They are all characters I control.

No excuses this time, right? If you don't tell me, I won't let you drink.

Looking at Isabelle's face, which seemed to have these words written all over it, Claire didn't shy away from the topic this time.

"Are you still wondering why I have the people's support? What, do you want to be a good emperor like me?"

"Hmph, whether you're a good emperor or not is another matter."

Isabelle blinked her long eyelashes and turned her face slightly to the side.

She looked at Claire in front of her, her tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible curiosity: "The book only says that you are tyrannical, nothing else, but your army is indeed very powerful."

Battle reports can be deceiving, but the front lines cannot.

The church's records of each battle with Claire are not detailed, but the casualties are clear at a glance.

Even though the Church of Goddess had gathered knights from all over the world to fight, after the battle, every church knight order received a large number of recruitment notices.

Later on, in order to make up for the lost combat power, the church no longer required knights to be able to use holy magic.

Today, the majority of knights in the Church of the Goddess are not skilled in holy magic, resulting in an ever-growing size and number of knights in the Church's knightly order.

It can be said that the Church of Goddess and Claire fought a war back then.

The tradition that had lasted for nearly five hundred years was changed, and the current Church of the Goddess still follows the system that was changed because of Claire.

This demonstrates just how powerful Claire's Knights were back then.

"Is gaining public support something that requires a lot of skill?" Claire asked casually, chewing on an olive.

Isabelle frowned: "So how did you do it?"

She paused, then added, "The book doesn't mention what you did specifically; it just says you're cruel, greedy, and bloodthirsty."

"Didn't the book say it? I am a tyrant."

Claire interrupted her, a mocking smile playing on her lips: "Why are you asking me, a defeated general? The Church defeated me; shouldn't you have more experience?"

Isabelle stared at him for a while, her icy blue eyes very serious: "I want to do something within my power for everyone. I hope that everyone on the continent can live a good life. This is the mission of the acting saints of our Goddess Church."

Claire had known for a long time that Isabelle was the Virgin Mary.

Moreover, Isabelle is a wise, powerful, and capable saint; calling her a saint is a compliment, not an insult.

Claire was not surprised to hear her words.

“What you’ve read in those books is true; I was indeed a tyrant.” Clayton paused.

He gave Isabelle a meaningful smile: "And after I get out, I will continue the tyranny. I didn't do it thoroughly enough before, but this time I will do it even more thoroughly!"

Isabelle frowned even more: "What do you mean? How do we do it?"

She sensed something was off about Claire's words, even though his attitude was as misleading as ever.

Claire shook the chains and said in the most sincere tone, "The first thing I'll do after I get out is collect taxes."

"Tax collection?"

Isabelle tilted her head.

“Yes, I will collect a burial tax,” Claire said solemnly. “Everyone who dies on my territory must believe in me, the emperor. Otherwise, they are disrespecting me, and I will drag their body out of the grave and hang it on the city wall as a warning to all.”

Isabelle's expression froze. This was too wicked!

Claire continued, "There's also a healing magic tax. Everyone who receives treatment on my territory has to pay a tax. The first treatment is cheaper, the second doubles, and the third doubles again. Can't afford it? Then you're doomed."

"you……"

Isabelle wanted to say that the most effective healing magic was holy magic, which was the specialty of the Church of the Goddess.

“And indulgences. Offended me? No problem, just pay to atone. Murder? Pay. Arson? Pay. Rebellion? Pay double.” Claire got more and more excited as she spoke.

"There's also a marriage tax. You have to pay tax when you get married, and even more when you get divorced. Have a child? Pay. Baby's one-month celebration? Pay again. Child starts school? Pay yet again."

Isabelle's face went from initial shock to subtlety, and finally to realization.

"Are you kidding me? If you had done that back then, how could you have possibly withstood the Knights of the Goddess Church?"

"No, I'm serious."

Claire blinked, her face full of sincerity.

But the more he did so, the less Isabelle believed him.

However, Claire's rambling about taxes inexplicably touched a nerve with her, since burial, healing magic, and atonement should all be the work of her church.

These taxation angles have never been mentioned before, and although the church does not currently collect taxes on them, they are not open to the general public either.

Could it be that Claire's words just now were an insult to me? An insult to the Church of Goddess? Isabelle pondered.

"Hey! What are you standing there for? Have a drink!"

Claire's call interrupted Isabelle's reverie.

Just as Isabelle was about to grasp a clue, his shout shattered it all.

"All you do is drink!" The acting saintess glared at him irritably, but still held the small bottle in both hands and handed it to Claire.

Claire took a sip of red wine and let out a satisfied hum.

Seeing his appearance, Isabelle became even more curious about this evil god emperor.

Why can this guy always say things that I know nothing about, or have never even heard of before? Is that why he can become an evil god?

Chapter 66 Who is the evil god again?

The nights in the holy city of Spera are always quiet to the point of solemnity.

Located in the sanctuary of the Church of Goddess, Isabelle was left alone in the prayer room.

She stood by the huge arched window, looking down at the holy city in the night, a view she had seen for over a decade.

She has lived in this room since she was seven years old.

She used to have to stand on tiptoe to see the scenery of the holy city, but now she can easily look down on the headquarters of the Goddess Church.

Normally, looking at the peaceful and tranquil holy city would bring her inner peace, but tonight Isabelle felt that the room was a bit stuffy.

She sighed and glanced at the dungeon entrance that had been blocked off.

He leaned the scepter against the corner of the wall, took off his high heels that were covered in dungeon dust, and stepped barefoot onto the soft silver carpet.

Then she sat down, but did not begin her evening prayers as usual.

Instead, she looked down at the small bottle hidden in her sleeve and the handkerchief with food scraps on it. Isabelle still couldn't forget what Claire had told her earlier.

"Healing Magic Insurance... Funeral Tax... Induration Tickets..."

She murmured the words Claire had said in prison, her brow furrowed slightly.

That bastard spoke so seriously, but Isabelle knew he was playing her.

Those taxes sound outrageous. How could Claire possibly gain public support with something like that? Judging from his attitude, it sounds more like he's being sarcastic.

"As expected of the Evil God Emperor! Even his words are so seductive."

Isabelle rubbed her temples in frustration.

but……

Since it was said by the Evil God Emperor, there must be some truth to it.

Thinking of this, Isabelle stood up and walked to her bookshelf. The bookshelf next to her was neatly arranged with various classics, such as doctrinal interpretations, biographies of saints, and prayer manuals.

These are things she has read countless times since childhood, and they are also things that she, as the acting saintess, must be familiar with.

Isabelle pulled out the books that recorded the evil god emperor Claire, and opened them one by one to look for the strange terms she had just heard.

Unfortunately, after spending half a candle's time searching, she couldn't find any record of Claire saying anything similar.

It seemed she had no choice but to go to the library. Isabel gazed at the night outside the window but did not hesitate to put on her snow-white saintly robe with gold trim and push open the door.

The two nuns waiting at the door showed a hint of surprise in their eyes when they saw Isabelle emerge.

Recently, for some reason, this prayer agent's whereabouts have become somewhat erratic. He no longer moves back and forth between his bedroom and the temple hall every day as he used to.

These past few days I've been very interested in the mess hall for the attendants, and no matter how late I get, I always make sure to go there.

Where are you going so late at night?

The nuns who accompanied her dared not ask any questions and obediently followed behind Isabelle.

The library is located on the east side of the holy city. It is a freestanding five-story stone tower covered with ivy, which looks particularly serene under the moonlight.

Pushing open the heavy oak door, a scent mixed with parchment, ink, and preservative herbs wafts out.

The circular hall leads directly to the top of the tower, with its walls filled with densely packed bookshelves that rise to the dome, and each floor connected by a narrow spiral staircase.

Moonlight streamed down from the stained-glass windows at the top of the tower, casting a dappled pattern of light and shadow on the central reading area.

In the very center of the hall was a huge oak table, its surface covered with candlesticks, quill pens, and open ancient books.

Several high-backed chairs were scattered around, with the emblem of the Church of Goddess carved on their backs.

This stone tower houses books that record the entire history of the Church of the Goddess from its inception to the present day, as well as all the important events on the continent.

Even the air inside the stone tower is filled with a solemn silence, a testament to the weight of history.

An elderly nun sat on a very old bench. When she noticed Isabelle and the others' arrival, she only glanced at Isabelle.

The next moment, the two accompanying nuns were blocked outside the stone tower by an invisible force.

"Excuse me," Isabelle said softly.

The old nun did not respond to her, but remained sitting there with her eyes closed, like a statue.

Ignoring the old nun's attitude, Isabelle ascended the spiral staircase of the stone tower. After passing through two ordinary library sections, she finally found what she wanted on the third floor.

All the books placed on the third floor must not be taken out; they contain more detailed records about the evil god emperor Claire.

On the four walls lined with bookshelves, Isabelle's gaze swept over the neatly arranged leather-covered journals, scrolls, and parchment archives.

Records of the Wars Between the Church and the Empire, Volume One

Records of the Wars Between the Church and the Empire, Volume Two

[Minutes of the Council of Archbishops, Imperial Calendar 430-445]

A Study of the Life of the Evil Emperor Claire Ethan (Top Secret)

【…】

Isabelle's fingers gently traced the worn covers, finally stopping on the book "The Life of the Evil Emperor Claire Ethan".

Pull it out and turn it over.

The pages are yellowed and the edges are somewhat torn, but the writing is still clear.

She flipped to the table of contents—

Chapter 1: The Personality Transformation of the Royal Son (A Child Born Out of Wedlock)

Chapter Two: The Struggle for Succession and the Bloody Purge

Chapter Three: Accession to the Throne and Reforms

Chapter Four: The First Conflict with the Church

【…】

Isabelle's gaze fell on Chapter Four, and she turned the page with a slight pressure.

Outside the library, the moonlight was like water.

The old nun returned to her corner and continued her nap.

Isabelle's attendant nuns stood quietly at the entrance of the stone tower, clearly unaware of the two dark figures lurking in the shadows outside the library.

The nuns who served as the Advocate of Prayer wore white robes, while the nuns in black robes were the Judges who were loyal to the Advocate of Commandments, Ophelia.

The nuns wore a silver scale and chain emblem on their chests, an emblem that was everyone's nightmare.

The nuns watched as Isabelle was browsing through something on the bookshelves of the stone tower.

One of them raised his hand and made a gesture.

The other person nodded silently, his figure blending into the deeper shadows and disappearing at the end of the corridor.