I, the prince in distress, send money

Chapter 474 The Persian Cat's Test
The Suwano snake people have been cleared out.

Chris, watching the live stream, witnessed players throwing tons of gunpowder into a lake crater that had burned through large sections of glass, which then exploded into a beautiful mushroom cloud.

Whatever plans the evil god worshipped by the snake people may have, they are now doomed.

The Suvano Snake Man incident has essentially come to an end, and the temporary military organization of the Holy Expeditionary Army can be disbanded.

Speaking of which...

Chris fell into deep thought. During this campaign against the Snakemen, the Mechanicus seemed to have little presence... Damn, all the players, including those who joined the Mechanicus, were busy fighting the Snakemen. Nobody was actually using the Mechanicus's name to do anything.

As for the engineering enthusiasts, they were busy adjusting their machines and had forgotten all about the Cult of Mechanics.

However, it seems they can't be blamed for this, since Chris didn't do anything to promote the Mechanicus Cult and yet he received contribution points, reputation, or other rewards.

But oh well, it's not a bad thing. At least the Earth Mother Goddess and the Church of the Goddess of Agriculture don't have much of a presence in this matter.

that's enough.

Chris didn't really care whether the Cult of Machines promoted itself or not.

Religion is a kind of anesthetic. In the present Kingdom of Bagnia, it's fine for it to have a certain presence to appease the people, but too much of this anesthetic is not good.

However, the Holy Expeditionary Army can be disbanded, and the matter of the snake people is not truly over, so we can be worry-free.

The work of the court must continue.

Chris strongly suspects that the snake people who went north have not all died out.

It's a very simple question: why did the snake people desperately head north in the first place?
Logically speaking, this was clearly an attempt to gain a way out, and Chris initially suspected that the snake people were trying to obtain a sacrifice.

As a result, the snake people who went north were killed by the Minieses in winter, without any sign of returning with sacrificial offerings.

Is the snake-man joking?
Chris initially thought so, but as time went on, after the Kingdom of Minicia surrendered, he suddenly realized something... Could the snake people be the seeds of a race transfer?

Are they trying to pull a fast one?

Chris thought it was highly likely, so he deliberately released several Inquisitor titles to attract players who liked to delve into the plot, and had them lead people to the northern region of Minicia to search for traces of the Snake People.

Whether we can successfully extract the snake-man is still uncertain, but we should at least give it a try.

If we find the snake people's backup plan, that would be great, as it would eliminate them completely. Conversely, if we find nothing, it would just be a waste of the time of these judge players.

The Inquisitor players who find nothing will not suspect that Chris tricked them; they will only feel that their search was not thorough enough and that they failed to find the hidden snake people.

However, they didn't lose out entirely; at least they got the title of judge.

"Hey……"

Chris closed the document about disbanding the Holy Expeditionary Force, stretched in his seat, and sighed as he listened to the cracking sounds of his tired body.

"Sitting for too long is bad for your health... I think I'll go for a walk."

With that, Chris stood up, ready to leave.

As soon as he stood up, the heavy oak door to the study was gently pushed open.

A delicate and elegant fragrance wafted in first, followed by his wife, Queen Elena Tia of Bagnia.

Today she wore a soft, pale yellow dress, which made her long golden hair even more dazzling, and her azure eyes were like a clear summer sky.

She held a silver tray with several delicate pastries and a small pot of steaming herbal tea on it, and a perfectly placed gentle smile played on her lips, enough to soften any man's heart.

“My dear Chris…”

Her voice was like a feather brushing against your ear.

"You've been so busy that you even forgot your lunch, so I brought you some food."

Chris looked at her, a natural smile on his face, but his mind was perfectly clear.

Something's come up.

Elena rarely does such small tasks as delivering meals herself, especially on this busy afternoon. She is like a well-bred Persian cat, elegant, beautiful, and knowing when to appear to please people.

"Thank you, Elena."

Chris showed no surprise. He stepped forward, took the tray, placed it on the table, and naturally put his arm around her waist, kissing her smooth forehead.

"I was a little hungry, you're always so considerate."

Elena leaned into his arms, her fingertips lightly tracing his clothes, her tone tinged with a hint of coquettishness.

"I am your wife, if I don't take care of you, who should I take care of?"

Seeing how tired you are, I really wish I could help you with some of the burden.

The two walked side by side to the small round table and sat down. Elena poured him tea and pushed some snacks in front of him. She chatted casually about the aftermath of Suvano and the trivial matters of the disbandment of the Holy Expeditionary Army. Her words were full of concern for his health and casual curiosity about national affairs.

Chris sipped his warm tea, keeping pace with her rhythm, enjoying this moment of warmth.

He knew the main event was about to begin.

Sure enough, after eating half of the dessert, Elena put down her teacup, looked at him with her blue eyes, and spoke in a softer tone, with a hint of cautious probing.

"Chris, there's something I need to tell you... but I'm not sure if I should."

"What is there between us that we can't say?"

Chris smiled gently, but a tension was running high inside him.

"It's about Julie, my personal maid, do you remember her?"
She's been with me for many years, always reliable and loyal. Even in the most dangerous times, she never abandoned me or left the family.

Elena observed his expression and continued.

“Look… now that Minicia has been incorporated into the kingdom, the affairs of the court are much more complicated than before, and many of the old female official positions have become vacant.”

I was thinking, Julie is so capable, maybe... I could give her a formal title as a lady-in-waiting? It doesn't need to be a high position, just having a title in the court would make things easier, and I could have less to worry about.”

Julie, a name that couldn't be more ordinary.

Chris certainly remembered the maid who always followed Elena with her head bowed and eyes lowered. She was of average appearance, taciturn, and indeed seemed to be a very composed woman.

According to the clerk's personnel file, Julie did not follow Elena when she fled. Instead, she hid in other Tia family hideouts in Minicia with other family members from collateral branches and servants.

This was both an example of not putting all your eggs in one basket and a decoy, but they were lucky that Charles didn't find them.

After Elena married Chris, these family collateral branches and servants came to Bagnia. The servants entered the court to serve Elena, and Julie was one of them.

The fact that Julie was able to hold out until Elena married Chris, without running away during the hiding process, clearly shows that she was also a very loyal person to the Tia family.

But Chris knew even better that Elena was mentioning this name at this moment for much more than just to secure a future for a loyal maid.

Because Elena should have trusted a girl named Martha more.

His queen, his beautiful Persian cat, began to stretch out her soft claws, tentatively trying to scratch the screen of power.

With the surrender of Minicia, officers of the Blue Banner Army, along with Miniserian civil servants who had risen through the ranks, were banding together for mutual support within the new Bagnian power structure. Every group needs a leader to champion its interests.

Elena, who possessed Miniese royal blood and was Queen of Bagnia, was undoubtedly the most ideal link and banner in their eyes.

Those Blue Banner Army officers, newly surrendered Miniserian elites, unable to directly access Chris's inner circle, naturally offered tribute and loyalty to Elena, hoping to gain influence and status through her.

Promoting a maid named "Julie" to the position of lady-in-waiting is insignificant in itself.

But behind this is the first step for Elena to begin using her influence as queen to place her own people in positions of power and build a small power network for herself and those behind her.

Today she may be a female official, tomorrow she may be a court procurement officer, and the day after tomorrow she may be influencing the selection of a garrison commander for a border town.

Chris looked into his wife's seemingly pure and innocent blue eyes and understood.

He wasn't surprised; this was an inevitable development after a political marriage. Chris even somewhat admired her caution and tact.

He put down his teacup, his smile unchanged, even more gentle, and reached out to gently take Elena's hand, which was resting on the table.

"If this is your request, then how about this..."

He pondered.

Chris now has two choices: agree or stall.

Procrastination isn't difficult; as long as you know how to use bureaucratic language, there are countless ways to do it.

For example, I can't break the rules of the court, so I'll have Julie follow the procedures, or I can say that this matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Steward of the Household, and I'll let him know so he can handle it...

In short, Chris has plenty of excuses and reasons to drag things out whenever he wants.

He put down his teacup, his smile unchanged, even more gentle, and reached out to gently take Elena's hand, which was resting on the table.

“Julie is indeed a reliable person. She has been with you for so long. Even if she hasn’t made any great contributions, she has certainly worked hard. It is only right to give her a respectable status.”

A fleeting, almost imperceptible gleam of joy flashed in Elena's eyes. She leaned forward slightly, awaiting what was to come.

She was prepared to hear all sorts of bureaucratic delaying tactics, and had even mentally prepared her reasons for politely persisting.

However, Chris's words took her by surprise.

“Minesia’s joining the kingdom is a new chapter for everyone, and it requires a new atmosphere.”

Chris spoke calmly, with the composure of a king considering the overall situation.

"The old order needs to be broken, and new blood needs to be added. It is only natural to let capable and loyal people get the positions they deserve."

He tapped his fingertip lightly on the table and made his decision.

"Well then, since Julie is someone you trust and your abilities are recognized by you, let's first have her serve as an assistant lady-in-waiting in the Archives Department of the Imperial Household Department."

The position isn't very high, but it gives me exposure to the workings of the court, which is a good starting point. What do you think?

Elena was stunned, her azure eyes widening slightly. She clearly hadn't expected Chris to agree so readily, and even offer such a specific and quite good position.

The title of Assistant Archives Lady may sound unassuming, but it truly placed her in one of the core departments of palace administration, granting her the power to access and organize archives—far more than just a nominal position.

"That would be great!"

She quickly came to her senses, and this time joy was genuinely on her face. She grasped Chris's hand in return.

"Thank you, darling. Julie will do her best and won't let us down."

I trust your judgment.

Chris smiled, but subtly changed the subject.

"However, Elena, as you know, these are extraordinary times."

When Julie first took office, many eyes were on her, especially given her Minician background. Therefore, it was initially best to have her keep a low profile, be cautious in her words and actions, familiarize herself with the business, and establish a firm foothold.

Being too hasty can easily lead to unnecessary trouble, don't you think?

Chris offered a sweet treat, but also gently tied a rein on it.

He agreed to place this person, but requested that the pace and scope of influence be controlled.

This satisfied some of the demands of Elena and her backers, giving them an entrance into the corridor of power, while placing this entrance within a range that they could clearly see and control.

Elena was completely satisfied at this moment, so she readily agreed and nodded repeatedly.

"Of course, I will tell Julie to be humble and cautious, to prioritize the affairs of the kingdom, and never to cause you any trouble."

With the goal achieved, the atmosphere became even more harmonious and warm.

Elena chatted with Chris for a while longer before getting up and leaving, her steps lighter than ever.

The study door closed again.

Chris's gentle expression gradually faded, and his gaze fell on the exquisite pastries, lost in thought.

He could have delayed, but he chose to comply.

Chris knew that a large kingdom, especially a newly expanded one, could not be built solely on suppression and vigilance.

Appropriate tolerance and providing upward mobility are essential means of maintaining stability.

Giving Elena a small reward would help soothe the emotions of the Miniseyan followers behind her and reduce resistance to integration.

Let that woman named Julie stay in the archives.

It's better to keep them under our noses than to let Elena plant people through other, more secretive, and harder-to-detect methods.

Moreover, who can guarantee that this Julie won't be used by him in the future?

Her current loyalty to Elena doesn't mean she'll always be loyal only to Elena.

People change, especially after experiencing the taste of power and feeling the pressure or temptation from different camps.

Finally, Chris remembered that Julie seemed to be single... That's such an obvious weakness.

Despite some discrimination and Chris's one-sided personal opinion, he believes that women are more selfish than men and that the so-called value of loyalty is lower.

Elena trusted her maid, which was a point that could be exploited. Elena arranged positions for her people within Chris's court, meaning the maid could be bribed.

Chris picked up a pastry and slowly savored it.

The taste seems even better than before.

In the game of power, sometimes it's necessary to deliberately sacrifice some insignificant pieces in order to revitalize the entire game.

After finishing a pastry, Chris seemed to be deep in thought... He seemed to be lacking an internal surveillance agency.

(End of this chapter)