https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-713-Lanchi-is-Undoubtedly-an-Expert/12585144/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-715-Lanchi-Can-t-Bear-to-See-Others-Bewitching-the-Masses/12585149/
Chapter 714: Lanchi's Imperial Dream
Chapter 714: Lanchi's Imperial Dream
Inside the vehicle, Lanchi leaned back against the soft leather seat as he prepared for the journey to St. Cryxis Abbey.
"If possible, Professor Landry, try to minimize your contact with the military during your tenure at St. Cryxis Abbey. You are a carefully selected talent by Headmistress Violet, and getting entangled with Military Intelligence would be detrimental to both you and the school," Secretary Nila murmured, glancing at him through the rearview mirror.
Violet already had her hands full with her work in the capital, and having to deal with First Marshal Xintos, the head of the military, due to an employee's issue would be a significant hassle.
"Rest assured, Colonel Nicola merely had some misunderstandings about me at first. I believe that once he investigates and understands the truth behind the incident, he will clear me of any suspicions," Lanchi replied calmly, nodding as he pulled out a hefty book titled "History of the Cryxis Empire" from his briefcase and placed it on his lap.
"But, Miss Nila, why are you so averse to the Intelligence Department? I can tell that it's not just a professional stance; you seem to personally detest them as well," he probed further after a moment's thought.
During his upcoming time at St. Cryxis Abbey, he anticipated having to deal with a lot of school-related matters, and when he couldn't meet with Headmistress Violet, he would likely be interacting with her secretary.
"Would you like those dogs the capital nobles keep as pets?" Nila retorted with a cold huff.
"Cough, cough, is that really appropriate, Miss Nila?" Lanchi couldn't help but cough lightly, surprised by the bluntness of the usually polite and reserved secretary.
"There's no issue here. At St. Cryxis Abbey, you are free to speak your mind. This place has always been a sanctuary since ancient times," Nila said with a wry smile.
"In my opinion, a small animal is just a small animal, regardless of whether it's wild, domesticated, or owned by someone," Lanchi finally answered, addressing Nila's previous question.
"It seems Professor Landry is an impartialist," Nila concluded, her eyes on the road ahead.
"Isn't that how it should normally be?" Lanchi questioned. In his hometown, the distinction between nobles and commoners wasn't as stark. Nobles had more wealth but fewer privileges, and even a duchess had to endure discrimination day in and day out.
His current identity as Landry, a noble from a remote region, might not be well-versed in the intricacies of the capital, Brielda, especially since this was Landry's first time visiting the capital from the border regions. So, he could just be himself without raising suspicions.
"Once Professor Landry arrives at St. Cryxis Abbey, you'll understand the clear divisions between factions. And most of those who appear neutral on the surface actually have their own inclinations; they just don't reveal them easily," Nila said lightly, her fingers tapping on the steering wheel.
"Indeed, I detest the aristocrats in the capital, and even more so, those who act as their lapdogs. Of course, Professor Landry, you are an exception. You don't carry that air of worldly corruption," she added, her manner of speaking more straightforward to enhance her work efficiency.
As Landry, a declining noble from the empire's remote region, Lanchi had the qualification to join either side, depending on where he saw himself belonging.
Lanchi smiled but remained silent, turning another page of the book on his lap.
Nila, as the headmistress's secretary, was supposed to be neutral, but her candid expression of her opinions actually made Violet feel more at ease, which was why she kept Nila by her side.
Outside the car window, the ancient capital, with its thousand years of history, shone with the faded glory of days past in the gradually setting afternoon sun.
"Lanchi, why is there so much conflict between the nobles and commoners in the empire?" Talia, the Queen card, asked, having dozed off for a while but now awake and curious in Lanchi's mind.
Since coming to the Cryxis Empire, she hadn't needed to manifest physically and thus didn't have an identity. Most of the time, she existed as Lanchi's magic card and summon. So, she hadn't bothered to study much about the country, choosing instead to lounge on the sofa, snacking and napping while Lanchi pored over his materials back in the Bosen Kingdom.
But now, having heard about the internal situation of this nation, her curiosity was piqued.
Originally, Lanchi wouldn't have delved into the issue of commoners and nobles in the capital so soon. His original identity as Lovia was that of a northern border commoner without a clear stance.
However, the Landry identity was more complicated.
As he headed to St. Cryxis Abbey, he seemed unable to avoid this issue.
To help Shubleyan rescue Miyaja, he would likely need to find the underground vampire city, Blood Moon City, hidden beneath the Cryxis capital of Brielda, as Lanchi had suggested.
And to obtain the precise coordinates of Blood Moon City, he would first have to investigate those within the empire who were associated with the vampires. In this process, interactions with important figures in the empire were inevitable, and they could belong to either the noble faction or the populist faction.
"Many years ago, the nobles of the Cryxis Empire held too much power; they could even dominate everything single-handedly. Most of the authority, wealth, and even media resources were in the hands of the nobility," Lanchi began to explain.
Lanchi flipped through the book in his hand, explaining to Talia in his mind,
"Aside from oppressing and exploiting the people, some nobles even began to view the commoners as less than human, killing and taking whatever they wanted."
For now, Lanchi didn't know why there was a copy of "History of the Cryxis Empire" in Landry's suitcase, but the content within indeed overlapped with what he was currently explaining, although the history book had put a positive spin on certain parts.
"Won't that cause trouble?"
Talia wondered if even the demon tribe would go that far. While they may have murderous intentions, they wouldn't care about one's identity or status; they only cared about whether they could get away with the kill or not.
That was a form of equality unique to the demon tribe.
"At that time, these extremely ruthless nobles trampled on people's lives with impunity, which eventually ignited the flames of fury."
Lanchi continued,
"Speaking of which, Tata, did you know that the conflict between the nobles and the commoners in the Cryxis Empire nowadays is quite intense? It is said that not only are there some commoners who deeply resent the nobles, but there are also nobles who harbor hatred towards the common folk."
Lanchi suddenly steered the topic back to the present, asking her,
"Why is that?"
Talia was puzzled as to why Lanchi would bring up the past incident and tie it to the present conflict.
"Because, many years ago, there was indeed a large-scale riot in the Botswana Province of the Cryxis Empire, and quite a number of nobles were killed. That day came to be known as 'Blood Wash Day'."
Lanchi explained.
"Desperate and furious commoners, armed and organized, stormed into the nobles' mansions, killing, burning, looting, and destroying. The men of the noble families were directly killed, and the women were subjected to fates worse than death."
"The lucky few who managed to escape and survive passed on their family legacies, but the psychological shadows remained, and their hatred fell upon all commoners."
It wasn't until later that the Emperor established a charter to restrain the nobles, appease the commoners, investigate the involved nobles, and punish the rioters, that the conflict that had erupted was finally resolved.
After that, for a long time, the conflict between the nobles and the commoners in the Cryxis Empire improved.
But that was only temporary.
As the huge disaster left by the "Blood Wash Day" slowly fermented—the seeds of hatred began to take root and sprout, and the internal strife within the Cryxis Empire intensified in recent years.
Lanchi closed the history book, concluding his explanation to Talia about the current conflict between the noble faction and the populist faction in the Cryxis Empire.
"The bigger the conflict, the better it is for us, isn't it? After all, we're here to create chaos within the empire."
Talia asked tentatively, like a devil whispering in his ear, tempting him.
She believed that Lanchi was excellent at stirring up trouble, and with her demonic charm and gentle allure, she could also help Lanchi in his mischievous endeavors.
"That's not the best way to solve the problem."
A rare look of compassion flashed in Lanchi's eyes, as if he didn't want to see the people suffer any more than they already did.
"...Then what do you plan to do?"
Talia was perplexed.
"I want to make the Cryxis Empire great again, a sacred nation that doesn't need war."
Lanchi pondered deeply, his eyes reflecting his aspirations.
"...What nonsense,"
Talia sometimes couldn't understand Lanchi's mutterings.
But she didn't bother herself with it. At the moment, she was a poet at heart, accompanying Lanchi on his secret mission within the empire. She would just enjoy the ride, and when the time came, they would return to the kingdom triumphantly, perhaps even receiving accolades for their efforts. What a delightful thought!
As the dedicated vehicle slowed down after a journey of several dozen minutes, Lanchi knew that they had finally arrived at St. Cryxis Abbey.
The autumn sun painted the sky with a brilliant orange hue, and the maple leaves danced gracefully in the gentle breeze, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The air was filled with the dryness and richness unique to the season, mingled with the subtle fragrance of osmanthus flowers and the scent of earth.
Unbeknownst to them, the vehicle had entered a vast expanse of land, with trees lining the road on both sides. From a distance, the layered architecture resembled mountain ridges, its scale so immense that it was difficult to estimate the actual size of the school with the naked eye.
What St. Cryxis Abbey was most renowned for was its attached magic school, where the elite of the Cryxis Empire received a well-rounded education, trained in martial arts, delved into knowledge, and tempered their will, ultimately growing into the pillars of the empire.
The towering spires reached for the heavens, adorned with intricate lattice windows, and vibrant ivy crawling up the walls. Occasionally, a white-robed monk could be spotted standing by the door.
Along the way, Lanchi passed by numerous places; the abbey itself consisted of the church, the bishop's hall, the knightly order's residence, parks, and the library, while the school occupied a separate area with multiple sections for the academic building, villas, training grounds, dining halls, and auditoriums.
And indeed, it had become a small yet self-sufficient city-state.
The vehicle driven by Secretary Nila came to a stop in front of a building, as if to confirm Lanchi's thoughts.
The distinctive sense of tranquility and peace unique to the monastery enveloped them as the college steward opened the car door.
"Professor Landry, we have arrived at our destination," Secretary Nila announced, prompting Lanchi to turn his gaze towards the window.
With a rich history spanning over a millennium, St. Cryxis Abbey was built upon the ancient architecture of the Moon Goddess Temple, which existed before the founding of the Cryxis Empire.
Its evolution throughout the changes in the Southern Continent holds immense historical value and research significance.
Centuries ago, the southern region of the Southern Continent was not dominated by the Cryxis Empire.
Three major territories existed: the Cyrus Empire, the Elsay Holy Domain, and the Winsy Free Federation.
The Cyrus Empire, named after its founding emperor, Cyrus the First, was a longstanding monarchical nation with military prowess, advocating absolute power vested in the emperor by divine right.
The Elsay Holy Domain revered the Moon Goddess Elsay and believed that their land was blessed by the Moon God. Thus, the devout people named their country the Elsay Holy Kingdom, where secular and religious powers were intertwined.
The Winsy region of the Winsy Free Federation boasted fertile lands and abundant resources, earning it the moniker of the "Granary" of the southern region of the Southern Continent.
The local lords formed a relatively loose alliance, each governing their own territory, in the interest of mutual benefit.
And the Brielda region, where the Moon Goddess Monastery was located, sat at the heart of these three powers.
Neutral ground, Brielda served as both a stage for the rivalry between the nations and a crucial counterbalance to maintain the power equilibrium between the three kingdoms.
The Brielda Moon Goddess Monastery has always maintained its neutrality, adhering to the duties of the Moon Temple priests. Regardless of the conflicts between the three kingdoms, it remained a place of ceasefire. However, behind the scenes, several forces vied for influence, aiming to bring the monastery under their control.
The Cyrus Empire coveted the monastery's robust defenses and abundant resources, while the Elsay Holy Domain sought to leverage the monastery's religious influence to solidify its rule. Although the Winsy Free Federation was relatively weaker, they also covertly wooed the monastery to counterbalance the other two nations.
Eventually, war broke out.
The flames of conflict even reached Brielda, but the priests of the Healing and Silver Moon Gods, embodying compassion, continued to aid the homeless.
After a protracted war, a heroic figure finally united the entire southern region of the Southern Continent, ending the catastrophe and giving rise to the Cryxis Empire—the largest empire in the history of the Southern Continent, encompassing nearly two-fifths of the continent's territory.
Consequently, during the Cryxis Empire's integration and revival phase, the northern nations of the Southern Continent grew fearful, leading to the formation of the Kingdom United Congress, an alliance against the empire.
Fortunately, the rulers and people of the Cryxis Empire remembered the pain inflicted by the prolonged war and actively sought diplomatic relations with the northern kingdoms, ushering in a century of peace in the Southern Continent.
The Moon Goddess Monastery bore witness to the rise and fall of dynasties, the clash of heroes, and the advent of peace.
The protracted dispute between the three kingdoms came to an end, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the Cryxis Empire. The capital was established in the Brielda region, where the three territories once converged, and thus, the city was named Brielda.
To commemorate the great unification campaign and the nobility of the Moon Temple, the Moon Goddess Monastery, situated in the new imperial capital, was renovated and expanded into St. Cryxis Abbey. It continued to nurture talent for the Cryxis Empire.
Despite this, it also led to the emergence of three distinct ideologies among the nobility of the Cryxis Empire: the Imperial faction, which inherited the will of the Cyrus Empire; the Theocratic faction, which followed the path of the Elsay Holy Domain; and the Democratic faction, influenced by the Winsy Free Federation.
St. Cryxis Abbey is led by the High Priest, a position passed down through the direct descendants of the founding High Priest.
The current High Priest and principal is Violet, a powerful figure who also holds the seat of the Sixth War God of the Empire, bestowed with the title of Water Cyanite.
"Please follow me, and allow me to give you a brief tour of the main cathedral of the abbey before I escort you to an audience with Principal Violet," Secretary Nila said, her hands placed against her abdomen as she bowed slightly after exiting the vehicle.
Lanchi nodded, and Secretary Nila turned to lead the way.
Since everyone has requested that I write longer chapters, I will try to provide more content. However, the Empire/Blood Tribe arc has indeed concluded, and the Demon Tribe's restoration of their nation will only appear in extras. As for the Cataclysmic Earth and the Lost Continent, it is evident that they are not stories centered on Lanchi, as hinted at several times previously.
(End of Chapter)
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