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

When the Empire's Prime Minister, the loyal servant of the royal family, and "the Noble One" Islam Witt hurriedly pushed open the marble gates of the palace—a gate comparable in size to a small heavy truck—Emperor Fyodor sat on his throne, happily studying what he called "The Sayings of Vain," which he had acquired from who-knows-where. These inexpensive little red books had recently become quite popular in Ursus's high society. Whether they were military nobles born into military service or newly wealthy elites from capitalist backgrounds, everyone liked to keep a copy at home to demonstrate their sophistication and illustrious family learning. Depending on the price offered by the nobles, there were many different versions of this book; it was said that the thinnest version and the final version differed by almost nothing.

So many people, Wayne didn't even know if he had actually said these things, or if someone else had said them, then used Wayne's name to publish a book, turning Wayne into a Terran tree-man, and could add "he said" to any statement.

Seeing Speaker Witt panting heavily, Fyodor quickly called out to him:

"Oh, Witt, you've come at the right time. Would you like to study the latest compilation of the Prince of Wales's quotes? Some of his sharp opinions are truly thought-provoking, and his judgments on current affairs are spot on. They're worth studying."

"No, Your Majesty, that thing most likely has absolutely nothing to do with the Prince of Wales, or even with Victoria. It's just some frustrated critic or online politician attributing their own opinions to the Prince to fool the entire upper echelons of Ursus. That's a fake."

"Instead of studying that vague theory that only raises questions without offering solutions, why don't you discuss with Ambassador Victoria whether you should simply report this to Victoria and have her sue the book's publisher and author, with the royal family and Victoria splitting the compensation 30/70?"

Uncharacteristically, Witte rattled off a string of long and complex sentences, leaving Fyodor completely bewildered.

"Only 70%?"

"Seventy percent belongs to others, and even the remaining thirty percent depends on Victoria's attitude. After all, it is Victoria who has been infringed upon by the misappropriation of her copyright and name rights. If His Highness Wayne were still alive, you probably wouldn't get a single cent."

Witte's words made Feodor Montalcian blink, but he abruptly returned to the main topic:

"Never mind that, Your Majesty. I have urgent business to discuss with you. I have good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear first?"

Still reeling from Witte's rebuke, Fyodor, upon hearing that there was a multiple-choice question, immediately asked:

"What kind of bad news caused the Ursus royal family's stock to fall?"

Witt shook his head.

"Did some state-owned company go bankrupt?"

Witt shook his head again.

Fyodor chuckled, stood up, patted Witt on the shoulder reassuringly, and said:

“Then there’s no news worth calling bad news, Witt. You need to be more composed and calm. Don’t make a fuss over trivial matters. Come on, tell me your bad news in the most normal tone, and I’ll show you how a man at the pinnacle of power in Ursus should remain calm in the face of adversity.”

Witt glanced at Fyodor, straightened up as instructed, but for some reason, he reached out and placed his hand under Fyodor's armpit, and amidst Fyodor's puzzled expression, said:

"The Prince of Wales has been assassinated."

Just as Fyodor was about to pull his arm away from Witte's embrace, his thigh suddenly went weak, his calf suddenly twitched, his mind suddenly went blank, his teeth suddenly bit his tongue, and he collapsed to the ground. Fortunately, Witte had reached out his hand in time to catch Fyodor, which prevented the Ursus emperor from winning the Best Actor of the Year award for playing an epileptic patient in his own palace.

“Thank you.” Fyodor helped Witt up by the shoulder, his face instantly contorted with rage. He raised his arm and shouted, “Who did this?! Who dares to do such a thing to Ursus’s friend?”

If it weren't for Wayne's help, Fyodor might still be a figurehead emperor. It was precisely because of Wayne's support and Victoria's assistance that Fyodor was able to briefly gain the upper hand in this game of power, elevating himself from an emperor manipulated by nobles to one who manipulates the nobles. Now that Wayne has been assassinated, what will happen to all the signed contracts, agreements, and the latest installment of Wayne's sayings if he dies?

Witt kindly reminded him from the side:

"Your Majesty, there is also good news."

“Oh right, there’s some good news too.” Fyodor took a breath and said, “Hopefully, this good news is just as important as the bad news. Go ahead, Witt.”

Witt cleared his throat and said, "The good news is that Victoria has determined that the assassin who tried to kill Prince Wayne came from Kazimierz. Victoria has decided to retaliate and has already dispatched a special envoy to Ursus. He will arrive soon!"

Fyodor blinked, as if to make sure he hadn't misheard, and tentatively repeated, "Where did you say the assassins came from?"

"Kazimir, Your Majesty."

As if he had heard the most outrageous joke in the world, Fyodor doubled over, laughing and cursing at the same time:

"Those Kuranta who deserve to be ridden have lost their minds because of their own hooves? They can't even afford to mess with Ursus, how dare they touch Victoria?"

"Well, Victoria has been quite turbulent lately. His Highness Wayne has been suppressing the nobles too severely recently, and the nobles there are starting to get restless. Several people claiming to be lobbyists have contacted the Ursus embassy in the area, wanting Ursus to get involved in this matter, but I have ordered them all to be rejected."

Fyodor nodded. "You did the right thing. The Ursus people value friendship. We know perfectly well who helped us and who betrayed us. Besides, what waves can those nobles make? Any news on Wayne? Was the assassination attempt on him successful or failed? How are his injuries?"

Witt shook his head: "No information has been leaked, but it is said that on the night of the assassination, Queen Victoria summoned the Minister of War, Grand Marshal Ernest, the Director of the Religious Office, Patriarch Broca, and the Municipal Councillor Arthur and Cabinet Secretary Kal'tsit. The group talked in secret until dawn the next day. When they left, they all looked very serious and tired, so the situation must not be optimistic."

“…Sigh.” Fyodor sighed deeply, clenching his fist. “It’s alright. I know the purpose of that envoy’s visit to Ursus. Ursus will avenge its friend. Witt, tonight, inform the Imperial Duma about Wayne’s assassination, and incidentally add this matter to the agenda at tomorrow morning’s routine meeting…”

“Your Majesty, I think it would be better to discuss this matter tomorrow morning,” Witt suggested. “If it is revealed tonight, the war may break out tonight. Those nobles who have reached an agreement with Prince Wayne will definitely not wait until tomorrow morning to go to Kazimierz to recoup their losses.”

Fyodor shrugged. "Then let's do it your way. Victoria will cooperate with us, right?"

Speaker Witt nodded: "At least this time, we've reached a consensus that our presence in Kazimierz is an insult to the art of mapmaking."

PS: Bonus chapter complete. The previous chapter had 4000 words, this chapter has 2500 words, and today's update is 6500 words.

I'm going to sleep now; my head still feels a bit dizzy and aching. Goodnight, everyone.

PS: I bought a book, a Pokémon one.

[The cover image is a commissioned illustration by Shen Que Shi; other commissioned illustrations have also been updated in the relevant sections.]

A small, white figure curled up on the sofa, the sea breeze from Tianguan Mountain gently ruffling her hair.

The girl looked up, her icy blue eyes reflecting the face of the girl beside her. Wind chimes swayed in the breeze under the eaves, and the afternoon sun shone on her as she dozed off.

Ring ring, ring ring.

The super-powered cat stared blankly at the wooden table by the window, where faded, yellowed memories sat quietly in a photo frame.

This is a story that is both heartwarming and a little awkward.

(Reader group: 301043371.)

(This is a Pokémon fanfiction. The female protagonist is Orange. It blends the world of the games, special episodes, and anime, with some original settings. Enjoy!)

Chapter Thirty-Two: They don't even border each other!

Ursus did not publicize Ambassador Victoria's visit in a grand manner, but they did not keep it too low-key either. At least the ambassador of the Kazimir embassy in Ursus received news of the matter immediately after the State Duma meeting the following day.

Ambassador Kazimir initially remained remarkably composed. He neither called home to inquire nor summoned the Ursus Foreign Minister for verification. Instead, he chose to lie comfortably on his large bed in his room and have a good night's sleep. So much so that when the entire Kazimir embassy erupted in commotion, not a single person noticed where their ambassador was.

It wasn't until embassy staff retrieved the surveillance footage that they discovered their ambassador was still comfortably in bed, living a life of leisure during this critical winter, perfectly embodying the excellent work ethic of a Kazimir official working in Ursus.

When he was woken up by phone calls from the Business Federation, the Supervisory Council, the National Assembly, and the Knights Association, he was still grumbling and cursing, which made his deputy's teeth chatter – he was furious!

"Your Excellency, how can you still sleep? At your age, how can you still sleep!"

The ambassador, who had just gotten out of bed, calmly tidied himself up and, while dressing, replied with considerable disdain:

"What's the rush? As a diplomat of a country, you represent Kazimir in Ursus. What kind of behavior is this, acting so flustered?"

After getting dressed, he stood up and followed the deputy envoy leisurely towards the office, muttering to himself as he walked:

"So what if Victoria sent a special envoy to Ursus? Look how scared you all are! Lentinium just connected with Saint-Germain a while ago, and you weren't scared to death yet. Calm down, remain unfazed even if Mount Tai collapses before you!"

Seeing the ambassador's composed demeanor, even quoting a few famous foreign sayings as if he truly had a solution, the deputy envoy's tense expression eased considerably. He then said with self-reproach:

"You're right. I was too hasty. You're right, as a diplomatic ambassador, no matter what the situation, the first thing to do is to remain calm and composed. It's just that things happened so suddenly, and I panicked..."

The ambassador nodded, looking like a promising young man, and stood in front of the meeting room door. As he reached out to open the door, he asked:

"It's good that you've calmed down. Remember, there are only three situations in which a diplomat in Kazimierz would be in a hurry. First, Ursus expelled us."

He opened the door, and a white piece of paper suddenly flew into his face the instant he opened the door. The ambassador grabbed the paper and saw a flurry of documents and materials flying everywhere, as well as furniture being moved away in large and small boxes.

Before he could even react to what was happening, the deputy envoy behind him spoke up quietly, "Ambassador, we have indeed been expelled."

The ambassador paused, his expression stiffening. He reached out to steady himself against the doorframe and took two deep breaths.

Damn it, what's going on? I just took a nap, how did I get expelled? The Ursus people can't even watch the Kazimierz people sleep?

How embarrassing! But I still need to maintain my image. I can't go back on my word so soon after making that boast.

The ambassador coughed twice, forced a smile, and said:

"It's alright, I expected this. Ursus has expelled Kazimierz diplomats more than a dozen times over the years. Those rude barbarians are probably itching for a beating from the Knights of Conquest again. Trust me, it won't be long before they're smiling and welcoming us back to Saint-Germain. There's no need to panic. Remember, there are only two situations that can make Kazimierz's diplomats anxious, one of which is that Victoria stops helping us."

As a national-level ambassador, he possessed a certain level of expertise, being well-versed in basic Terran power balance theories and international relations principles. Victoria, as the current leader of the world system, would not want to see any nation challenge her position. And now, the most likely nation to challenge her was Ursus. As a bridgehead against Ursus' conquest, if Qazimir were invaded by Ursus, Victoria would certainly provide assistance. While direct armed support was unlikely, weapons, economic aid, international condemnation of Ursus, and trade blockades would certainly be provided.

If his analysis is correct, Victoria's sudden dispatch of a special envoy to Ursus is very likely because Victoria has noticed Ursus's intention to launch another Uka war, and that's why she sent someone to warn them.

At this point, Kazimir doesn't need to do anything; the disaster will subside on its own.

“However, Victoria also expelled our diplomats,” the adjutant said weakly. He realized that although his superior seemed confident and assertive, he clearly did not understand the current situation.

As expected, the ambassador, who had just launched into a fierce analysis, turned ashen-faced upon hearing this. He unconsciously waved his arms, muttering things like:

"No way... how could this be... but... why?" and other such nonsense.

But he quickly regained his composure. He couldn't panic now; if he did, the embassy would be finished. He patted the deputy envoy on the shoulder, forcing himself to reassure him, and said, as if reassuring himself:

"It's alright, it's alright. At least those two haven't done anything yet. If we notify the country now, we should still have time to make preparations. I've heard that the knights of the National Assembly and the Council of Justice have good relations with the Grand Dukes of Victoria, and the shareholders of the Commercial Union and Association also have a lot of investments in Victoria and are well-connected everywhere. If we report to them in time, we might be able to get some diplomatic support."

Having said that, he looked at the deputy envoy before him, who had brought him two pieces of bad news, as if pleading, and asked in a trembling voice:

"You're right, aren't you?"

The deputy envoy took a breath. For some reason, their roles seemed to have reversed; he was now the one offering comfort. But there was really no good news to offer in the current situation, so he could only report the facts:

“Your Excellency… I’m so sorry. But now, all of Terra knows that Ursus and Victoria have just reached a landmark treaty, agreeing to ‘non-aggression and eternal friendship.’”

"They don't even share a border, so what's the point of signing a non-aggression pact?"

The ambassador cried out, his face pale, and rushed into the room, burying himself in piles of documents. Facing the gazes of his employees, his lips trembled, and he said nothing. Silently, he became yet another porter.

P.S.: How would you describe my state of mind after just waking up...?

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Victoria-Ursas Non-Aggression Pact

“Wayne, my friend, there are rumors that you’re dead.” Fyodor lightly clinked glasses with Wayne, but the difference between one drinking alcohol and the other drinking coffee made the atmosphere a little awkward. Fyodor exclaimed from the bottom of his heart, “However, it’s truly an eye-opener that Casimir dared to lay a hand on Victoria.”

“Nothing is impossible. As long as the profit is enough, capitalists will do anything.” Wayne shrugged.

The investigation into the unicorn was swift. The pentagram system of the Kazimierz Unarmored Alliance, the Commercial Federation, the National Assembly, the Oversight Council, and the Knights' Guild was meticulously compiled into an intelligence file the morning after Wayne issued his order, and placed on his desk. Wayne didn't waste any time either; carrying this intelligence, he read it as he walked, arriving in Ursus. After reviewing it, he casually handed it to Fyodor, offering a heartfelt warning:

"Your Majesty Fyodor, please forgive my bluntness, but the Ursus Empire has only just weathered the initial crisis; the real trouble is yet to come. You must always be vigilant, for your future enemies are far more formidable than the current corrupt nobles. Remember to repair more lampposts throughout the country. If Ursus could divert half of the energy it uses to persecute the Infected and instead focus on suppressing rampant localism and capitalists, this nation would be transformed."

Fyodor listened quietly to Wayne finish speaking, nodded, downed his whiskey in one gulp, clicked his tongue, and exclaimed:

"Whiskey is still not as good as vodka."

Wayne raised his cup, took a sip of coffee, and casually replied, "In the end, you still have to walk your own path."

Fyodor knew Wayne was right, but at this moment, he could only offer a helpless smile. Why were things always so bad in Ursus? The complex reasons were beyond anyone's comprehension. But Fyodor was certain he had finally found an answer that, while not standard, was optimal. Victoria's answer had to be copied, and Ursus's own path had to be followed, but the latter's priority, at least for now, was significantly lower than the former.

Ursus cannot afford another failure. Every reform could cause Ursus to collapse and disintegrate. As Speaker Witt said in his concluding remarks at the State Duma meeting, for Ursus, stability is a more important issue than development.

Fyodor shook his head. In any case, he was grateful to Wayne for pointing out the problem in advance. Although it was very likely that his generation would have difficulty even reaching the point Wayne had mentioned, this admonition could still be passed down to future generations in the form of a will.

He changed the subject: "Let's not talk about that, Wayne. What could be worth the risk of coming all the way to Ursus in person?"

“I intend to make some people pay the price,” Wayne said. “Specifically, the Unarmored Alliance of Kazimir and the Commercial Federation that governs them. But for Ursus, it makes no difference, does it?”