Showers wash away the dryness of early autumn, the air is humid and cool, and the trees in the garden are still green, making it a good time to hang out. But Clovis just opened the tower's exterior window, felt the fresh air brush his neck, and sighed softly.

Troublesome, he thought. Not only that, but things are likely to get worse in the foreseeable future.

He looked down into the distance. Beyond the towering fortress of Glow City, the streets are bustling with pedestrians. At this time of the year, he would often go out at random, buy some pleasing objects from the southern market, order a glass of white beer at a familiar restaurant, and serve it with roasted slightly charred beef and soft and delicious Bresson pudding, and listen to some market legends that are difficult to distinguish between true and false.

However, because of the sudden death of Rogman O'Relle, everything became a complete luxury.

Five days ago, the guards on duty routinely went to inform His Majesty the Emperor of the meal, only to find that the other party was reclining on the throne, long since he was out of breath. The young man was frightened half to death, and rushed out of the royal court like crazy, and reported what he had seen to the chief of the duty room. Thanks to him, it took only two hours for the news of the emperor's death to spread throughout the palace.

More troublesome things are yet to come.

The war in the empire has stopped, and there must be no more internal fighting—with this reason in mind, officials led by the scholar Lyman approached him, hoping that he would temporarily take the throne and maintain the peace of the imperial capital. On the other hand, Duke Moore and others objected to his interference in political affairs, citing the disorder of his elders and children, and the suspicion that he had something to do with Rogman's death.

To be sure, he had no interest in power. But he knows better that the rest of his siblings are different from him. Neither Istal, Delane, nor Maroline could pass up this opportunity to ascend to the throne. As a prince who always lives in the imperial city, even if he doesn't ask about government affairs, trouble will not go away.

"Go and get all the important ministers to the council chamber, Hal." Chloe ordered the attendants beside him. Now that he has taken the position, he always has to take some responsibility, "I'll be there in a quarter of an hour." ”

The attendant bowed down to receive the order and hurried away. Chloe got up from behind her desk and put on her brother's clothes. He fiddled with the cumbersome ties and buttons as he thought back to the days when the other was still alive.

In his opinion, Rogman was a diligent and competent emperor. During the decades of his reign, the empire's population and wealth increased year by year, and there was never any major upheaval. He was meritocline and tolerant—his brothers and sisters, who were good at politics, were given real titles, while he remained in the royal city and studied as he pleased.

In the early years, the other party often talked with him all night to discuss statecraft and unfinished ideals. Since the arrival of the spokesman of the Lord of Heaven, everything has gradually begun to change. In retrospect, he had reminded the other party to pay attention to Cullen, but in the face of the miracle of reversing life and death, the power of words still seemed too weak.

Clovis straightened her hair and put on a black crown made of pure gold in the shape of a griffin's wings. He pushed open the door and descended the spiral staircase of the tower, through a garden full of hibiscus and irises—he deliberately detoured to allow himself some fresh air. Finally, he returned to the palace and headed straight to the throne hall at the end of the corridor.

The guards stationed outside pushed the door open for him. Chloe walked slowly into the hall and looked around at the people sitting on either side. Maester Lyman was talking in a whisper with a man in a red robe; Duke Moore closed his eyes and was silent; General Barak stood on the right side of the throne, clad in armor but unarmed. He looked around the hall and found no Cullen.

A black-haired, black-eyed Iter sat in the seat that belonged to the other party. Chloe remembers that his name was Hughes, a former companion of Barak, but he was also close to Cullen. The other seemed to notice his gaze and grinned widely at him.

"Let's get started." He passed among the ministers and sat down on the throne at the end, "Where did Kulunqing go?" ”

"He said he's gone to Bayard. I don't know if it's true or not, but I can get you a message—" Hughes held his hand up, "if I can see him." Is it necessary? ”

Maybe there is, but not now. Until he found enough help to rely on, he wished that Cullen would remain missing. Chloe nodded at Hughes, then looked at the scholar and the people around him—the wizard he had hired from the Federation to investigate Rogman's death.

He was taught by scholars for more than ten years, and even if he succeeded the emperor, he still used the customary title. "Teacher Lyman, you've seen Lord Rogman's body, haven't you?"

The red-robed man stood up. "His Highness Clovis." He greeted the new king with the old wizarding etiquette, "As you know, His Highness Rogman was not injured. Judging by my knowledge, His Highness was not poisoned, not a fatal disease, and not died by spells or curses. If there had to be a conclusion, I would ...... His Highness should have died of natural causes, or rather, the end of his life. ”

The ministers whispered to each other, and Hughes whistled, drawing disgruntled glances from the Lyman scholars.

This conclusion is indeed unconvincing, Chloe thought. He could probably guess the cause of Rogman's death, and even a long time ago, he suspected that his brother would be today. Unfortunately, neither the cause of death nor the accusations are suitable for his mouth.

"General Barak." He looked at the military attache beside him, "Is there a response from the head of the Collens Academy?" ”

"You said Vanka." The dark-haired little man grabbed the conversation, "It's the beginning of the academy's school season, and it's impossible for him to leave there to avoid that incident from happening again!" He spread his hands, his dark pupils staring at Chloe, "It's another year, that's fast, right?" ”

That's true. He remembers his shock two years ago when he heard of the attack on Eagle College, in which two students and a tutor had been killed. Chloe forced himself to let go of his superfluous thoughts and turned his gaze to the right—Barak bowed slightly, agreeing with Hughes's statement.

It was that incident that made him completely lose trust in Cullen. Unfortunately, the news arrived a few weeks late, and Cullen Dahl, who had attacked the Academy, had already bestowed the miracle of the "Lord of Heaven" on Rogman, and at the same time planted the seeds of today's chaos.

He wasn't sure what Cullen was going to do. With the aftermath of the last war still in hand, Rogman's death will undoubtedly serve as a trigger for revenge or profit, giving the surrounding countries a reason to act. But he couldn't understand what good it would be for a believer in the Lord of Heaven to plunge the entire continent into war.

"What about the guard?" He decided to switch to a lighter topic, "The one who first met Rogman." ”

"Still in prison, my lord." Earl Holden twisted his beard, "He refused to admit that he had killed the Emperor or had any connection with the murderer." Do you need some tricks to get him to speak? ”

Chloe shook her head. It was not his practice to make the innocent take the blame, and even if the guards confessed, his brothers and sisters would not listen, "Let him go." Ask him if he'd like to keep working – if not, give him two months' salary and let him go home. ”

The Count was stunned for a moment, blinked, and nodded his head to do so. Scholar Lyman then got up and pulled out a letter with a black cover from his bosom.

"His Highness Estar and His Highness Delane are both preparing their armies and are expected to be on their way in a week or two." The scholar handed him the letter, "This is a letter from Her Highness Maroline, which Cadelis has checked with the help of her, and there is no poison or witchcraft on it. ”

That's of course. Maroline never disdained the use of intrigues, and when it came to the use of troops and stratagem, she was even better than her two brothers. Clovis slowly unfolded the letter and saw the tall handwriting that belonged to the other party.

"Little brother Chloe sees the letter:

This incident happened suddenly, and with you in charge of the situation in the palace, you should be able to temporarily maintain the stability of the royal city, thank you for your hard work.

I learned of my eldest brother's death three days ago, and for the sake of time, I think your two elder brothers already knew about it. The second brother is short-tempered, and the succession is in the first place, so he will probably rush to the royal capital immediately. The fourth brother and the second brother have always been not on good terms, and they are afraid that they are unwilling to let the other party succeed to the throne, for fear that there will be other complications and delay the other party's completion of the throne.

I understand that you have no intention of scheming, but since you were born into the royal family, you are burdened with the responsibility of maintaining the empire. The second brother and the fourth brother are in constant dispute, and the border defense is chaotic, which is bound to give other countries an opportunity. My eldest brother had a private letter in which he named me as the most suitable successor. With the support of you and the scholars, I have the confidence to convince Delane. With three to one, even if the second brother is dissatisfied, he must be able to recognize the situation.

The eldest brother has indeed made mistakes in recent years, but he has been governing the country diligently for decades, and his merits and demerits are not the same. He has always trusted you, and so have I. I hope that with your wisdom, his deeds will not go down the drain.

I have sent this letter to you by ravens, and I look forward to hearing from you. If you wish, entrust the message to her, and I will come by the stars.

Call more guards and protect yourself. Your life is important to the Empire, and I don't want to lose you.

Love, Maroline Mira Olaire"

Clovis stared at the familiar signature for a long time before folding the letter again.

The third sister has always treated him badly. Every year when she came to the royal city, she would bring him a few rare books—Chloe had read each one carefully, so she was sure that she had really put a lot of thought into it. Nearly twenty years ago, he wanted to investigate the ruins mentioned in the book, and it was Maroline who provided him with his entourage, and even most of the expenses along the way.

The results of that exploration were remarkable. Most of the book's accounts were worthless, but they eventually found what belonged to the previous era, which had long since been abandoned and decayed—a refuge, as he deduced. The ancient characters and motifs they rubbed were purchased by the Federation at a high price, more than double the total cost of the journey. Not only that, but it was that three-year journey that allowed him to meet the most important person in this life-

"Thank you, Mr. Lyman." He blinked, avoiding tears from the sudden rise of nostalgia, "Where did you put the raven?" ”

"Sycamore Garden." The scholar replied, "As an Elna native, I think she will love the scenery there." ”

"Put these little ones away beforehand." Duke Moore suddenly raised his head, and a cold gaze fell on his face, "When will the funeral of His Royal Highness Rogman take place?" News of His Highness's death has begun to circulate on the streets, and if you don't come forward, I'm afraid the people's hearts will be unstable. ”

Even if you come forward, it won't help. He did not have enough strength to recruit soldiers from among the citizens to fight against the armies of the Empire. People may not care about national affairs, but they can sense that danger is approaching. Once the news of Rogman's death is confirmed, coupled with rumors of the two brothers rising into the army, it is enough to cause prices to skyrocket and the population to flee, and the prosperity of the royal city will quickly become a thing of the past.

Maybe he should accept the third sister's proposal. With Bloodthorn Maroline by his side, he can at least make Istar and Delane converge a little. But if she wants to calm the people and quell the civil strife, she is alone...... Plus yourself, it's not enough.

"I've got my own plans, Lord Moore, to give me a few more days. Anyway, with the protection of secret arts, His Highness's corpse will not rot. Chloe cleared his throat and deliberately did not look at the duke's face, "General, can you please tell your former companion about the matter here?" ”

Barak Einhardt pondered for a moment. "I could write to Pfister, and Hughes will be able to find Highland Sea. As for Larum, Hylancia should have a way to reach him. He shook his head slightly, "But I can't guarantee their response, after all, the Empire launched a war of aggression not long ago." ”

"I understand." He felt his strength being pulled out of his body, Rogman had made a mistake, but the price was too great," ...... Whatever the outcome, I'm sorry for you. ”

"Hey, don't be so discouraged." Hughes jumped out of his chair and grimaced at him, "If you want me to say, the little witch loves to be nosy, and she'll be happy to help you if she gets it—probably?" In short, wait for our good news – or not so good! Either way, just wait! ”

The Ites left with Barak and replaced them with officials in charge of finance, agriculture, commerce, etc. The meetings that followed were dull, and Clovis listened to the presentations, gave advice, or sought advice from a scholar. He knew he was not doing badly—the scholars looked at him with approval, and the officials mostly left satisfied.

None of that matters. The rain is coming—Chloe instinctively realizes that if not handled properly, perhaps the Oren Empire will become a thing of the past in his generation. Although he had no ambition, he was even more reluctant to become a sinner recorded in the history books.

Lamenting and panicking didn't help, he had to do what he could, and then Heaven would give the judge. The last of the city officials bowed and left, and Chloe hid all her uneasiness and rose from her throne to stretch her stiff body.

"Good work, Mr. Lyman, Secretary Cadelis." He exhaled slowly, closed his eyes and collected his thoughts, "I'll visit the ravens later, so you can rest early." ”

"Don't be anxious." The scholar told him, his voice slow and steady, "A turning point will come, maybe just by accident." ”

If only that were the case. Clovis was the last to leave the hall and returned to the tower under the escort of two janissaries. As Maroline said, there may be people in the castle who want to work against him, and he is far less physically fit than Rogman. The scholar intends to have Hughes as his bodyguard, but Chloe refuses the offer and tells them to rush to the church as soon as possible to contact the rumored "Silver Witch".

More than his own safety, he needs a powerful help that can help the Empire.

Chloe rested in the cushioned chair for a moment, then picked up her pen and began to write her reply to Maroline. He mentioned his willingness to support the other party's succession, as well as his own concerns and hidden worries - the killing of Rogman was just the beginning, and the mastermind behind the scenes must have other means to push this chaos in an unknown direction. And the situation they face will be even more severe than expected today.

He signed his name at the end, put the letter in a dark envelope, called the guards, and headed to the tree-covered Sycamore Garden.

The Raven was leaning against the branches of a huge poplar tree to cool off when he heard the sound of a leap from a height of four meters and greeted him with a grin. It was a slender Erna woman with short, fluffy silver and black hair. Chloe knew her well, and in the first year of her travels, Maroline lent him the messenger of nature, a part-time sentry; In the following two years, she was often sent to deliver messages between the two.

Nearly two decades later, the appearance of women is still the same as in memory, and it seems that the same is true of personality. Chloe felt a little relieved - there was always something that hadn't changed, and I hoped the third sister would do the same, he thought.

"Long time no see, you're still the same." He smiled and handed the letter to the other party, "Say hello to Maroline on my behalf." ”

"You're a little old-fashioned." Raven put the letter in his waist bag and clapped his hands, "Nice garden, and fruit, thanks for the hospitality." That—don't die until I get back. ”

The woman took the form of a silver-gray raven, as the name suggested, and flapped her wings away. Chloe stared at the other party's hidden in the evening sky, climbed the more than 100 steps of the tower again, and sat back in his own study.

A busy day has finally come to an end. He took a copy of "Seventeen Kingdoms" from the bookshelf and flipped to the page with the bookmark in it. It is said to be an account of the rise and fall of the kingdoms of the previous era—of course, Chloe believed it was made up out of thin air. However, the polities and events mentioned in it are quite interesting, and there are many parts that can be used as references today.

He had barely turned three pages when there was another crisp knock outside the door. Chloe looked up and saw a freckled Roger enter the room and bow to him.

"Your Majesty, Lord Lyman has something important to tell you, please come over as soon as possible." The scholar whispered, "I'll go back at once, so I won't bother you." ”

You've bothered, Chloe sneered. Still, he remembered that he hadn't eaten dinner yet—it was better to go to the kitchen to get some snacks and drinks than to drink alone in the tower.

Two palace guards followed him out of the west gate of the palace. He asked the kitchen manager for a pot of sweet wine and a basket of warmed spiced bread. The sun had completely disappeared, and 'Tess' was half of her face peeking out of the clouds. He followed his memory to find the location of the crystal seat, but saw only a blue-black cloud.

There was no point in praying to the gods, Chloe thought to herself. Not far from the Royal Palace, the residence of the Lady of Lehmann is a small two-storey building with a red roof and white walls. He knocked on the door, and the scholar opened it and saluted him again.

"Please come with me. Lord Lyman is waiting for you. He said.

Clovis followed him up the stairs. Armor-clad guards trampled over the wooden floor, leaving behind the dull sound of footsteps. The scholar's study was not far from the stairs, and the door of the room was slightly open, and a ray of light poured out of it.

He knocked on the door and pushed it open. Maester Lyman looked up from his desk and pushed the lenses on the bridge of his nose.

"Chloe, you're here." The scholar said slowly, "Just let them stay outside." Some news...... It would be better for fewer people to know. ”

It seems like not so good news - but what is it? The Violet Empire, the Cult of St. Leon, the Federation of Phil, the Elna people, or a domestic affair...... I hope it doesn't have anything to do with the third sister. Chloe felt his heart beat a little faster, pursed his lips, took the wine and bread from the guards, and placed them on the coffee table beside him.

"Good. No matter what happens, you have the strength to solve it when you are full. You remember what I said. Maester Lyman looked at him with satisfaction, "There are cups on the third floor of the cupboard, take two out, and we will talk while drinking." ”

Clovis did so. He opened the drawer and picked up two brand-new silver goblets. However, the moment he turned his face, it was as if someone had poured a basin of ice water from his head, and the whole person froze in place.

Scholar Lyman was slowly raising a crossbow, the sharp arrow reflecting the cold light, the tip facing him.

"You ......" was no joke on him, Chloe thought to herself, but why...... No, those don't matter. The scholar was over 120 years old and slow, but it was still not difficult to shoot him at this distance. If you use the table as cover and call for the guards to come in—

The mind is always much faster than the mind. Before Chloe could crouch down, he heard the bowstring clatter and arrows coming at him.

And the next moment—

He couldn't believe what he was seeing, and even suspected that it was just a strange nightmare. The three-legged wooden coffee table leaps into the air, blocking the arrows with the crisp sound of metal clashes. Then it spread its wings and transformed into a girl with short blond hair, falling lightly with her back to Chloe.

The next moment, the basket and the flask that had been placed on it were both on the ground. The fine red wine spreads out on the carpet like a piece of warm blood. It's a pity that no one paid attention to those.

A black shadow rose from behind Lady Lyman, condensing into a hooded, black-robed figure.

"You're always nosy." The black-robed man said hoarsely, raising a finger at the same time, "Then pay the price." ”

Rays of light appeared beside Chloe, forming a translucent door out of thin air. The long-haired girl stepped out, her fingertips running from left to right, drawing a silver-white rune.

Even though she didn't know any spells, Chloe felt the hairs all over her body stand on end at the same time, and her heart felt as if it was about to be crushed to pieces by a giant hand. But the suffocating feeling of oppression only lasted for a moment, and the black-robed man bounced back to his fingers as if he had been burned, and the runes turned into a glimmer of light and scattered.

"Stupid." The voice under the hood sneered, "Do you really think—"

"-What about me?"

The door opened softly and quickly, and Chloe turned her head to see another woman with pink hair entering. She hung her hands casually, looking unthreatening, the opposite of the guards behind her.

Obviously, the black-robed man didn't think so. He unconsciously stepped back and didn't react until his back hit the wall.

"Ai-"

"What are you afraid of, they can't kill you." The pink woman said leisurely, "Let's go, go back and tell Bayard that I'm back." ”

The black-robed man crouched down without saying a word, turning into a shadow and sinking into the ground. The scholar blinked, as if suddenly awakened, and looked in disbelief at the room of people and the crossbow in his hand.

Chloe let out a long breath. His heart was still beating a little fast, but not because he was afraid, but because he was relieved, excited, and excited. He turned his face and looked at the women he hadn't seen for more than ten years, but it seemed like they had just separated yesterday.

"Alicia."

The pink woman walked up to him and took his hand in a smile he knew all too well.

"I'll introduce you." She looked at the girl who was almost in the same mold as her, and spoke briskly, "This is your real father, Clovis Fran Orel, Rogman's youngest brother and the current Emperor of Oren. ”