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

Oh dear, sometimes being too smart can be a problem. How can I convince her?

Prince Bruce is Mr. Bruce, and our relationship is a matter of free choice.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Both Husbands and Wives Like to Rebel Against Themselves

Kazdel, Black Palace, Drawing Room, 9:00 am

Hanging on the wall were portraits of the Sarkaz kings, portraits never recorded in any non-Sarkaz annals. Theresis, with her back to the light, used the shadow cast by her body to gaze at the men on the wall, their eyes wide with fury, filled with endless rage, as if they might step out of the paintings at any moment. She sighed softly.

This demon king, who wields a black sword and whose name is only mentioned briefly in the annals of Sarkaz, Quiron, after ascending to the throne, felt deeply that Sarkaz was still suffering from the poison of the West, so he led the entire race to migrate eastward.

His image is polarized throughout history. Some call him a tyrant, fiercely independent and merciless, who would cripple his enemies even if he didn't kill them. Others portray him as a benevolent ruler, saying that anyone who opposed him could save their life by retreating.

However, his grand ambition to rebuild Kazdel failed. A thousand years have passed, and the Tikaz are still Sarkaz. The lost civilization has not been continued, but has instead experienced an even more severe gap. Some Sarkaz born abroad have become accustomed to the life of the lower class and know nothing about what Kazdel is or what the glory of the Sarkaz is, and even reject it.

This is such a tragic thing.

Therese gazed at the portrait of the man, who seemed to be looking down on all his enemies, holding a blade that emitted blue flames.

"The fighting has ceased here."

Beautiful fantasies, but unfortunately, they can only remain fantasies.

The Sarkaz's struggle with other races has long since escalated from personal grudges to ethnic conflicts. Those countries that have repeatedly wiped Kazdel off the map are not thinking of suppression and enslavement, but of destroying a civilization!

There are two ways to destroy a civilization: first, kill off the last living being in that civilization; second, wipe out its culture, leaving everyone with no sense of belonging. Several wars against the demon race couldn't wipe out the Sarkaz, but decades of cultural stagnation could completely erase any meaning related to Kazdel from a child's mind.

Theresis had recalled more than once the scene she witnessed after mopping up a mercenary force trying to gather information about Kazdel on the battlefield and capturing the Sarkaz among them:

Therese patiently tried to persuade him to surrender:

“Fellow countrymen, come with me. Kazdel is being rebuilt. It is the homeland of the Sarkaz, the nation of the Sarkaz.”

However, the Sarkaz, who looked barely an adult, revealed a disdainful, sinister grin:

"Pah, Kazdel? What is that? Even a dog wouldn't go there! I'm Colombian!"

He personally escorted the Colombian to meet his ancestors, hoping they could explain to him what Kazdel was all about. But the proud declaration, "I am Colombian," was firmly imprinted in Theresis's heart, haunting him like a nightmare.

He pondered for a long time what Kazdel lacked compared to other powerful land-based nations like Columbia, Ursus, Flame, and Letania.

Land? Population? Wealth?

Finally, he figured it out.

They lacked honor, the honor that would allow all Sarkaz to proudly proclaim, "I am a Kazdel!" And where does honor come from? From iron and blood!

No matter how the situation changes, if the Sarkaz want to rebuild Kazdel and establish their own homeland, a war to establish their nation is absolutely necessary!

Now, he is simply making preparations for this inevitable war to establish the nation.

"Brother?"

Theresa gently sat down opposite Theresis, her voice rousing the woman from her reverie. Theresis lowered her hand from her cheek, sat up straight, and asked:

"Should I refuse?"

He didn't expect Theresa to marry an uneducated man, and even if Theresa were willing to sacrifice herself for this marriage opportunity, Theresa wouldn't agree.

But Theresa shook her head firmly, unexpectedly:

"No, I don't need it, I feel fine."

She looked at Theresis, seemingly giving him a soft warning, and also reminding Kal'tsit behind her:

"Don't be fooled by appearances. Prince Bruce is not the kind of person you imagine. Quite the opposite, contrary to the rumors circulating in the streets. He is learned and elegant, possessing ample grace and ability. Even..."

Theresa narrowed her eyes slightly, pausing as if deliberately teasing her before revealing a surprise. Only after Theresis and Kal'tsit cast questioning glances at her did she slowly speak:

"In fact, based on my observation, the real power holder in Victoria right now is not Queen Vina, but my fiancé Wayne."

Theresis's muscles tensed abruptly, an expression of disbelief crossing his face. However, Kal'tsit, standing behind Theresia, reacted even more intensely. The thousand-year-old dwarf cat blinked in surprise, not even noticing Theresis's presence, and asked directly:

"Seriously?"

“I’m serious!” Theresa said firmly, opening her palms.

Kal'tsit knew that Theresa was hinting to her that she had already confirmed this using Originium Arts.

Possessing the Originium Arts of the Demon King, Theresa can expand her Emotion Absorption Field to observe the reactions of everyone around her to other people or events. While this ability isn't powerful enough to directly "read minds," once mastered, it's no less impressive than mind reading.

During the Victorian era, although Wayne intentionally prevented Theresa from interacting with Ernest, the Clock Tower Elder, and others, Theresa was able to analyze their attitudes through their emotions.

The respect shown by Victorian courtier Ernest to Wayne and Vina differed significantly. Archpatriarch Broca, setting aside her strange, fluttering pleasure and satisfied emotions when Wayne and Vina were together, clearly placed greater importance on Wayne's instructions. Even Vina herself, as Theresa could sense, despite her and Wayne's deliberate portrayal of one as strong and the other as weak, still deeply valued Wayne's advice.

The most obvious example is Vina's subconscious glance at Wayne when Theresa formally asked her to enter into a marriage agreement, and her immediate agreement when Wayne proposed the idea of ​​a united kingdom.

The real mastermind behind Victoria is actually Wayne Bruce! A shrewd and calculating shadow emperor, a playboy in the gossip, a learned sage, an imaginative madman, and a man worthy of being the "Demon King's" husband!

On this entire land, perhaps only Theresa, who possesses this special ability, can see through the truth buried beneath the mist.

Meeting the incredulous gazes of Kal'tsit and Theresis, Theresia nodded a second time:

"Seriously!"

She offered no further evidence. Because Prince Bruce's true nature was a secret shared by Theresa and Wayne.

As an empress, she felt obligated to reveal this small part of the truth in order to facilitate this marriage, which would benefit the country and bring her even greater joy.

But as a wife, she also has the responsibility to keep her mysterious husband's secrets.

She looked at Therese: "The script we agreed on..."

“I will notify them of the cancellation,” Therese said.

Unexpectedly, Theresa shook her head.

"No, continue, and speed it up."

Theresis looked up and glanced warily at Kal'tsit, who was standing behind Theresa, still not quite recovered from her shock. Kal'tsit paused, frowned slightly, but still walked out of the drawing room and closed the door behind her, with Theresa looking at her reassuringly.

"Alright, she's gone. Now, tell me, why continue the Kazdel civil war? It will greatly deplete the strength we've painstakingly built up."

"Because our time is running out, brother."

Theresa hesitated for a moment, then said,

"My existence... and the reconstruction of Kazdel have been placed on the agenda of many countries' high-ranking officials, and there is no chaos on this land to cover our tracks. If we don't want to run into the anti-demon alliance again before we are fully prepared, then we must carry out this plan."

Theresa smiled, her face revealing a resolute expression:

"But now, I don't have to 'play dead' like before, do I?"

Therese quickly grasped Theresa's meaning and said incredulously:

"Are you planning to go to Victoria?"

Theresa nodded.

"That's exactly right. That's exactly how it should be."

In Theresia's original plan, a civil war would erupt in Kazdel. She would feign death to escape her predicament, while Theresia, as the victor, would lead an army to Victoria, where the throne should be vacant, and seize control of Lontinim, becoming regent. Finally, using Victoria as cover, she would secretly construct the mobile city and army of "Kazdel" within the vast Victoria, ultimately emerging from its cocoon and completing Kazdel's rebirth.

But now, the plan can obviously be changed!

The civil war in Kazdel will give Terra the illusion that "the Demon King died in his brother's beheading, and the Sarkaz have lost all hope," making the Pope believe the rumors of Kazdel's weakness. Theresa, who was originally slated to fake her death and be placed in a jar, will replace Theresis, traveling under an assumed name to Londinium and returning to the Londinium court, no longer as the designated regent, but as the legitimate Princess of Wales. Theresis can then continue to command the army in Kazdel, using the momentum of the civil war to consolidate the Sarkaz tribes, and with the help of Victoria's alliance, prepare for a future resurgence.

Just as Wayne was able to escape public view and avoid the threat of Laterano by "scheming to make Vina rebel against her," thus becoming Victoria's shadow emperor, Theresa can similarly escape public view and avoid the threat of Laterano by "scheming to make Theresis rebel against her," thus becoming Kazdel's shadow queen.

I have to say, Mr. Bruce and I are a perfect match, aren't we?

Theresa gave a sweet smile.

Chapter Twenty-Seven: With this, you can defeat any monster.

Victoria, ? ? ?, wilderness.

Mostima looked up at the blazing sun and estimated the time; it was about five in the afternoon.

Dragging her heavy body, she remained huddled in the man-made cave in the wasteland, sending a message to her companions in Laterano requesting help.

I can't take it anymore, I really can't take it anymore.

Without the Black Key and White Key, Mostima lost her ability to subjectively slow down the process. The long-lost hunger and fatigue returned to her body. Moreover, because she had not experienced such feelings for a long time, Mostima's body sensitivity was greatly increased, and the fatigue was magnified many times over. Together with the hunger, it assaulted her consciousness, making her involuntarily want to fall asleep.

But no matter what, the ironclad rule that "messengers never die in the wasteland" still compelled her to stay conscious. She could not fall here, and she could not betray Prince Wayne's painstaking efforts to risk his life to release her from the dungeon!

Mostima's mind flashed back to Wayne's incredibly valiant figure that night. First, he mustered his courage, bracing himself for the guards' subtle, knowing glances (Wayne: I'll interrogate her now, you can leave). Then, he fully utilized his playboy charm to trick Mudrock into handing him the key (Wayne: Mudrock, give me the key). Finally, he opened the dungeon's iron door without anyone noticing, rescuing him unarmed.

Mostima gazed at the endless wasteland, as if Wayne were standing right in front of her, repeating the words he had spoken that night:

"Mostima, I'm sorry I couldn't retrieve your weapon, but there's no time. You go quickly, I'll cover your retreat. Go back to Lateran and tell His Holiness the Pope about my heroic exploits!"

Go back to Lateran and spread the tales of my heroic deeds.

Mostima gave a wry smile. Was he being treated like a bard?

That really fits the character of the spoiled prince Wayne.

But for some reason, Mostima felt no disgust at these arrogant and selfish words; in fact, she felt a strong urge to do so—to convey His Holiness the Pope, to the College of Cardinals, and to all Laterans, so that every Lateran would know that they had such a respectable and proud loyal friend. This was Mostima's responsibility!

Therefore, she absolutely cannot fall here!

Even His Highness Wayne hasn't stopped pursuing the throne, so how can I stop? I must move forward, keep moving forward!

As if in response to her obsession, the walkie-talkie she had hastily purchased finally gave a reply:

"Envoy Mostima? Envoy Mostima? The car is ready! It will arrive at your coordinates shortly."

Accompanied by the voice on the walkie-talkie, at the edge of the field of vision, on the horizon where the air was distorted by the high temperature, a black luxury car slowly emerged from the roof, followed by the front of the car, and finally the wheels.

The emblem of the Lateran Notary Office was embedded on the front of the car, signifying the visitor's identity. A glint of light flashed in Mostima's eyes, as if he had seen a glimmer of hope.

However, the next second, her tense mind suddenly relaxed, and the city defenses that had been held for so long collapsed instantly. Exhaustion overwhelmed her reason like a flood.

Her vision began to flicker, and it took her a while to realize that she was slowly blinking.

She heard incoherent shouts in the distance, and after a long while, she realized that it was her own low sobs.

In a daze, she saw Wayne, with a halo around his head, push open the car door and get out. He rushed to her side, frantically lifted her up, and called her name over and over again.

This time, she didn't think, but closed her eyes contentedly, because this was what she wanted to see.

Mostima was successfully rescued after being "rescued" from the dungeon by Wayne and wandering in the wilderness for six days.