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

Prince Ali also saw the gift, but said nothing. Instead, he warmly invited Efriam to move to the second floor. Although the banquet held downstairs was lavish, the rooms upstairs were where business was to be discussed.

"To be honest, Your Highness, I have come here not only to share His Majesty's burdens, but also with my own purpose."

Before even sitting down, Efriam got straight to the point.

“Given the ambassador’s influence in the country, what could possibly require my help?” Prince Ali said.

“Let me give you an example, and Your Highness will understand. Just as the Kingdom of Dok is divided into two parties, Lusset is also divided into different factions. They all have their own agendas and can only accomplish certain things under the Emperor’s coordination. But there is one thing that we all want to resolve, but the Queen may not agree to.” Efriam spoke eloquently.

"Oh?" Prince Ali looked increasingly curious.

"We have advised His Majesty the Emperor on this matter many times, but all our efforts have been in vain. That is why we have decided to seek help from outside."

“What the ambassador said is making me more and more curious. So what exactly is this matter?” Prince Ali picked up his wine glass.

“It’s very simple,” Efriam said with a smile, picking up his glass as well. “It’s about the Queen’s marriage.”

Three days later, on Sunday.

When Aaron pushed his bicycle out of the hotel with a piece of bread in his mouth, he found that Rodoron was not quite the same as he remembered.

Because of Queen Lucerne's visit, this metropolis of over a million people was enveloped in an atmosphere of solemn anticipation.

Aaron got on his bicycle and began riding through the city.

The ancient buildings along the roadside had removed their decorations and flags and hung up the flags of the Kingdom of Doc and Lucerne. Many people on the street were wearing traditional Lucerne feather hats. When passing several intersections, Aaron also saw some people with the stripes of the Lucerne flag painted on their faces. He couldn't tell if they were Lucerne or Docnes. They all looked excited and enthusiastic.

As Aaron crossed the intersection, he even witnessed a massive anti-Lucerte protest. Meanwhile, many mounted police officers were on standby, ready to prevent the situation from escalating. However, judging from the intensity of the protest, the citizens probably just saw it as a spectacle of Queen Lucerne's visit.

Aaron stuffed the bread into his mouth, crossed the street, and headed towards his destination, Frisinhof University.

He gradually left the city and began riding into the dense forest.

Unlike many traditional campuses, Frisinhof University is not surrounded by walls. Instead, it is separated from the outside world by a forest, which you can feel as soon as you enter by bicycle. The forest is filled with ancient trees that are tens of meters tall and have been around for hundreds of years. Entering this forest almost makes you feel like you have entered the territory of elves.

One of Aaron's favorite things to do when he was in school was to ride his bicycle along the winding forest paths, watching the surrounding trees rush past like the wind, and then enter the brightly lit Frisinhof University.

When he emerged from the light, he was greeted by a magnificent building.

The predecessor of Frisinhof University was a theological seminary, so its main buildings retain a strong classical style. However, its architectural style is not monotonous. Architecture has always been the flagship program of Frisinhof University, so the buildings on campus are also wonderful and varied, full of historical atmosphere.

The church is a typical Gothic building, the library is in the Neoclassical style, the large lecture halls are in the Romantic style, and the dining halls are in the Modernist style. Surrounded by vegetation, the buildings are beginning to emphasize functionality. In recent years, a number of Futuristic-style buildings have been constructed on campus, reportedly using new materials never before seen, and there are even a few buildings described as Postmodern...

Some say that visiting the buildings of Frisinhof University is like taking a tour of the architectural history of the Kingdom of Dok, with many aging walls and dilapidated rooftops serving as testaments to its history.

Of course, due to its long history, it is often complained that, apart from the main building, the outer ring of buildings around the university often looks dilapidated, while the buildings inside are magnificent. Of course, the school's response is that this is also part of the school's history.

After passing Lake Frisinhof, which was covered with fallen leaves, and cycling downstream from the covered bridge, Aaron finally arrived at his destination: the History Department building.

If the majors at Frisinhof University were ranked by level, Classics, Theology, Architecture, and even the History major that Aaron studied would only rank fourth in the university.

However, history is also the oldest major at Frisinhof University. Some say that historical records are as old as history itself. The Faculty of History is also one of the oldest faculties established at Frisinhof University. Although the history building is a classical-style building, it is just an inconspicuous little building up close.

Before his visit, Aaron had received a reply from his teacher, Elwood, and they arranged to meet in the office in the old building. Therefore, Aaron arrived a few hours early, wanting to review the relevant history beforehand to avoid embarrassing himself.

Aaron pushed open the door, only to find that someone was already waiting for him in the office.

“Professor,” Aaron said in surprise.

"The great hero from Birmingham has arrived?" The professor put down his book and said with a smile.

"Professor, please stop teasing me," Aaron said with a wry smile.

The person sitting by the bookshelf was holding a coffee, wearing an elegant wool sweater and a dark coat. His hair was slightly gray, and his glasses and sweater, like him, were old but still looked new. Just sitting there made people feel inexplicably at ease.

Chapter 144 The Best Match for Marriage

He was Professor Elwood, Aaron's teacher. Although he was nearing retirement age, he was still as enthusiastic as ever. Aaron was initially worried that the professor was too busy, but he didn't expect to receive a reply the next day, asking Aaron to come to the school to find him.

“You mentioned in your letter that you wanted to learn about the history of the Battle of Asgard, so I found all the research materials and worthwhile papers to read.” Elwood gestured to the table. Aaron looked at the thick stack of documents on the table and for a moment felt like he was still in school. Today was just another ordinary day of studying.

“You’re always so kind, Professor,” Aaron said sincerely.

"Go ahead and look at it. I'll be right here. You can ask me any questions." Professor Elwood picked up the book again.

Aaron pulled out a chair and sat down, and as before, began to study carefully at the table.

After reading it with great interest, Aaron couldn't help but sigh, realizing how little importance various countries really place on matters of war history...

The Battle of Asgard was relatively good among them, because a total of eight countries participated in the battle. Aaron could not only read the records of the Dock and Lucerne factions, but he could also cross-reference the data from all eight countries, verify and conduct a comprehensive analysis, making it easy to find the errors. However, even so, misunderstandings, deviations, and even cases of not recording the war history were inevitable.

Fortunately, Aaron possessed firsthand information—he had his own judgment on the deviations and errors in the war history, and he could distinguish the fallacies that ordinary scholars would have to carefully identify with just a glance.

In a way, he might be the most suitable person to study the history of the Battle of Lusset, perhaps even more so than Professor Elwood. With this firsthand information, he felt he could easily become an associate professor at Frisinghoff University, but he couldn't explain how he obtained this firsthand information...

"Any new discoveries?" Elwood asked, handing him a cup of coffee as he watched intently.

Aaron took the coffee, smiled wryly, and said, "No, not only no, but I have even more doubts now."

“It’s good to have questions. History is studied based on more and more questions.” Elwood sat next to Aaron and said with a regretful look, “You have a great talent for studying the history of Lucerne. Not only are you fluent in Lucerne, but you also know a lot about Lucerne’s customs and culture. I have been trying to persuade you to stay and be my student, but you just won’t listen.”

This wasn't the first time the professor had complained to him. Before he graduated, the professor had invited him to stay, but he ultimately didn't respond to the professor's expectations and became a civil servant in the Kingdom of Dok.

After resting for a while, the two resumed their work.

*

Three days ago, at Prince Ali's estate, at a dinner table.

The clinking of glasses fueled the lively atmosphere at the table. Prince Ali toyed with his glass, his smile unchanged from before. Efriam kept drinking, but Lord sensed an undercurrent of tension at the table.

After drinking two large bottles of whiskey, Efriam at the table became quite boisterous. He slammed his glass on the table and shouted:

"Speaking of the future, we must mention our young people. Your Highness, the young people are the future of the country. Forgive my bluntness, but you and I are already old and should hand over the future to the young people sooner rather than later."

"Regardless, at least for now we still control this country," Prince Ali said noncommittally.

“But sooner or later we’ll have to hand the country over to the young, won’t we? I’ve always believed that betting on the young is the best option; they are the future of the country.” As he said this, Efriam glanced discreetly at Lord beside him.

Éfriam said, “Your Highness, in the eyes of the Lucerne people, there have always been only two ways to strengthen an alliance: hatred or marriage. Only the bond of blood can solidify an alliance.”

“We’ve had our share of hatred, and we’re no strangers to marriage alliances, but I really can’t understand what could possibly be both about alliances and about us young people?” Prince Ali said with a smile.

"Shouldn't such questions be asked of our young people?" Afriam didn't answer Prince Ali, but turned to Prince Lord beside him. "Excuse my boldness, Your Highness, what does your future look like in your eyes?"

The sudden shift in topic clearly startled Lord, forcing the prince to meet the drunken ambassador's gaze. To be honest, the ambassador's eyes were those of a drunkard, bloodshot and swollen, yet he stared intently at Lord, as if trying to see right through him. This made Lord nervous, and he could only say:

"I have now joined the military, and my goal is to go to the battlefield and become a national hero."

"To become a national hero? Those who want to become national heroes are good kids and deserve praise."

With a beaming smile, just as Lord thought he had passed this test, Efriam slowly said, "But Prince Lord, have you thought about any other future?"

The room fell silent again. After a long while, Lord said, "What do you mean?"

“I remember Your Highness’s brother, Prince Leopold, who is destined to be king,” Efriam said unhurriedly.

The room was completely silent, as if invisible swords were buzzing in the air.

He didn't know why Efriam suddenly brought this up. It was common knowledge that his brother would become king, and because his brother was king, Lord's future was sealed; he was destined to become a national hero. That was unchangeable. But Efriam's mention of it at this time seemed to have a deeper meaning, making Lord feel provoked.

Suppressing his dissatisfaction, Lord frowned and said, "My brother will become king in the future, and my goal is to support him in ascending the throne."

The atmosphere in the room became tense, but Efriam immediately said something that made Lord's face turn ashen, causing Lord to smash a glass on the table. Efriam said:

"Hasn't Your Highness ever considered that you might become a king someday?"

*

Aaron was quite good at reading history. By late afternoon, he had basically finished reading a stack of war history materials. He rubbed his eyes, leaned back in his chair, and felt quite tired.

"How is it?" Elwood asked.

Aaron shook his head.

“Go for a walk,” Professor Elwood said, standing up. “It’s been a while since you’ve been back on campus; there have been quite a few changes this past year.”

Aaron agreed; his mind was a mess, and he figured he might as well go out for some fresh air.

After Aaron locked the office door, the two of them took a walk together along the cobblestone path at Frisinhof University.

Chapter 145 The Truth of History

Besides forests and lakes, Frischhof University also boasts thousands of plant species. Many professors who visit Frischhof University suddenly find themselves interested in taking walks. It is truly a pleasure to be at Frischhof University, where you can not only admire historical sites but also enjoy natural beauty.

After studying for a long time, you need to get out of the room and go outside to refresh your mind. Taking a walk outside is a good idea. It can not only help you get out of the rigid environment, but also easily stimulate your thinking and inspire you to look at problems from a new perspective. Professor Elwood once taught him this.

As they passed the restaurant, Elwood suddenly pointed to the sign at the entrance and said, "Look, today's special."

Aaron also looked at the small wooden board the professor was pointing to. It seemed to be for the arrival of Queen Lucerne. Today, the small wooden board in the restaurant displayed their new signature dish, Soros Court Cheese. It is a soft-shelled white round cheese made from milk. Because a bite reveals a light yellow core, it is also known as "gold and silver coins". It is a world-class delicacy that can be served as a dessert at aristocratic banquets and often appears on the tables of commoners.

There were already quite a few students queuing up at the restaurant entrance, so it seemed to be quite popular.

Lucerne people are obsessed with cheese, a fact known to every Doc, but there's a little-known story about Soros's Royal Cheese that only history students would know.

This cheese first appeared at the coronation of King Søren Søren II of Lucerne. The chef presented the dish to the king as a coronation gift and named it after him. From then on, Søren ...

It is said that the chef later published a Lucerne cuisine manual and became a world-renowned Lucerne cuisine master. To this day, he is still regarded as a figure of great significance in Lucerne cuisine and is deeply loved by the nobility. At his coronation, Søren Ofranc II received congratulations from all the nobles and became the youngest king in Lucerne's history. He was believed to have a great future.

Ultimately, the chef who invented the dish was ordered by Sorens to be burned at the stake. He died screaming in agony, regretting everything he had done in his youth. Sorens Ofranc II, who named the cheese, became known as the "Mad King," nearly setting half of Lucert ablaze and taking everyone with him in his madness.

"If we're going to talk about the Battle of Asgard, we can't avoid mentioning the infamous 'Mad King,' who was the starting point of everything," Elwood said.

They ordered two pieces of Sorens cheese at the restaurant and ate them as they walked. Elwood, while savoring the cheese, said, "Speaking of the Mad King, one has to mention his crazy antics."

The Mad King is so famous in history that he has fascinated everyone from ordinary people to researchers, and people still don’t understand why he was so crazy.

"Some say he was born a madman, and that it was a huge mistake for the people of Lusset to make him king. Others say that the early death of his children and the passing of his wife led him to gradually degenerate and eventually become the person he is today. But his madness was actually evident in his early years."

"He once proposed, because of the drought in the grape-growing region, to empty a nearby city, build an artificial lake on top of it, and divert the water from the artificial lake to the vineyards that needed irrigation, so that the grapes of Lucerne would have a perpetual bumper harvest."

"He also felt that Asgard was unworthy of Lucerne's status as the City of a Thousand Capitals, so he proposed collecting all the gold in the country to build a golden city next to Asgard to fulfill his vision of the Kingdom of the Illuminated," Aaron quoted a line from the book.

"Many kings in history have had crazy ideas, but unlike other kings who only imagined them, Sorens put them into reality and forced others to achieve his wishes in a bloody and cruel way."

"But if that's all, he can only be called a debauched tyrant. What truly earned him the title of Mad King was his actions on the 20th anniversary of his coronation," Elwood said.

"At his twentieth coronation, he suddenly announced a year of national celebration, during which the people of Lusset had to abandon most of their productive activities. Even if crops were left to rot in the fields, they were not allowed to work in the fields. They were only allowed to maintain the minimum necessary activities to keep the kingdom running. He forced the whole country to join him in the revelry. He also invented a new crime for this purpose, the crime of 'working' and the crime of 'disrespecting the king.' During this period, all unauthorized productive activities were considered crimes and would be brutally suppressed by the king."

One can imagine the immense damage such actions would inflict on the country. That year was also Sorens's most insane year. He built a pool of wine and meat in the palace, rebuilt the Colosseum in the city, and indulged in debauchery in broad daylight on the city walls. He reveled in public lewdness on the city walls and even flooded the houses of the lower city residents with red wine and flower petals, making the lower city residents join in the frenzied revelry...

"Finally, in the end, he provoked a war and was besieged by powerful nations from half the continent. But then another mad act came... He ordered his army not to resist and watched helplessly as the enemy conquered half of Lucerne's land and invaded Esgard... But this was actually one of his mad attempts. His madst attempt was not this... His truly mad attempt was to activate his secret weapon, 'Heavenly Fire,' after the enemy invaded Esgard. What he wanted to do was not to resist, but to burn the world to ashes and then rule over the ashes."

"He was like a god who mocked humanity, forging his throne with iron and blood, and then flooding the world with the blood and fire that flowed from his throne..."