"Oof! I just realized... we have the same dad!"
"Yeah, I totally forgot too. Ugh!"
Little Devonshire and Frederick were both lying face down, their behinds swollen from a spanking. Faces full of regret, they muttered to each other, "Where did you even hear those things?"
"Grandpa Ludwig and Grandpa Heilberg are always talking about it," Frederick pouted, his small face filled with remorse. "What about you?"
"Uncle Angron loves saying stuff like that. I overheard him," Devonshire grumbled. "I should've known better than to say it."
"Dad's mad!" Frederick's face was full of frustration. "I haven't seen him in so long, and I wanted to make a good impression!"
The half-brothers lay there sulking while their younger sister, little Princess Rem von Lebwitz, stood nearby in her Lolita lace dress, white cotton socks, and black leather shoes. Pointing at her two brothers, she giggled, her babyish voice teasing them, "Silly brothers, silly brothers! You're both big dummies! Ostermark donkeys!"
"Donkeys!"
"Hahaha!" Outside the door, Angron was laughing so hard he had to cover his face. Listening to little Rem's words, he couldn't help but laugh even more. For the first time, he understood why Guilliman had grown up so arrogant—because he had a childhood like this.
For a brief moment, a rare softness and warmth appeared in Angron's usually fierce and violent eyes. He thought to himself, It's best if these children never experience what I went through.
Meanwhile, Ryan, Sulia, and Emilia were sitting in the guest parlor, chatting. Olica and Sylvia stood respectfully behind Ryan and Sulia, while Emilia sat alone. After everything that had happened, Ryan could clearly sense a change in his former maid.
For instance: "Olica, fetch the Arabian chocolates I prepared. I want to give them to Sulia."
"Sylvia, there's a red box in my luggage. Bring it to me."
"Hm? Where's Veronica and Theresa? I brought gifts for them too."
My little maid has gotten a bit full of herself, Ryan mused inwardly.
It made sense. After all, Emilia had achieved a tremendous feat, reuniting a potentially fractured Empire. Anyone in her position would feel a little proud. Fortunately, she still recognized Sulia as her older sister. Otherwise, Ryan could already feel the storm brewing in his backyard.
For example, when Emilia commanded Olica just now, the dark elf had glanced at Ryan first. Only after receiving his nod did she follow Emilia's instructions.
There was a subtle tension in the air. When Emilia arrived, Sulia had specifically changed into an elegant snow-pink gown embroidered with pearls and paired with soft white unicorn wool tights. She also adorned herself with her full set of diamond jewelry and the golden double-headed eagle wedding ring.
Not to be outdone, Emilia wore a vintage blue narcissus cross-knee-length dress paired with smooth black crystal stockings. She displayed her Imperial Elector's rune-tooth pendant and donned her baroness crown. "Sister Sulia, it's been a long time!"
"Yes, indeed, Baroness Emmanuel. How have you been?" Sulia responded with a perfectly polite smile. "On behalf of Britannia, I welcome you."
"Oh, please, Sister Sulia, there's no need for such formality! We used to call each other sisters, didn't we? Now that you're addressing me as 'Baroness,' does that mean you no longer see me as your little sister?" Emilia said, puffing out her chest, exuding both pride and warmth. "Please, let's not be so distant. Just call me Emilia, like old times. That would be best."
"Well then, Emilia, you've certainly risen to great heights. You've saved the Empire from catastrophe and restored peace. Here in Britannia, we're all awed by your achievements," Sulia said, raising her teacup gracefully. "For the Duchess of Nuln to visit us humble folk in Britannia, I feel truly honored."
With that, Sulia arched her back slightly, proudly showcasing her impressive figure.
"Ugh!" Emilia winced, visibly struck. Glancing between Sulia and herself, her confidence wavered. "It's really nothing, Sister Sulia. You don't need to be so humble. I'm only here because the children wanted to see their father."
"Oh? But I heard it wasn't the children who wanted to see their father, but rather that Ryan was getting a new queen?" Sulia smiled, her expression sincere. "Then again, if the Imperial Baroness were to bring Nuln and Wissenland into our kingdom, Britannia would surely welcome them with open arms. I imagine no one would object if the knightly king gained a new queen, right, Ryan? After all, we have an heir, and the alliance is already set. It's only natural."
"Uh, Sulia…" Ryan's expression grew awkward. "You don't need to…"
"Don't need to what?" Sulia's queenly aura fully emerged. She smiled sweetly, but her words were sharp. "Or are you planning to replace your queen?"
"Sister Sulia, there's no need to put Ryan in such a difficult position," Emilia said, her voice soft but firm. "He respects you, and he respects me as well. This is our matter to handle together. Why pressure him like this?"
"I'm not pressuring Ryan, Emilia. Perhaps you didn't know, having been in Nuln, but the real pressure comes from your incredible achievements. I truly admire you for that. No one understands pressure better than someone who negotiated directly with Karl Franz at Caronne Castle, right? As Ryan's wife, I simply help him shoulder the burden, not add to it."
"Sister Sulia, you've always been Ryan's loyal support," Emilia replied with a sweet smile, gently stirring her tea with a silver spoon. "I, on the other hand, can only help Ryan in other ways. In that regard, I can't compare to you."
The room was thick with tension, the polite exchange hiding underlying barbs. Ryan, caught between them, could only say, "Emilia, you've come a long way. But Nuln and Wissenland joining Britannia is impossible. Let's keep this between us and not spread it around. And Sulia, don't read too much into things."
The queen and the baroness exchanged steely glances, the air crackling with unresolved tension. Sylvia, Sulia's loyal maid, stood nearby, glaring at Emilia. It was clear she felt protective of her mistress, silently warning the once-humble maid not to overstep. If not for Lady Sulia's generosity, you'd have been kicked out long ago!
Meanwhile, Olica, the dark elf, giggled quietly. She relished the drama, her excitement bubbling over. Having been away from the intrigues of the Druchii courts for so long, this was the closest she'd come to reliving those experiences. Licking her lips, she felt a familiar thrill.
Sensing Ryan's discomfort, Olica leaned in and whispered in his ear, "Master, isn't this fun? Would you like me to help you?"
"No need," Ryan quickly declined, knowing exactly what kind of "help" the dark elf was offering. "Just get the banquet ready, Olica."
"Of course, Master," Olica winked and left. Ryan had planned to send Sylvia off as well, but just then, footsteps approached. Morgiana entered, accompanied by two of Ryan's Grail Knights: Count Julian Carhon and Marquis Thulass de Shangler.
"Welcome, Baroness Emmanuel. It's been a long time," Morgiana greeted, carrying her Chalice of Potions.
As soon as other people arrived, the tension between Sulia and Emilia disappeared, both of them donning their most genuine, warm smiles. Emilia rose and curtsied to Morgiana, "It's been a long time, Lady Morgiana."
"Yes, it has. It's wonderful to see you here in Britannia," Morgiana replied politely, though she wasn't particularly close with Emilia. "Your visit couldn't have come at a better time. The Muskilon industrial zone and cannon workshops could greatly benefit from Nuln's technical expertise. Your efforts to save the Empire have been commendable—even the Lady of the Lake has praised your actions."
"Thank you," Emilia replied gracefully, turning to Sulia. "Sister Sulia, let's go look at the gifts I brought for you. There are many just for you!"
"I've also prepared some gifts for you, Emilia," Sulia added with equal warmth, holding Emilia's hand. "I hope you'll like them."
With that, the knightly queen and the imperial baroness exited hand-in-hand, leaving Ryan behind. He rubbed his face in frustration, knowing his peaceful days were numbered.
"What's wrong, Ryan?" Morgiana asked, sitting down beside him with her chalice. "I get the feeling Emilia's not quite the same as before."
"People change," Ryan sighed, rubbing his eyes before turning to Count Julian and Marquis Thulass to assign them tasks.
Two hours later, a grand banquet was held in the ducal castle to welcome Baroness Emmanuel, Nuln's Ironclad Army, an entire team of Nuln engineers, and several prominent merchants. Ryan, alongside Queen Sulia, warmly greeted Baroness Emmanuel, expressing sincere gratitude for Nuln's assistance in building Muskilon's massive cannon workshops. The collaboration between
Britannia and Nuln had been mutually beneficial—Britannia received top-notch technical expertise, while Nuln's merchants grew rich from the lucrative orders flowing in from Britannia. The city of Nuln had prospered, making this partnership a win-win.
However, some Nuln guests were slightly displeased to see their baroness willingly sit at Ryan's right hand, signifying her acceptance of a position slightly below that of the king.
The banquet hall was filled with delicious dishes and the finest wines of the Old World, and the atmosphere was lively. Ryan's father-in-law, Francois, Duke Berchemond of Bastogne, Duke Bodric of Bordeleaux, and even Duke Theodoric of Boleion attended. Theodoric kept a low profile, drinking only with the men and avoiding interaction with any women.
Meanwhile, little Devonshire, Frederick, and Rem were running around, playing with cake and smearing it all over their faces.
"Ryan, are you really going to let things with Marienburg go?" Emilia asked after a few glasses of wine, her cheeks flushed. Half-slumped against Ryan, she seemed tipsy. "That doesn't sound like you. And what about Belegar? You two never let grudges go."
"I'd love to, believe me," Ryan sighed with a wry smile. "But Belegar won't act quickly. We can't just abandon the dwarves. Revenge is in their nature, but their sense of time is different from ours. All we can do is wait."
Emilia laughed bitterly. She knew too well that dwarves had a vastly different concept of time.
There was once an Imperial baron who fled a battle, leaving the dwarves to fight off a greenskin army on their own. The dwarves eventually won, but they cursed the humans for their cowardice and recorded the event in the Great Book of Grudges. They returned to their stronghold, vowing revenge. The baron, fearing retribution, prepared for battle.
The dwarves finally arrived—seventeen years later—with a small army of three hundred warriors. By then, the baron had died, and his family had fallen into ruin. Unable to find their target, the dwarves vented their frustration by spitting into the town well before declaring the grudge settled.
Grimnir only knew when Belegar would be ready to settle his current grudge. Ryan hoped it wouldn't take too long.
"By the way, Emilia, do you know much about Master Engineer Shergo?" Ryan suddenly remembered Beria's mission and wondered how the Ugol warrior was progressing.
"Of course! He's one of the key designers and builders of the Hellstorm Rocket Battery," Emilia immediately understood Ryan's intentions. "I get it—you want to recruit him? I remember after he finished working for Middenheim, he returned to Kislev, only to be imprisoned."
"Kislev is in shambles, and leaving him locked up in a Cheka prison is a waste," Ryan smiled. "Can you tell me more about him?"
"I can, but we'll need to move to a more private location," Emilia's face reddened further as she clenched her legs together. Walking over to Ryan, she whispered in his ear, "Let's go somewhere quiet. We can take our time, and I'll tell you everything. But you'll have to show me some sincerity, my dear... Father of my children."
"Well... all right!"
——— Scene Transition ———
At the same time, in the Old World, Kislev, Bokha Palace.
"Announcing the arrival of Knightly Kingdom Envoy, General Beria Gurlag."
For the second time in two weeks, Beria was granted an audience with the Tsarina. It was rare for nobles to meet her so frequently. The Tsarina's busy schedule made even a single meeting in a week a significant honor. Only the Grand Marshal of Kislev, Dimitri, saw her regularly. Aside from him, only the Ice Witches had daily access to the Tsarina.
Now, Beria had changed significantly from his first visit. Riding a fine horse, he entered the palace, with his maid Holkina trailing behind. He dismounted only when he reached the main hall, where the gathered nobles, generals, and boyars watched. Kneeling on one knee, Beria greeted the Tsarina, "May Ursun bless us. May the Tsarina's strength always be as powerful as Kislev's winter."
"Rise. Take a seat," Tsarina Katarin's voice was cooler than before, but she pressed her voice lower to maintain her authority. "You're preparing to leave, Beria? Won't you stay a little longer?"
"I'll be leaving in a few days, Your Majesty. Duty calls, and I hope you understand," Beria replied with great respect. "Time waits for no one."
"I see," Katarin nodded. "In that case, I won't keep you. Pass along my regards to King Ryan. And remind him that Kislev is the Old World's first line of defense against Chaos. We have given everything for centuries to resist the tide of destruction. I know he's gained great wealth from his recent expedition, more than he could ever spend. So, I hope his knightly kingdom won't leave us out in the cold. Relay this message faithfully."
"I will," Beria said as he sat on a low stool. "I will deliver your message."
"Good. I've prepared some gifts for you to take back as well," Katarin said before promptly leaving the room.
As Beria and his maid left Bokha Palace, a cold smile spread across his face.
It was time. The plan to rescue Master Engineer Shergo could now begin!
_________________________
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