After I died, my personal maid rebelled.

With a splash, their fierce battle came to an end, and Jenny accidentally fell into the clear river.

Exhausted, she surfaced, brushed aside her soaking wet hair, and let out a long breath. She didn't want to fight anymore, and she couldn't fight anymore either. Sparring with these physical monsters was utterly pointless.

Elena reached out her hand from the shore. Jenny glanced at her silently, then used her light rope to pull Elena into the water as well, before walking ashore without looking back.

Then Jenny sat on the grass with her knees drawn up, recovering her strength while watching Elena calmly wipe the water off her face, just like a lotus emerging from the water.

"I've recently learned a lot of new things from the Duke's books," Janice said with a faint smile and a provocative expression.

"You'll behave when I finally outdo you, Elena."

"I really don't understand why someone like you would become a saint." Elena approached her, lifting her skirt and wringing it out forcefully. "Knowledge is knowledge, practice is practice. I'm watching closely. His Excellency the Duke has absolutely no practical experience, and you still believe what he writes?"

Jenny pretended to be angry and turned her head away. "Hmph, just you wait. When His Majesty the Duke recovers, you'll be in for a world of hurt."

"Still being stubborn." Elena held out her hand, a bright smile on her face. "Don't you know Oswald? If you took off your clothes in front of him, he'd definitely send a doctor to see you right away..."

Jenny glared at her, then took Alene's hand and let her pull her up.

Although I really wanted to refute it, what Elena said was probably true.

Besides, expecting too much is useless; whether we can reach the other side in this lifetime is still uncertain...

As the sun set, the two walked silently side by side back to Green Canyon City, following the trail of battle. The spring breeze dried their red and green hair, and the twilight adorned their dancing, colorful figures. As their shadows lengthened, the world seemed to expand infinitely.

Unable to resist thinking about her first life, Jenny lowered her eyes. If she hadn't met Oswald and Eleanor, where would she be now, and what would she be doing?

Am I still all alone?

The two stopped at the same time, perhaps thinking the same thing, and looked up at the migratory birds flying back over the sunset.

Home, home, the Northern Territory, my…

The brief silence was eventually broken by the sound of the city gates closing.

A look of surprise flashed across their faces, and after exchanging a smile, Eleanor and Jenny quickened their pace. From a distance, they spotted Oswald squatting on a small stool at the city gate, smoking one cigarette after another like a lonely old man.

He frowned, feigning seriousness, looked at the sky at a 45-degree angle, his tall body hunched over, exhaling smoke against the wind.

"Pfft, haha."

They both burst out laughing at the same time; this is probably what it feels like between family and friends.

No matter how powerful or respected you are in the outside world, in some people's eyes, you are just you, without needing much embellishment.

No wonder Eleanor said Oswald was cute. Putting aside his status as a duke and the heavy responsibilities he bore, Oswald was just a simple, somewhat boring man.

He stood up, waved, and tapped his pipe.

Even now, he still doesn't know why the two of them were fighting. However, when Eleanor and Jenny came to him again...

He then clearly sensed that the relationship between the three of them had undergone some positive changes.

Without spoiling the mood by prying into the girls' secrets or asking why they were trying not to laugh, Oswald cleared his throat and slowly said, "Let's eat first, then we'll return to Ice City. Count Camaro wrote that the Demon Clan wants to send an envoy to negotiate with us."

……

The one who understands you best is always your enemy.

Oswald knew all too well what wicked schemes the demons were plotting. It was simply that the human kingdoms had been quite eventful in the last two years: the undead calamity, the cursed incarnations, and various civil wars, real or imagined…

In summary, the demons wanted to observe the drama unfold while simultaneously clarifying the internal power struggles within the human kingdoms.

Coincidentally, before Count Camaro's letter arrived, Marquis Barton of the western pastoral district had already dispatched cavalry to deliver new information at breakneck speed.

Not only the demons, but the dwarven upper class also began to frequently gather intelligence on the human kingdoms.

Due to the influence of the terrain and the blockade of Starfall City, humans cannot figure out the situation of the demons, and the demons cannot find out specific information about humans.

However, secrets don't stay hidden forever. After bribing the upper echelons of the dwarves, the demons also obtained some crucial information.

Yes, the western territory of the human kingdom suffered heavy losses, the densely populated central region was ravaged by the plague, and the southern territory was also facing the threat of civil war. But unexpectedly, the northern territory was unaffected.

First, Oswald single-handedly defeated the Undying Serpent, and then Janice developed an antidote for the plague. The calamities and curses that had broken out in the Northern Territory were quickly resolved.

Even during this period, Oswald gradually centralized power, reorganized the army, and plundered countless riches and people.

As the defenders, the Northern Territory has not yet gained the ability to counterattack, but the Demon Clan, unless they go all out, should not expect to gain any advantage over the Northern Army in the short term.

The Demon Clan's act of sending an envoy was clearly a sign of their frustration. They were unable to gain any benefit from such a golden opportunity, which was unacceptable to the Demon Clan's leadership.

It's like when Cao Cao learned that Eastern Wu was in chaos, and he knew that most of them were just a bunch of scoundrels, but the Yangtze River was a natural barrier, and it was flooding during the flood season.

What to do? Just stare blankly, what else can you do?

On the carriage back to Ice City, Elena read Count Camaro's letter over and over again.

Generally speaking, both sides in a conflict will try their best to hold the negotiations on their own home ground, but the Demon Clan is acting out of character this time and actually wants to get permission for the delegation to visit Ice City.

Just in case, after careful consideration, Elena decided to first ascertain the Duke's attitude.

She asked cautiously, "Your Grace, what are your thoughts on the location for the negotiations?"

It was dark and gloomy, and the lights on the carriage flickered.

Oswald sat upright in the shadows, making it impossible to see the expression on his face.

"First, refuse to negotiate and make our stance clear. Then, send scout Xingye to Starfall City to tell Count Camaro that if the demons dare to approach the city walls again under the guise of negotiation, shoot them immediately!"

In these extraordinary times, Oswald knows that if he comes into contact with the demon emissary, Frank will definitely be provoked, and who knows what kind of conflict might arise between the Northern Territory and the Central District.

Moreover, the demons are clearly here to gather information. What kind of favorable conditions could they possibly offer for the Northern Territory?

To be frank, even the fact that a single copper coin dropped by a demon envoy in the northern territory is considered aiding the enemy is an act of aiding the enemy.

In the past, due to the development of industrialization and commercialization, countries could both conflict and cooperate. But this world...

If someone has items made by demons in their home, they'll probably be affectionately lifted up high by everyone.

"I think the demons came prepared this time." After a moment of contemplation, Elinie spoke with a solemn expression.

"The demons value pragmatism and rank based on individual strength. They rarely engage in meaningless actions. If the demons truly possess information about a new god, they will certainly use it as leverage in negotiations once they learn of your situation, Duke."