Forced to walk in the world of anime

This passage seems to contain a lot of information.

The first half of the sentence made me think there was a relationship between the two. But what the heck was the second half? An affair? Meow meow meow?

The four people present all perked up their ears. Even though they weren't gossips, this juicy gossip had landed right in their faces, so they couldn't resist taking a bite!

"you--"

Theresa was so angry that she could hardly breathe, and almost fainted from the shock!

She had already exhausted her brain cells thinking about how to interfere with Wang Xuan, but now Chu Xing had embarrassed her in front of outsiders, leaving the young woman's mind blank on the spot. Even the wisest mind was shattered at this moment!

"Don't speak!"

Chu Xing interrupted Theresa's attempt to continue, gazing at her with deep affection, and said, "That girl who killed the white whale back then was indeed too captivating, which is why I accidentally fell for her. But that doesn't mean I don't love you! My heart is just broken in many pieces, and every lovely girl has a piece on her side! Well, I'm not saying I'm fickle, I just want to give every kind and beautiful girl a warm home, so they won't suffer from the cruelty of scumbags!"

Even though my heart has many pieces, the one that stays with you will always be the largest. Although you weren't my sweetest first love, the joy we shared that night, even after almost ten years, is something I will never forget! That night was simply wonderful!

That night?

The four of them had endless ideas in their minds, and some of the kids with rather wicked thoughts even imagined that scene! It was incredibly exciting, almost unsuitable for children!

Theresa remembered that night… no, that afternoon! She was… ugh! Although she wasn't violated, Theresa felt it was no different than that! And he made her do such shameful things! This—just thinking about it made Theresa want to grab a sword and chop someone up! All her composure and calmness had to be thrown aside!

Fortunately, after all these years of ups and downs, Theresa wasn't so easily confused by these few words that she didn't know what to do!

After taking a few deep breaths and letting her chest rise and fall a few times... Damn! Seeing Chu Xing's eyes and feeling her chest pressing against him as she breathed, Theresa almost lost her composure again!

Damn it, Chu Xing really deserves to die!

Theresa cursed inwardly! She deeply regretted letting Chu Xing attend this banquet; wasn't this just asking for trouble?

Alas, since we're already here, there's no chance to change our minds!

Theresa's blush faded, replaced by a cold and indifferent expression. She said, "Lord Chu Xing, we're here to discuss business, not to talk about these things. If you want to talk about these things, we can find a room tonight to discuss them properly!"

"is that true?"

Upon hearing the last part, Chu Xing's eyes lit up. He said, "Okay, it's a deal then. Let's talk about other things first. Remember to come with me to the grove tonight—no, I mean, let's find a room and have a good discussion about life and ideals. Let's talk about what our future should be like!"

After saying that, Chu Xing didn't want to tease the girl anymore. He flashed and teleported to an empty seat at a nearby table, a seat very close to Anastasia!

"Sit on my lap!"

Chu Xing gave the order decisively in a voice that only the two of them could hear!

Yes, it's an order! The kind of absolute order that will kill you on the spot if you disobey!

Anastasia's face, which had been slightly smiling, suddenly stiffened, and all her expressions were frozen on her face!

Goodness, I was just watching someone else make a fool of themselves, but the tables have turned, and it seems like the tables have turned pretty quickly! They were right in front of her in an instant!

What was most painful was that Anastasia couldn't refuse the order! Because, although the order might not have been particularly aggressive and seemed rather mundane, Anastasia, being a successful businesswoman, could still discern its underlying meaning!

This is the Astasia family, and the red-haired man in front of her is hailed as the world's strongest, but... it seems that none of this can save her life!

Taking a deep breath, Anastasia, this intelligent woman, naturally nestled into Chu Xing's arms amidst these incredulous gazes! She clung to Chu Xing's neck like a little bird, uttering two words in a soft, sweet voice: "Yes, sir!"

These two words weren't spoken aloud, only audible to two people! Instead, they were spoken at a normal volume, loud enough for everyone present to hear!

###202. Chatting~###

Reinhard was completely bewildered.

Theresa's pupils contracted!

Priscilla gave a half-smile.

Crusch glanced around, lost in thought.

"Hehe, everyone, would you like to eat first, or talk business first?" Chu Xing asked with a smile. He naturally pulled Anastasia into his arms, his hands playfully tapping her body!

Well, he's a pervert after all. To expect him to hold a young girl and do nothing is a situation that's as painful as being stabbed to death!

"Why don't we talk about the matter first?"

Crusch spoke directly, saying that she came from a military family and couldn't stand this sarcastic atmosphere, nor was she bothered with such things! She'd say what she meant, absolutely no sarcastic remarks! If all else failed, they could fight!

Chu Xing nodded in agreement, then stared at Priscilla's face for a while, and seeing that she didn't want to talk, he turned his head and smiled, "Alright then, go ahead and say it! Theresa, since you're the host, you must have a lot to say, right? For example, why did you bring us to this pavilion in the lake? If there wasn't a reason, I don't think you would do something so pointless, would you?"

"Humph!"

Theresa snorted coldly; she was practically ready to punch someone. The way Chu Xing was behaving—if someone didn't know better, they'd think this family belonged to Chu Xing, and she, the future head of the family, was acting like a guest! How utterly despicable!

However, if the head of the household is so easily disturbed, then Theresa is utterly unfit to be the head of the household!

Then, Theresa sat down in her chair, straightened her back, and said with a serious expression, her gaze deep and all-seeing: "Actually, I don't need to explain, everyone understands. All of you here are either final contenders in the Royal Selection battle, or representatives of the opposing side, after passing the tests of the Dragonstone and the Senate!"

After saying this, Theresa paused, her gaze sweeping over everyone's faces, but no one spoke. Their expressions didn't even change; after all, those sitting here were no ordinary people, and their expressions wouldn't change so much just because of a few words!

That's good. Without further ado, Theresa was able to continue more smoothly: "Actually, it wouldn't have a big impact on our family if any of you were to obtain the throne. However, for the future of the country and for the goals of successive generations of family heads, our family has reached a conclusion through a series of meetings that we must stand together with this emperor and build a brand new country!"

This isn't just a casual remark. The reason is that several vicious wolves are eyeing our country from the outskirts. If war breaks out, the Astasia family, who have sworn to protect this country for generations, will undoubtedly be at the forefront! This requires a close relationship with the emperor to maximize their combined strength and fight those hungry wolves outside, making them fearful and hesitant to continue harassing our borders!

"Those of you here may possess extraordinary wisdom and an exceptional talent for strategic deployment, but even the most formidable warrior cannot unleash their full potential without the right sword. And isn't the Astrea family precisely that sword?"

He's said so much in one breath, all about the benefits the Astasia family is bestowing upon the future emperor! Someone unfamiliar with the situation might actually believe that Astasia is destined to become the emperor's founding minister!

"That sounds really good..."

Upon hearing these words, Crusch's face revealed an unfathomable smile, and her voice was calm and gentle: "Then if we do that, there's a high possibility that in some parts of the country, people will only know about the might of the Astasia family, but won't understand what the emperor has done! Isn't that a bit inappropriate?"

Yes, this is an ancient world without computers, cell phones, or telegraphs. Even if magic is incredibly diverse and dazzling, it's ultimately controlled by a select few. There might not be one magician among tens of thousands of people, and among those magicians, someone with the ability to use communication magic is even rarer!

Therefore, information is usually controlled by only a few people. As a result, ordinary people see what they think is what it is and do not think about what is behind it. This limitation of power on them is also a tragedy of ancient society!

And so, if information is blocked, it will be easy to make people in a region believe that the Astasia family is their savior, and even if they are not the emperor, they still control the power of the country.

After all, the legends of the Astasia family are widely known and loved even on this continent!

"... "

The voice wasn't very soft, and the others could hear it, but no one spoke. They all stared at Theresa with indifferent eyes, wanting to hear her continue!

Now that we've gathered everyone here for a heart-to-heart talk, there must be a lot to say, right? Crusch's casual question was easily deflected, and they could continue discussing things that would satisfy everyone!

"rest assured!"

Theresa smiled and said, “I know what you’re thinking, and I know what you’re wary of. No way! The Astasia family will never be the ruler of a land! It will only be the sharpest sword in the emperor’s hand! This is not only loyalty to the emperor, but also a mission that the Astasia family has upheld for countless years—to protect Lugnica!”

“That’s fantastic! What a stroke of luck! Once I become emperor, I’ll have the Lugnica First Family’s loyalty. Nobody would believe it if I told anyone!” Priscilla said with a light laugh, covering her face with her fan.

Her laughter seemed both mocking and playful, as if she were watching a mischievous child playing some fancy little games, trying to fool the adults.

“Yes, that’s right, it’s such a good thing!” Theresa said calmly, still smiling. “All we need to do is make the members of the Astasia family members internal to the Royal Knights Order, so that the Astasia family has a single vote in the Supreme Council!”

"Ah!"

Anastasia chuckled, unconcerned about how adorable she looked being held in a man's arms. Her gaze, cold and intelligent, swept over Theresa, and she said, "You make it sound so easy! Becoming a high-ranking member of the Knights? Doesn't that mean the entire capital is in the hands of your Astreya family? The Supreme Council? Lugunica only has two spots, and that was back in the days of the Divine Dragon! Even the largest countries only have three!"

The previous emperor wouldn't have allowed your Astrea family to have this right, would he? Otherwise, you wouldn't have been paying so much!

"Heh, no wonder. That's a parliament where all the nations of this continent gather to discuss the future of the world. Even the so-called Sword Saint family has no right to interfere!"

"That makes a lot of sense!"

Chu Xing nodded and pinched Anastasia's cheek with a smile!

Although this girl didn't live with him, she did teach him a little, and she is also very smart!

###203. Let's negotiate.###

"... "

Anatasia's smooth forehead bulged with veins; she really wanted to hit Chu Xing! Holding her in front of so many people was bad enough, but then he even pinched her face!

this--

This is great!

roll!

What a load of rubbish! Perhaps she really did become emperor that day, and if this part of history were to leak out, wouldn't people laugh their heads off? You have to understand how incredibly capable Anastasia was, a woman who dominated the business world in multiple countries! And how high her reputation was!

And it seems that all of these will die in Chu Xing's hands!

Crying without tears!

This is what Anastasia is thinking right now.

However, the girl was quite patient, gritting her teeth and glaring at Theresa, as if it was Theresa's words that had angered her!

"... "

Theresa almost couldn't help but laugh, and she stared intently at Anastasia!

Wow, this is great!

Chu Xing grinned, then pretended to be serious and said, "Just tell me what you want to say, I need to go back and hug my little sister!"

"cough!"

Hearing this, Theresa also withdrew her gaze. She regained her serious and earnest demeanor and said, “Yes, I know these two requests are difficult to agree to so easily, but as you yourself said, you can't expect to gain something for nothing, right? Giving up a spot and the right to protect the capital, in exchange for the full support of the most powerful family in this country, and even in the surrounding countries—this deal might cause some hesitation, but I believe everyone here will quickly decide what to do.”

This country—the Astrea family has truly been rooted here for so many years that every single village is recorded on a map in the family library. You must understand, even when the imperial power was still intact, there wasn't such a comprehensive and detailed map of the entire country! This map, I'm sure everyone understands what it represents!

"... "

A moment of silence fell!

The three young girls, though not very old, were quite intelligent. Some smiled, some pondered, and some mocked. Their expressions were different, but they had one thing in common!

His eyes flickered, revealing that his mind was far from at peace! It seemed that in those few short seconds, he was pondering something.

A comprehensive and detailed national map... Isn't this just showing off the Astrea family's control over this country?

Ah!

So what happens if they don't agree?

The three of them stared at Theresa. Perhaps they didn’t sense anything amiss from this woman who only smiled at them, but it was precisely that unfathomable smile that made them more wary!

"it is good!"

Anastasia spoke first, saying, "However, there are still many, many details to be added! I will bring them over for your family to review in the next few days. If you can agree to my requests, then it wouldn't be unreasonable to give one of the slots and the guardianship of the capital to your Astrea!"