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Chapter 540: Lanchi, the Royal Tutor
Chapter 540: Lanchi, the Royal Tutor
Cardinal Lanchi and Empress Kexiaya sat on either side of an intricately carved dining table, a silver candelabra between them exuding an air of nobility and solemnity. The candelabra's tips remained unlit, and the light filtering through the windows was dim, casting an ethereal hue upon the surrounding tableware. Despite it being midday, the air carried a hint of the rain-drenched mystique.
"Thank you, Your Majesty Kexiaya," Lanchi expressed his gratitude to the empress.
After a brief exchange before the meal, silence once again enveloped the dining table as the attendants served dish after dish. Both individuals immersed themselves in their thoughts, maintaining proper dining etiquette as they ate.
Time ticked by unnoticed, and before long, the lunch hour had passed. The attendants efficiently cleared the table, restoring it to its pristine state as if no meal had taken place.
Empress Kexiaya gazed out the window at the courtyard, where rain seemed imminent. She remained silent for a moment.
"To be honest, I am afraid of you because no one can fathom your true nature," she confessed, her eyes averted from Lanchi. "I heard your speech yesterday, and it was brilliant. To be frank, I found it inspiring, but it also made me more fearful. I'm afraid that appointing you was a mistake."
She wasn't sure if she should be voicing these thoughts to Lanchi Wilford, struggling to find a topic of conversation, so she opted for honesty.
"In your opinion, which do you find more frightening: me or the Honing Empire?" Lanchi inquired.
"...”
Empress Kexiaya remained silent, offering no response.
Objectively speaking, she truly believed that the man before her paled in comparison to the threat posed by the Honing Empire—there was no contest.
Yet, here he sat, and the mere possibility of him being an enemy filled her with a sense of unease that ran deep.
"Let me rephrase the question," Lanchi continued. "What if I assure you that I am your steadfast supporter, willing to exert all my efforts to serve you and resist the Honing Empire? Would you still find me frightening?"
"No," Empress Kexiaya replied, her eyes closed as she shook her head.
Hearing such assurance from Lanchi brought her an instant of profound relief.
"I'm concerned about your standing in the parliament," she added.
Even with her willingness to support this new prime minister, she was merely a symbolic figure of power to the people and held little actual influence over the parliament's decisions. Her ability to sway the parliament lay mostly in her interpersonal relationships and her power to convince those who might aid the prime minister.
Empress Kexiaya was well aware of what had transpired that morning during the upper house meeting before Lanchi's arrival. If it weren't for the restraint shown by both Wilford and Duke Morretti, the parliament's divisions and conflicts could have escalated further, leading to unrest and internal strife.
Lanchi's thoughts drifted to the absurd confrontation earlier that day upon hearing Kexiaya's words.
"They want to get rid of the street performer and replace him with his monkey," he said, his voice carrying a hint of displeasure.
"Mind your words, Lord Wilford," the empress chastised. "Duke Morretti is my friend."
She was surprised by Lanchi's bold statement at this juncture, bluntly expressing his thoughts. It seemed his emotions regarding Duke Morretti were running high.
"...”
At her words, Lanchi lowered his head, remaining silent for a long while.
"While I'm unaware of the specifics of your conversation with Duke Morretti this morning, I believe you both acted with the best interests of the Plorant Empire at heart," the empress continued, seeking to explain or clarify her position. "I shouldn't interfere in your disputes, nor can I arbitrate right from wrong. However, when I hear someone speaking ill of a friend, I refuse to condone it and feel compelled to correct them."
Empress Kexiaya began to worry that she might have said something amiss and felt the need to justify her words.
"It seems only I am not needed," Lanchi said, his voice tinged with dejection.
This sudden statement filled the empress with a new wave of concern.
"Perhaps it is you who inspires fear," she said softly. "No one can predict your next decision or the words you will speak."
Her tone had softened considerably as she witnessed Lanchi's slight dejection.
Cat Boss: "????"
It felt like it had just learned a new technique in the art of tea ceremony.
Sometimes, directly expressing dissatisfaction—a tactic that might not even qualify as low-grade green tea—could proactively elicit a rebuke from the other party, allowing one to assume a victim's stance and cause the other person to question who was truly at fault.
At this moment, Empress Kexiaya was more inclined to question whether Duke Morretti had gone too far rather than continue doubting Lanchi.
This was not a tactic of low-grade green tea, but a combination of advancing and retreating, returning to simplicity, and compared to innocence, it even made him seem straightforward.
As they spoke, their relationship grew closer.
Lanchi was isolated in the Upper House during the war, but Princess Kexiaya's attitude was also clear; she was willing to trust the prime minister.
The following conversation between the two involved many topics about the war and the future of the country. Princess Kexiaya expressed her views thoughtfully, while Lanchi displayed his leadership and loyalty to the empire. The empress raised many questions about Lanchi's decisions but was also satisfied with his responses.
Although their identities and statuses were different, the subtle mutual understanding and respect between them began to grow stronger.
Until finally, the appointed lunch hour was coming to an end.
Lanchi glanced at his watch and politely indicated to the empress that he needed to attend to his work.
"My apologies, Lord Wilford, for taking up so much of your time that could have been spent resting."
Princess Kexiaya suddenly realized how quickly time had passed.
However, Lanchi showed no signs of rushing off. It seemed that if the empress had any further questions, he would prioritize answering them until she was satisfied.
"To be honest, I do not see any hope of victory. Perhaps in a little over a month, the Honing Empire will have invaded Hersha Salem."
Princess Kexiaya took a deep breath and pointed out the most critical issue, "What do you think our chances are now?"
Although no one could truly answer, she believed that not only herself but also the people of the Plorant Empire were most concerned about this.
She just wanted to hear Wilford's thoughts, perhaps he could give her a little more confidence.
Even if he was deceiving her, as a hawkish party member, he should exaggerate their chances of winning.
"Zero."
Lanchi replied.
"..."
Princess Kexiaya seemed shocked by Lanchi's honesty.
At least he should've said one percent, right? Yet, Princess Kexiaya couldn't detect even a hint of deception in Lanchi's eyes.
She really wanted to ask him.
If you are the one who believes the most that we have no chance of winning, then why are you so eager to charge against the wind? "Are you serious?"
In the end, these were the only words that escaped Princess Kexiaya's mouth.
At that moment, she couldn't empathize with the prime minister's psychology and could only stare into his emerald eyes.
She couldn't tell if they were a clear lake or a bottomless abyss, but somehow, she found herself locked in a gaze with him for a long while, forgetting to look away.
"Please believe me. There's a saying that goes, 'When you're prepared to sacrifice yourself, it's easier to sacrifice others,' The fight against the Honing Empire may entail significant sacrifices, but before that, I am ready to sacrifice myself, and I will stop at nothing to create a path to victory for you, Your Majesty."
At that moment, Lanchi sounded like a knight pledging his allegiance to the empress.
But he was unlike the typical steadfast and valiant knight.
There was a sense of vast loneliness and a hint of fragility about him.
"..."
For some reason, Princess Kexiaya felt that in front of this man, she wasn't just a constitutional imperial monarch with a noble status but a wise sovereign with absolute imperial power.
It was a tremendous expectation and a kind of trust that made her want to protect this man and support him in accomplishing a brave and great undertaking.
"I understand."
Princess Kexiaya pondered for a moment, then finally nodded firmly.
Subsequently, Lanchi bid farewell to Princess Kexiaya briefly, stating that he would visit her again. After receiving her assent, he left Salem Palace and proceeded to his next destination.
The Cat Boss was speechless.
Yet another human who couldn't escape Lanchi's hypnosis. A few more sessions, and they might just do whatever Lanchi asks without question.
Right now, those outside the Shadow World, as well as the Honing Empire and the Blood Tribe on the other side, probably haven't realized the severity of the situation.
Even the Cat Boss understands that this is a grand strategic contest-type Shadow World, not a character favor-focused one!
You're like an ominous god of ruin!
(End of Chapter)
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