"Lord Jerichault, Lord Jerichault?"

Foreign Secretary Metternich's voice brought Swain's thoughts back to reality.

He looked at the Metternich minister, it was quite rude to lose his mind at the meeting, but Swain really couldn't concentrate now.

Sven let out a nasal "um" and didn't say anything, as if to hide his distraction.

Minister Metternich was also very aware of the current affairs, and did not care about what Swain had just lost his mind, but cleared his throat and continued with what he had just said.

"Baron O'Brien's legion is supposed to be in the vicinity of Dweide, though we haven't been able to get in touch with him yet. Your Excellency, this army is the force we most desperately need at the moment, and we should summon them to the King of Qin. ”

Sven looked at the other party, although his face was still the same as always, but the reaction in his head was far less rapid than before.

"I beg your pardon. Before Swain could figure out how to speak, Sophia, who was sitting behind him, spoke, "Allow me to point out one of your speech problems. ”

Chancellor Metternich looked at Miss Jericho, his eyebrows lowered slightly. Today's sudden appearance of Sophia surprised all the cabinet ministers, although this young lady was extremely respected by others because of her special status, but no one had seen her participate in political affairs, everyone thought that Sophia was an outsider, but today, she was anti-guest-oriented, replacing her brother's previous initiative in the cabinet, and began to dictate this meeting.

"Speak, please. The Marquis of Metternich bowed his head, showing enough courtesy towards women.

"You said to let Baron O'Brien's legion come to King Qin...... Where, then, is the king?"

Chancellor Metternich couldn't help but stop for a moment.

Sophia kept smiling, in stark contrast to her expressionless brother in front of her.

"I'm afraid, before Baron O'Brien's corps is summoned, the internal affairs of the Imperial Government are the most urgent things we need to solve. His Majesty the Emperor without a proper name, whether it is the cabinet or the government, is it impossible to command the army, right?"

"We still have Marshal Rudolph...... "Chancellor Metternich whispered, as he pondered his words.

"For the sake of the old marshal's body, it's better not to disturb him. Sophia's smile did not change, and she continued, "You have seen it before, and after the great blow, his current condition is no different from that of other terminally ill old people. His Excellency Marshal has served the Empire for so many years, and we should not let his old age be so difficult. ”

"You have a point. Chancellor Metternich stopped talking, knowing that he was far from being able to convince the other party in front of Jericho.

"Brother," Sophia leaned over and whispered into Swain's ear, "do you want to invite Her Highness Caterina over?"

Why did you invite her over?Swain immediately had a blank thought in his mind, why did she invite Princess Celestia now if she had not been willing to attend this meeting before?

However, Swain did not question his sister's intentions, he said "um" again, nodded, and complied with his sister's wishes.

Sophia turned her face and glanced at the court attendants in the Marduk Chamber.

"Excuse me......"

An old voice like rotten wood came from the corner of the conference table, but not many dared to despise it.

All eyes were on the old man.

Lord Chancellor of the Imperial Court, Wood Noll Fair, was also present at the Cabinet meeting during this tumultuous time.

"Speak, please. Sophia looked at the old man who had a great deal to do with the Jericho family, especially with her, and the smile on her fifteen-year-old face was pure, but her attitude was extremely old in politics.

"Please ask Her Royal Highness the Celestial Princess to come over and ......" Wu Deqing's dark face made people worry about his physical condition, but the old man's determination was still very resolute, "Is it to discuss the matter of the succession to the throne?"

The cabinet ministers were silent, and they had all thought of this as early as the coup d'état at Tiamat Palace, when Princess Caterina became regent.

Now that the two princes, Paul and Alexei, have been killed by the mad Alexander, and Alexander himself has been killed by the Thirteen Lessons, in this case, it is almost logical for Princess Caterina to succeed to the throne.

"If you want to discuss the succession to the throne, I am afraid that it is not appropriate for the cabinet to decide only without the presence of the royal family. Sophia's eyes were slightly offset, and she glanced at her brother, "It is only natural to invite Her Royal Highness the eldest princess." ”

Wood hung his head, as if with a secret sigh. Some of the Cabinet ministers here remember the shocking secret revealed by Prime Minister Pitt at the last Cabinet meeting.

Didn't the Miss Jericho in front of them also have a quarter of royal blood, including her mother, who was now in the palace of Tiamat, and in terms of blood, she was also a princess of the Empire.

But at the moment, the other party did not express this meaning, or it may be that she did not know anything about the matter, in short, the cabinet ministers did not mention this matter with interest.

"So, do you think that the throne of the emperor should be inherited by Princess Caterina?"

"Do you have a better candidate?"

The cabinet ministers held their breath as they all sniffed the smell of gunpowder between their grandparents and grandchildren.

"According to the ......Empire's succession law," Wood took a breath and said slowly, "All female heirs to the throne should be ranked after male heirs. Despite the tragic deaths of the two princes, Alexei and Paul, there is still one Royal Highness who has enough succession - he has the blood of His Majesty Nicholas I, who is still in the direct blood of the royal family only a few months after his death. ”

All the cabinet ministers couldn't help but be stunned, and with Wood's words, they immediately thought of the man.

Beria's youngest son, the little prince Yolo.

However, who would take this highness seriously now? his father is a traitor to the empire who can no longer turn over and wash away the stigma, and as the little prince, the possibility of Yolo's succession has always been the weakest, who would want this highness to inherit the supreme position?

Sophia was also slightly taken aback by Wood's proposal, and she looked at Wood seriously, as if to confirm whether the other party really supported Yolo's succession to the throne.

"You ......"

"Alright. ”

Swain interrupted his sister by tapping his fingers on the table.

"Now we are probably not very useful in discussing these things in the current situation. Sven's deep voice and expressionless face hid the blankness of thoughts in his mind, "If you really want to discuss the succession to the throne, you should talk about it after asking Princess Celestia about her wishes, now is not the right time." ”

Swain's words were a little puzzling, but no one questioned him.

"Let's get here today. He said nothing, but arose from his throne and went to the door.

He could feel the gaze behind him, and it sent a chill down his neck. Sven had never been more afraid of the eyes of others, even if they couldn't penetrate his disguise for the time being.

Sophia followed her brother as she had always been.

Wood watched the siblings until they left the chamber.

After walking out of the conference hall and cutting off the eyes of the cabinet ministers, the coldness on the back of Sven's neck still did not disappear.

He suddenly found that this coldness actually came from his dearest sister.

Sven couldn't help but stop.

"What's the matter, brother?"

Sophia also stopped.

"Nothing. Sven turned his face slightly, but before he could turn his eyes on his sister, he immediately turned his face back, "I want to take a break, you...... Go see Mrs. Jane. ”

"Yes, sir. Sophia didn't have any doubts at all, just stepped forward and hugged her brother gently.

Looking at the back of his sister's departure, the melancholy in Sven's heart deepened.

He sighed, pushed the door open, and walked into the room.

The previous night's destruction had destroyed the former whitewash of the Tiamat Palace, and so was this room, whose rich ornaments were a mess and dust on the walls and carpets.

There was only a faint frustration in his lowered eyes, and neither spirit nor composure could be reflected in Sven's body.

"Atropos ......"

Swain muttered silently, looking at the ground with a gloomy look in his eyes.

"I admit defeat to you, you win, I lose badly. ”

A faint chill rose between Sven's fingers, and a sad emotion penetrated into his heart.

"Why are you throwing in the towel to me, my child. What victory or defeat can be won or lost between me and you?"

Atropos's voice echoed in Swain's ears, his tone was as kind as ever, but there was no ease in Swain's heart.

"You have completely shattered my hopes. ”

The room darkened, as if in the blink of an eye, it was night.

"I just want to give you hope, and I don't want to break your hope. ”

"But you've ruined my motivation to do anything. Swain looked up at the dim light in front of him, "What did I do so much for? I just want to go back to the old days with Sophia, keep the time in Fort Midnight, and let life flow quietly. But you have shattered my only hope. ”

His eyes were full of sorrow, and those eyes had turned into tears, invisible expressions.

"Sophia, I loved her past, present, and future, but you have cut time apart. How can I continue to hold on to my beliefs when you made her change from her previous nightmare overnight?"

Atropos remained silent, as if he could not answer Swain's question.

"So, I surrender to you. I thought I could rebel against Jericho's fate and do what all the Earls of Midnight couldn't, but I was wrong. I will renounce this cursed title and give you all my freedom, and all I pray for is that you will give me back what I have been, and what I have before. ”

Invisibly, Atropos seemed to sigh, but the sound did not come out, just a breeze on Swain's sideburns.

"It's not your towel, it's just another defeat for me. ”

The room grew brighter, and Sven looked up and looked ahead, his eyes full of confusion.

"My child, I have never harbored the slightest malice towards you, only the deepest concern. I put all my hope in you, and though you have shattered my hope as you have just made a sad statement, I have no grudge against you. ”

"I would call you king, and you responded by refusing. So I chose another way. ”

"If I mean your sister, the one you love the most, Sophia, as queen, will you take the crown from me?"

Sven's face showed a bit of confusion, but after the confusion, his expression quickly became firm.