The weapons I forge are absolutely flawless.

“Then you underestimate yourself.” Tilisa was unwilling to continue arguing with Vena.

Just then, two soft sounds came from outside, bringing their conversation to an end.

"Who is it?" Viner asked towards the door.

"It's me." A deep and familiar voice came from outside the door.

Before Wiener could respond, the door was pushed open, and Sigurd slowly pushed his wheelchair into the room.

“Oh, I knew I’d forgotten someone.” Viner then remembered Jim’s earlier mention of Sigurd wanting to see him. “Is there something you needed to come all this way to see me about?”

"Of course, there are things that are inconvenient to say when other people are around."

After entering the room, Sigurd closed the door and placed his hands on the armrests of his wheelchair.

Wiener narrowed his eyes slightly.

Just when he thought Sigurd was there to show that he was able to get back on his feet,

Sigurd, who had gotten out of his wheelchair, suddenly knelt down on the ground.

Weiner: “…”

Clearly, he cannot do it.

“What do you mean by this?” Wiener couldn’t help but ask.

“I have a favor to ask… no, I should say a request.” Sigurd lowered his head deeply.

"Even if you kneel down and beg me, it won't work. I won't make a statement until you explain the situation clearly." Vena wasn't about to make a promise so easily based on such a gesture.

“I understand. If you had agreed right away, I would have thought you were just trying to fool me.” Sigurd raised his head with a wry smile, his gaze complicated. “What I want to ask of you is that I hope you can help Princess Edel.”

“Based on the information I received before, Edel should have already ascended to the throne as Empress. With the talents and outstanding individuals of the entire empire helping her, why would she need me?” Vena retorted.

He just wanted to find out the most accurate facts.

Upon hearing this, Sigurd bit his lip. "That was all just a play put on by Lucien for the world. The one on the throne is nothing more than a puppet he has installed. Princess Edel hasn't even been able to see His Majesty since she returned from the academy."

Edel's initial intention to eliminate the demons lurking within the empire was undoubtedly righteous, but she still underestimated the power of Lucien, the Grand Duke of the empire.

Being in the academy, far from the center of power in the court, every decree she received required Lucien's approval to take effect; and the intelligence she received was carefully selected, intentionally shown to her.

The entire situation was like an impenetrable net, tightly binding Adele within it.

However, some of her recent actions have made Lucien realize that his seemingly compliant niece seems to want to break free from his control.

Lucien did not make a public statement, but responded in a more discreet manner.

He carried out every instruction that Edel sent back with even greater intensity.

This move has been remarkably effective.

This not only caused the originally neutral nobles to waver, but even those nobles who supported Edel began to feel dissatisfied.

Demon-slaying quotas are distributed according to rank and territory size; failure to eliminate a sufficient number of demons is considered a failure to perform the task effectively.

This absurd order became the final straw that broke the back of many lords.

When several lords were imprisoned and awaiting execution for "failing to suppress the demons," the other nobles became alert and began to use every means to complete their mission.

Since living demons are hard to find, we can use people who collude with demons to make up the numbers.

If there weren't enough death row inmates, they would kill innocent people to claim credit.

In short, there are always countermeasures to policies from above.

These bloody figures were ultimately transformed into cold reports and submitted.

The "people who died at the hands of the demons" reported by a lord are very likely the "people who colluded with the demons" that the neighboring lord claims.

It was naturally Adele who bore the brunt of the criticism.

......

“Given the current situation, there’s no point in telling me. Aren’t there any advisors or strategists who can help come up with some solutions?” Sigurd’s description only made Venus’s head throb more. “Isn’t Edel surrounded by Schuster? That guy seems to be much better at these things.”

“Lord Schuster has already sacrificed himself,” Sigurd said with his eyes closed.

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Chapter 590 Nightmare of the Past

Wiener was still shocked by the news of Schuster's sacrifice, but Sigurd did not give him much time to process it and continued his story.

"Shortly after Her Highness the Princess and Lord Schuster left the academy, they received a secret letter informing them that His Majesty the Emperor was critically ill, and the two rushed to the capital without stopping..."

Upon arriving at the palace, the two were greeted by a group of ministers who were already in a state of panic as preparations were hastily made for an urgent enthronement ceremony.

All eyes were on Adele, as if they couldn't wait to put her on the throne.

Edel would certainly not object, since only by inheriting the throne could she rightfully take over the power left by Isnia IX and truly rule the empire.

However, when she asked to see her father, the emperor, she was firmly stopped by the court physician.

"His Majesty is critically ill, clinging to life with his last breath, all for the purpose of personally crowning His Highness the Princess at the enthronement ceremony. If we were to awaken him now, all his efforts would be in vain."

Seeing that the court physician had spoken so seriously, Edelweiss knew not to say anything more in front of the courtiers.

The recent campaign to exterminate the demons has caused a lot of chaos, and she is waiting for a decision on what to do, so she has no choice but to accept the doctor's advice for the time being.

Schuster sensed his lord's worries and secretly followed the court physician, only to discover a shocking scene.

Grand Duke Lucien, who was supposed to be guarding the empire's borders and preventing invasions from the kingdom, was surprisingly found in the capital.

Sensing something was amiss, Schuster dared not listen any longer to what they were plotting and hurriedly reported what he had discovered to Edel.

Unfortunately, the assassins Lucien sent arrived even faster than expected.

Four demon apostles silently approached the palace, but the demon-finding equipment, which had always worked, showed no reaction whatsoever.

Schuster could only send Edel away by sacrificing his own life.

"Snowy Valley is the only safe place in the empire. Even if other magic-seeking tools are ineffective, the glass jar can still play its role. With it, we can prevent demons from sneaking into the valley."

Even so, Sigurd's eyes still revealed deep worry: "Lucien has probably already guessed where Princess Edel is hiding, and he is intentionally cutting off Snowdrift Valley's connection with the outside world. Once he is fully prepared, this place will probably not be peaceful either."

Wiener vaguely understood why Edel had suggested that Count Feld cover her escape.

"I would like to request that you take His Highness to the academy, which is the last place where His Highness can be protected," Sigurd pleaded again.

“You actually care so much about Adele.” Viner said with some emotion, looking at Sigurd with a complicated expression.

“Since the Rafna family has sworn allegiance to His Highness, they will never go back on their word,” Sigurd said firmly.

There was a brief silence in the room.

Venere slowly began to speak: "And what are Edel's own thoughts?"

“His Highness did not show it.” Sigurd lowered his head.

As a subject, he dared not presume to guess his lord's thoughts, but this did not diminish his loyalty.

“I understand.” Viner nodded, then reached out to help Sigurd up from the ground. “I cannot grant your request.”

"This—" Sigurd was about to say something when Viner raised her hand to interrupt him.

“But I will go directly to Edel and see what she really thinks.” Viner helped Sigurd back into her wheelchair. “If she is willing to accept the Academy’s protection, I will take her with me.”

"Thank you." A hint of gratitude flashed in Sigurd's eyes.

"Didn't you consider the possibility that she might refuse?" Wiener asked curiously.

Sigurd raised his head without hesitation: "Then the Rafner family will fight alongside Your Highness to the very end."

The Rafna family is sworn enemies of the demons, and they will never yield to those who collude with the demons, even if it costs them their last drop of blood.

After Viner saw Sigurd out of the room, Tissa's voice rang in his mind again.

"This Sigurd was Edel's second second-in-command after Schuster, and he remained loyal to Edel until his death in battle. I never thought that he would follow the same path again in this second chance."

"I see," Wiener murmured to himself.

Then, he took out a set of clean clothes from the ring, turned around and walked to the bathtub, and filled it with hot water.

Having been unconscious for several days, coupled with the sweat he had just produced, he inevitably had a certain odor.

It would be rather impolite to ask Edel's opinion so directly, so Venere decided to wash up before visiting her.

Just before taking off her clothes, Vena seemed to remember something and took off the rings on her hands one by one.

"don't want--"

Vina pretended not to hear Tilisa's wails, gently wrapped the ring that Escudo had turned into with a towel, and then comfortably soaked in the water.

-----------------

Adele soaked in the bathtub, the warm water enveloping her tired body.

Steam filled the bathroom, gradually fading her consciousness.

Before she knew it, she had fallen into a deep sleep.

In her dream, she returned to her childhood and solemnly promised her father that she would become the most outstanding empress in the history of the empire and would reunite the divided empire.

But her father simply patted her head and told her that this position was not easy to sit in.

Whether you sit on it or sit down, many people will die.

Some were enemies, while others were friends and blood relatives, until he became utterly alone.

The scene suddenly shifts back to that night not long ago.

Seeing that the nearby guards could not withstand the apostle's attack, Schuster burned his life force to break the spatial anchor.

His face was pale, blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes remained resolute.

"Your Highness, please live... I have never regretted following you."

As soon as he finished speaking, Schuster used his last bit of power to teleport Edel out of the capital.

"Bang! Bang!" Two gentle knocks pulled Adele back to reality from her dream.

She suddenly opened her eyes, momentarily disoriented and unable to tell where she was.

A moment later, Adele realized she was still in the bathtub, the water now completely cold.

A familiar voice came from outside the door: "Is senior sister resting?"

“Vina?” Adele was slightly taken aback, not understanding why he would come to find her at this time.

Despite her doubts, she got up, used magic to evaporate the water droplets from her body, then casually wrapped herself in a bath towel and walked towards the door.

"Have you rested yet?"

Seeing that she had not received a response for a long time, Venus assumed that Adele had gone to sleep and decided to visit her again the next morning.

As soon as he turned around, the door behind him quietly opened.

"Junior, is there something you need that's bringing you so late?"

A languid voice came from behind Vina.

He turned around and saw Adele, wrapped only in a bath towel, leaning against the door.

Her damp hair clung to her cheeks, and her barely visible collarbones exuded an unintentional allure.

Wiener quickly turned her head to the side, "I'm sorry, senior, I didn't know you were—"

"Come in and we'll talk."

Adele retreated directly into the house, leaving the door ajar, as if offering a silent invitation.

Chapter 591 Wiener: What happened to being a role model for students?

Seeing that Venus finally came in, Edel unconsciously curled the corners of her mouth into a smile.

She turned around, took two glasses from the cabinet, and casually asked, "What would you like to drink?"

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do," Wiener replied simply.

After fiddling with it for a moment, Edel placed a glass of amber liquid in front of Venus.