"Dennis!"

The familiar voice sounded behind itself, and Dennis's heart was like a beating fawn. She knew, she knew who the voice was. That's the father! It must be! no one else.

She turned her head, just in time to meet her father's gaze.

That familiar face, covered with scars and wind marks. But it is also the most anticipated and reassuring face. Dennis walked over and couldn't wait to hug his father. The familiar taste and temperature.

"When did you come? I thought you were still in Errengrad. ”

Throwing herself into her father's arms, Dennis asked delicately. It was only in her father's arms that she was like a little girl...... Yes, always a little girl. In Rod's eyes, she has always been. In her early twenties, many aristocratic girls were still playing needlework at her age, and the title of queen was a bit heavy for Dennis. What's more, what she has on her shoulders is the future of the entire Kislev.

"It was there a few days ago, but I rushed down. To see you, and Caroline. ”

Speaking of Caroline, Rod's heart couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable. It's like a lump in my heart. Mixed tastes.

Caroline...... I haven't seen her in a long time...... There's been a lot going on lately......"

Dennis got up from his father's arms, looking guilty. It is true that she has not been to the magic academy for a long time, and she is ashamed to say that she has spent her entire youth there, and it is there that she has learned the sophistication of human affairs and the sinister court. And now, I am slowly ignoring it. thought that there was a stepmother there, so I didn't care too much. In fact, she never admitted that Caroline was her mother, after all, there was no blood relationship, and she trusted her because of her trust in her father......

"How is she?"

Dennis asked.

"Well, some things may be fine, some things are not. Her temperament has changed somewhat...... Did you find out?"

Rod sat down and lit a cigarette. Tobacco from the Arabi region has a strong flavor that can be used for a short period of relaxation. Lately, it's been a real time to relax.

"Father, you mean Caroline's character, which has become cold, even cold, right?"

Until now, Dennis is still reluctant to call Caroline stepmother. But at first, Rhodes didn't ask her to be called that. In private, she calls her by her first name, and in public, she is called the dean, or Mrs.

"Yes. I went to see her this morning and thought she would be happy......"

Rod paused-

She was happy, but it was only for a moment. ”

As he spoke, Rod's heart seemed to be pinched and thrown aside. The lovers who were passionate at the beginning are now strangers...... Was all this just caused by ice magic? Sometimes, even Rhodes himself didn't know the answer.

"Ice magic changes a person. "Advanced frost spells freeze a person's emotions and make her ruthless. What's more, they don't even recognize their closest relatives. As the head of the School of Magic, Caroline must be the most powerful frost mage in Kislev in order to serve the public. I think she's been working on that......"

"I know if that's all there is, I'm not worried. I'm afraid of other ......."

Rod said, frowning again. An uneasy emotion haunted him, like a pair of ghost eyes lurking in the shadows, always staring at himself from time to time, examining himself. Rhodes couldn't tell what was wrong, but he always felt like there was a rotten, dead smell in the Academy of Magic.

For a moment, Rhodes regretted it. Letting Caroline be the headmaster of the school of magic was originally intended to make her a better assistant to Dennis, so that the two of them could complement each other and help each other take care of each other. Now, Caroline, however, has become cold and numb from her study of magic. What I thought was the right decision is not the case now.

The good times were always so short-lived, and Rod vaguely remembered that the happy times he and Caroline had were only two years after the outbreak of the Civil War. They support each other and snuggle up to each other. Whether on the battlefield or in life, it is also on the bed...... And now, the conditions are good, he is the Great Lord of the North, his daughter is Queen Kislev, and his wife is the dean of the School of Magic. When everything is ready and prosperous, people have changed...... Maybe this is why people are not as good as heaven, Rod sighed.

"Well, tell me about you, my good daughter. ”

Rod thought, pulling the conversation away. talked about his daughter. She didn't look very good, and despite her makeup, she was a little haggard but her eyes were revealed. There were also a few more gray hairs on her forehead, which were not originally for her age......

"I'm okay, nothing big has happened recently, and it's fairly stable inside and outside the palace. Fiscal revenues grew steadily, gradually filling the deficit in the state treasury. ”

Dennis replied with a smile. She almost couldn't act, but she had to keep acting...... Pretend to be strong. She could not tell her father that she and Boris were in private affairs. He didn't dare to tell him that the matter had become a handle and was in the hands of the opposition. How similar is the current Kislev to the Kislev at the end of Katarina's reign...... Harmony and stability on the surface, but behind the scenes, there is a murderous intention.

The cowardly Tsar Pavel, the scheming Duke Samil, the nobles inside and outside the palace who were indignant because of the reforms...... Everything is like a wave of calm water. But Dennis couldn't tell her father about that, she couldn't tell him that she was in love with Boris.

"Are you really okay?"

His daughter's words did not make Rod relax, on the contrary, Rod keenly saw his daughter's erratic eyes. No matter how calm and calm a person is when he lies, his eyes will always reveal a little bit of unconfidence. At least, she doesn't have the courage to look you in the eye.

"Okay...... It's a nuisance......"

Dennis pursed his lips.

"Say, no matter what happens, Father will always be behind you. ”

Looking at his daughter, Rod said firmly.

"Villanell was drugged and defiled by Pavel while attending a palace dinner...... Her father already knew about it. ”

"It's not a trivial ......"

"Indeed...... Villanelle's side has been pacified, and promised Pavel never to see her again. But it's hard to say on her husband's side. I can't guarantee that Nikita won't do anything impulsive. ”

Dennis said.

Rhodes was silent for a moment—

"You must be prepared for both, it seems that Pavel will not be able to stay in the palace obediently, and the people and nobles have long held grudges against him. If the crisis breaks out again, you must remember not to take sides, you are you, you are the queen. It has nothing to do with anything. You do what you can. Don't get yourself involved in this turmoil. Second, if the contradictions are irreconcilable, look at the situation and be ready to replace Pavel. Of course, the premise is the will of the people. How to guide public opinion is the most important thing. ”

Rod said earnestly. Dennis also listened attentively, but in the queen's heart, there were mixed tastes. Dennis could only sneer at himself, if this was a storm, how could he stay out of it, since the moment he and Boris were together, there was no turning back. Pavel is unfaithful, is he any better?...... But how can he tell his father all this? He took such care of himself, and all this was the foundation he had laid down with blood and sweat......