They don't want me to try anymore.

Yes!

She might be able to do it now!

Although some of her methods don't suit her personality, she's willing to try and change for the sake of her lover!

But this would take time, and before that, she wasn't confident she could protect Richard and put his mind at ease... In her view, Richard was too prone to extremes, his self-sacrifice bordering on the absurd...

Perhaps, she should...

"Your Highness?"

Just then, the maid was about to come in to collect the clothes when she happened to make eye contact with Alice.

She sensed an unprecedented aura emanating from the familiar prince's eyes.

It's like she's an empress...

But the feeling was fleeting; after the maid blinked, Alice returned to her usual gentle demeanor.

"Your Highness..."

"I'm fine... Oh, is it almost afternoon tea time? Thank you for your hard work~"

Looking at the smiling princess, the maid couldn't help but scratch her head.

I have a feeling that His Highness has changed a lot in the last month...

after an hour.

In another corner of Saint Goethe, Richard slowly awakens.

The simulation results have been generated.

He immediately checked the reward.

[Life Summary: Richard Targaryen, you were an extremely lucky young man. From a prince of a small kingdom, you rose to become the beloved of Princess Vandern, attracting countless envious glances.]

But you are by no means just a gigolo behind the princess. Under your spurring, the princess seized the only opportunity and emerged victorious in the turbulent politics of the Vatican court, becoming the new empress. And you, too, became the prime minister of the great nation and the empress's husband.

However, your compassion for the people and your vigilance against the empire make you unwilling to stop. Faced with the corrupt state of the country, you are determined to reform, but powerful conservative forces and your sick wife hold you back.

Having foreseen the inevitable cruel future, you made a life-changing decision.

You embarked on the path to becoming a powerful minister, imprisoning your wife, purging political enemies on a massive scale, consolidating power in your own hands, and pushing forward reforms and strengthening the military with the most extreme methods. You firmly believed in the righteousness of your path and were determined to bear all the hatred. As you expected, both enemies and friends found you terrifying and insane. Finally, they could no longer tolerate you and rebelled against you!

You refused the mysterious dragon's help and faced your destiny head-on. In the palace square, facing thousands of rebels, you performed your final act and died in your lover's arms.

Your life has ended, but your story continues—after your death, the Empire's invasion awakened all those who had opposed you, and in that unprecedented world war, they barely managed to achieve victory thanks to your legacy.

The Vatican people of that era didn't know how to judge you, but you didn't care, because you firmly believed... history would declare you innocent.

[Overall assessment: Great reformer, legendary prime minister, martyred saint, mad dictator]

[Hardcore Index: 90]

[Gained 9 free attribute points]

[Gain 3 optional features]

[The Black-Robed Prime Minister – You are the embodiment of power and fear. When you gaze intently at someone, that person will inevitably feel reverence (the degree of reverence varies depending on the target's strength and status)].

[The source of hatred - You have one chance each day to force an enemy within 100 meters to target you for three minutes (Hey, you little bastard!)]

[The Great Reformer - You have one chance every day to breathe new life into the rotten and to help the immature grow strong.]

After reviewing the document, he blinked.

One was a dragon's might, one was a taunt, and one... well, it's hard to describe.

However, Richard was still quite satisfied with the fact that it consisted of three active skills.

Then he brought up the attribute table, averaged out his physical strength using the attribute points, and kept the remaining 5 points as a reserve. His personal attributes then became as follows:

Name: Richard Targaryen

[Race: Human]

[Rank: High Bronze]

【Strength: 20】

[Agility: 20]

[Physique: 20]

【Spirit: 62】

【Magic Power: 53】

【Charm: 60】

After doing all this, Richard fell into deep thought.

Overall, neither the reward features nor the attribute points were what he valued most in this simulation.

The real key points are actually the other two.

Firstly, although he himself died in this simulation, he did save Connaught! The path of uniting with Alice and then unifying the two countries is feasible!

Secondly... he was also shocked by the growth and aggression shown by the Empire.

Although the phrase "World War II" appears briefly in the system's evaluation of one's life, it is by no means a minor change that can be ignored.

In the simulation, Richard's radical and reckless push for reform was actually more about courting disaster and creating drama to earn rewards... Who would have thought that only such extreme measures could actually resist the imperial invasion!

This means that if he wants to save Connaught in reality, the pressure he faces is probably much greater than expected. Even if he brings Vanderin along, he may have to risk his life just like in the simulation.

Alice's path is viable, but extremely dangerous...

For a moment, Richard hesitated.

Based on these simulation results, what should he do in reality?

"Your Highness..."

Just then, Katyusha suddenly came over and said, "Miss Alice has brought an invitation."

"what?"

soon.

Richard arrived at the Paleontological Research Club near St. Goethe.

This club was originally a place where some noble scholars gathered to study the various creatures that existed when the gods walked on the earth ten thousand years ago. However, due to the superb skills of the chefs and the rare ingredients, it unexpectedly became famous among Saint Goethe's students for its dishes.

So much so that many students privately speculate that when the people here were studying paleontology, they probably also casually studied whether it tasted good.

Later, due to problems with the inheritance of the family property, the club owner was short of money. Fortunately, he opened the first floor of the club and turned it into a place similar to a members-only restaurant, but the threshold was very high, and it was basically impossible for anyone who was not an old aristocrat to enter.

Richard was also visiting for the first time. He glanced with interest at the ten-meter-tall skeleton of the tusked elephant in the club's lobby before being ushered into a private room by the servants.

Alice was already there, waiting for him for a long time.

Chapter Forty-Eight: The Group Will Eventually Reunite

Alice is still radiant today, wearing a floor-length navy blue off-the-shoulder fitted dress, holding a violin, looking back at Richard by the half-drawn curtained window.

"Senior, I'm here."

Richard greeted them, looked around, and asked, "Are we the only two here?"

"Hmm~"

Alice smiled slightly and gestured for Richard to sit on the small round table that was already set with exquisite food.

Then she slowly said, "To be honest, Richard, I asked you to come here to say goodbye in person. I... am going back to Vanderbilt."

bid farewell?

This is different from the simulation!

I already received an acceptance letter from St. Goethe once, and now I'm getting one again?

Sure enough, these simulations are all nonsense; you can't trust them!

After his initial surprise, Richard was at a loss for words.

He's not Alice's lover anymore, just a classmate she's somewhat close to. He can't very well stop her from going back to her hometown, can he?

The two then ate and talked, but Richard was inevitably distracted and couldn't taste the delicious food at the club.

Firstly, he was still processing the fact that Alice was leaving.

Secondly... Alice stared at him with a hard-to-describe look almost the entire time.

How do I use that template?

Three parts enthusiasm, three parts shame, three parts sorrow, and ninety-one parts complete ignorance.

How can anyone eat like this!

Is this the female gaze?

Fortunately, the awkwardness didn't last long... Alice had a small appetite and didn't order many dishes at all.

As the last rib, from some unknown animal, disappeared into Richard's mouth, Alice pulled out a carefully wrapped little gift box from behind her.