Witch, Fireball and Steam Evil God

Chapter 418 Public Opinion Poll
The celebration was in full swing.

Even the common people in the capital noticed that the project was unusual. It didn't involve the death-defying goals like dragon hunting that they had imagined, nor did it require them to go through fire and water or fight to the last breath to win the favor of the noble lords.

The project seemed so normal that they all felt they could participate without getting hurt, as if...

It seemed that, just as the Third Princess had said, it was to celebrate the festival and to pray for good fortune in the coming year.

But isn't that a bit too strange?
It was so strange that it felt unreal to them, as if a pie had fallen from the sky and hit them on the head. What was even more incredible was that even if they failed during the celebration, they would not be injured or killed at all, and could even continue to participate in the celebration to their heart's content.

The story of the Third Princess quickly spread among the people of the capital, and almost everyone was moved to tears by her good deeds.

This is the poll result Ethan received a day later.

There was no showmanship, no insincere part, because the investigator was not an official, but the master assassin Zoffy who had gone deep into the masses. Before coming to meet Ethan, he had just participated in a sword-forging competition. The scene of the competition was very lively, which was very different from any royal event he had ever seen before.

Both participants and spectators fully enjoyed the celebratory atmosphere. There was no tension or life-or-death struggle. Regardless of victory or defeat, industry professionals and enthusiasts could sit together calmly and discuss their experiences and skills.

The only downside was that he didn't do well in his first project, leaving the stage with a "good result" of being eliminated in the first round.

The legendary swordsmith Fizzo's career thus came to an end. He could imagine that many years later, when the people of the capital talked about this past, they would sigh at his downfall and ask the same question in unison:
Who is "Filipino leftist"?

This is his status in the field of knife forging.

Of course, Zoffy is never one to admit defeat. Just like now, he attributes his loss to the fact that he only participated to survey public opinion and had no intention of winning. If he were serious and showed his true abilities...

"Is this fork your creation?"

Ethan pulled out a report about a knife-forging competition, and one of the photos happened to capture Zoffy's work.

The reason he made it into the Imperial Daily was simply because Zoffy happened to be matched with a seeded player in this sword-forging competition, and he served as the background character for that seeded player's "crushing victory".

"This is not a fork."

Zoffy had already emphasized the same point to the judges not long ago. He felt that the judges invited by the event organizers were very unprofessional and failed to recognize his masterpiece, "This is the Trident of Poseidon."

Upon hearing this, Ethan examined the fork in the photo more closely.

He had heard of the legend of the sea god when he was in the Western Continent. If we put aside his friendship with Zoffy and judge his work from a fair and objective point of view, the comment would be, "If the sea god knew, he would crawl out of his grave in the middle of the night and stab you twice with his spear."

“If it were the judging style of previous years, you would probably be a corpse by now.”

Ethan, adhering to the principle of seeking truth from facts, reminded Zoffy.

Zoffy, as always, maintained his aloof and cold persona. Even when he created a piece that was not even up to amateur standards, he could still let out a cold snort, as if he were the winner of the competition.

During his time with Zoffy, Ethan learned a lot from the master assassin, especially in awkward situations where a cold snort and silence without explanation might leave more room for others to imagine.

Zoffy knew that Ethan was telling the truth.

The idea that losers have no value is the ideology that the Silver Empire has always instilled in its common people. Failure is always accompanied by punishment and plunder, sometimes serious injury or even death. He grew up in such an environment until he met the hero and became a member of the team to defeat the Demon King.

He once thought that Solan was the one who could change the country.

After completing their journey to defeat the Demon King and returning to the capital, if someone like Solan could hold a high position, perhaps he could truly bring about some change to this corrupt country.

However, it turned out that he was too naive. Looking back now, Ilya had already reached an agreement with the imperial high command. They understood Solan's character, and that's why they never intended to let Solan return to the capital. The royal family's greatest wish was for him to perish together with the Demon King.

This celebration forced Zoffy to confront the realities he had once forced himself to ignore.

This is the true state of life for the people of the empire today.

Living in utter humility, even the smallest favor from the royal family is enough to move them to tears.

"This is the reality you want me to see."

Zoffy said.

He was in the midst of the celebration today, and he could feel the joy of the common people. For them, it was like a beautiful dream, so beautiful that they were all so immersed in it that they didn't want to wake up.

"So, what are you going to do?"

Zoffy quickly snapped out of his reverie. He spent the entire journey trying to figure out Ethan's intentions, but he couldn't get any answers. In his view, the root of all the problems lay with the Henry royal family and the nobility. The only solution he could think of was to overthrow all the nobles.

But for them, this was nothing short of a pipe dream.

The disparity in power between the two sides is too great. The royal family and nobles control at least 80% of the superhumans in the empire, and they also have a large number of firearms and troops. Meanwhile, the current commander of the Imperial Army, Cedric Thorne, is the strongest commander of the Imperial Army in history. Such a comparison can only bring despair.

Not to mention that the empire also possesses ancient weapons such as the Golden Fleet, which can instantly annihilate troops of tens of thousands on the front lines. The flesh and blood of ordinary people are simply not enough to bridge the gap in strength between the two sides.

Even though rebels had appeared on the outskirts of the empire, most of them were merely barely surviving.

However, Zoffy made up his mind on the way.

His time with Ethan helped him understand his own heart.

If Ethan decides to challenge this thousand-year-old royal family and nobility, then he is willing to become a blade in their hands.

Even if it's a path with a slim chance of survival!

"I intend for you to enjoy the celebration."

Ethan gave Zoffy another unexpected answer: "But next time you'd better choose a project you're good at, so you don't waste the remaining four chances."

"...Are you spying on me?"

Zoffy was taken aback. "How did you know I signed up for five projects?"

"Because I have some connections with General Dong, don't worry, I will help you mediate regarding the assassination list."

Zoffy took a deep breath, his aloof and dignified image almost crumbling. He tried to salvage the situation, but the approaching footsteps in the corridor interrupted him. He cautiously slipped into the shadows and vanished without a trace, as if he had never been there.

This is the innermost room on the second floor of the hotel, so the footsteps must be coming from Ethan.

Zoffy was aware of the sensitivity of his identity. His disguise could fool ordinary people, but those superhumans kept by the nobles might see through him. For Ethan to meet him in private as a traitor would inevitably bring him great trouble.

A short while later, there was a knock on the door. "Come in."

Ethan responded.

The man who entered was squinty-eyed and had a half-smile on his face, giving a rather friendly first impression. After entering, he took the initiative to say, "I was delayed by some official business, so I hesitated a bit before coming."

"It doesn't matter."

Zoffy, who was about to leave, looked surprised when the man entered.

Balmont-Margaret, the current Chancellor of the Empire, whose power is so great that it's no exaggeration to say he holds immense influence, couldn't fathom how Ethan had become friends with the Chancellor in private. Not everyone can meet with the Chancellor in private.

"The response on the first day was good. I heard some news that the people of the capital have a very positive opinion of the Third Princess, which seems like a good sign."

Ethan said.

"I've heard about it too."

Balmont sat down opposite Ethan. The moment he took his seat, his expression changed slightly, as if he realized that someone had been there before he entered. However, he did not ask any questions and continued the previous topic, saying, "The Queen is very satisfied with this celebration, and His Majesty Henry... the momentum of the celebration has overshadowed the bad rumors in Gear City, which has also solved many troubles for His Majesty. Logically speaking, I should toast you."

"you are too polite."

"Regarding the matter mentioned last time, I have already coordinated and communicated with them. Considering that Lord Ethan is a friend of the Third Princess, the door of the 'Blood Feast' is willing to be opened for you. Please follow me."

Balmon offered to lead the way for Ethan.

During their conversation a few days earlier, they discussed the most popular form of entertainment among the imperial nobility, and he immediately decided to invite Ethan to observe it live.

Underground gladiatorial combat.

This has a long history in the Silver Empire. Henry I was a passionate gladiator, and he built an arena in the capital. To cater to the king's hobby, nobles flocked to the arena and devised many programs in pursuit of more exciting battles.

From battles between humans to battles between humans and monsters.

The standards for gladiators have been relaxed time and again.

From the initial prisoners, to those who pursued fame and fortune, and now to commoners who have been forcibly sent here to entertain nobles due to huge debts for various reasons.

The main reason was that defeat in gladiatorial combat usually meant death, and most nobles that Balmont knew preferred the aftermath of defeat. To cater to the interests of the nobles, star gladiators developed their signature methods of execution.

Building upon the gladiatorial combat, the Blood Feast introduced facilities such as casinos, allowing nobles to place bets and making the competition even more intense and exciting.

Ethan followed Balmon, listening as he explained the history of the Imperial Gladiators to him.

He also saw many familiar faces in the arena. Many nobles who had been eliminated by the Third Princess that morning, dressed in strange clothes, walked into the arena with bloodthirsty smiles, determined to vent their frustrations here.

This is also one of the few places in the empire that is not affected by the celebratory atmosphere.

"It's worth mentioning that Lance will be sent here after the interrogation. The Blood Feast's administrators have high hopes for Lance. I heard that he made an agreement with the Simpler family a long time ago."

"Manager?"

"Didn't I mention this to you? The First Prince has been in charge of this place for the past five years."

In the eyes of the royal family, this was a fair distribution.

The Third Princess took a liking to Zoffy and included him in the "Pet Club" she and Fabius founded, while the First Prince planned to use the title of "Strongest Man in the Empire" to attract more funds and attention to the arena.

"It seems you're a regular here."

Ethan said, "I didn't expect that you, Lord Balmont, are a gladiator."

"I wouldn't call myself a fan, but there are some government affairs that can only be communicated here."

Balmont led Ethan to his lounge, a private room located on the second floor of the arena.

It was no secret among the nobles that the eldest prince was the most likely heir to the throne.

"Lord Ethan, this is a rare opportunity. Today I would like to discuss some matters concerning the First Prince with you."

........................

Meanwhile, inside the royal palace hall.

“Mother, these earrings suit you very well.”

The third princess stood behind the queen and personally put on her sapphire blue earrings. She had brought carefully prepared jewelry, and the smile on the queen's face showed that the queen was very pleased with it.

This is also thanks to the solid foundation laid by the Third Princess over the years.

A spoiled and willful woman who was closely associated with the infamous Simpler family and secretly ran a "pet club" suddenly transformed into a princess beloved by the people of the capital, with a considerate and filial daughter. Such a transformation would be a pleasant surprise for anyone.

"This child... has really grown up."

The Queen smiled and said, "It seems you've made some good friends." She couldn't remember the last time she had interacted with her daughter like this.

"But I think you're getting younger and younger, Mother."

These words made the queen laugh even more heartily.

Recently, both inside and outside the palace, the reputation of the Third Princess has risen sharply, and even the servants feel that the Third Princess has changed a lot.

However, not everyone was satisfied with the changes in the third princess.

As she stepped outside, she met a menacing gaze. Ignoring the young man's hostility, she sweetly called out, "Brother!"

The man in the black cloak following behind the young man stared intently at Winter, and after a moment, whispered something in the young man's ear.

Only after receiving the man's response did the young man nod slightly. He ignored the Third Princess's call, his face cold, and walked out of the hall without looking back.

(End of this chapter)