Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

The intimidating aura emanating from Hinatil's scepter intensified with her rage. Though seemingly intangible, it made Ryūka feel uneasy. He was almost certain this was some kind of technique different from holy arts, magic, and battle aura, much like the one he had used against Chloe. An ordinary person would likely have succumbed to this psychological manipulation without realizing it, but Ryūka, having experienced the witch's corruption, was immune to such methods of controlling human nature.

Pfft... It was Prince Hypnos who couldn't help but laugh. After chuckling, he immediately grabbed Clovis's shoulders tightly, suppressing his inner glee.

This boy is so interesting! I absolutely must describe today's scene to His Majesty! In the struggle between the Papacy and the Imperial Power, there has never been a situation where the Papacy has gained the upper hand so easily.

Chapter 6 Hinatil's Hostility

Hinatil's expression turned completely cold, and when the shadow guard girl she had bound saw Ryusha pretending not to recognize her and instead winking at her, she immediately understood what to do.

"Your Excellency! I am not a member of the church! I am just an adventurer! I only glanced at the bishop a couple of times on the street, and she arrested me!"

"Is that so, Your Excellency? Why would you do this? Is it simply because this girl looks like a dark elf hybrid?"

Ryuka raised an eyebrow: "Even if mixed-race people are second-class citizens, they are still citizens of Ottus. If you arrest her just because of that, as the governor, I cannot stand idly by..."

Hinatil stared coldly at Ryūka, then glanced at Prince Hypnos behind him. After a long silence, she gave a cold laugh, released the shadow guard girl, and said:

I hope you can always be this brave.

After saying that, she turned and left cleanly and decisively.

Since her 'pressure' was ineffective, and it was still the Autus nobles' domain, Hinatil decisively gave up the pursuit. However, Prince Hypnos and the other nobles weren't always present, and Ryūka's ability to resist her pressure led Hinatil to some suspicions.

She left the castle directly, and after meeting the priests waiting outside, Hinatil said calmly, "We need Judgment Knights, lots of Judgment Knights."

These words caused the clergy of Sochi to change their expressions. They said tremblingly, "Bishop Hinatil, Cardinal Randall means that we should not interfere in the affairs of eastern Otus. It is said that the royal family is plotting something here..."

The Randall they were talking about was one of the cardinals of the Imperial City of Otus, yet Sinatil seemed to disdain this superior.

"Do you worship the goddess, or Randall?"

The clergymen's expressions changed; Hinatil's words were laced with threat. As lower-ranking clergymen, they had no way of understanding what those above were thinking, or who was vying for power. But Hinatil's meaning was crystal clear…

Obey me, or go to the Inquisition.

Inside the castle, Ryuka helped the shadow guard girl to her feet. Looking at the marks on her body from the chains of holy light, she gave her a grateful look and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"Thank you, you've bought me time to rehearse the conversation in my mind."

“Nemi, Master…”

The wheat-colored girl gazed at Ryuga with tender affection. Just as Ryuga helped her up, Nemi's smooth, supple skin brushed against his hand, her virgin scent wafting close. Her bloodline was much lighter than Zona's, indistinguishable from a human girl, even her skin had a healthy, sun-kissed tan. Only when they were close did the alluring aura unique to dark elf virgins make Ryuga realize her true nature.

She had a round, stubborn face, was younger than Zona, and not very tall, around seventeen or eighteen years old. Her hair wasn't silver-gray like Kira's or Zona's; it was dyed a dark blue, perhaps to conceal her identity. She was dressed as a female adventurer assassin: a dark tube top, shorts, and thigh-high boots and stockings, revealing thin, beautiful abdominal muscles. A fine layer of sweat glistened on her exposed abdomen from the recent pain, giving her a wild and alluring charm.

This kind of blood-stirring desire is truly... Ryuka had to suppress it for the time being. She had to wait until night; there were countless eyes watching her now.

"Ahem, young lady, you may go home now. Gentlemen, I hope this little incident hasn't dampened your spirits. Please continue."

Ryūka acted like a gentleman, seeing Nemi off, and then walked straight toward Prince Hypnos amidst applause.

"Your Highness, I wonder how much you know about Bishop Siennatil's purpose in coming here, and about Princess Tipalotura's affairs."

Ryūsha approached Prince Hypnos.

Prince Hypnos raised an eyebrow. As a core member of the royal family, he couldn't possibly be completely unaware of what his niece was plotting in the East. And based on Ryūka's understanding and deductions, Tipalotura's actions were most likely beneficial to the entire empire.

This is obvious from the Emperor's bias in the Sochi incident. And the Princess's faction had just been appointed governor of the region, and shortly after, the Vatican replaced the bishop. If there wasn't something fishy going on, Ryūka wouldn't believe it even if you beat him to death!

Not to mention, Prince Hypnos had previously hinted that the Papacy could not be allowed to act recklessly here... so he must know something.

But Hypnos did not answer Ryukyu's question directly. Instead, he asked in return, "Then, Lord Ryukyu, what do you know?"

Ryuga opened his mouth, about to voice his guesses—the heretical ruins of Dongtian Lake, the overseas continent, the empire's expansion and pressure relief—but Hypnos's admonishing gaze prevented him from speaking.

“I know nothing, Your Highness. I only know to carry out Princess Tipalotura’s orders… and of course, His Majesty’s.”

Hypnos seemed pleased with the answer, and he nodded with a smile: "You're a smart young man, and I won't ask you anything more, so you should too. But I'll help you within my power."

Having said that, Hypnos acted as if nothing had happened, rejoining the banquet as if his private conversation with Ryuka had never occurred. (The rest of the text appears to be unrelated and possibly machine-generated gibberish.)

Ryusaku pondered Hypnos's last words. It seemed that this elder prince could see the relationship between Nemi and himself, and even guess the relationship between Count Duke and himself.

But like the emperor who pretended to be stupid, the prince didn't care about the survival of the Duke family, not even an earl family... Besides, there were indeed some things he didn't know, and as for the help Hypnos promised, it was probably not up to his own will.

Those in power all like this, using others as pawns. But Ryūsha doesn't care; he only needs to ensure that the Empire is backing him in any potential conflict with the Papacy. Hypnos's recent hint perfectly illustrates this point.

As long as he is useful to Otus, they will continue to cultivate him. According to Ryusha's understanding, besides him, there is probably no one else in the entire Otus who is capable enough, has no family influence, and can act according to the emperor's wishes. Whether it's implementing the provincial system or Tipalotura's schemes, he is probably the most suitable front man.

Clovis then walked over, his earlier troublesome demeanor completely gone, and raised his glass to Ryuuka with obvious appreciation:

"It seems we do have something in common, which is that we both dislike those religious fanatics."

Despite Clovis's overtures, Ryuka remained wary and distant, but he still smiled and clinked glasses with Clovis, saying in a joking tone, "You're mistaken about that, Your Highness Clovis."

"Oh?"

"At least, I really like that bishop and the other beautiful nuns."

"Hahaha~ I really admire you, Liu Xiaqing. But I know that what has been done cannot be changed, and so can your opinion of me..."

Clovis smiled and gestured with his chin in a mysterious tone toward a certain direction in the crowd.

"But I still have to remind you to be careful of my fourth brother... He is different from us... And my proud father and sister don't know him as well as they think they do."

The Fourth Prince Elias? Ryuga looked in the direction Clovis was pointing and saw Joe Harvey and a group of nobles he knew and was on good terms with, all of whom seemed to support the Fourth Prince.

Was Clovis's statement simply a provocation, or was it a genuine hint...? Ryuga couldn't be sure. When he turned around, the prince, who had once weighed heavily on his heart like a stone, making it hard to breathe, had vanished.

If the existence of the witch and the bloodline of King Cranar are the deepest secrets of the Otus royal family, then their internal struggles, future goals, and conflicts with the Papacy are the second deepest secrets... and Ryūka becoming a governor-general has only just begun to unveil one corner of it.

"This empire is much more interesting than I imagined."

Chapter 7 Esther Miller

Clovis mentioned the fourth prince, Elias, to Ryūka, and Ryūka felt it was time to make an appointment with Joe Harvey. During the Sochi conflict, Joe Harvey and Elias, behind him, had provided some assistance, whether it was quickly relaying intelligence or speaking on his behalf to the Emperor. Their purpose, besides suppressing Clovis and cultivating a relationship with him, was naturally for something more important…

That was the request of the Crimson Sage, Sophie, to have Elias help her rescue Olivia, the imprisoned only child of this elderly celestial mage who had unexpectedly become a daughter late in life.

Although it is unknown what conditions one of the Ten Heavenly Ranks who could not leave the South promised Ilias, since Ryusha had already agreed to them in order to overcome the difficulties, releasing Olivia was not a big deal; it would only mean that Anyaberg would lose a major energy source.

However, before that, Ryuka planned to enjoy herself to the fullest and make that arrogant woman tremble with fear whenever she thought of her after regaining her freedom.

"Young Master Harvey, everyone."

Ryuka approached Joe Harvey's group and greeted them. Unsurprisingly, most of them were young noblemen, some even looking at her with pity. Based on her previous speculation that Joe Harvey had a homosexual relationship with her, Ryuka could easily guess that they were regretting her overly dramatic declaration of a heterosexual harem.

There's nothing I can do; it's not my fault I'm good-looking.

Ignoring the possibility that these nobles might all be like-minded individuals of Joe Harvey, Ryuga simply considered them as members of the Fourth Prince's faction within the Sochi Province, people he would have to deal with sooner or later. Joe then introduced them to Ryuga one by one: the son of a certain count, the brother of a certain general, and so on... Some of them had been allocated territories under the jurisdiction of the Sochi Province, while others were simply here for a vacation with friends or planned to take up positions here.

"So, Ryūka, shall I still call you Governor? Anyway... do you remember that matter?"

After exchanging pleasantries, Joe pulled Ryusha aside and asked her in a low voice, naturally referring to Olivia's matter.

“Of course, Young Master Harvey, I will send someone to Linhu Town to bring Miss Olivia here right away.”

Although Olivia had been secretly brought over, Ryuga clearly wanted to buy himself some 'leisure time'. After all, he had only officially taken office today, so there were naturally many things to deal with, and this was a good excuse to procrastinate.

"That's good. I knew you wouldn't go back on your word. Don't worry, we've also spoken with Ms. Sophie. She understands that Olivia was captured because she opposed you without permission, and she promises not to cause you any trouble afterward, as long as you release her safely..."

"Of course." Ryuka smiled. He would definitely return Olivia to her completely, but as for her mental well-being... that was another matter.

"Alright, I knew you were a good friend. Please take good care of things in Sochi from now on. By the way, if you have the time, please pay me a visit. His Highness would very much like to speak with you..."

Joe Harvey remained enthusiastic, and after Ryusha finally got rid of this talkative young master, he finally started chatting and getting to know the others.

The Duke faction vassal nobles who had previously surrendered to them, although they managed to switch sides from the 'rebel camp' in time and thus retain their titles and escape punishment from the Empire, had their territories and power greatly weakened. However, they remained a force to be reckoned with within the new Sochi province.

Then there were the various new 'nobles' from outside. Apart from those from the Fourth Prince's faction, there were some from other factions, but the largest number were the nobles who followed Clovis from the north. Once the war was over and they gained new rights and territories, most of them would put their opposition to Ryukyu behind them.

At least on the surface, that's how it appears. Everyone, including Hudson and Weston, whom Ryūka knew, participated in the social gathering with polite smiles. They were quite eager to curry favor with the old nobles of Sochi, whose power had waned, hoping to leverage their prestige and connections in the eastern part of the empire to better stabilize their position.

A significant portion of them greeted Ryūka warmly, praising his performance on the battlefield. Despite being yesterday's adversaries, many of their soldiers having fallen to Ryūka's guns and cannons, they now feigned camaraderie, subtly probing whether Ryūka harbored any hostility towards them, and... whether those magical weapons were available for sale...

Ryuka smiled as she spoke with these northern nobles, who all smiled in understanding. These nobles from the snowy northern lands possessed a boldness and wildness different from the nobles of the capital and the east, but their direct enthusiasm wasn't always entirely sincere. However, Ryuka was very clear about one thing…

Those were the women of the northern nobility, mostly bold and tall, making no attempt to hide the peculiar appreciation and taste in their eyes. Just like the way men look at beautiful women, these northern noblewomen and young ladies stared unabashedly at Liu Xia's handsome appearance, even joking about his previous remarks about his harem, occasionally throwing in a few bawdy jokes.

Especially some of the female noblewomen who were soldiers, even the female mages, were not as arrogant and reserved as Ryūka had known. They were quite approachable, but on the other hand, they made no attempt to hide the predatory glint in their eyes, just like thirsty female knights. They openly flirted with Ryūka, played with their hair, let their perfume waft towards him, and even invited him to their homes sometime.

There is only one exception...

Ryuga glanced at a striking pink figure at the back of the crowd. The petite noblewoman was clearly different from the others. She never actively participated in conversations, simply wandering on the periphery of the crowd. However, whenever Ryuga brought up topics such as magical weapons, provincial administration, and trade policies, she would pretend not to care but secretly move closer to eavesdrop.

But that's not all that makes her different...

That was her, along with several servants following behind her, frantically stuffing food provided at the banquet into her dress and handbag...

Sausages, chicken legs, and expensive fruits were being eaten by a male servant behind her. He even stuffed his own food into his mouth while turning around and devouring a whole roasted suckling pig when he was sure no one was watching!

This noblewoman herself was even bolder; her target was never food...

What lies beneath the girl's skirt? Today, Ryuka has finally seen it for herself.

The silver cutlery, plates... even the silver candlesticks were all wrapped in napkins by this beautiful girl, two of them stuffed under her loose, puffy skirt!

Putting aside the fact that her aura felt both familiar and strange to Ryuga, her behavior alone was enough to make him uncomfortable. He quietly slipped into the crowd, using a blind spot to approach the girl from behind, and coughed lightly before asking:

"Oh, miss, your hair is really beautiful."

The pink-haired girl was clearly startled; two dinner knives even fell from beneath her loose skirt, the tips of which, peeking out from the napkin, tore a small hole in the lining of her petticoat. She immediately screamed, but Ryuka had already cast a silencing spell before her shrill voice even rang out, silencing the sound of the knives hitting the ground.

"Oh! Damn it! This dress is borrowed! What am I going to do now! Adela will force me to buy it! That woman will ask for an exorbitant price! Who is this blind ghost who's been scaring me like a ghost!"

It was already the latter half of the banquet, and most people were teetering on the edge of intoxication, indulging in the beautiful music and mutual compliments. No one noticed that in this small corner, the boy had encountered the strange girl.

Esther Miller let out a wail at the tragic state of her dress before realizing that the young man before her was none other than the host of the banquet—the Governor of Sochi Province, Ryūsha. The two were now much closer than when she had feigned death on the battlefield, and their identities and relationships were far more complex.

Not only the governor and the noble lords within the administrative district, but also the thief guests and the victim owners.

"Uh……"

Esther cursed inwardly. How could this influential figure have approached her so silently from the center of the crowd? Even a Grand Knight shouldn't be this absurd! She had imagined countless scenarios for her formal meeting with Ryuka, but this was never one of them.

She quickly wiggled her little feet, clad in tiny leather boots, and kicked the knife beside her feet backward. She then lowered her head slightly, looking up at Liuxia with her large, watery green eyes.

Fair and delicate, flawless skin; bright, upturned eyelashes above expressive double eyelids; pink and delicate.

Her lips were gently bitten by pearly white teeth, and the girl's still somewhat childlike and adorable face was exquisitely flawless. Unlike her naturally cute appearance without makeup, her slightly upturned eyes and those expressive emerald green eyes possessed a captivating allure that seemed the complete opposite of her innocent charm. The only slight drawback was her still-slender and petite figure; she was only sixteen or seventeen years old, yet she could already stir the hearts of every man. If she were to grow a few more years, she might just be able to unleash a bloodbath upon a nation…

Just being stared at like that, even someone as kind-hearted as Liu Xia couldn't help but feel a sense of pity. If it were anyone else, they probably wouldn't need to say anything; they would not only immediately forgive her petty theft, but would also want to give her all the money and care they had.

Although the girls around Ryuka were all incredibly beautiful and charming, the only one Ryuka could think of who could perfectly combine innocence and allure on one face was Kania in her witch form.

"Estelle...Miss Miller, right?"

Even Ryuka was stunned for half a second. After seeing the face of this stunningly beautiful girl with a promising future, he immediately found Esther's information in his mind based on the information collected by Zona and compiled by Kania.

This noble lady, whose territory is closest to Sochi, could be summed up in simple terms as...

"Extremely poor, extremely beautiful, and extremely cunning."

Recalling the three "super" things Kania had told her, Ryuka finally understood. And upon getting closer, Ryuka finally remembered where her familiarity with Esther came from.

He recalled the distinct scent of living people emanating from the pile of corpses beside him when he left the battlefield. What confirmed this was the presence of one of Esther's servants.

That roast suckling pig destroyer was the very enemy soldier who had taken his gold coins and helped him find a carriage to bring back the corpses of his soldiers.

What a small world… Ryuka couldn’t help but exclaim, especially after hearing the name ‘Adela’ from Esther.

That woman from the Chamber of Commerce! It seems she's not only connected to Clovis, but also to other northern nobles in her business dealings.

But now was not the time to inquire about Adela, and Ryuka did not intend to alert her. Moreover, since the girl in front of him was his future 'neighbor,' he had to maintain appearances, especially since some nobles in the neighborhood had already set their sights on them.

Ryuka glanced at their eyes and the tense expressions of Esther and the servants out of the corner of her eye. With gentle magic, she picked up the silver knife wrapped in a napkin from the floor. Then, pretending not to notice its contents, she folded up the exposed corner and politely handed it to Esther.

"You lost something, it's probably jewelry or something."

"Yes, yes, thank you, Your Excellency..."

Esther breathed a sigh of relief. Although she didn't believe Ryūka hadn't noticed, it was clear that the other party had given her face. Feeling indebted to Ryūka, Esther blushed and frantically tried to make amends in her mind.

He's the ultimate nouveau riche! His achievements at sixteen have already guaranteed him a lifetime of comfort! I only stole a few pieces of tableware! This is a legitimate transfer of wealth! It's simply balancing the world!

The girl's blush was sharper than the most piercing sword, striking the hearts of all the men present, except for her servants who knew their young mistress's character well. Meanwhile, some of the young noblemen were given a sharp elbow to the head by those around them, who whispered a warning:

"That's the famous Miller family's young lady! Don't be fooled by her looks! Those who tried to pursue her all ended up heartbroken, like magic crystals that had been used up... regardless of gender!!!"

Indeed, another piece of information in the intelligence file states that Esther never lacks suitors due to her outstanding appearance. But aside from her impoverished yet pretentious family background, what makes her even more unapproachable is the mysterious rumor that every person who tries to pursue her ends up heartbroken and disillusioned.

"Is our young governor the challenger this time? Well, with his current strength, he certainly won't care about the Miller family's debts, right?" (The rest of the text appears to be nonsensical and unrelated to the question.)