In Ark Simulator, why do I always get a tough start?

Chapter 41 Victoria's Appeasement

Unlike Casimir, who sensed the tense atmosphere of an impending storm.

On this day, the Shi Tongling Tower was filled with noise and arguments.

However, the dispute did not arise from discussions of political affairs...

"Hurry up and get that tyrant Qi out here!"

Inside the tower, the Black and White Queen... no, the Black and White Maids, after being imprisoned for three months, finally faced the next step in Chen Qi's taming of them.

The black maid Hildegard's cheeks flushed red with embarrassment and anger as she glared at the maid outfits that Chen Qi had "carefully designed" for them.

As former empresses, the black and white twins naturally knew about the maid.

In the mansions of various nobles, one can always see the figures of maids dressed in Victorian-era clothing, accompanying their masters.

However, Hildegard can guarantee that the clothes Chen Qi gives them will definitely not be in the Victorian style!
Not only was the length of the skirts significantly reduced, but Chen Qi also paired them with two different styles of maid outfits, one black and one white, to match their color schemes.

What Hildegard found even more intolerable was the black pantyhose that she wore with her black maid outfit.

What a blasphemy and insult!

Of course, this is a matter of Hildergard's limited knowledge. In the Eastern Kingdom, on the other side of Terra, they have already modified Victoria's maid dresses into this style.

Unfortunately, due to the extremely poor communication on Terra, the Black and White Twins were obviously unaware of these things.

Moreover, even if they knew, it wouldn't change the fact that Chen Qi deliberately humiliated them.

"Qi, if you're even a man, just kill me already! Don't insult me ​​like this!"

"—Shut your stinking mouth, former Empress."

However, inside the room, the person Chen Qi had arranged to supervise the Black and White Twins as they changed their clothes was none other than Gertrude.

However, Gertrude, who was initially very interested in humiliating the two empresses, immediately turned cold after hearing Hildergard's disrespectful remarks.

"It seems that after three months of imprisonment, your minds haven't improved at all."

Gertrude stared coldly at the black and white twins, and said, word by word:
"Leytania no longer belongs to you, much less to those nobles."

"In Letania today, everyone has only one sky above them, and that is our Emperor, Qi!"

"No one can save you now. The only reason you are alive is because His Majesty wants you to live."

"Take my advice, Your Majesties, don't be ungrateful."

A mischievous smile crept across Gertrude's face as she said with a faint laugh:

"My dearest Majesty is a genius at taking lives, but he doesn't quite know how to make people wish they were dead."

"But fortunately, this is exactly what I'm good at."

"Believe me, I have 108 ways to torture you so badly that you wish you were dead. If it weren't for His Majesty's mercy, you wouldn't be living so comfortably."

“Now, you can live comfortably by suffering only a little humiliation. You should thank His Majesty.”

Having said that, Gertrude casually tossed the two maid outfits in her hand to the black and white twins, and never looked at the two queens who were oblivious to the situation again.

However, before leaving, she explained the purpose of her visit to the Black and White Twins.

"After you change your clothes, the Golden Law Guards will escort you to the meeting hall, where His Majesty holds discussions."

"Once you arrive, don't say anything or ask any questions."

"Your only task is to stand behind His Majesty and serve him well."

Hildegard glared at Gertrude's departing figure until the door closed again, at which point she finally stood up, unable to bear it any longer.

"This remnant of the Witch King!"

Outside, Gertrude, listening to Hildergard's furious roar, revealed a hint of disdain.

The Witch King?

That old fellow who relied on his own strength but couldn't gain even a shred of benefit for Letania, and couldn't even stop Syracuse's independence.

What right does he have to try and provoke the greatest emperor in her heart?

However, the black and white twins had no idea what Gertrude was thinking.

After Hildergard gradually calmed down, Liselotte, the white maid who had remained silent until now, finally spoke calmly:

"...Actually, I think Gertrude is right."

"Varied--"

Hildegard was so surprised that her sister would support Chen Qi that she turned her head sharply.

Although she was imprisoned for three months, Liselotte was not cut off from the outside world and was well aware of Chen Qi's heroic deeds during this time.

“In these three months, Qi has completed the reform of Letania from the inside out. The nobles can no longer make any waves, and all power is under his control.”

“Hildegard, in this situation, whether we acknowledge it or not, he is the true emperor of Letania.”

"And he was probably the most powerful emperor in the history of Letania."

Hildegard nodded silently.

Although she loathed Chen Qi, she had to admit that Chen Qi had accomplished a feat that neither they, nor even the Witch King, had achieved.

All of Letania's power is concentrated in his hands, and now that their power is sealed, they have no chance of resisting.

“Hildegard, you’ve seen what happened to those nobles.”

"Qi is now all-powerful in Letania. Nobles pose no threat to him anymore. He can kill whoever he wants with just a word."

"But why did he insist on letting us live?"

"...You mean, he needs our strength?"

Liselotte's hints had reached a point where even Hildegard understood her unspoken meaning.

"Yes."

Lizero nodded and said calmly:
"After the reforms, the next step is to take action against foreign countries."

"You know that he recently asked Victoria for the mobile city he was entitled to during the Four Emperors War."

"Victoria is a formidable opponent."

"Qi's probing will surely anger the eight dukes of Victoria."

"And he has just completed the internal cleanup, and Letania is in a weakened state."

"Therefore, he must need strong individuals like you and me, who can be manipulated by him, to fight against Victoria's army and steam knights."

"Otherwise, given our current status as slaves, why would he allow us to sit in on government affairs?"

"...You always think further ahead than I do."

With Liselotte's comforting words, Hildergard's initial resentment subsided somewhat.

However, looking at the maid outfit in her hands, Hildergard's expression became even more conflicted.

"But this outfit is still too..."

"...Bear with it, Hildergard."

Liselotte knew her sister's temperament all too well. Although she was equally embarrassed, reason told her that she had no choice but to accept it.

After all, if Chen Qi wanted to, he could completely force them to do whatever they wanted.

In the end, the result remains the same.

"Our initial goal was to make Letania a better place, wasn't it?"

"Since we are powerless to resist now, we can only submit to Chen Qi's rule, assist him as much as possible, and prevent Letania from getting bogged down in war."

"Everything starts from zero."

"This might allow us to make amends for our past mistakes and find what we lacked: 'humanity'."

"..."

Ultimately, it was perhaps Liselotte's persuasion that had an effect.

Hildegard silently removed the military uniform she had worn for three months, revealing her delicate yet scarred skin.

But as Liselotte looked at her simple-minded sister, a deeper thought was hidden in her heart.

Now, only by getting close to Chen Qi can they regain access to power.

During Chen Qi's reign, it was absolutely impossible for them to regain the pinnacle of power.

But what if he dies on this dangerous journey?
Knowing that Chen Qi wanted to win over the two sisters, Liselotte already had a new plan in mind.

During the time that Qi ruled Letania, she and Hildegard would certainly do their utmost to assist him.

But as long as Qi dies.

Once freed from their constraints and regaining their power, they will have the opportunity to reclaim the power they lost.

The only difficulty in this plan is that the two sisters must work together.

After all, if either of the two sisters were to be won over by Chen Qi during this process and fight wholeheartedly for him...

Therefore, the remaining person would absolutely not be able to suppress all the opponents and regain the throne by relying solely on his own strength.

But this is the last thing Liselotte needs to worry about.

After all, they were sisters created together. And Hildegard harbored such deep-seated hatred for Qi.

How could she possibly betray me?

With this in mind, Liselotte no longer hesitated. Looking at her white maid outfit, she took off her clothes without any hesitation.

……

"Da da da."

"Your Majesty, I have brought your two maids with me. May they be allowed to enter?"

"Yes, let them in."

After Chen Qi finished speaking, the black and white twins, who had changed into maid outfits, entered the room with Jin Lufa, the law guard who was leading the way behind them, despite the strange looks and secret laughter.

However, as soon as the black and white twins entered the room, they found that the atmosphere here was unusual.

Chen Qi, Gertrude, and Mace, who was silently wiping his greatsword, were all present.

In front of Chen Qi was a woman named Felin (cat) wearing an eye patch and a dashing military uniform, exuding an imposing aura.

Coincidentally, both the black-and-white twins and the woman with film knew each other's identities.

"The Duke of Windermere of Victoria?"

"The Gemini Queens... I really couldn't have imagined it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes."

However, Windermere, one of the eight dukes of Victoria, looked at the two once invincible queens before him, now reduced to such a state, and a look of disbelief flashed in his only remaining eye.

But soon, Windermere's gaze shifted from the two who were no longer of any value back to Chen Qi.

"His Majesty the Emperor is truly a man of great courage. Such a feat would certainly be impossible in Victoria."

A feat? Does it refer to enslaving the former empress?
Windermere's seemingly polite but actually sarcastic words fueled Hildergard's already embarrassed anger.

"You flatter me, Duke Windermere."

Chen Qi, who had become emperor, calmly accepted the duke Victoria's divisive words.

"I was merely imitating the Victorian people's feat of putting the Emperor on the gallows."

"I was fortunate enough to ascend the throne, thanks to our nine electors, who are as loyal as the eight dukes and advance together with us."

"Otherwise, I might not have had this opportunity."

Advancing side by side?

Does this mean that when Emperor Victoria was put on the gallows, the eight dukes, each with their own armies, ignored the emperor's pleas for help?

Chen Qi's calm retort not only made Windermere's face darken immediately, but also almost made the others in the room unable to suppress their laughter.

"Alright, let's get down to business, Your Majesty."

However, Windermere was well aware of the difference in status between himself and Chen Qi, and did not dare to make a scene.

As the representative pushed forward by the other dukes to negotiate, she quickly regained control of her emotions.

"The eight dukes have held discussions regarding the redistribution of the war spoils from the Four Emperors War."

Sure enough, Victoria's representative was here because of this matter.

The black and white twins standing next to Chen Qi had heard this topic they had expected, and they all perked up their ears.

In their eyes, it was simply impossible for Victoria to spit out the land she had already taken.

Especially now that Letania is in dire need of rebuilding, Victoria, as an old empire, is even less likely to choose to compromise.

As they anticipated, this move would inevitably anger Victoria.

This could even ignite a war between Letania and Victoria!

Thus, Qi, who ignited a war so soon after taking office, would inevitably be condemned by the people.

At that time, Qi will definitely need their strength on the battlefield.

Their influence will inevitably be rebuilt among the military and the general public.

Gemini seems to have already seen that the future of regaining their freedom is not far away!

But just as the black and white twins were brainstorming, Duke Windermere, after taking a deep breath, said calmly to Chen Qi:
"We are willing to cooperate."

"In the mobile cities selected by His Majesty, their ownership will be reaffirmed through a referendum."

"……what?"

No, ladies?
You just agreed to it like that?

For a moment, both Liselotte and Hildergard, the two former Queens of Letania, were stunned by Duke Windermere's words.

How can this be?

Qi didn't even have time to threaten war, nor did he even set up his army.

Why would Victoria, a powerful and established empire, voluntarily relinquish the territories it had acquired?
When did Victoria become so easy to talk to?
What are they thinking?!

For a moment, countless questions echoed in the minds of the black and white twins.

So much so that they didn't notice that Chen Qi, who was beside them, didn't show the slightest surprise from beginning to end.

All of this was within your expectations.

The mobile cities you selected were all cities that were once conquered by Victoria and forcibly incorporated into Victorian territory; they originally belonged to Gaul.

[And because of Victoria's long-standing rejection and persecution of the Gauls.]

These mobile cities, originally belonging to Gaul, experienced no development over the years; instead, they suffered significant economic suppression.

Therefore, the resistance of the Gallic remnants against the Victorians remained very strong.

The repeated repressions gradually eroded the patience of Victoria's eight dukes towards the Gauls.

Meanwhile, the eight dukes' own ulterior motives further increase your chances of success.

The eight dukes all hoped to weaken each other's strength by any means possible.

The mobile cities you selected all fall within the sphere of influence of the Duke of Fife, one of the eight great dukes.

The other seven dukes naturally cooperated wholeheartedly, seizing this opportunity to legitimately weaken their rivals' power and prestige.

Therefore, from the moment you made this proposal to the eight dukes of Victoria, you already foresaw this outcome.

You will surely reclaim the war spoils that Letania deserves without shedding a drop of blood.

"However, we cannot forcibly interfere with the wishes of the Gallic people."

Duke Windermere smiled and reminded Chen Qi:
"Therefore, whether the Gallic people are willing to submit to Your Majesty's Letania is entirely up to Your Majesty."

"We hope Your Majesty will keep your promise and the agreement we signed."

"—There's no need for you dukes to worry about that."

Chen Qi, who had already prepared a countermeasure, simply responded with a calm smile.

"Whether these mobile cities are willing to join Letania or not, I will abide by the agreement with Victoria."

"Please rest assured, Your Graces, Letania has never and will never disrupt the peace."

“Once we have received our due dividends, we will have no further territorial claims on Victoria.”

Hildegard, standing to the side, listened to Chen Qi's flawless answer, but for some reason, a strange feeling arose in her heart.

She felt she had caught a hint of something unspoken in Chen Qi's words.

There are no other territorial claims... This agreement seems to be something that can only be observed during peacetime between the two countries.

However, once the two countries go to war, territorial claims cannot be bound by a single agreement.

However, upon realizing the implications behind Chen Qi's words, Hildergard almost immediately shook her head and abandoned her dangerous idea.

To wage war against Victoria and attempt to seize their territory?

How can this be?

No country on this land can do this.

But the more Hildegarde denied it, the stranger Chen Qi's calm smile seemed to her.

What exactly is going on in this dangerous man's head?
However, Duke Windermere, who was negotiating with Chen Qi, clearly did not realize the hidden meaning behind Chen Qi's words.

Windermere even felt that this ruthless descendant of the Witch King, known as the Iron-Blooded King, did not seem as brutal and terrifying as his father.

He was not only polite, but also seemed like a king who knew when to stop and kept his promises.

He probably only made this proposal because he was dissatisfied with the outcome of the Four Emperors' battle, right?

As long as his needs are met, so that he can give an explanation to the people of Letania.

They can probably control this new emperor.

Holding onto this slightly dismissive feeling, Windermere didn't think much of it and extended his friendly hand with a smile.

"Then, Your Majesty the Emperor."

"Congratulations on the eternal alliance between our two countries."

Chapter Two Today
I'm almost at 20 words! Please give me your continued support, dear readers!
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(End of this chapter)