Raise Joan of Arc to be an empress, then discard her.

They are Valery and Damian, who are said to have bravely resisted an invasion by an enemy nation, a fact witnessed by all. But when asked if there were any other heroes who resisted at that time, they say that there were no others besides the two of them who stood out the most.

The person who revealed this story wasn't lying, and the media believed it to be the truth. Damian and Valery instantly became heroes for protecting Lucette and were adored by the media, while Aaron watched them coldly from the audience, remaining unmoved.

While the kingdom was in the midst of a frenzied celebration, news of negotiations from the diplomats was slowly getting back.

The initial news from the negotiations indicated that Chernorg was willing to pay compensation and apologize, which slightly quelled public anger. However, new information soon emerged that the compensation Chernorg was willing to offer was merely symbolic, with an actual amount so small that it was considered an insult to Lusset, and he refused to apologize.

Later, new information emerged that the diplomatic team decided to shelve the dispute with Chernobog, with the agreement leaving the disputed issues (such as mineral resources and riots) for future discussion and not resolving them immediately.

The latest news is that the diplomatic team seems to be planning to sign a non-aggression pact and a peace agreement, promising that Lusset will not launch an attack on Chernobog in exchange for the latter ceasing its espionage activities.

During the diplomatic negotiations, a new piece of news came out every day, some saying that Lusset had won, others saying that Lusset had lost, and every hour a contradictory message came out, until people learned that the diplomats had actually signed a treaty to shelve the dispute with Chernogue, and people's anger was truly ignited.

An angry sentiment spread among the people, and the diplomats went from heroes to cowards in an instant. The public believed that the diplomats were weak, traitors, and had sold out their country's interests. Once the anger spread, it could not be stopped, and demonstrations broke out in Asgard.

The worst thing happened: the diplomats negotiating in Rothenburg received news from their home country that some of them were so frightened by the situation that they dared not return home and fled by train. This completely ignited public anger, and the diplomats were seen as spies who had colluded with the enemy.

In the end, only Mattis and a few young diplomats returned. Mattis had set off in high spirits and was welcomed by the people, but when he returned by train, he was devastated. Their train schedule had been leaked for some reason, and the entire train was surrounded by the crowd. The crowd questioned them agitatedly, and they almost could not leave the train station safely. It was the kingdom that sent people to pick them up.

The public was dissatisfied with the treaty signed by Lucerne, and an atmosphere of conspiracy spread throughout the country. There really was a spy in Lucerne. When Aaron sensed the atmosphere among the people, he felt that Mattis's life was over. He was a poor boy who became a hero overnight and became a disgrace that everyone hated. He thought that poor boys like him would never be able to get back up and could only spend the rest of their lives in depression. But the reality was even crazier and worse than he imagined.

The king surprisingly stepped forward and admitted that Mattis and his diplomats were traitors who had betrayed the country's interests by signing a treaty detrimental to their nation with an enemy. This revelation caused an uproar; the people were incredibly agitated and hoped to bring the traitors to justice. Aaron, who had originally intended to quietly comfort Mattis, broke out in a cold sweat. Not only was Mattis's life ruined, but the people also planned to nail him to the pillar of shame in Lusset, grind his bones to dust, and ensure he could never rise again.

A few days after this incident, Aaron learned that Mattis had been arrested and declared a traitor by the king. A few days later, Aaron received news that Mattis had been publicly executed.

Chapter 72 The New House

Even Aaron was shocked. It was winter, and on a day with heavy snowfall, Aaron saw the crowd gathered in the circular square where the celebration was being held. The crowd was in a frenzy, and the anger of the people seemed to have turned into a huge wave. The king was also present, while the prisoner Mattis was tied to the platform, his hands bound, his head bowed, and his face ashen.

Several months later, Aaron watched him from the audience once again, but this time Mattis's life had come to an end. As if by some strange twist of fate, Mattis raised his head and met Aaron's gaze in the crowd. Mattis actually smiled, a bitter smile that turned his eyes and face ashen.

After the execution of Mattis, the King personally announced that Lucretia would send a stronger diplomatic team to fight for the country's interests. In the fervor of executing the traitor and spy, the crowd cheered. Aaron saw thousands of hands waving in the air of the square like seaweed, all chanting the same name: Lucretia. They all chanted the name of the King: the King is stern and just.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs underwent a major reshuffle. The new team of diplomats clearly dared not continue with the previous strategies. Only the most fervent supporters of the war could become diplomats, and they had to be even more extreme and fanatical than their predecessors in order to secure their positions. Aaron suddenly felt that Lusset had become a carriage without reins. At this moment, the king suddenly calmed things down, disappeared, and stopped paying attention to diplomatic affairs.

Aaron and Joan of Arc chose to move. Shortly after the diplomatic incident, they decided to move out of the city center and into the more densely populated but also more secluded East District. After searching for half a month, Aaron and Joan of Arc bought a two-story house in the East District.

The new house wasn't as nice as their old apartment, and the space was smaller. Their neighbors had changed from elites in the city center to old-timers who had lived in the eastern part of the city for decades. They could hear the sounds of pots and pans from next door in the morning and evening. The interior decoration wasn't as nice as before, but Joan of Arc was happier.

Because the new house belongs to them, while the apartment doesn't truly belong to them. Although the apartment is beautiful, the landlord doesn't allow them to renovate it, but the newly bought house is their own little world, where they can do whatever they want and freely choose how to decorate their new home. Whether it's buying furniture, installing tiles, or laying carpets, it all makes Joan both annoyed and happy.

Aaron prepared a room for Joan of Arc in the house, which would be their place from now on. Aaron was usually not interested in decorating a new house and was someone who found it troublesome, but this time, he unusually got involved in the house renovation with Joan of Arc.

Choosing the carpet to put at the door with Joan of Arc, worrying about what fireplace to install in the house—they were just like a pair of troubled newlyweds.

Aaron knew that continuing to live in the city center meant staying in the eye of the storm, not only to prevent newspaper reporters from finding their residence, but also to stay away from the center of power. In fact, if possible, Aaron would even like to live outside of Esgard. There are other scenic and pleasant places in other provinces of Lucerne, and staying there would be just as good.

As for the possibility that staying there might jeopardize Aaron's future, Aaron didn't really care. He wanted to continue rising in rank, and he definitely wanted to replace Enzo or Aurelia in their positions. However, he didn't want anything to happen to either of them, and he didn't want it to happen just because they were friends.

When considering buying a house, Aaron revealed his income to Joan of Arc.

Although not comparable to the great nobles, if Aaron's assets were converted into gold, they would be roughly equivalent to thousands of ounces of gold. Even Joan of Arc was stunned when she heard the news, and even saddened to think that even her teacher was not immune to corruption.

But that's not actually the case. First of all, as an Obsidian Knight, Aaron himself enjoyed a generous annuity, the amount of which was so large that it made nobles envious. This was a benefit that the kingdom provided to the three major knightly orders.

Secondly, he did not help the king with secret missions for free. He could directly apply to the palace for secret mission funds. Because the king was providing financial support, Aaron never hesitated to ask for as much as he could.

But this money was not enough for him to secretly possess this huge sum of money. What truly increased the value of his assets came from investments he started making several years ago.

When Aaron met Joan of Arc, he felt that her name was a harbinger that war was likely to happen in the future. He did not know what form the war would take, but it was always good to be prepared. Therefore, from that time on, he invested in the military industry and the steel industry.

As the international situation has become increasingly tense in recent years, coupled with diplomatic issues, people have sensed the smell of war. His investment in the military industry has soared, bringing Aaron substantial profits.

Although Aaron already had such a large sum of money and could have made more investments, he actually reduced the scale of his investments and hoped to convert his assets into gold. He believed that if war really came, gold would be the best store of value and could help them withstand the risks.

At this time, houses are not very valuable, so it's a good time to buy one. As the saying goes, "a cunning rabbit has three burrows," Aaron plans to buy several houses in case of emergencies.

Aaron and Joan of Arc lived this kind of life every day. Since school was only held for half a day, Joan of Arc had much more free time than usual. They focused their attention on managing their little home. No matter how the world changed outside, they were always happy when they returned to their little home.

Although Aaron's workload has increased due to the current situation, he doesn't feel tired at all when they return to their little home and think about how to make the house better.

It was under these circumstances that news about negotiations with the enemy country kept coming back, but Aaron remained calm and composed. This was news he had heard from the old man next door. Even if Lucerne really went to war with the enemy country tomorrow, even if the country was in chaos tomorrow, they would still have to live their lives. So just do your own thing and don't worry about others. Aaron actually thought the old man's words made a lot of sense, and occasionally drank and toasted with the old man.

The old man, with his calm wisdom, advised Aaron, the young man who had just moved next door, that they had lived in the East End for decades, never stealing or robbing, working diligently every day, only asking for a beer and a few pieces of bread, simply wanting to live their ordinary lives. They were kind and hardworking Lucerne residents, and no matter what, the state should guarantee their livelihood. It was with this belief that the old man remained calm in the face of adversity.

Chapter 73 Two weeks ago, Mom died.

Despite the elderly man's unwavering belief in what he was saying, the situation did not improve; the tension continued to escalate, even impacting their lives.

One day, someone even suggested that Aaron step forward and reveal his identity, saying that the people needed someone to lead them and that Aaron could take the opportunity to gain the title of hero. However, Aaron refused. He insisted on remaining out of the public eye, unwilling to get involved in the conflict, and simply performed his duties silently, watching what was happening in the kingdom with a cold eye.

Time flew by, and Joan of Arc turned eighteen that year. She sang the school song for the last time on the high platform of the White Tower College, and successfully graduated from the White Tower College.

Joan of Arc entered the Holy College at the age of thirteen and completed the course that would normally take six years in just five years.

Joan of Arc did not choose to continue her studies at the Holy College, which saddened the teachers. Many teachers believed that if Joan of Arc had continued her studies at the Holy College, she would have had the opportunity to become a rare female professor in the history of the Holy College. For this reason, some professors even went to Joan of Arc's home to talk to Aaron, but Aaron also decided to respect Joan of Arc's wishes.

Contrary to many people's expectations, Joan of Arc did not join the Obsidian Knights. After graduating from school, the only thing she continued to do was work for the church. Because she neither pursued further studies at the convent nor joined the knightly order, it was even mistakenly believed that Joan of Arc was preparing to get married.

Because many nobles were like this: while still young girls in school, they would rush into marriage after graduation, marry the men chosen by their families, become young wives, and from then on, devoted themselves to their husbands and children, becoming virtuous ladies, or spending their days in salons and aristocratic banquets.

Even after graduating from school, Joan of Arc continued to buy groceries and cook every day, personally selecting ingredients for dinner at the market. During the time they were renovating their new house, Joan and Aaron put a lot of effort into it, feeling like they had become housewives, trying to live like ordinary people in Asgard and worrying about all sorts of things, but they knew it was an illusion.

Joan of Arc was no ordinary woman; even when she wore cloth shoes and a white dress to buy groceries on the street, people could still tell. The White Tower Holy Church and Aaron had raised her exceptionally well. She possessed both the temperament of a lady, an air of intellect, and the grace of a saint. She had witnessed the lavish aristocratic banquets of Asgard with Aaron, understanding how various institutions of power operated, and she had also met and interacted with all sorts of poor people in the Holy Church and the Almshouse.

The night before, Joan of Arc might have attended a noble dinner party with Aaron, and the next day she might have been distributing porridge in the poorest part of Esgard. Both experiences allowed her to gain a deeper understanding of Esgard.

But what stands out most is still her beauty. The breathtaking beauty that Aaron foresaw in Joan of Arc when she was thirteen years old has now been fully manifested in the young girl. If the young girl is compared to a flower, she has fully reached her blooming season.

When she wore a white veil and prayed softly in front of the church, the crowd below would fall silent the moment she raised her head. Her beauty had reached a dangerous level. If she were not a saint, people would even think she was a witch, because only a witch could achieve such a bewitching effect on the world. But because of her holiness, people dared not blaspheme against her.

This made Aaron proud, but also uneasy. He knew that outstanding beauty was not necessarily a good thing for a person, but Joan of Arc's beauty was also part of her. As for the trouble that beauty brought, Aaron believed that rather than helping Joan of Arc to avoid it, it would be better to let Joan of Arc become strong on her own.

Aaron did not relax his teaching of Joan of Arc after her graduation. From a very early time, Aaron actively focused his instruction on Joan of Arc's supernatural powers. Aaron would personally spar with Joan of Arc, and earth-shattering sounds would always echo from somewhere in Esgard. As he realized that a turbulent era might be coming, Aaron pushed her even harder in this area. He needed Joan of Arc to grow up as quickly as possible until she could truly stand on her own.

Aaron received a constant stream of good news from Joan of Arc, but bad news also came from the local area. Since the diplomatic incident, Aaron's work had become very busy. One day, Aaron was summoned to the war room, which was filled with high-ranking officers and knights, to join a heated discussion.

The incident began when MI7 located a spy from an enemy country they had been trying to capture overseas. He was hiding in an apartment in the city center of a major city in Castleland, living with his wife and children. The area was populated by civilians, but not far from his residence were some aristocratic residential areas.

It is remarkable that MI7 was able to penetrate so deeply into enemy territory and locate this enemy agent. This enemy agent had repeatedly caused trouble in the Kingdom of Lucerne but had escaped each time. He had always been a thorn in the side of the Kingdom of Lucerne. Now that his hiding place has been found, it has caused controversy.

The MI7 spy was hiding outside the enemy's hideout. His abilities were both covert and powerful. He used the Omniscient Stone to communicate with the people in the war room. As long as the people in the war room gave the order, he could immediately bombard the entire apartment building from a distance, turning the enemy into dust. But that's the problem.

The enemy's hideout is in the city center of Castleland. If the spies bomb the enemy's hideout, civilians will inevitably be involved. It is likely that a country would be furious if it openly sent spies to harm civilians of another country. Now that Lusset has already broken ties with Chernobog, it would not be good to antagonize another major power. Therefore, some people strongly oppose doing so.

Supporters argue that MI7 has finally located the enemy's hideout and cannot afford to miss this opportunity. Moreover, if they abandon the operation now, they don't know where the enemy will hide next, so they must act here. As for the power, it can be controlled by spies. If it's just killing one or two civilians, Castleland won't be too angry and can negotiate through diplomatic means. But this opportunity cannot be easily let go.

The two sides turned the war council into a battlefield. Aaron and most of the rational people stood on the opposing side. They had already offended Chernog, and other countries were wavering between Lusset and Chernog. They could not take any actions that would damage Lusset's reputation at this time. However, most of the officers in the war council were of equal rank, and no one could convince the other. They all needed to wait for the higher-ups to come and make a final decision.

At this moment, the king himself arrived at the war room. The king should have arrived much earlier, but the argument in the room occurred because he was late.

Everyone in the war room stood up. Opponents and supporters were about to express their opinions to the king, but the king gestured for them all to stop and asked the rest, "Where is the Stone of All Knowledge?"

The people in the conference room made way for the king to sit in front of the Stone of Omniscience and communicate directly with the spies of Castleland.

“Tell me your current time, place, and location,” the king said.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" came a voice filled with pride from the Omniscient Stone.

“I am currently in Orange, the third largest city in Castleland, at 3:20 a.m. The enemy agent is hiding in an apartment on the third floor at about 1 a.m., with his wife and children. I am locking onto him through the window.”

"Okay, are you sure they're in the window now?" the king asked.

"Yes, I'm sure they're inside the window."

“Very well, attack permitted,” the king said casually.

The air was silent for a moment, then a series of chaotic noises came from the Omniscient Stone. Ten seconds later, the sound of an apartment building collapsing came from the other end of the Omniscient Stone. Amid screams and cries, the calm voice of a spy came from the Omniscient Stone: "Report, the target has been successfully eliminated. The plan has been completed smoothly. Nightingale requests evacuation."

"Withdrawal approved." The king rose gracefully from his chair, dusted himself off, and said to the other officers in the now silent war room, "Good night, gentlemen, sweet dreams tonight." With that, the king turned and left.

The next day, news of the attack on Orange made headlines. Newspapers revealed the extreme panic and anger of the Castleland residents, while Lusset accused them of harboring saboteurs…

Castleland declared war on Lusset and formed an alliance with Cernogue shortly afterward, but before that, a major event occurred for Aaron and Joan of Arc.

In the winter of the year Joan of Arc turned eighteen, the atmosphere of war grew increasingly intense. As the capital began to be gradually sealed off, Joan of Arc received a message from Orléans.

It was an unusual night. Snow was falling heavily outside the window. Aaron and Joan were both at home. Aaron brought home the work he was supposed to leave at the office so that he could spend more time with Joan. Joan was knitting gloves by the fireplace. This was not labor, but Joan's hobby. Knitting clothes on the chaise lounge by the fireplace could calm Joan's mind and help her think clearly about many things.

Just then, Joan of Arc received a letter from Orléans. It was rare for a letter to arrive so late at night, and the fact that the postman had braved the heavy snow to deliver it to her home indicated the urgency of the matter. When Joan opened the letter, the loom she was holding fell to the ground. When Aaron noticed Joan's unusual behavior, he saw her holding the letter and standing there in a daze.

After a long while, Joan of Arc looked up at Aaron and said, "Teacher, my mother died half a month ago."

Aaron was stunned and almost dropped his pen. Joan of Arc's mother's death was within his expectations, but he did not expect it to happen at this time.

When Aaron brought Joan of Arc back from Domrémy, Joan's mother was already in poor health. Aaron knew that Joan's departure might be her last, so before leaving, he gave Joan's mother some money and asked a trustworthy person in the village to take care of her. Later, Aaron heard that Joan's mother had moved out of Domrémy and lived outside the city. A few years ago, he heard that Joan's mother's health had improved, but in recent years, it seemed that as the situation worsened, Joan's mother's health also deteriorated. He never expected that such bad news would come back today.

Joan of Arc was forbidden by the king from leaving Esgard, so she never saw her mother again when she left her mother at the age of thirteen. They could only communicate through letters, which had to be strictly reviewed and could not express their true feelings.

Aaron remembered that Joan of Arc once told him late at night that in her memory, her mother was still the same as when she was a child, and she didn't know when she would see her again.

Aaron had also considered bringing Joan of Arc's mother to live in Esgard, but the plan was ultimately deemed unfeasible. First, Joan of Arc's mother was in poor health, and if she were brought from Orleans to Esgard, her body might break down first.

Secondly, Joan of Arc's mother had a wish that she could be buried in the church in Domrémy after her death, so that her soul could be with the all-knowing God. Therefore, she was unwilling to leave her hometown. Even though she lived in the town, she always hoped to return to Domrémy. Aaron could not do that.

Aaron hadn't expected that news of Joan's mother's death would come back first. He sighed softly to himself, reached out to comfort Joan, but didn't know how to begin.

Joan of Arc's father died early, when she was ten years old. She was raised by her mother. Later, a terrible cult incident occurred in the village of Domrémy, and Joan of Arc's mother fell ill. Joan of Arc had to shoulder the burden of life alone, taking care of her seriously ill mother, as well as the livestock and fields. At first, other villagers helped her, but Joan of Arc's tragic fate seemed to be sealed.

The subsequent cult incident left Aaron uncertain about the specifics of what happened. Some said Joan of Arc's mother was forced to hand her over to the cult, while others said she did so willingly. Aaron was unaware of the truth and never inquired about it, as the matter seemed to touch upon the girl's deepest wounds.

Joan of Arc put away the letter, without crying, but instead displaying an unusual calmness. Seeing that calmness, Aaron felt a pang of sadness, because at this moment, Joan of Arc behaved like a proper adult.

“The letter said that Mother’s funeral has not been held, and they are waiting for my opinion.” Joan looked at Aaron. “Teacher, I want to go back to Orleans to see Mother one last time and hold a funeral for her.”

“Okay, I’ll think of something,” Aaron replied.

Joan of Arc's ban on Asgard remained in effect. If Joan wanted to leave Asgard, she needed the king's permission, but Aaron knew that the chances were slim.

The worst-case scenario is that the king wouldn't normally pay much attention to Joan of Arc, but their initiative in bringing it up might actually draw the king's attention to Joan of Arc. Therefore, Aaron is also hesitant about whether or not to report to the king.

He could also consider leaving secretly, or even asking Brand for help, but the king had explicitly forbidden Joan of Arc from leaving Asgard. If he took Joan of Arc away without permission and was discovered, it would be almost equivalent to treason.

Chapter 74 Leaving the City Overnight

In the past, Aaron could not care about such things, but the situation is different now. If he were to be considered a traitor now, even Aaron cannot imagine what would happen.

But Aaron still said to Joan, "I'll think of a way." After saying that, Aaron put on his black coat, braved the wind and snow, left the room, and walked into the darkness outside.

After an unknown amount of time, Aaron returned, his head covered in snowflakes. He didn't take off his coat when he came back, but instead grabbed Joan's hand and said, "Hurry up and pack your things."

"Has His Majesty agreed?" Joan of Arc asked.