I'm in Terra

Therefore, Victoria must seize the opportunity to be alone with Black Snake and improve his skills.

Although he had skipped the party in his previous life, he hadn't forgotten that the rise of the Reunion Movement was the key to unlocking the main storyline. In the next few years, Terra would be bustling with activity, and he would have far less time than he had imagined.

So it’s better to leave the difficult things until night time, and work hard during the day.

PS: Thanks to Mr. Da Hu for the treasure chest. If nothing goes wrong, I will start updating the game this weekend.

Wine Pond and Meat Forest: 19 Meeting the Saint

In the evening, the palace

After a hard day's work, Fyodor rubbed his swollen head and prepared to take a walk in the backyard to exercise his body.

But before he could finish stretching, a servant responsible for delivering the message carefully knocked on the study door:

"Your Majesty, at noon today, Luxembourg Governor-General and Major General Count Victor Kalashnikov arrived at Saint-Etienne Castle and is currently staying at the Imperial Royal Hotel."

"Victori? That busy man has finally come to report on his work?" Fyodor, halfway through stretching, was taken aback for a moment. Then, with some surprise, he grabbed the attendant's hand and asked, "What has Victor been up to since arriving at Saint Steed Castle? Has he visited any other noble ministers?"

"No." The attendant lowered his head in panic. "The Governor seemed to have heard the rules and did not leave the hotel after arriving. According to the front desk, the Governor even ate his meals in his room. His entourage consisted of only twenty guards, besides a maid to take care of his daily life."

"Very good." Fyodor nodded in satisfaction. "It's a little too late today. How about this? After the morning meeting tomorrow, summon Victor to the throne. And let Speaker Witte know to stay as well."

"Yes!" The servant bowed and quickly disappeared from sight.

Fyodor didn't care as he watched the servant leave, humming a song as he walked. Victory's arrival was a surprise to him. Seeing is believing, and no matter how many reports he read, it wouldn't be as reliable as seeing him in person.

To see if this young man is as reliable as he sounds, let him and Witt test it out.

Meanwhile, Victoria, who was enjoying a steak set meal in her room, also received a meeting notification from the waiter. After hearing the news, Victoria smiled, patted the waiter's butt, and asked the affectionate beauty to leave the room.

"It seems that His Majesty has a good impression of you."

After closing the door, the assassin lady who had been sitting stiffly at the dining table instantly regained her laziness. She casually picked up Victoria's fork, stabbed a piece of steak that had just been cut for Victoria, and stuffed it into her mouth without any manners, chewing it.

"Hmm? Where are your aristocratic manners?" Victoria didn't bother to be polite with Miss Assassin. He snatched the fork and continued to enjoy his food.

The assassin stuck out her tongue and, while Victory wasn't paying attention, leaned over and ate the steak he had just forked. "I'm just a poor maid. Why do I need noble manners? Besides, it's better to practice the ways of ordinary people now. They'll be in use soon."

"Whatever you say." Victory stabbed another cut of meat into the assassin's greasy mouth. Then, picking up the spoon, he leisurely scooped up the meat from under him. "But if you're going to have an audience tomorrow, cancel your scheduled indoor activities tonight. When meeting the current emperor, no amount of caution is too much."

"Wuwuwu~~~Gulp———What a bummer, just a mediocre fellow." The assassin swallowed the steak with difficulty and glanced at Victor with a resentful look. "Rather than being wary of him, it's better to be wary of the current Imperial Council President Witte, who might show up with him. He's the real troublemaker."

Upon hearing this, Victoria nodded thoughtfully: "The Speaker of the Imperial Parliament - Witte, right? Thank you. I will pay attention to it."

Silent all night.

The next morning, when Victor finished washing and dressing with the help of Miss Assassin, and was about to go to the restaurant for dinner, the waiter in charge of notification suddenly came to the door and told him that Emperor Victor wanted to have breakfast with him.

Although this arrangement was somewhat unexpected for Victor, it wasn't enough to upset him. After a brief greeting with the assassin lady, Victor boarded a special car led by a waiter and drove along a dedicated passage into the palace.

After the routine inspection along the way, Victoria was told that His Majesty the Emperor was having breakfast in his study. So, under the guidance of his attendants, he came to Fyodor's palace and walked into the study alone with the door wide open.

Then he saw two middle-aged men leaning on recliners drinking coffee, each holding a document in their hands, and various breakfasts were placed on the low table beside them.

Victoria, having done his homework, naturally wouldn't mistake him. He first knocked on the study door to remind the two, then performed a standard aristocratic greeting: "Good morning, Your Majesty. Good morning, Speaker Witte. I hope my arrival hasn't disturbed your pleasure."

"Of course not, I'm waiting for you." Hearing Victor's greeting, Fyodor put down his clothes and waved to Victor enthusiastically.

It was not until then that he saw that what was in Fyodor's hand was not a document at all, but a newspaper.

Victoria followed the Emperor's instructions and settled himself on the third recliner, breakfast and coffee already laid out beside him. He offered no hesitation, raising his steaming cup in a gentle greeting before sipping it, smearing butter on his bread as he drank.

"Come to think of it, you two should have just finished your morning meeting, right? It looks like there's a lot of good news today?"

Seeing that Victor was not only not intimidated but also took the initiative to talk to the two of them, Witt, who had been silent until then, put down his newspaper and chatted with Victor with a smile on his face. "There's no good news at all, it's just trivial matters. Today one side wants us for some funding, tomorrow the other side wants us to approve a privileged access, and there's no peace and quiet every day."

"Oh, that's understandable." Victor nodded seriously. "Perhaps the news presented in Parliament tomorrow will be that Luxembourg Governor Victor has personally come to the Imperial Parliament to ask for money. If this matter does become an issue, I hope you will bear with me."

"Oh, you're so bold, kid." Fyodor was stunned, then subconsciously laughed at Victory's anger. "I remember I gave you a sum of money a while ago. Adding the 'consolation money' sent by those ministers, the total amount is quite considerable. Why is the first thing you say when you come to report to me about your work still asking for money?"

"That's different." Victor swallowed the bread in his mouth and slowly wiped the corner of his mouth. "They ask you for funding because they want to put the money in their own pockets. I ask you for funding because I've already given it all away, and if you don't ask for more, I won't be able to make ends meet. After all, no amount of money is too much when it comes to spending on the people, right?"

Upon hearing this, Fyodor and Witt exchanged glances. Victory Kalashnikov seemed even more capable than they had imagined.

Wine Pool and Meat Forest: 20 Political Discussion

In the exquisite and elegant study, three men of different ages were lazily leaning on recliners, drinking coffee and reading newspapers, chatting with each other about their views on the country, territory, and even other nobles.

To others, this might just be three friends of different ages discussing politics. You can see similar scenes in any pub or cafe in Ursus.

But only Victoria knew that this was a trial, an invisible and intangible trial full of dangers.

"Real men don't joke, Victor." Witt blew the foam off his coffee and said meaningfully, "It's a good thing to spend money on the people, but you have to find a way to prove it, otherwise the parliament won't be convinced."

"Although I haven't had my birthday yet, I'm legally an adult, Mr. Witte." Victory smiled and raised his coffee cup, not caring about Witte's questioning at all.

"Even when I was a minor, I never lied, let alone now that I'm the lord of a city. When I was the lord of Norvinsk, I made a promise to the soldiers under my command. I said I would make them prosperous, give them the best treatment, and make them brave and confident. Facts have proven that I did it.

Now, the civilians of Luxembourg face the same plight. They are oppressed, bullied, and forced to endure suffering they deserve, while those who perpetrate it brazenly claim it's "the wind and snow that make men." So I came, slaughtered those oppressors, and used their hidden wealth to build a new home. I encouraged the people to bravely move forward, to reclaim the wilderness, and to find work. I even borrowed the strength of those infected, pardoning the death penalty for those carrying the virus and allowing them to work in designated areas.

I believe this is the test that the wind and snow can give to a man. But unfortunately, I am willing but unable to do it.

Fyodor nodded, a flicker of admiration in his eyes. "So you came to Saint Jun Castle on your own initiative? Planning to ask Congress, us, and even the nobles for money? Before you set out, did you consider that your plan was a bit premature? If you slow down, Luxembourg's current finances should be more than enough for you to support the reconstruction."

Victoria shook his head firmly. "Every day the plan is delayed, countless people will be tortured by the wind and snow, and countless refugees will be left without jobs and food, ultimately losing their right to survive. If I do this, what's the difference between me and those mediocre people?"

"Well said! You're worthy of being a man of Ursus!" Witt put down his coffee cup and clapped softly. "Well, as the Speaker of the National Assembly, may I know in advance how much funding you plan to apply for from the Empire?"

"Jokes aside, reality is reality, Mr. Witte." Victor nodded at Witte, then rejected Witte's help without hesitation:

"I do not intend to submit financial support to Parliament, sir. At least not until I've run out of options. Luxembourg's chaos and destruction were caused by the strife between aristocratic factions, and it is the nobles who should be responsible for reconstruction. As General Akaski's successor, I feel it is necessary to negotiate with those nobles again to expand the sales of Luxembourg's products... and to seek some sponsorship."

"Oh? Really?" Fyodor was a little displeased when he heard this: "Is it for money? Or for the alliance?"

Victor didn't hesitate for a second. "Of course it's for money. My father has already shown me the true nature of those nobles. If there's anyone in Ursus who's the least trustworthy, it's definitely those who say one thing to your face and another behind your back... Well, am I being a little presumptuous?"

Witt smiled and shook his head. "It's okay. It's just a few men chatting nonsense at breakfast time. No one will care. Besides, your proposal is very interesting. The problems caused by the nobles should be solved by the nobles, right? Haha, what a genius idea."

"You can give it a try." Fyodor was also not optimistic about Victor's idea. After all, no one in this country understood the so-called nobles better than him. "Of course, if you fail, don't forget to come to the parliament. I will ask Vitto to help you get some, considering your good performance recently."

"Although I don't think it will be of any use, I still thank you both in advance." Victoria, contentedly enjoying his breakfast, listened to the assurances of the empire's highest authority. The two old men, upon seeing this, also picked up their coffee cups and newspapers and resumed their casual conversation.

After eating and drinking, Victoria did not spend more time in the study. Instead, he wiped the corner of his mouth and ended the meeting with standard aristocratic etiquette.

Looking at Victoria's young but tall back, Fyodor gently put down the newspaper in his hand and said, "Witt, what do you think?"

"He's efficient, clear-minded, and utterly relentless." Witt pushed his glasses. "He's very similar to his father, but he has even more potential. He's truly a rare young talent, but it's a shame we can't be sure of his position."

Fyodor nodded. "A stance isn't something you express, it's something you practice. Just be patient and wait for a while to see what he does. But I do think some of his insights are quite novel, at least not something those money-hungry old men could develop."

"Are you trying to say that you and he share similar views?" Witt pushed his glasses and calmly swallowed the words.

It is not a good habit to speculate on the emperor's thoughts, but what His Majesty said is indeed right. Many of Victoria's ideas do not seem to be acceptable to those old guys.

Maybe there will be a good show to watch next.

------

"Did the meeting go well?" After returning to the hotel, Miss Assassin immediately threw herself into Victoria's arms.

In fact, she was quite concerned about Victoria's meeting with the two men, but unfortunately she did not have a clone suitable for eavesdropping. Although the assassin lady could hide in the shadows, such a mediocre level could not escape the sight of those internal guards.

So she could only wait patiently for Victoria's return and listen to the news he brought.

"It went very smoothly. That person was even more mediocre than I thought. But Speaker Witte should not be underestimated. If we really want to do that kind of thing in the future, Speaker Witte must be eliminated first." Victoria straightened his clothes that were messed up by Miss Assassin, and slapped Miss Assassin's butt hard.

Wine and Meat: 21 Untold Secrets

If Victoria were to treat the meetings at the Castle of Saint-Jean as a game of levels, then the initial audience with the emperor would be the easiest one for him.

Before his ambitions were fully exposed, he did not need to have too deep contact with imperial power.

Although he should obey the orders of His Majesty the Emperor both in name and in fact, the Emperor would not take the initiative to issue such orders. Victoria did not need and could not take the initiative to express closeness to Fyodor.

The Luxembourg that Victoria Kalashnikov inherited was, after all, the base of the old aristocracy, and his language and stance had to be limited by his ass.

Therefore, after sending ambiguous signals of goodwill to the two royalists, Victoria turned around and sent a visiting card to a minister without hesitation.

Minister of National Defense Chervin, or the Minister of National Defense. Chervin is one of the highest-ranking generals in the entire Ursus Army and is also the man who is most likely to obtain the rank of marshal in theory.

But unfortunately, this theory will ultimately be nothing but a bubble.

During the reign of the late emperor, after the previous marshal passed away, Ursus did not appoint a new marshal. Instead, the late emperor appointed him as the commander-in-chief of the three armies. His wisdom and keen understanding of war were enough to convince any general, so this policy was not problematic at the time.

However, when Fyodor came to power, he also aspired to emulate the late emperor's command of the military. Unfortunately, after the turmoil that followed the late emperor's death, the various legions had developed their own ambitions. While all generals nominally obeyed the emperor's orders, how many truly and unconditionally carried them out remained a matter of debate.

Therefore, Fyodor had tacitly left the position of Marshal vacant for now. Perhaps once he truly controlled Ursus, he would appoint someone else to the position. But for now, he had no intention of humiliating himself.

Back to the topic, compared to the palace's routine, this veteran general obviously didn't have to go through so many twists and turns. Barely an hour after Victoria's invitation was delivered, an invitation with a gold seal was already delivered back to Victoria.

The invitation was simple: it invited Victor to a dinner tonight. The content of the dinner wasn't important, as it was clearly a last-minute decision. What really concerned Victor was that the host wasn't Minister of National Defense Chervin, to whom he had sent the invitation, but rather Sayid, the Imperial Minister of Finance, who controlled the entire empire's economy.

Obviously, this was both an invitation and a hint. Recalling the joint gift he received in Luxembourg, it was clear that the relationship between the two ministers was more complicated than he had imagined.

Perhaps these two ministers are the leaders of the so-called 'old aristocracy faction'.

"You guessed right, it's them." As if sensing Victoria's thoughts, the assassin lady, who was originally concentrating on savoring the dessert, spat out the meat bones in her mouth and muttered with a smile:

"Chervin was a general who had made illustrious military achievements during the previous emperor's time. After Fyodor ascended the throne, this general fervently supported the current emperor, quelling numerous rebellions for him. Unlike those gilded nobles who merely cling to their positions and enjoy a good meal, this man truly emerged from a sea of blood and corpses."

"Oh? That's really interesting." After hearing the assassin's explanation, Victoria mentioned the assassin's body with great interest, emptying her mouth. "Once the emperor's most loyal supporter, now he has become the erratic leader of the aristocratic faction. I can only say that power is too strange. Where is Sayid?"

"That guy is even more legendary." The assassin blushed after being suddenly attacked, and subconsciously supported Victor's body.

"His father was a smuggler who roamed the empire's borders. Later, because the sums involved were so enormous and the content of the smuggling was so outrageous, the late emperor had no choice but to order his father's execution after the incident was exposed. However, Sayid remained unaffected by this. Instead, he used the huge fortune left by his father to quickly become a successful businessman. Later, through various training and donations, he squeezed into the core political circles of the empire, eventually climbing all the way to the position of Minister of Finance."

"His father had to be executed?" Victoria chewed over the assassin's words, then nodded in relief. "So, it's the Emperor's Black Glove, huh? From your description, it sounds like he's an expert in handling looted goods from the army. But was the internal competition within the aristocratic community already so fierce back then? I thought..."

"It was me who reported it." The assassin team blinked and said something extremely dangerous with a flushed face.

Victoria was startled for a moment, then continued his exercise calmly: "Hmm? What's the reason?"

"The reason isn't important. It's because of something incredibly important." The assassin twisted her hips. "At the time, Erash (Sayyid's father) refused to listen to my advice and insisted on following the late emperor's instructions to send something out of Ursus. So, I had no choice but to resort to this last resort. It's such a shame. He was such a useful tool, but he failed at the crucial moment. It also forced me to give away a clone with such great potential."

"What does he want to send out?" Victoria stiffened slightly and increased his speed.

The assassin closed her eyes, enjoying Victoria's bravery: "This is not something you should know. Even if you move faster... well~ continue~~~"

However, Victoria suddenly stopped and withdrew from Miss Assassin's body without any regrets: "I'm going to take a shower. It should be a tough battle tonight. Do you want to come with me then?"

"......You are such a bastard!" Miss Assassin curled her lips and threw the pillow under her at Victoria in dissatisfaction.

Victor shrugged, smiling regretfully, "Aren't we the closest of allies? But your attitude towards me breaks my heart. Look at little Victor, you're frightening me to the point of wiping me out."

This was a lie. Little Victor, holding himself high, remained undestructed, as if refuting his own mind's own will. But unfortunately, Victor wasn't a worm-brained loser. Even with such a strong impulse from his body, he could grit his teeth and persevere.

Looking at Victoria, who was about to leave with a smirk on his face, Miss Assassin hesitated for a moment before finally giving in to her desire: "You! Tsk... I lose, I'll tell you what's going on, okay?"

"Wouldn't it be better if you just said that earlier? Deal~"

The Invitation of Chaos: Chapter 22

An almost complete demon core, this is what Sayid's father was willing to give away even if it would offend Black Snake.

Even a player as bold as Victor couldn't help but smack his lips in amazement when he learned the secret. Mr. Erash was truly bold, even daring to touch such a true taboo.

That was the core of the 'evil'! Victoria knew that if this thing were really sent to a human society that knew nothing about it, perhaps an entire country or even an entire continent would be destroyed because of this tiny core.

No, this can no longer be said to be Erash's problem, but...

"Your Majesty, Vladimir Ivanovich, you planned this murder, didn't you?" Victoria glanced at the girl beneath him and suddenly lost interest. "Forget it, don't tell me. I still want to live for two more years."

"Not exactly my doing, but almost."

But what Victoria hadn't expected was that the assassin would actually confess. "At that time, the late emperor had already resorted to extreme means to achieve victory and greatness for Ursus, so his death was the result of a compromise between multiple parties within Ursus. But you don't have to spend too much time trying to guess who killed him. He killed himself."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Victor shook his head and headed for the bathroom. He tacitly didn't ask Miss Assassin about Black Snake's role in the incident, and Miss Assassin didn't mention how Victor could guess part of the truth about the late emperor's death based solely on the demon core.

Sometimes the truth is better left buried, isn't it?

"Will you accompany me to the dinner party tonight?" Just as I was thinking about it, Victoria's head suddenly popped out of the bathroom.

"Of course, without my help, it would not be an easy task for you to defeat those two." The assassin lady's beautiful eyes moved slightly, and her figure turned into a shadow and disappeared on the bed.

The next second, a petite and soft figure came up from behind Victoria. "As a reward for being a consultant, how about one more time before we leave?"

......

In the evening, the prosperity of Saint Jun Castle is even greater than that in the daytime. Those officials who have finished their work and those young men and women who are either rich or noble and have just finished their work all go out to have fun after finishing their main work.