Chapter 942: Act 115 – The Dark Dragon and the Queen of the Empire
The subsequent discussion became lengthy and meaningless; the secret letter was filled with speculations lacking concrete evidence. Even the nobles present could hardly believe that the Empire’s Chancellor was the traitor—though they knew someone had betrayed the interests of the Empire, Anziluwa’s occupation and the precise judgment of the Jotungrund people spoke volumes. Especially in today’s fragile southern Empire, Her Majesty the Queen could hardly convict such a high-ranking, sensitive figure lightly. Some speculated it might be a scheme to sow discord, while others, with a sense of mischief, relished the idea—mostly those who had grudges against the Empire’s Chancellor.
Regardless of the reason, such matters inevitably reminded people of the recent rumors surrounding Duke Helix, starting with Duke Flowerleaf, followed by the Chancellor; who would be next?
Everyone secretly sensed an invisible hand stirring trouble behind the scenes, but who that person was remained a topic of speculation.
Her Majesty the Queen also furrowed her brow, seemingly sensing a threat from these two matters.
In any case, due to this unexpected secret letter, the day’s tea party ended on an unhappy note. Nevertheless, Her Majesty ultimately did not voice her opinion, and the nobles could not help but speculate on who might be in trouble next. It seemed the Queen still trusted the Chancellor greatly, indicating that those who acted against him would likely run into misfortune, or that there would be some other twist. Everyone harbored a sense of watching a drama unfold, and without a doubt, the events of the day left each person plenty of room for imagination.
However, few knew that after her subjects—especially Young Nidwen—departed, the Silver Queen’s tightly furrowed brows relaxed, as if her mood had returned to its original state. Perhaps what had previously appeared to be a mere façade, she watched the retreating figures of her ministers and chuckled softly.
This supreme lady stood under the archway of the parlor, looking out at the rose garden, her gaze even drifting beyond the gates of the Holy Contipal Palace, appearing somewhat unfocused.
“Very well, let’s create some trouble for them. Poor old Varla, I hope you don’t notice this direction too soon,” Constance murmured to herself. “Unfortunately, time is tight. How I wish I had realized this sooner… the Duke of Flowerleaf, Duke Helix. I hope that fool Rodney doesn’t make any mistakes. The mountains of Alkaisi—I haven’t seen them in nearly forty years. Those sharp cliffs above the ice and snow have not faded a bit in my memory.”
“Darus, did you see—”
Her Majesty stood quietly by the window, slightly raising her chin as if addressing an invisible audience.
“I’ve heard that’s your grandson; what a pity I no longer have time to see your descendants. The Sword of Earth will ultimately fall into his hands; perhaps this is the affirmation from Lady Martha in the grand scheme of things. I can only hope Gwenethlyn and the others find him soon. Darus, I believe you can understand my choice at this moment.”
The hall fell silent, the whispers carried by the wind through the courtyard’s trees neither affirming nor denying, but the Silver Queen seemed to already know the answer.
She cast one last glance at the holy palace of the Crusian people and resolutely turned away, not casting another glance at the ministers outside the gates of the Holy Contipal Palace.
It was time to seek that answer.
The royal coach had long been prepared.
……
Inside the Autumn Hazelnut Manor, counting the days on her fingers, Xi realized she had been under house arrest in this castle outside Rustra for nearly two months. The scenery around the Bankel area had also transitioned from autumn evenings into deep winter. Although it hadn’t snowed yet in the lands south of the Iron Thistle Mountains, the increasingly chilly temperatures and the growing number of winter coats indicated the change of seasons.
Some time ago, specifically a month before, news from Rustra could still accurately reach the castle. However, with Anziluwa’s tense situation in southern Empire, the atmosphere in the capital tightened day by day. Recently, rumors surfaced about Duke Helix betraying the Empire and the Chancellor’s alleged collusion. Though such rumors seemed far-fetched to some extent, every resident of the capital could feel one thing tangibly.
The vigilance of the guards and patrols stationed in the capital had evidently increased compared to the past. According to the recollections of older generations, this had only been seen sixty years ago, bringing an atmosphere of war typical of that era; everyone began to feel uneasy.
This was equally true for the maids within the manor.
Recently, Bertha had decreased her outings; after all, during such times, the city would become particularly unrestful, with some taking advantage of the chaos to stir up trouble, especially since the atmosphere in Rustra had grown tense. Ordinary people were also wary of being caught up in the unfathomable whirlpool. Consequently, due to various reasons, news from outside gradually became isolated within the manor. Information about the war in Anziluwa had grown scarcer, and people began to care more about whether the Empire would lose Anzeruta rather than the safety of the Earl from Erluin.
Furthermore, news concerning Brendel had become even scarcer.
In fact, since the fall of Gravel Town, there had been no further discussion about this Earl.
For Bertha and others, the only consolation was that their female Earl was still convinced that the legendary Duke Toniger was safe; otherwise, they would not know how to comfort her. Privately, they believed that the unfortunate Earl had likely met his end in Anziluwa.
That day, Bertha was hanging clothes on the manor’s balcony as usual when she suddenly saw a coach gliding ghost-like through the woods. As soon as she recognized the crest on the carriage, she gasped and hurriedly stumbled down from the third-floor castle to the hall on the first floor. However, when she pushed open the heavy wooden door of the hall to alert the manor’s nominal owner about the arrival, she instinctively closed her mouth cautiously.
There were not only her familiar ladies in the hall.
In fact, the peasant maids were currently standing nervously in two rows behind Xi, while in front of the lady Earl stood another woman. Rarely in the Empire did anyone dare to regard her purely as a woman; the Silver Queen stood before this peasant girl, accompanied only by her coachman and attendant. The coachman waited outside the manor, and the attendant obeyed her command to stand outside, meaning that at this moment, the supreme ruler of the Empire was facing Xi alone.
The peasant girls were not worried that their Earl would say something unpleasant; instead, they feared she might suddenly attack Her Majesty the Queen and kill her right there, which was a notable past incident, although it was hard to believe that this Queen had not pursued any accountability for that.
This was the first time in two months that Constance had personally come to see Xi.
“I believe you understand my purpose for coming here today,” the Silver Queen said, cutting to the chase without beating around the bush, her gaze fixated on Xi’s eyes. “Today, I need your answer.”
But this did not stir Xi in the slightest.
The peasant girl pressed her lips together, glaring fiercely at the Queen. If possible, she would have stabbed her like she did last time, but this time she found herself unable to summon the Azure Spear. Just moments ago, Avina had warned her to be cautious and protect herself, as the owner of the Azure Spear must take responsibility for her; she must never die meaninglessly in this damned place. Those were the lady’s exact words, but Xi always felt there was something omitted.
“Do you think you can threaten me into silence? You’ve forgotten what I said last time; for your sake, I would unhesitatingly declare war against any faction in this world, no matter if it’s Erluin or the Bud people. You should clearly understand my determination and that it’s best not to provoke me. Killing your lord would be no more difficult than squashing a bug, little girl,” Constance replied blandly.
Hearing this, Xi shivered slightly—not from fear, but from rage. The Queen clearly saw the fiery anger bubbling up in the peasant girl’s eyes.
She didn’t speak, but if the fire in her eyes could convey her thoughts, Constance felt she’d already been burned to death countless times.
Constance had evidently anticipated such a reaction.
She sighed softly. “Foolish child.”
“You must think I must stand against you, but have you considered that I am the emperor of the Empire, while your lord is merely a small earl from Erluin? There’s no conflict between us apart from your allegiance. In fact, I can even help him rise to power if he submits to me. If you serve me, what difference does it make compared to serving him?”
Her Majesty spoke in an unusually gentle tone, causing Bertha and the others nearby to almost doubt their ears. Their immediate reaction was to look at their Earl in astonishment, wondering what kind of divine being this lady was; was she perhaps the Queen’s illegitimate daughter?
Of course, this treasonous thought was one they only dared to entertain fleetingly in their minds before hastily dismissing it, as merely harboring such notions seemed enough to lead one to the gallows.
Fortunately, the Silver Queen did not seem to possess mind-reading abilities, as she could not discern the peculiar rebellious thoughts swirling in the maids’ minds. After saying this, she awaited Xi’s response. Today, the Silver Queen appeared more confident than before, showing no worry that the peasant girl would reject her.
Xi’s eyes moved slightly but were still filled with deep suspicion as she stared at her.
“Do you not believe me?” Constance asked somewhat ungraciously, yet the stubborn girl, as solid as stone, made her feel a bit defeated. Whether with persuasive speech or steadfast resolution, she could usually find a solution. But Xi met her perfectly aligned with her identity as the daughter of peasants—her silent skepticism made the Queen feel as if she faced a farmer’s daughter from Ludwig or Metz, entirely blind yet obstinately stubborn.
Xi remained silent, but that already represented her stance.
In the past, the Silver Queen would likely leave in displeasure, but today she signaled to the maids, beckoning them to retreat in fear and trembling. Once everyone had left, Her Majesty finally spoke, “I know you don’t believe me, but my time is limited. I only want to make clear that both your lord and I are of the same kind.”
“You think I don’t understand him?” Constance looked at Xi, her voice imbued with condescending superiority. “You’re mistaken, little girl; I know him better than you do. I know who he is.”
“You’re the daughter of a peasant, so you must have heard about the legends of the forest, right?” She didn’t give Xi a chance to rebut, swiftly following up with another question.
In response to this question, Xi remained silent again.
But the Silver Queen did not require an answer from the girl, for she was aware that legends of the mountains were passed down through generations. Although they roamed the mountains, the ancient traditions continued to endure.
“Then you should understand that in the legends of the Black Forest, the lineage of the peasants flows with noble blood, part of which even originates from before the Saint’s War. The Dark Dragon ruled over the Minren Empire, yet the Druids likewise submitted to him. In fact, far more so than that—the Hallowed Temple of Earth and the Lionmen, weren’t they the same? That eternal monarch has another followers, the peasants.”
Constance smiled slightly. “Your loyalty to your lord is not merely innocent girlhood affection; you’ve known his identity since the moment he gave you the golden apple—”
“Only the sages and holy monarchs receive apples from fairies.”
“He possesses the legacy of the Dark Dragon.”
The Silver Queen softly uttered this proclamation.
The peasant girl suddenly raised her head, staring fiercely at her as if jolted by electricity. Her overly aggressive reaction startled Constance, and she paused momentarily, soon realizing that the girl was questioning whether her supreme lord would come to harm from her. At that moment, the Queen couldn’t help but find it both amusing and distressing; she had seen many one-track-minded individuals, but this girl’s unwavering stubbornness was unprecedented. Constance couldn’t help but feel a bit regretful, thinking how she wished she had encountered this naive girl sooner.
With an internal grumble against Brendel, she extended her right hand, showing Xi the serpentine ring on her index finger.
Xi watched the ring warily.
Having been alongside Brendel for so long, she naturally recognized the meaning of that ring.
“Don’t worry; I’m not showing you my identity. This ring is of little significance to me; the Everything Returns Society, with their claims of being a tight-knit organization, seems nothing to me,” the Queen gently removed the ring and tossed it aside, treating the object of immense significance to the Everything Returns Society’s adherents as if it were garbage, letting it clang and fall into the dark corner, hardly sparing it a glance. “I merely want to tell you how I know your lord’s secret; I know even more. To me, there are no secrets about Erluin. I even know his connection to Amann’s death.”
She chuckled lightly. “The Everything Returns Society’s infiltration into the Temple of Fire suffered a great loss due to your lord’s involvement. I’ve kept your secret for so long; I think you should also return some favor.”
But Xi looked up at Her Majesty, then bowed her head once more, stubbornly shaking it again.
“Do you think I’m lying?”
“I’m with my lord simply because he is my lord.” In an unprecedented response, the peasant girl answered, “My lord has never abandoned me, and I will never leave him.”
“What a foolish child,” Constance seemed momentarily taken aback. “What could he possess that captivates you so much?”
She sighed, softly responding, “Very well, you’re truly a stubborn girl. Then Xi, do you truly understand what your lord’s intentions are? What he aims to achieve? You should realize that he is different from each one of you; he is far ahead of you. Do you think you can keep pace with him with your current self?”
For the first time, there was a slight shift in Xi’s expression.
“Do you understand?” The Silver Queen smiled softly. “I told you, your lord and I are of the same kind because both he and I understand the nature of this world and are not deceived by the myths and legends of the past millennia—Xi, you’ve seen those indulged nobles outside, and you’ve been with your lord dealing with cultists, so you should understand the lurking threats beneath the superficial opulence of this world. Do you think that people like he and I, who can comprehend this, would covet mundane power? That is merely the misguided notion of the shortsighted.”
As she spoke, she extended her hand toward the peasant girl.
“Come, Xi, let me show you what your lord and I are doing; you will understand that helping me is also helping him. Though his actions lack purpose, I know precisely what I want to do—”
Constance fixed her gaze on Xi’s eyes and continued:
“Remember what I told you; you cannot kill me, nor would I die at your hands, and you will soon understand why.”
“The Azure Spear stands by my side, Xi.”
“You won’t regret it.”
The peasant girl stood there stunned, watching as the Empire’s supreme authority extended her hand toward her, her heart wavering slightly.
At that very moment, she heard a clear voice in her mind.
“Don’t trust her, Xi.”
That was Avina’s voice.
