring conveyed the last of his concerns.
"I do not mind using Sun for our prosperity, but his loyalty is another cause of concern."
"Oh? Do explain what you mean."
"I will. Sun is not a lone Cultivator; he has a seemingly deep relationship with another Cultivator, named Dawn. In fact, she was originally the person I wanted to recruit to our expedition group, but accidentally ended up with Sun, instead."
Call of Winter chuckled lightly again, much to Warrior of Spring's confusion, but he simply ignored it and carried on.
"If Sun were to become Summer's Heir, he would need undivided devotion to us, not only to Forest Veiled Settlement, but to us Four Seasons' Cultivators."
"While I am not too sure about his relationship with Dawn, it can very well threaten any loyalty he may show us. Should Summer recognise him, and become rightfully his, Sun betraying us for this Dawn would be a terrible slap in the face."
"Should Dawn not be a variable in his loyalty, then I would have no problems allowing him to inherit Summer."
Call of Winter fell into contemplation, considering Warrior of Spring's words before speaking.
"If that is the case, then we must ensure that his devotion towards us is unrivalled. Whether that be exploiting his vulnerable mentality, or other means. I may have another ploy which we can use to ensure his devotion to us~."
"The tone of your voice, and the way you scheme, Sister, it leaves chills down my spine."
"I will gladly take that as a compliment."
...