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

“Secretary Spike, please watch your words. What I’m asking for now is a plan, not a discussion of the rationale for a rescue.”

Vina acted assertively enough, directly quelling any dissent in the meeting, and then opportunely "opened a window" by saying,

"But since Secretary Spike brought it up, I'll add one more thing. Don't forget how Laterano grew so big."

How did Lateran grow so powerful? There are countless reasons. Historians could discuss the stories of the Sarkaz establishing a nation, founding a religion, and spreading their doctrines for days. But Her Majesty the Queen is not speaking without reason; considering the current issue, Vina is undoubtedly referring to Lateran's relationship with Iberia.

Who inherited the most legacy from the Iberian Empire, which once dominated the seas?

It's Lateran.

Why Laterano?

While the nations of the world were filled with astonishment and uncertainty about the sudden silence in Iberia, it was His Holiness Innocent, the then Pope of Lateran, who dispatched a church relief team, the first to arrive in Iberia, to assist the survivors of the Great Silent Period in establishing the makeshift government that is now the Iberian Union government.

Since then, Iberia has never been able to escape the influence of Lateran religion. From social structure to ideology, every aspect has been transformed to suit the propagation of Lateran religion. The Inquisition and the Judges—these religiously significant titles vividly reflect the current state of Iberia.

“Indeed, there’s a crab that no one has ever eaten right there, and Victoria has no reason not to fight for the first bite. Even if the crab might be poisonous.”

The ministers whispered among themselves, sharing their opinions. Their faces were filled with excitement and anticipation.

The world is bustling with activity, all for profit. We've already made enough profit; now it's time to reduce their concerns.

Vina then finally revealed the news she had been preparing for a long time:

"The Prince of Wales has already taken my decree to Rembiton to conduct preliminary reconnaissance. He's just waiting for our relief supplies to arrive so we can launch a coordinated attack from within."

With prior preparations, substantial benefits, and precedents in place, the meeting immediately moved away from the pointless wrangling.

"I agree!" "Me too!" "The Queen is wise!" "His Highness the Prince of Wales is valiant!"

Seeing the ministers already cheering and praising her, Vina breathed a sigh of relief.

That's well done. If her brother were here, he'd probably praise her like that, right?

It's okay, I'll bring you back right away!

Vina thought to herself. Suddenly, the phone at Grand Marshal Ernest's desk rang.

"It seems the handover is complete?" Vina thought to herself, signaling to connect.

Ernest's serious face appeared on the projection screen; he seemed to be in the command center of a war fortress.

"Sir Ernest, is the matter settled?" Vina asked, in a good mood.

Ernest pursed his lips, but to Vina's surprise, he shook his head: "Your Majesty, I'm sorry. I may not be able to return for the time being. There has been unrest on the northern border."

Ernest seemed to click on the desktop, and the projection in front of Vina and the others automatically switched from Ernest's face to the camera equipment outside the war fortress. In the lens, the distant northern mountain range stretched endlessly, serving as the dividing line between civilization and savagery, severing communication between demons and humans, and erecting a natural barrier for Victoria, which was already located in the Central Valley, a place where demons were scarce.

But at this moment, the mountain range was not at peace.

On the winding curves of the mountains at the edge of the camera's view, where the clouds overlapped, a faint, indistinct shadow slowly approached. As tall as a mountain, with two horns on its head, even amidst the clouds, its innate power as a colossal beast was undeniable. Its eyes glared fiercely, its vertical pupils reflecting the mountains, rivers, birds, and beasts, its burning rage seemingly threatening to devour everything.

That was a god, a god who had just been slain. Awakening from his rage, he vowed to reduce everything he saw to ashes!

Chapter 123 Suppressing Him

What we call gods are merely slightly more powerful individual beings, with enormous bodies and advanced magic, beings that were beyond human control in ancient times. Therefore, our ancestors bestowed upon them the title of "gods." However, from the perspective of modern Terran civilization, perhaps calling them "behemoths" would be more appropriate. —Introduction to Wu Sansi's *Behemoth Studies*

For most Terrans, the concept of "god" is incredibly distant. In this era of advanced Originium technology and rapid societal development, the Victorians, living in the heart of Terra, have long been accustomed to a life without deities. While Kjerag still worships the earthly behemoth Yeragand of the snow-capped mountains, and the Sami still practice their annual snow sacrifices, the people of Victoria have already taken up their scimitars and hoes, carving out their homes in the fertile Central Valley. The word "god" is only glimpsed in the scriptures of Laterano religion, and perhaps heard only from the helpless voice of a mother urging her naughty child to go to bed early.

Does this mean that Victoria did not have a God? Does this mean that Victoria did not need a God?

No one had ever considered this question, but God had pondered it for a long time. Awakening from a long slumber, God, representing the old order, wanted to once again reign supreme over this ancient kingdom, to have His will supersede all things, to subjugate all people, and then provide them with protection, to take and take as He pleased, to hold the power of life and death—this was the power He believed He should possess. He had never truly regarded mortals with respect. In His eyes, mortals, whether Aslan or Philin, Drak or Vaiva, were nothing more than crickets in a pot, relying on the strength of the tall ones—relying on the strength of the gods—to tear each other apart, trying to determine who was superior. The reason He didn't want to intervene was because He held himself in high esteem, disdaining to participate in the battle of scaly insects as a god. He believed that whoever the final victor was, the winning insect should wag its tongue at Him, begging for praise and support.

But He was wrong.

The victorious Aslan drove Him out, ruthlessly attacking the unsuspecting Aslan with the most dishonorable ambush, then relentlessly pursuing Him all the way north beyond the Northern Mountains. Here, there were no more worshippers, no more sacrificial offerings, not even the amusing yet hateful mortals. Bizarre and fantastical things beyond human imagination abounded, danger was almost omnipresent, and even with His utmost efforts, He could only protect the defeated among the immortals who had also been driven here, allowing them to eke out a living.

Whether due to the weakness of the nation after the war or for some other reason, the first monarch of Victoria, Aslan, did not follow the example of the emperor who slew the gods of the Great Yan Dynasty. After hastily building three northern defense lines to protect Victoria from evil spirits, he completely lost interest in governing the north. In his later years, he even established the title of King of the North and appointed his younger brother to go there and take over the control of that land.

But his indifference to the Ancestor did not mean the Ancestor was indifferent to him. Even as times changed, and gods began to disappear from the earth's multitude, their mythical cloaks gradually stripped away, replaced by the guise of behemoths, the Ancestor never forgot the Victorians' "betrayal" of him. Time had passed; the first Aslan king was long gone, and Victoria, having experienced development and its golden age, was now irreversibly heading towards decline.

But just as Zu was planning to take advantage of the escalating internal conflicts and the watchful eyes of the outside world in Victoria to return to the stage of the land from beyond the North and make all the traitors pay the price, a powerful man suddenly appeared and delayed his plans again and again.

“Wayne Bruce————!”

Its sound was like muffled thunder, and with each breath, wind and clouds surged. Its movement was like a raging torrent, and with each rise and fall, the heavens and the earth shook.

The gods cried out this name, their deep-seated hatred for the god-slayer seeming to ignite the entire earth.

If it weren't for him, my plan to return to Victoria wouldn't have been thwarted; if it weren't for him, my soul wouldn't have been severely damaged, and my physical body wouldn't have been forced to awaken from its slumber; if it weren't for him, the entire bicorn clan that I had protected for so many years wouldn't have perished in the ruins of Rembiton.

Humanity, who treats all its efforts, strategies, and accumulated power over the past millennia as a joke and scorns the gods, must also bear the wrath that humanity has built up over the past millennia!

The Two-Horned Beast God, a man-eating monster from ancient Victorian fairy tales, a powerful deity who once thrived in the Central Valley, now a terrifying behemoth threatening the entire empire, slowly bared its fangs. Its golden, vertical pupils overflowed with indignation and sorrow as it clenched its fists, vowing to reduce all life that blasphemed its noble existence to dust.

"Wayne Bruce—! I'll kill you—a thousand times—and it still won't be enough!"

He roared once more, a deafening sound that echoed throughout the North, from the castles of Dublin to the pastures of Cape Town, and all of Victoria held its breath, listening to the god's angry accusations.

The deafening shouts were naturally transmitted back to the palace in Londinium via the fortress's recording equipment. Although the sound was somewhat distorted, Vina could still recognize with absolute certainty the familiar name the god was calling out—it was her brother, who was currently out of contact.

Seeing the furious expression on the projection of the colossal beast, whose size was almost impossible for the camera to capture completely, Vina couldn't help but smile bitterly.

"What trouble have you gotten yourself into this time? Why are your enemies coming to your doorstep for revenge?"

If his older brother were here, given his personality, he would probably crack a joke: "Haha, doesn't that make your brother look capable? Even God would be furious with me, but he could only helplessly scream in public, raging like a coward?"

It's a pity he's not here. Without that familiar voice to chatter and respond, Vina felt a little empty inside.

However, it wasn't entirely without good news. The behemoth in the projection was so enraged, which at least proved one thing—Wayne was still alive and well, and even had the leisure to scheme against the gods. This was the best news for Vina.

The heavy weight in their hearts finally lifted, and the last trace of confusion and tension on Vina's face vanished. She sat at the head of the table, her right knuckles lightly tapping the surface, the clear sound resonating like a morning bell or evening drum in the hearts of the noisy courtiers. They looked up at the composed emperor, whose face, though still bearing the youthful innocence of someone in his early twenties, possessed the unwavering composure of a ruler. Vina was like a stabilizing force; as long as she was there, the sea of ​​Victoria would remain calm.

"Ernest".

Vina looked at the projector and calmly called out. The screen flickered, then switched back to Ernest's wrinkled, resolute face. The veteran general nodded slightly, saluting the Empress: "Your Majesty, I am here."

"How long will it take to quell this unrest?" Vina asked.

Ernest replied, "Your Majesty, please give me a week."

“Alright.” Vina nodded, as if stating something perfectly natural: “Suppress him.”

PS: Theresa character design

PS2: I personally think it's pretty cool. This outfit, especially the cloak, is modeled after Theresis's fur-trimmed cloak. I think that one is very cool and has a military general's feel, so adding it to Theresis fits her character design in this book. Because she often pets cats, her eyes turn golden with a touch of her original pink when casting spells. I personally think it looks great. Thank you to artist MAaaaaaackia!

Next up are Vina's Queen form and Vayne's character design.

This is for the catgirl encyclopedia. Actually, I also think that Wayne doesn't really need a specific character design. This makes it easier for readers to empathize with her. After all, we're all the Fourth Calamity, so why should we care about saving face?

But if it weren't for Fumihisa's insistence on having a male character in the Catgirl Encyclopedia, I couldn't possibly put Unicorn or Ernest in the waifu group; it would look weird. So in the end, I could only choose Wayne.

P.S.: I used Aatrox's line because I played Aatrox twice, and I felt that line was perfect for gritting my teeth and being furious, hahaha.

Chapter 124 Hurry to Rembitor and invite Prince Wayne

Leitania. Grand Duchy of Württemberg.

The Letanian Empire, composed of seven electors, is an anomaly on the Terran continent. While not as rigid as Letanian in its social systems and ideologies, it is equally open in its magical innovations and the application of Originium. Centuries before Columbia conducted illegal human experiments to expand its research into Originium, Letanian had already set a precedent for Originium Arts human experimentation. They even legalized such experiments, making it an obligation for every Letanian citizen.

Every newborn child undergoes a rigorous Originium Arts aptitude test to identify their future potential from infancy and to ensure they receive preferential treatment in education, healthcare, and all other public resources. While this may not be entirely aligned with modern ideals of equality and freedom, it's a completely unrelated system that would have been vehemently criticized in other countries. However, in Letania, almost no one questions this practice. Even the more inquisitive foreign media refrain from reporting on it—since everyone considers this normal in Letania, any attempt to stir up trouble is simply seen as rudeness and lack of manners.

Those lacking the talent for Originium Arts are considered defective in Letania. In the past, during the Witch King's era, these defective individuals were even subjected to mass executions, a cruel law only abolished upon the ascension of the Twin Empresses. However, in Letania, where power is deeply entrenched and authority is crumbling, survival for these "defectives" still requires courage and a small amount of luck.

Of course, Winster wasn't here to investigate the customs and culture of Letania. He didn't want to stay in this chaotic country for even a minute longer, and even though the Twin Queens extended a warm invitation for the immortal and the magic master to gather on the Queen's Voice, Winster politely declined their invitation.

"What a joke! So what if she's the Queen? So what if she's as beautiful as an angel? She's nothing but a skeleton in disguise. A gentleman like Prince Wayne might give her face and go to see her to avoid offending anyone, but who is Winster? Why should Victoria's bell ringer care about the Queen of Letania's opinion? Besides, he has important matters to attend to right now."

Upon arriving at the Victorian Embassy in Lettania, Winster found that, thanks to prior arrangements, the private study room he needed had already been prepared. After connecting to the intercity network and accessing the Victorian intranet with a key, Winster finally made it to the end of the meeting.

"Your Majesty, I apologize for being late."

Winster wiped the sweat from his brow, which had been dripping with anxiety, and apologized.

Vina shook her head and said with concern, "It's alright. After all, he came straight here after an emergency landing. Lord Winters' speed is already considered incredibly fast."

“Thank you for your understanding, Your Majesty,” Winster replied, with a hint of dissatisfaction. “I could have arrived much faster. If the twin queens of Letania hadn’t intercepted me halfway, I would have been there ten minutes earlier.”

Vina tilted her head in surprise: "Robbery?"

"It concerns the affairs of Letania. The Electors' power within the country is growing stronger, while the Queens' voices are gradually fading. They probably took my forced landing as some kind of signal, not wanting me to have any opportunity to collude with the Archduke of Württemberg, after all, the Archduke of Württemberg is a relative and confidant of the Duke of Brandenburg, one of the seven Electors."

"Oh." Vina nodded, then suddenly asked, "Does brother know about the Twin Queens?"

Winster paused, then shook his head in surprise: "Of course I don't know. His Highness has never paid any attention to Letania."

“Then don’t tell him. We can discuss this later.” Vina nodded in satisfaction and instructed, “Let’s get down to business. Lord Winster, please take a look at this.”

Vina raised her head, and Ernest on the screen immediately understood and played the scene of the god's awakening that the camera had just captured. After the short video ended, Vina looked at Ernest, who was speechless with astonishment, and asked curiously:

"Does Lord Winterthir know Him?"

“Your Majesty…” Winster pursed his lips, his eyes darting around for a long time, before finally nodding as if he had made up his mind. “I know him.”

"Zu Mis, the god of unicorns and two-horned beasts. A god who once reigned over the Central Basin, He was split in two during the war between King Aslan and King Drak. He was once the guardian of Victoria. The unicorn still possesses... a part of Him."

“Miss?” Vina frowned; the name sounded somewhat familiar.

Victoria was divided into three groups based on its nobility. The first group consisted of nobles who settled after the army led by the first King Aslan seized the Victorian throne; this group could be called the Aslan faction. The second group comprised the former Victorian nobles who chose to submit to the Drak dynasty after its defeat; this group could be called the Allied faction. The last group consisted of the Drak loyalists after the defeat; this group was called the Drak faction.

The Drak people had long occupied the northern borders far from Lontinem, and before the King of the North established his own territories to control the north, they were a constant threat to Lontinem. At that time, the Drak-controlled territory was divided into five parts: Ulster in the north, Connacht in the west, Leinster in the east, Munster in the south, and Meath in the center. Later, to eliminate the Drak threat to the throne, the King of the North of Aslan persuaded the other four tribes to remain inactive, and then launched a purge against the Drak leaders of Meath. After overwhelming the Meath nobles with force, Victoria abolished Meath's official status, distributing them among the other four territories as a reward. The remaining four territories were then brought under Lontinem's control, becoming part of the vassal state. From then on, the Drak people completely disappeared from Victoria's administrative territory, and Victoria became unified.

Mis, a name that was once removed from the official register, is also the true name of the ancient god who was split in two—a name that has been deliberately forgotten and erased throughout history.

"You mean the unicorn owns half of Him?"

“Unicorns and two-horned beasts were originally one race,” Winster replied. “Naturally, they also worshipped the same god. But later, due to disagreements during the war, the race, the faith, and the god split in two, becoming opposing camps. The god who protected the unicorns died in the great war, and I preserved His fragments, while Zú Miss escaped severely wounded and fell into a deep slumber. I never thought He would awaken one day. At least not now….”

“We must now fight Him,” Vina said. “Now that you know about Him, we need your help, Lord Winster.”

“Of course, Your Majesty, it is my responsibility.” Winster took a deep breath, calming his turbulent emotions for the time being. “Defeating a god is not difficult for Victoria now, but a god is hard to kill. Even if defeated, He will have various ways to preserve His life. For example, His objects, His life, or His fragments scattered everywhere. As long as His spirit cannot be restrained, a god cannot be killed. Therefore, Your Majesty, we need someone who can restrain Him.”

"Please allow me to continue my journey to Rembiton, and Your Highness Vain, please return home!"

Chapter 125 The Great Turmoil of Rem

Rembit, Sigraine.