Lanqi and the Empress sat on opposite sides of the exquisitely carved dining table. A silver candelabra stood dignified and noble at the center, though no candles were lit atop it. The light coming through the window was dim; despite it being noon, scarcely any gleam reflected off the tableware, and the air carried the vague gloom of an overcast day.
"Thank you, Your Majesty Khesia," Lanqi expressed his gratitude.
After their brief pre-meal exchange, silence returned to the dining table for quite some time. Attendants began serving course after course. Lost in their own thoughts, the two quietly minded their table manners as they ate.
Before they knew it, the hands of the clock had moved nearly half a turn. The luncheon drew to a close, and the attendants cleared the table until it was as immaculate as before the meal.
Empress Khesia gazed out the window at the courtyard where rain seemed on the verge of falling, lapsing into silence for a moment.
"To be honest, I am afraid of you, because no one can see through you," she confessed frankly without looking at Lanqi. "I heard about your speech yesterday. It was magnificent. Truth be told, I was inspired by you, but that only made me more afraid—afraid that appointing you was a mistake from the very start."
She did not know whether she should be saying such things to Lanqi Wilfort. Unable to find an ordinary topic of conversation, she had resorted to speaking what was truly in her heart.
"In Your Majesty's eyes, who is more terrifying—me, or the Horning Empire?" Lanqi inquired.
"..."
Empress Khesia offered no answer.
Objectively speaking, she felt that the man before her was far less terrifying than the Horning Empire; that was a question without any suspense.
Yet he sat right in front of her. If this man were an enemy, she too would feel an innate sense of dread.
"Let me rephrase the question: I am your steadfast supporter, and I will do everything in my power to serve you and resist the Horning Empire. Do you still find me terrifying?" Lanqi asked again.
"No."
Empress Khesia closed her eyes and shook her head.
Receiving such an assurance from Lanqi filled her with an overwhelming sense of relief in an instant.
"I worry about your standing in Parliament," she added.
Even if she wished to support this new prime minister, she was merely a symbol of authority in the hearts of the people, possessing little real power to sway Parliament. At most, she could only use personal connections to slightly persuade those who might be willing to aid him.
Empress Khesia was well aware of what had transpired in the House of Lords meeting before Lanqi arrived today. Had Wilfort and Duke Moretti not maintained immense restraint, the divisions and clashes within Parliament might have escalated further, spiraling out of control into civil unrest.
Hearing Khesia's words, Lanqi seemed to recall the absurd standoff from that morning.
"They want to drive away the street performer, only to replace him with his monkey," he remarked with a trace of displeasure.
"Watch your words, Lord Wilfort. Duke Moretti is a dear friend of mine," Empress Khesia chided.
She was surprised that Lanqi would speak so audaciously at this moment and state his thoughts so bluntly. It seemed he truly harbored strong resentment toward Duke Moretti.
"..."
At her reprimand, Lanqi lowered his head and fell silent for a long time.
"While I do not know the exact details of your exchange with Duke Moretti this morning, I believe both of you act with the best intentions for the Polant Empire. I should not interfere in disputes between the two of you, nor can I arbitrate who is right or wrong. It is simply that when I hear someone speaking ill of a friend, I will never chime in, and I feel compelled to correct it."
Empress Khesia began to worry whether she had spoken too harshly, offering an explanation or clarification to soften the blow.
"I am the only one who is not needed," Lanqi murmured despondently.
This immediately stirred renewed worry in Empress Khesia.
"Perhaps it is just that you make people fearful. No one knows what your next decision will be, or even what you will say next."
Seeing Lanqi's dejected look, Khesia's tone softened considerably.
Boss Cat: "???"
It felt as if it had just learned a new technique in the art of the green tea master.
Sometimes, voicing displeasure directly—a tactic seemingly beneath even the lowest tier of manipulation—could deliberately draw out the other party's rebuke, allowing one to immediately assume the role of the victim and make the other person wonder who was actually at fault.
Rather than continuing to question Lanqi, Empress Khesia was probably now wondering: *Could Duke Moretti have gone too far?*
This was no amateur performance; it was the seamless fusion of advancing to retreat and retreating to advance, returning to a state of utter naturalness. Rather than pure innocence, it actually made him appear remarkably forthright.
Through their conversation, their relationship drew closer.
Lanqi was isolated and without allies in the wartime House of Lords, but Empress Khesia's stance was clear: she was willing to place her faith in the Prime Minister.
The ensuing dialogue between them touched on numerous topics regarding the war and the nation's future. Empress Khesia articulated her views thoughtfully, while Lanqi demonstrated his leadership and loyalty to the empire. The Empress posed many questions concerning Lanqi's decisions, yet she was equally pleased with his answers.
Though the two held different stations, the subtle mutual understanding and respect between them grew increasingly steadfast.
At last, as the appointed luncheon neared its end, Lanqi checked his watch and politely indicated to Her Majesty that he needed to tend to his duties.
"My apologies, Lord Wilfort, for taking up so much time that you could have spent resting," Empress Khesia remarked, suddenly realizing how quickly time had flown.
However, Lanqi showed no haste to depart, giving the impression that if the Empress still had any questions, he would gladly make answering them his priority until Her Majesty was satisfied.
"Truth be told, I see no hope of victory. In perhaps a little over a month, the Horning Empire will march into Hersalem." Empress Khesia took a deep breath, cutting straight to the core issue. "In your view, what are our chances of winning right now?"
Though no one could truly answer, she believed that not only she, but all the people of the Polant Empire cared about this above all else.
She merely wanted to hear what Wilfort truly thought, hoping he might give her a sliver of confidence.
Even if it was a lie, as the leader of the war faction, he ought to exaggerate their chances as much as possible.
"Zero," Lanqi answered.
"..."
Empress Khesia seemed stunned by Lanqi's blunt honesty.
Surely he could have said at least one percent?
Yet Empress Khesia could not detect the slightest hint of deceit in Lanqi's eyes.
She desperately wanted to ask:
*If you are the one most convinced there is no chance of victory, why are you still rushing headlong against the wind?*
"Are you serious?"
In the end, those were the only words Empress Khesia managed to say.
Unable to empathize with the Prime Minister's mindset at this moment, she could only stare into his emerald-green eyes.
She could not tell whether they were a clear lake or a bottomless abyss; she had inadvertently locked eyes with him for so long that she forgot to look away.
"Please believe in me. There is a saying: 'When you are prepared to sacrifice yourself, it becomes easier to sacrifice others.' Resisting the Horning Empire may incur tremendous sacrifices, but before that happens, I am already prepared to sacrifice myself. I will carve out a chance of victory for you at any cost, Your Majesty."
At this moment, Lanqi was like a knight swearing an oath to his empress.
Yet he was unlike an ordinary, stalwart knight.
There was an expansive loneliness about him, accompanied by a faint touch of fragility.
"..."
For some reason, Khesia felt that before this man, she was not merely the ceremonial monarch of a constitutional empire, but a wise ruler wielding absolute imperial authority.
It was an immense expectation, as well as the trust of entrusting his back to her.
It made her want to protect this man and support him through his heroic and magnificent undertaking.
"I understand," Empress Khesia murmured thoughtfully, before nodding with resolute conviction.
Afterward, Lanqi bade Empress Khesia a brief farewell, promising that he would return to see her. With her word given, he departed Salem Palace to proceed with his next appointment.
Boss Cat was at a loss for words.
Another human had succumbed to Lanqi's spell. A few more sessions, and she would probably yield to his every whim.
Right now, the people outside the Shadow World, along with their enemies in the Horning Empire and the Blood Clan, probably had no idea how severe the situation truly was.
Even Boss Cat knew that this damn Shadow World was supposed to be a grand strategic conquest scenario, not an affection-meter dating sim!
You look just like an evil deity bent on ruining the nation!
Chapter 539