In Ark Simulator, why do I always start out as a ruthless person?.

After all, if war is unavoidable, then occupying Bolivar is the best solution for the future of Letania.

But for Liselotte, Chen Qi's words just now finally made her heart relax.

At this point, Liselotte had to confirm this fact.

Her own sisters might have really betrayed her and chosen to join Qi.

But why is this?

Didn't Hildegard hate Qi the most for humiliating them?

Why did she succumb after a trip to Syracuse? What happened?

But at this time, before Liselotte could think of the answer to the question, Chen Qi revealed his arrangements in detail.

"I will leave Army Group C and its officers under your command."

"In addition, I will give Gertrude to you as your partner to assist you in your work."

"His Majesty?!"

Gertrude, who had never expected that she would be one of the candidates to go to Bolivar, stood up in great surprise.

However, facing Gertrude's violent reaction, Chen Qi, who had anticipated it, also explained gently:

"Gertrude... Right now, you are the only person I can send out who is least likely to betray me."

"It just so happens that this is also an opportunity for you."

"We are lacking intelligence on countries like Bolivar, Letania, and Victoria. This time, I hope you can maximize the role of the National Security Department."

"Go there, assist Hildegard well, and supervise her for me. This is your new mission."

“In the future, maybe in Victoria, maybe in Columbia.”

"We'll see each other again then."

"……Yes."

Seeing that her king was determined, Gertrude could not find any reason to refute, so she had to suppress all the anxiety and struggle in her heart.

In the end, Gertrude, with tears in her eyes, simply expressed her determination to her beloved king with a military salute.

"I will definitely fulfill my mission, my dearest... Your Majesty."

After she finished speaking, Gertrude, who didn't want others to see her crying, turned around abruptly and strode towards the door.

Gertrude didn't know why she was so out of control and so sad.

Perhaps it was her woman's intuition that told her——

After this farewell, I may never meet the king I respect and love again in my life.

Nowadays

I ask readers to collect and support more.

Chapter 53 Gertrude's Confession

Late at night, after being busy all day, Chen Qi finally finished all the government affairs and dragged his tired body back to the bedroom.

There's no way around it. The intrigues with the Duke of Windermere and the President of Colombia are already very exhausting.

In addition, there was Hildegard, the "Marshal" appointed by himself to go to the expedition against Bolivar.

Chen Qi had to explain to her in detail about Bolivar's occupied areas, how to deal with public opinion issues, etc.

Moreover, as Leithania became more and more prosperous, more and more departments were added, and the affairs of the emperor became more and more onerous.

In particular, after he took away all the real power from the nobles, all state affairs fell almost entirely on his shoulders.

Chen Qi felt more and more the workload after Shoe Horn abolished the prime minister.

Alas, we are still short of people.

There are still too few talents.

Otherwise, Chen Qi wouldn't have brought talented children like Texas and Lapland to the tower to train them personally with shining eyes.

But even though Chen Qi was extremely busy, he was unwilling to reverse the process and restart the nobles.

The reforms in Leithania are in full swing.

You can't give up halfway just because you are afraid of hardships.

Otherwise, the blood of so many Leithanians would have been shed in vain.

"Ok?"

When the confused Chen Qi pushed open the door of his bedroom, he found that the bedroom, which should have been brightly lit, was abnormally dark.

And, in front of him, there was a dark figure waiting here.

"who?"

Fortunately, before Chen Qi could draw his sword reflexively, the beautiful figure who heard the voice slowly turned around, revealing a face that Chen Qi was extremely familiar with.

"…It's me, Your Majesty."

"Gertrude?"

Only after seeing Gertrude's face clearly did Chen Qi visibly relax.

"You can come if you want. Why did you turn off all the lights? And drive away all the guards?"

"I almost thought there was an assassin. I don't want to accidentally kill one of my few loyal subjects because of my suspicion."

As Chen Qi stepped into the room and began to take off his long, dragging robe, he spoke to Gertrude behind him:

"So, you came here this time, is there something you want to ask me?"

"I have given full authority to Hildegard over the war. I think you may need to take care of Bolivar's political affairs and intelligence."

Out of absolute trust and because the room was too dark, Chen Qi did not pay attention to Gertrude's silence.

He also didn't notice that while he was chattering, Gertrude, who was silent behind him, was gritting her teeth as if she had made up her mind.

In the darkness, she stretched out her delicate hands and unbuttoned a button on her collar.

Soon, pieces of clothes fell silently from Gertrude's body one by one.

"Hmm? Gertrude, why are you silent? You—"

However, when Chen Qi noticed that Gertrude's silence lasted a little too long, he turned his head in surprise.

Looking at Gertrude's body, which had taken off all her clothes at some point.

The words he didn't have time to finish were stuck in his throat.

“…Is it beautiful?”

After a long while, until he was sure that Chen Qi was attracted to his body, Gertrude's slightly shy words finally reached his ears.

"It's beautiful."

Chen Qi answered with almost no hesitation.

Although the room was dark, he could still see clearly Gertrude's curvy and snow-white body with a hint of shy redness.

It's strange, because Gertrude is only 21 years old since she joined.

But she seemed to be born with the kind of temptation that only belongs to mature women, making people fall for her and salivate over her body.

It's just that Gertrude has always been by his side, so Chen Qi usually ignores her charm.

But now, he had to admit that he was fascinated.

But he hasn't lost his mind yet.

"It's just... I don't understand, why would you do this?"

Chen Qi was a little confused.

If Gertrude had wanted to seduce herself, she had had many better opportunities before.

And now, she has become a duke, in charge of the propaganda and intelligence departments. It can be said that there is nothing she can do.

Even becoming her own woman would mean nothing more to Gertrude.

Besides...

After going through so much together, Chen Qi doesn't think that Gertrude is still the woman he remembered in the past who would do anything to get to the top.

So why is she doing that?

"...At this point, my dear Emperor, how come you don't understand human nature?"

"A young, charming girl, suppressing her shyness, revealed her most defenseless self in front of the man she loved the most."

"Do I need to explain the meaning behind this?"

Gertrude pretended to be calm, and wanted to use her best seductive gesture to calmly convey her meaning to the king in front of her.

However, he was only met with Chen Qi's gaze that didn't take it seriously at all.

The outer shell of Gertrude that concealed her true nature fell to the ground like shattered glass without any resistance.

Eventually, the smile faded and the composure could no longer be maintained.

Instead, it was the true nature of an aristocratic girl with a broken heart and two lines of aggrieved tears in the corners of her eyes.

"…I just feel scared."

"I'm afraid that once I leave your side this time, I will never see you again."

Gertrude couldn't help but sneer, as if she was laughing at her own weakness, and murmured to herself:

"I look ridiculous like this, don't I?"

"I was born into a noble family... but I was used as a tool by my weak and incompetent father since I was a child."

"He told me that my destiny at birth was to complete a political marriage and become a sacrifice for him and his family to consolidate their status."

"I have been taught those noble etiquettes since I can remember."

"And those...dirty methods."

"How to seduce a man, how to poison a woman who threatens you, how to keep a man firmly in your hands..."

As a result, I am now like a little girl who is just beginning to fall in love.

It was so easy for her to reveal her true feelings and expose her most vulnerable side... to express her deep love for this man.

"This is all your fault, my Lord."

With tears in her eyes, her lips slightly pursed and her cheeks flushed with shame, Gertrude stared at the silent Chen Qi in front of her.

"Fate only gave me two choices: either I rely on my own tricks and schemes to live a miserable life."

"Or... die in disgrace in some corner, as worthless as a maggot in a sewer."

"As a result, your appearance changed my destiny forever."

"You gave me hope, a future, and everything I never imagined I could have."

"You've made it impossible for me to see other men. When I think about marrying men I don't like in the future, I feel uneasy and disgusted."

"When I think about the possibility that I may never see you again in the future... I feel so desperate that I want to commit suicide."

"Please take responsibility for this, Your Majesty."

Gertrude shed two lines of tears and approached the man in front of her step by step who was out of her reach.

Until those trembling fingers actually touched his cheek.

She was convinced that everything before her eyes was not an illusion.

"Now, sire, tell me."

"A dirty, lowly woman like me... am I qualified to continue serving you?"

Gertrude's voice was so trembling, and the anxiety and fear of being rejected almost occupied her eyes.

And in the next second, what responded to her was a chuckle and a soft whisper that made her feel at ease.

"——I agreed."