The Villain Princess survived the Imperial Riot

Charles II, who had achieved great success and reigned for more than 40 years, died at the beginning of the game. At that time, the empire was in an era where a new emperor ascended the throne and the Grand Duchess of Lorraine was regent.

But the new emperor who ascended the throne was less than ten years old and was the old emperor's youngest son, so...

What about her brothers?

Furthermore, Charles II was only sixty years old, yet he was a world-shaking emperor and leader of the Iron Cross. Even a mythical figure would likely be no match for a ruler imbued with destiny. Even if the old emperor ultimately failed to achieve immortality, living to over two hundred years was easy.

However, in just a hundred years, the empire had four emperors. Even the God-Emperor who controlled the source of order and ascended to the top of the gods could not last for thousands of years. Hestia couldn't help but feel strange.

So how did her cheap emperor father die of old age?

When she looked at Garcia again, there was a strange emotion in Hestia's eyes.

The old emperor approved the research on the "original factor". Could it be that he wanted to make other achievements on the path of eternity?

If the old emperor really dreamed of immortality, but was unable to cross the barrier leading to mythology, then there was indeed a possibility that he became addicted to taking elixirs and eventually killed himself.

"Does Her Royal Highness have any other instructions?" Garcia asked respectfully, noticing the princess's gaze.

"Then send some of your research results to Yunting Villa. I don't think that's too much to ask," Hestia mused. "Don't tell me about any imperial secrets. I have the final say in Yunling."

"Your will." Garcia no longer objected.

Just as he stood up to leave, he was suddenly stopped by the princess.

The princess asked, "How did you discover the so-called 'Original Factor'?"

Garcia replied:

"This was actually my wife's discovery. She had thoroughly studied the secrets of immortality of the phantom hydra and the hand-leaf jellyfish. She discovered similar tissues in the bodies of these two different species that could enable them to replicate endlessly. She then extracted impurities containing the original factor from these tissues.

"This is probably the truth that eternity has left in the material world, leaving us, foolish seekers, to spend our entire lives searching for it. It's a pity that Ayiluo has passed away, otherwise she would have been more..."

After saying that, Garcia smiled bitterly and shook his head.

The princess then asked, "If you can decipher even a portion of the secret of the Primordial Factor, would you like to resurrect your wife?"

"No, no, no. I'm just an ordinary person who wants to get closer to the Holy Relics and the truth. How dare I decide someone's life or death?" Garcia waved his hand quickly. "Besides, the Primordial Factor's ability to support life has a limit. The more complex the life, the more difficult it is to unleash its effects. This may be related to the interference of impurities."

Hestia nodded. She couldn't find any flaws in Rafael Garcia. He seemed more like prey lured into a trap by a conspiracy.

The wife who discovered the primordial factor, the emperor who approved the research on life transformation, the student who provided addictive drugs to the Black Hand Guild, and the bacteria and virus.

All signs seem to equate bacteria and viruses with Garcia's research.

After Garcia left, the spirits lingering at the border gradually faded away. Hestia murmured softly, "Have I been used..."

"Your Highness, nothing unusual has been found." Chloe climbed in from the balcony and looked around. "Where's Garcia?"

"He's gone," Hestia said. "I asked him to submit a copy of his research results to Cloud Court Villa. You can analyze the ingredients then."

"What if the factor he's talking about is related to a bacterial toxin? The secret technique of swapping the heads of two mice does exist. The bacterial toxin is derived from the 'mother fungus' and naturally contains power. If what Garcia discovered wasn't a factor at all, but rather a deception left by the worm, then the deeper his research goes, the closer he gets to the worm and the further he gets from the truth."

"Why can't he be a worm?" asked Hestia.

"If he were a worm, he wouldn't be so brazenly displaying it. Believe me, it's a hunter's instinct," Chloe said confidently. "I'll continue investigating Maxime Vallee. He administered the confusable drug to Garcia, most likely to mislead his research."

This analysis coincided with Hestia's thoughts, but the princess was able to perceive the spiritual power of the secret cultivators through the Witch Book, so she still had many questions in her mind.

Which of the two spirits, the bandage and the skeleton, belongs to Rafael Garcia, and which belongs to the peeper hiding in the shadows? And who is the rat in the dark?

After finishing her afternoon classes with deep thoughts, Hestia returned to Cloud Court Villa. Just as she was about to sit down in the dining room to enjoy the dinner carefully prepared by her elven maid-mother, she saw Viola, dressed in her school uniform, rush in anxiously: "Your Highness—"

"What are you so flustered about? Haven't I taught you any manners?" Hestia asked sternly.

"Sorry……"

"Okay, what's up?"

"This is what happened. My father was injured at work and is still in a coma, so I want to take some time off to go home and visit him." Viola looked anxious, but still tried to maintain a calm tone.

"Fuck?" Hestia clenched her silver fork and almost jumped up from her chair in shock and anger.

Damn it, could it be that the timeline has come to an end and some corrupt official has killed her puppy and his entire family?

"Your Highness, please, I really need to go back." Viola begged.

"Don't worry. It's evening now and there's no carriage going down the mountain. I'm afraid we won't be able to get back until midnight." Hestia's tone was more gentle than ever. She stepped forward, took the maid in her arms, and gently comforted her. "Clara went to the military headquarters to get some documents. She should be back in ten minutes. When she comes back, I'll accompany you home."

The unprecedented tenderness made Viola's expression dazed. Then, she cried out with tears in her eyes and buried her pretty face in the princess's chest: "Wow, Your Highness, I'm really worried that something happened to my father——"

"Alright, alright, everything's going to be alright," Hestia whispered softly.

She is afraid too!

It would be fine if William Leland was stabbed to death by some traitorous street urchin; at least the Empire couldn't be blamed. But if he died because of the Empire... what if the whipping overseer was actually a noble lord's servant, what if the extortionate tax farmer wanted to add a 50% war tax, what if the dandy young man in fine clothes and riding a horse ran over passers-by in the streets and alleys...

All her threats and inducements to the puppy were ruined!

When she thought of the angry and desperate black-haired girl praying to the light for redemption, and leading the rebels to slaughter all the bureaucrats and nobles in a great rebellion one day, Hestia didn't know how to suppress the Avengers with their halo.

You can't really execute the little maid and give her a complete family photo!

"Viola, did the person who brought you the message tell you how your father was injured?" Hestia asked cautiously, fearing that asking the worst possible result would lead to a false alarm.

"I'm not sure, but it seems like I encountered a thief when I was helping the community check for a clogged sewer," Viola said sadly.

"That's good……"

"Ok?"

The little maid's eyes were moist, and she didn't understand why the princess said that.

But His Highness's embrace was so gentle that it made her nostalgic, so she did not think that the princess was gloating, but just thought she had heard wrongly.

"I mean, a thief like that deserves to be hacked into pieces!" Hestia was filled with righteous indignation, but then turned to comfort him, "But don't worry too much. I'll arrange for someone to treat your father."

The princess secretly made up her mind that she would use public opinion to link the thief with the rebellion of Free Will.

"Yes. Thank you, Your Highness." Tears rolled down Viola's eyes again, this time out of emotion.

It turns out that His Highness really cares about her...

Soon, Clara returned from the military headquarters. After learning what had happened, she immediately drove the carriage down the mountain. The wind was howling, and she didn't know how many checkpoints she had passed along the way. However, the Knight Commander was so skilled that no accidents occurred.

It was almost evening, the sky was dark, and the snow that had been cleared from the streets had piled up again. Occasionally, a wandering beggar would collapse in the ditch due to hunger, his cold body almost without any warmth.

In the small room, a woman covered her lips and coughed lightly as she filled a bowl of fragrant tomato stewed beef brisket and carefully brought it to the bedside.

"dad--"

The door burst open, the wind and snow blew in, and the fireplace was blown into sparks.

"Viola, why are you back?" The woman turned her head and saw that it was her eldest daughter who was studying at Offa College.

"I heard that Dad was injured..."

Viola looked towards the bed and found that her father was awake, half leaning on the pillow with gauze wrapped around his forehead.

"I'm fine, child." Mr. Li Lan forced a smile. He quickly noticed the elegant princess behind his daughter and asked, "Who is this..."

"Dad, this is Her Royal Highness. I told you before." Seeing that her father was fine, Viola was no longer so nervous. A light blush appeared on her cheeks, and she whispered softly, "This time, Her Royal Highness also sent a carriage to bring me back."

Hearing this, Mr. Lilan looked at Hestia with awe. He stood up and wanted to get out of bed, but was stopped by the princess's light words: "You are injured, so you don't need to pay your respects."

Meanwhile, Hestia breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, it was an unexpected public security incident. These days, crime rates in Yunling cities have been rising year after year, and with bandits aplenty, minor incidents are inevitable. If her family had truly been torn apart by the Empire, her maid would have rebelled.

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness," Mr. Lilan said weakly.

"Dad, what's going on? Where's Alice?"

"Alice went to get medicine from the doctor," Mrs. Leland explained. "It was actually an accident. The sewer in the yard has been emitting a foul odor for the past two days, so your father and his family suspected it was blocked. As a result, they encountered a thief and accidentally got hit on the head by a stone."

Viola stepped forward and asked, "Dad, how are you feeling? I heard you were unconscious for a long time..."

"Fortunately, the doctor said I was unconscious for such a long time mainly because of overwork. However..." Mr. Leland frowned, the pain from his injuries making him grimace. "I didn't see the thief clearly. He was very small and thin, and moved as fast as a bat, not a human. In the sewer area of ​​Mr. Laufen's house, we found many rats and wild cats whose brains had been gnawed..."

"Brain chewed?" Hestia suddenly raised her voice.

"Yes, Your Highness," Mr. Leland said in awe. "It could be ratmen or something else. In any case, it doesn't look like a human, nor can it be a dwarf. A few days ago, cleaners found beggars dead on the roadside. Their eye sockets were pierced and their brains were frozen into ice crystals in the snow. There are rumors that starving ghosts who eat human brains are haunting the streets, but what happened in the sewers makes me think that it might be ratmen who can't survive and are stealing those corpses..."

"You seem to be sympathetic to the Nezumi."

"No, I don't sympathize with them," Mr. Li Lan said quickly, and then explained in a low voice, "It's just that the living conditions of some rat people do need to be improved. This has exacerbated their bad behavior to a certain extent, so... cough cough cough cough cough..."

The man started coughing violently.

He is not muscular, but he is strong and looks young and strong.

However, Hestia knew that he was no longer healthy due to overwork and a serious lung disease.

This was not information from the High Knight, but rather a tearful accusation from the Apostle of Radiance and the Iron-Blooded Grand Duchess during their duel in the game.

"I'll send the best doctor to examine you," Hestia said. "I heard you were a free farmer before, selling your land to come to Cloudtop City. If you don't like the environment in Cloud Ridge, then choose any place you want. I'll give you land, draft horses, and serfs."

Mr. Leland was flattered, and even Viola was deeply surprised. She hurriedly said, "Your Highness, our current life is enough. We don't deserve rewards without merit. How dare we ask for those rewards?"

"Why do you say it's in vain? Translating those ancient books in Aynive's possession is your greatest achievement. I'm just rewarding you in advance." Hestia asked in return, "Why, you still can't do it?"

"Of course I will do what Your Highness says, but we truly feel unworthy of the reward."

Viola lowered her head, deeply encouraged by the princess's care. This reward was truly too great. As the princess's servant, she had no obligation to do what she was supposed to do.

Besides, how can translating ancient books be considered a contribution?

Being able to have a master of arcane as her one-on-one private tutor is already a rare gift, not to mention that there are so many lost ancient books that can be viewed for free. Thinking about it this way, she, an ungrateful maid, is simply not able to repay His Highness Kongshi for his kindness by working like a slave!

Not to mention that His Highness saved her in the basement of the library.

Not to mention His Highness Lu is just a bitch, with a soft mouth and a soft heart, he looks fierce on the outside but in reality his neighbors are so kind to her.

His Highness’s kindness was not enough, and Viola was so moved that she was about to cry again.

"It's your business if you feel unworthy of it, not mine." Hestia looked at the head of the Lilan family and said coldly, "In three days, someone will deliver the map. You can simply choose the land on the Yunling Coast. Within a hundred hectares, I will decide for you."

Mr. Li Lan's lips were trembling. He seemed to have perfectly inherited his eldest daughter's personality, and he seemed a little hesitant in what he said and did.

"Your Highness the Princess..."

"So be it. The princess's personal maid, yet her family is so shabby. If those in the capital knew the princess was so stingy, who would dare to serve me in the future?" Hestia didn't give Mr. Lilan any chance to refuse. "Viola, you go and catch up with your family first. I have someone else to meet and will pick you up later."

After that, the princess walked out of the hut, leaving the family of three in a mess in the snowstorm of their unauthorized entry. Then a vague question came out: "Viola, what's the matter with the personal maid?"

Clara, who was waiting outside, greeted the princess and bowed: