Many people thought that after becoming the ruler of Noxus, they would be able to live in a luxurious and luxurious palace and sit on an invincible throne.

But Svein did not do this, knowing full well that the emperor's dictatorship could lead to the decay of the country at any time, and that only absolute checks and balances could keep the huge machine moving forward.

So in the ten years that he was the leader of Noxus, the throne of the emperors has always been empty.

He never had the idea of living in a palace, but used the spacious Audience Hall as a meeting place for the Trifali Council, and he himself lived in the Jericho family's mansion. It's as if the Noxian Warlord is a job, not a status.

He meticulously combed his gray hair, and wore a modest coat that he had not changed for years.

On the table was an envelope clasped by a red badge, the contents of which Svein had opened and read.

It was an invitation to the ball, and the name of the person who signed it was in elegant font outlined in red paint. It is a pigment that is more precious than Shurima cinnabar or Piltover ochre, and expensive enough to bankrupt the average family, a pigment called Ionian vermilion, full of lustrous red.

"Flashy." Svein commented.

Vladimir actually wanted to invite all the famous families of the Immortal Fortress to attend the ball held in his mansion.

It's ridiculous, what is the prom inviting an old man like him to do, it's a young man's carnival.

But Svein soon sniffed out the hidden conspiracy.

Stillola Manor had never been unveiled to outsiders, and he had learned from the memories of the Left Arm Demon that the last time the manor was opened was hundreds of years ago, during the violent turmoil of the Immortal Fortress.

And its reopening must mean something.

For Vladimir, Svein already has a certain understanding. Through his investigations, he gradually learns that this immortal celebrity has been reincarnated in the Immortal Fortress for many lifetimes, guiding the throne of Noxus in different capacities, coordinating the Empire's many ambitious conquests.

It is a blood-colored flower that grows in the shade of black roses.

And every time he was reincarnated, it was a bitter drink of the vitality of the empire.

Svein found that blood sorcery had found a place in some armies under Vladimir's guidance, and was also prevalent among the sons and daughters of the old nobility.

Many of the old-school aristocratic camps that are now hollowed out by the Trifali Council are born out of a cult dedicated to Vladimir himself, the Crimson Order.

A group of blood magic spellcasters of all stripes, relying on the fact that they have learned a little clumsy spell, delusionally want to control the entire empire.

But now their voices are growing, leading others to question the decisions of the Trifali Council, presenting Svein with an unprecedented test.

And this sudden ball was like a signal for the congregation to rally, or a prologue before the battle began. Svein felt that it would be better for him to wait and see, his presence could suppress the breeding of many evils in the shadows.

For the empire to become stronger, the Crimson Order must be eradicated, and the nobility of the old times must be outlawed, this is an unforgivable trend, and anyone who wants to stand in the way of this great wave of change will be crushed to pieces by the impact.

The political landscape of the empire has been shattered by the time Vladimir sent out the invitation, turning into a huge vortex of turmoil, and there is not much time left for Jeno.

Under the intense arrangement of Vladimir's forces, the ball was held seven days later in the evening, as scheduled.

That night, the so-called people of the entire Immortal Fortress were dressed up in attendance, and under the watchful eyes of unrelated people, they rushed into the narrow alleys of Moltora and rubbed shoulders with each other, even when the Emperor took office.

The vast majority of people who attend the ball are motivated to visit the Mystery Manor, and even if someone mentions what the ball is about, it is quickly assimilated by the pleasant emotions around it.

After living in a depressive environment for so long, people crave a complete physical and mental release.

Svein walked into the manor with the surging crowd without the guards, still wearing his armor and a modest black coat over his shoulders, hiding his hands under his command, out of place with the celebrities in costume around him.

But this maverick also made him as conspicuous as a crow among pigeons, and most of them kept their distance from him, most of whom were the losers of the establishment of the council and hated Svein to the core.

But there are also Svein's faction who deliberately approach him, curry favor with him, and block those unkind eyes for him.

In this regard, Svein didn't mind anything, but let everyone do their own thing and have fun. He knew that he was ruining the atmosphere of this unsociable old man standing in the crowd, so he found a dark corner to drink and watched with deep eyes what was happening in the wide ballroom.

In order to prevent possible assassinations at the ball, and to help her sister fight her enemies, Caterina also came to the ball.

She wore a well-cut red gown, her long, scarlet hair tied back behind her head, revealing her tight collarbones. Holding a glass of crimson wine in his hand, leaning against a cold stone pillar, he stared at the young men and women on the dance floor without saying a word.

The soothing and elegant music was ready, but Caterina rejected the men who came up to talk to her and wanted to invite her to dance with her.

Not being able to dance is one thing, not wanting to dance is another, her sister has left her, and there is no one to dance with her anymore.

She disguised herself with her wine glass, her cold gaze roaming back and forth, trying to find her enemies in the crowd.

Ever since she learned that Cassiopeia had killed the same people she had let go of at the Wolf Spirit Temple, she had hated her omissions at that time, and her quest for revenge had become more urgent.

Jeno hid in the shadows, and saw through Katerina's eyes that Svein had arrived, which meant that his goal had been accomplished.

Now it's time to see if LeBlanc is here.

So he shifted to Elise's horizon to see what happened to the black rose.

Like Caterina, Elise was directly instructed by LeBlanc to act as an assassin at the ball, with the same goal, both to kill Jeno.

She was still dressed in a tight burqa, her face wrapped in a mask, and four sharp spider legs sticking out from under the black robe clinging to the back of the tower, staring coldly at the hot ballroom through the window.