Miss Wang Weina, even your cousin won't do!

"Mr. Wenat?"

Sir Wernart turned around, gave Wayne a perfectly proper aristocratic bow, and replied:

"It is I, Your Highness."

“You’re alright,” Wayne breathed a sigh of relief, the only good news he’d heard in days. “I saw the terrible state of downtown Hillshire and Mr. Kanter in the report McMartin sent back to Londinium. I thought you were… I’m so glad you’re alright.”

“No, Your Highness,” Wenat said earnestly, “Regarding this matter, please allow me to report an important piece of information to you. May I speak with you in private?”

Wayne blinked, turned his head and said, "Theresia, you come with me. Kal'tsit, settle Warfarin and the others in. Also, explain why we're here and what happened with the Lontinim reinforcements last night. You know what I mean."

Wayne winked at Kal'tsit, who rolled her eyes, ignored him, and looked away as if she hadn't seen him. Just as Wayne turned back, somewhat disappointed, she smiled again and gave him a light wink in return. While Wayne was still stunned, she tilted her head back and walked forward to Hamilton, saying:

"Colonel, I presume you've heard His Highness the Prince's orders? Shall we turn back now?"

Hamilton glanced at the forest with some hesitation: "But the forest hasn't been investigated yet, and the deep pool may still be lurking there, which is detrimental to Hillshire. If we drag it out until night, we'll be at a disadvantage again, with the enemy in the dark and us in the light."

Kal'tsit shook her head slightly, confidently denying, "No, please don't worry about that. His Highness the Prince has naturally considered the difficulties of the Imperial soldiers. The issue of the deep pool in the dense forest has already been resolved."

"Solved?" Hamilton exclaimed incredulously.

The Deeppool rebels, known as the Ghost Army, had troubled him for many days and put the garrison in Hillsshire in a desperate dilemma. They were only worth a brief and dismissive resolution by Kal'tsit.

Hamilton felt a sense of unreality. He knew that his men, who were barely human, were worlds apart from the real Royal Army, but the enormous difference still made him feel a pang of fear. After the fear subsided, a sense of pride welled up inside him.

Just as he said, once the Royal Army's heavenly troops arrived, the Deep Pool rebels were nothing but clay chickens and earthen dogs, and their only path was annihilation in an instant.

But there was still one thing he didn't understand.

"But when was it? Could it be related to the strange events last night?"

Kelsey glanced at Hamilton and replied earnestly:

“There are some things that a dutiful garrison commander should not inquire about or know.”

Hamilton broke out in a cold sweat, quickly lowered his head, and echoed, "What you say makes perfect sense."

Kal'tsit nodded. It wasn't that she was being stingy with her words; the Tower of Babel was a secret organization solely belonging to Wayne and Theresa. Broadly speaking, those within this organization belonged to Wayne and Theresa. Hamilton, as a soldier who was currently and unlikely to be involved with the Tower of Babel in the future, naturally shouldn't know of its existence. Secondly, Wayne had always harbored reservations about Hamilton; more precisely, the Victorian high command, led by Wayne, had always held a certain degree of hostility towards staunch conservatives like Hamilton.

Imperial decrees originate from the palace in Londinium, are discussed and passed by Parliament, and promulgated to the counties and colonies. However, Terra's inherent uniqueness and the mobile city-state structure mean that this world cannot achieve complete centralization, at least not with current productivity. Unless someone invents a time-delayed portal between cities, this is impossible. This has led to persistent regional separatism throughout the Empire. Since the reign of the King of the North, Wayne has purged the nobility three times: from the economic forces of Lancaster, to the political forces of the Royalists of the North, and finally to the military forces of the Dukes of Normandy. These three large-scale purges nearly wiped out the highest levels of government, business, and military leadership of the Victorian era. Even so, they only brought the rampant aristocratic separatism to a low ebb, never truly eradicating it.

While the Deeppool Rebellion was easy to quell, Vain's objective was not limited to that. According to Unicorn's investigation, the Deeppool Rebellion was not only instigated and aided by certain treacherous individuals from Letania, Sargon, or Bolivar, but also stemmed from within, from the nobles' backlash against Vain's numerous reforms.

The Aslan royal family now consists of only two people. Vina holds great power, yet she shows no awareness of the need to tolerate others sleeping soundly beside her. She even seems to have a tendency to want to share a bed with Wayne. The possibility of her deposing Wayne and abolishing the reforms is really low. Therefore, those with ulterior motives have turned their attention to another race that is qualified to inherit the Victorian throne.

If things succeed, they will be loyal subjects who helped establish the dynasty, and they can rightfully demand rewards and the removal of the chains that have been imposed on them. If things fail, at least they can throw Victoria into chaos, and once the situation is in turmoil, their opportunities will come one after another.

Some people had this in mind, but they never expected that Wayne would be one step ahead of them and intend to take things to the extreme. When Wayne announced the abrogation of the sacred treaty, a large number of opportunists were finally driven to a dead end. It was precisely because they knew that if they did not rebel now, they would have no chance to rebel once Wayne officially abolished the treaty that the Deeppool Rebellion took center stage in Victoria's history in such a chaotic manner under such unprepared circumstances.

This is a struggle, a protracted struggle. The opponent Wayne, seated at the chessboard, has shifted from a scheming schemer or a group of self-serving individuals to the very nation he relies on: "Victoria." He must fight against the nation's traditions, the people's beliefs, and certain established rules. When the enemy becomes his most familiar self, the true challenge confronts Wayne.

Kal'tsit wasn't fully aware of what Vayne was facing, but as Vayne's kin and staunch ally, she would do everything in her power to preserve Vayne's strength. In this game, the Tower of Babel would be a trump card for Vayne. While it might not seem significant at the moment, given the right opportunity, even a soldier could be promoted to a checkmate. She naturally wouldn't reveal this to someone like Hamilton.

Before leading Warfarin and Closure away with Hamilton, Kal'tsit turned back and took a long look at Wayne and Theresa's retreating figures.

Once, only Theresa was the figure she needed to look back at like that; but now, there were two. They walked side by side, and she followed behind. As the one silently supporting them, Kal'tsit lowered her head helplessly, a meaningful smile playing on her lips.

Should I cry or laugh?

As an immortal being, I am quite greedy. Simply watching you radiate light is not enough. I also want you to shower your light upon me.

"Kal'tsit, see you later!"

Wayne waved to Kal'tsit. Kal'tsit looked up, revealing her characteristic reserved yet warm smile.

"It's okay, I have plenty of time, I'll wait for you."

written request for leave

It's the end of the month, and there's really no reason, but I just noticed I have a leave slip that I haven't used yet, and I haven't had a day off, so I'm thinking of leaving it there for a day.

I was feeling down at the end of the month, so I just spent the day out and took the train home. I'll write more tomorrow.

Tonight, my roommates and I are having barbecue and playing board games. See you tomorrow!

I felt really down at the end of the month, so I touched it.

Chapter Twenty-Two: Where Did You See the Reeds?

“It’s a pleasure to see you still alive, Mr. Wenat.”

Wayne said sincerely again. Although Victoria is not exactly in dire straits, it is not exactly rock-solid either. At this time, Wayne does not want to let any capable patriot slip by.

Wenat smiled, and for some reason, Wayne saw a hint of pride in that smile.

In Wenat's mind, his survival was purely a matter of luck. If he had been the first to react and rush into the room, if he hadn't blown himself up due to a spell error that prevented Mandra from reacting in time, and if Prince Reed and Prince Wayne hadn't had that connection, he would probably be hanging on a statue in Little Hillshire by now.

However, even though this life was a lucky find, a lucky find is still a life. I should tell Prince Wayne everything I know. Even if it can turn the tide of the battle and save Victoria, it can at least save the girl who is being held hostage between the two camps and struggling to survive.

“Your Highness Wayne, I am also very pleased to have this opportunity to see you in person again. Lord Arthur often admonishes every Dorian who participates in the work of the Council that the stability of the Empire depends on the Empress’s benevolence, but the development of the Empire depends on your wisdom.”

"Is that how they describe me?" Wayne scratched his head sheepishly. "Actually, I'm not necessarily the best one."

“But you must be the first person to do this,” Wenat said earnestly. “If it weren’t for important matters, talking to you and seeking your advice would be incredibly beneficial for me. But now, I have something more important to report to you. That’s why I’m avoiding everyone else.”

Wenat glanced at Theresa without making a sound. Theresa understood and was about to look away when Wayne shook his head to stop her:

"Theresa is not an outsider; she is my queen. No matter what important matters arise, there is no need to avoid her. This is true now, and it will be true in the future."

Venat looked at Theresa in astonishment. He wasn't unaware of Theresa's identity, but Wayne's current attitude still shocked this traditional Dorian. Opening Victoria's Secret to a Sarkaz was no small matter. Since the founding of the Aslan Dynasty, while there had been instances of empresses acting as regents and queens participating in politics—even the current emperor was an empress—allowing a foreigner to participate in politics was unprecedented.

Not to mention, this outsider is a Sarkaz. The Demon race—that's a weighty symbol.

Even Theresa looked at Wayne in surprise. Wayne had indeed told her that they couldn't keep waiting any longer, but the speed of progress still caught her off guard.

“Your Highness, isn’t this a bit inappropriate? I don’t mean to disparage the Queen, but she is, after all, a Sarkaz person, and this might subject her to criticism.”

Wayne remained calm and countered, "Whose criticism?"

"The general public, as well as the nobles in the parliament... will likely react negatively to something that has never happened before."

Wayne scoffed and retorted, "You're wrong, Mr. Wenat. The people of Victoria don't care about that. Prosperity and strength are the people's greatest demands of their nation; everything else comes second. As for the nobility..."

Wayne's face darkened: "They won't be able to keep this up for long."

The icy tone struck Sir Wernart's heart like a gavel delivering a verdict. Despite the cold winter air, fine beads of sweat dotted his forehead. He didn't know if he was included in Wayne's description of a "noble who won't last long." But he knew that if he were wise, he shouldn't dwell on this matter any longer.

Do as Wayne says!

Wenat instinctively bowed, regulated his breathing and heartbeat, and revealed the secret that had been buried in his heart for a long time:

"Your Highness, do you have a younger sister?"

Wayne nodded readily: "Yes." After saying that, he paused, thought for a moment, and then added carefully: "A watch."

Wenat continued, "And what about your adopted sister?"

Wayne's brow furrowed slowly, a suspicion forming in his mind, but he still asked knowingly, "Who are you referring to?"

Wenat took a deep breath, tightened his expression, and explained in detail:

“There has always been a rumor in Victoria that before the War of the Roses, the late emperor adopted a daughter. This mysterious adopted daughter possessed powerful Originium Arts, a bloodline as noble as a lion, a clever mind, and outstanding martial prowess. This made her the late emperor’s most beloved child, even more so than his legitimate son.”

Wayne remained silent, but Theresa noticed that his fists had clenched at some point. She gently walked to Wayne's side, took his arm, and a pure white light, like the glow of a firefly, flickered at her fingertips, transforming into a warm current that flowed into Wayne's hand, helping him calm his emotions.

Wayne wasn't actually that angry; he was just a little sentimental.

Even rumors circulate that the King of the North favors Reed far more than his own son, yet the King himself is completely unaware of this. Is this a case of being blinded by one's own situation, or simply a lack of emotional intelligence?

However, Theresa's actions still warmed his heart. The Demon King was indeed adept at manipulating people's hearts, always able to accurately make people feel warmth and happiness in the smallest details.

Wenat forced himself, who was busy with important matters, to ignore the dog food that Wayne and Theresa were stuffing into his mouth, and continued:

"But this is ultimately just a rumor, its source is untraceable, and Your Highness was the only one who came to Lentinium with the late emperor. There was no so-called adopted daughter, so as of today, this rumor has been determined to be baseless and unfounded. But... Your Highness, is it true?"

Wayne fell silent, staring at Venat as if trying to discern from his face where he had learned of this information. But it wasn't hard to figure out: Venat's survival was either due to his exceptional abilities or the intervention of someone else, and the most likely candidate was Reed.

He closed his eyes and sighed. He had a foster sister, a Drak, a secret even Vina didn't know. It wasn't that Wayne deliberately concealed it; he had planned to tell Vina after the Holy Covenant was abolished, then negotiate with Deeppool to peacefully bring his sister back to Londinium. But who could have foreseen that plans would change so drastically? In the blink of an eye, he was forced to confront Deeppool on the battlefield. Reed had also vanished without a trace.

Now, having heard about Reed from Wenat, and almost certain that Wenat had seen Reed, Wayne felt both relieved and helpless. Relieved that Reed had saved Wenat and remained on his side, not going astray. Helpless that Reed remained in the Deep Pool, still clinging to hope, while he would have to destroy the Deep Pool with the most ruthless means.

No one disturbed Wayne's silence; both Theresa and Venat were waiting for Wayne's answer.

"Where did you see the reeds?"

Wayne said.

Wenat breathed a sigh of relief and replied, "In the enemy camp at Deeppool, near Little Hill County!"

Chapter Twenty-Three: They've even raised the flag for you.

Outside Oochi County, at the temporary encampment of Deep Pool.

This was once a vacation villa built in the suburbs by a wealthy businessman. Now the businessman has disappeared, and the villa has been occupied by Deep Pool and used as a temporary base.

When not on missions, Reed often locks herself in her room, avoiding contact with everyone. The unsuspecting Deeppool members believe their leader is contemplating future plans, while the Deeppool higher-ups, aware of Reed's Stand identity, are unwilling to interact with this taciturn girl. Only occasionally, after finishing his work, Celtic will unlock the door, enter the room, and chat with Reed.

But most of the time, the Celts' mission is never truly finished. Now that war has broken out, Reed hasn't seen the Celts for days. Until today, the Celts have finally arrived in Hillshire—to take over the conquered Hillshire as planned.

"Bang bang—"

A soft knock sounded on the door, and Celtic asked in a low voice, "May I come in?"

Wei Cao sat on the bed, her gaze shifting from the entertainment program playing on a loop on television. She looked towards the bedroom door, paused for a moment, and then replied:

"Come in, sister."

Celtic pushed open the door and saw Reed sitting on the bed in her pajamas. He smiled helplessly.

"Still not up? It's almost nine o'clock. We still have tasks to complete today, so we can't slack off."

"What mission?" Reed asked, puzzled. "Isn't it your job to take over Little Hill County? I remember Ahmoni even arranged a ceremony to personally execute that Little Hill County garrison officer. The speech was already written..."

“Deeppool will burn away the decay of Victoria with flames. Before the ghosts that have returned from history, the bureaucratic government of Victoria is utterly vulnerable. We will be the liberators of all Tara people,” Celt declared. “I have memorized these words long ago. I have done this many times before, how to burn a person to ashes from the inside out with flames. But Lavshini, you have not done it yet.”

She walked to the edge of Wei Cao's bed, sat down, reached out and held Wei Cao's hand, and said earnestly:

"I hope you will do this."

“I won’t.” Reed’s answer was so decisive that Celt was momentarily stunned.