It's so hard being a hero!

Because she had no interest in these things and didn't want to hear about them.

Frey had already told her what she should have known.

Since the end of the Imperial War, she has hardly left the laboratory. Apart from eating and sleeping, she has been burying herself in those bottles and jars.

Evelyn's extra help to her has been very effective; she can now consistently refine level two potions and is trying to break through to level three.

But certain images keep flashing through my mind involuntarily.

Those were all the little moments she shared with the old emperor when she was Su Lan in her previous life.

Sophia shook her head, banishing those thoughts from her mind, and continued to prepare the medicine.

But in the afternoon, as she was adding the last ingredient to the beaker, her communication magic device suddenly lit up.

Sophia put down the dropper, wiped her hands, and picked up the magic device to take a look.

It was Frey who sent the message.

There was only one line: "The old man's condition has worsened. The Vatican has used a life-saving spell on him. He wants to see you. Come over here."

Sophia sighed softly and then replied with a single word.

"it is good."

Half an hour later, a spatial rift opened up in the woods surrounding Tianxing Academy.

Frey emerged from the crack and saw Sophia already waiting there.

"Let's go."

She said it casually.

Sophia nodded and followed her into the spatial rift.

After the spatial fluctuations dissipated, the two were already standing outside the side gate of the Imperial Palace in the capital.

The atmosphere in the palace today is much heavier and more solemn than usual.

Occasionally, one could see priests in white robes hurrying by in the corridor, each with a solemn expression on their face.

Frey led Sophia through several corridors, finally stopping in front of a dark wooden door.

“Go in by yourself, he’s waiting for you inside,” Frey said.

Sophia glanced at her.

Aren't you going in?

Frey shook her head.

"He specifically asked to see you, but he wouldn't let me in."

Sophia paused for a moment, then raised her hand and pushed open the door.

Inside the gate was a courtyard that wasn't very large.

There is an old tree in the courtyard, and a stone table and two chairs are placed under the tree.

And in one of the chairs, a person was sitting.

He was a man who looked to be in his early thirties.

He was dressed in an imperial robe, wearing a crown, with a dignified appearance and a light beard on his chin.

Sophia paused slightly when she saw him.

She recognized him because of this face.

This is what the old emperor looked like when he was young.

At that time, she had just graduated from Tianxing Academy and entered the palace for the first time to meet the young emperor as a hero.

This is what the old emperor looked like back then.

His hair wasn't white yet, his face didn't have many wrinkles, and his eyes still held a youthful sharpness.

Sophia stood at the door, looking at the face that was even younger than she remembered, and realized something.

The old emperor is using his last moments to make final preparations.

"You're all here, what are you doing standing at the door? Come and sit down."

The old emperor's voice came through, but his tone was nothing like that of a dying man.

Sophia snapped out of her thoughts, stepped into the courtyard, and sat down in the chair opposite him.

A pot of tea and two cups were placed on the table, clearly prepared in advance.

The old emperor picked up the teapot and poured her a cup, then put the teapot down, leaned back in his chair, and looked her up and down.

Then he laughed, a laugh more relaxed than Sophia could remember ever laughing.

"Young Su, is that you?"

Sophia paused slightly as she picked up her teacup.

She paused for two seconds, then put down her cup and gave a wry smile.

"Your Majesty, how did you figure that out? You know, I'm a complete girl now."

Upon hearing this, the old emperor burst into laughter.

The laughter was loud and echoed in the quiet courtyard.

"Hahaha...you really think I'm senile?"

He finished laughing, wiped his eyes, and looked at Sophia with a smug look in his eyes that said, "You can't fool me."

“When Frey brought you to the palace last time, I knew it was you the moment you spoke your first words.”

Sophia felt a little guilty under his gaze, but she still couldn't help asking a question.

"Then why didn't you expose me back then?"

Why would I expose you?

The old emperor picked up his teacup, took a sip, and spoke casually as if he were discussing the nice weather.

"If you don't want me to know, you must have your reasons. Besides, Frey's lie about being possessed by a soul was so half-hearted."

He put down his teacup, looked at Sophia, and smiled with a hint of mischief.

"You, a holy son of the Holy See, a hero of the Empire, even if you can't go to heaven after you die, you will definitely not go to hell to be summoned back. Her statement is only good for fooling a three-year-old."

Sophia opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found that she had no way to refute it.

She had no choice but to pick up her teacup and take a sip to hide her embarrassment.

The old emperor laughed even harder when he saw her like that.

He leaned back in his chair, looked up at the sky above him, which was fragmented by the leaves, and remained silent for a while.

Then he spoke, his voice much softer than before.

"For so many years, I have been thinking about one thing."

Sophia put down her teacup and waited quietly for him to continue.

"I've always wondered what the empire would be like now if you hadn't died back then."

The old emperor's gaze remained fixed on the sky, his voice carrying an indescribable emotion.

"Perhaps I would have unified the continent long ago, perhaps the empire would be ten times stronger than it is now, perhaps I wouldn't have had to wait until this age..."

He didn't finish speaking; he just shook his head and swallowed the rest of his words.

Sofia remained silent for a long time.

Looking at the old emperor's face, which looked forty years younger, and at his still bright eyes, she felt a surge of emotions she couldn't quite explain.

"His Majesty."

She finally spoke, her voice calmer than she had expected.

"Even if I hadn't died, that idea I had back then was actually flawed."

The old emperor immediately showed an expression of eagerness to hear more.

"Alas! Unifying the continent cannot be achieved through war alone."

Sophia met his gaze, her tone earnest.

"Even if you conquer the orcish empire, defeat the elven kingdom, and subdue all other races, then what? Can you guarantee that no one will rebel a hundred years from now? Can you guarantee that every emperor of the empire will be able to protect the land you have conquered?"

"True unity is not about holding a sword to someone's throat and making them obey you, but about making them willingly follow you."

The old emperor stared at her for a long time, then suddenly laughed.

There was an indescribable meaning in that smile.

"You've grown into a young girl, but you still speak in the same tone, you haven't changed at all."

Sophia was speechless after hearing his words.

The old emperor picked up his teacup again, took a sip, and then stood up.

His smile faded, replaced by a more serious expression.

"Young Su."

"Ok?"

"I summoned you here today not to preach these grand principles."

He paused, as if organizing his thoughts.

"I just wanted to see you, to talk to you, just as..."

He thought about it for a moment and finally used a self-deprecating way of putting it.

"Consider it saying goodbye to an old friend."

Sophia's heart tightened when she heard this.

She looked at the old emperor's youthful face, wanting to say something, but found her throat felt blocked.

"His Majesty."