Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

"Lord Liu Xia, could you teach the relevant road construction techniques to other territories and vassal states along the route?"

"what?"

Ryūka immediately frowned! Transferring the technology? Was Tipalotura serious?

“That’s right. It would be very difficult for us to build such a road with our own resources. But if we transfer the technology, each region can take on part of the responsibility, and even the maintenance issues can be resolved.”

Tipalotura was still using the word "we," seemingly indicating that she remained loyal to him. However, her suggestion caused Ryūka to fall into deep thought: he had never intended to monopolize all technologies, but this should at least be done after he mastered more advanced core technologies, then he could sell off the older technologies to maximize profits. In fact, to secure his position as Governor of Sochi, he had shared some magical technology with the capital in exchange for the Emperor's trust. Otherwise, even if he was invincible on the Sochi Plains, if friction arose with the Empire, even his loyal civilians would abandon him without hesitation when faced with the risk of war. This was a harsh reality of human nature that Ryūka had to consider.

Ryūsha could understand Tipalottura's thinking: transferring technology in exchange for prestige and dominance. It was highly likely that Tipalottura had already drafted various political treaties favorable to Ottus when meeting with representatives of the vassal states; otherwise, she wouldn't have laid her cards on the table like this. And the Emperor already possessed these technologies, yet she was still negotiating with him—could it be...?

Ryusha pondered the princess's thoughts. The relationship between the two was ambiguous, despite their various romantic experiences. However, Tipalotura, who was now in front of him, was an absolute political creature and not someone he could take lightly!

"I have already handed over the relevant technology to His Majesty. If Your Highness has this idea, all you need is His Majesty's approval. Why bother asking me?"

Liu Xia probed without changing her expression, thinking that Tipalotura had probably made the decision behind the emperor's back when discussing this matter with her! Even though she had been appointed by her father as the royal envoy for this southern tour and had supreme authority, this level of construction project was far beyond the scope of what an envoy could lead!

Once this road is completed, the entire southeastern part of Ottus will be connected, completely breaking down the distance barrier between Thunder Fortress and Sochi. The fertile plains in between will be completely controlled by these two forces! Not to mention the southern vassal states! The control and interests of these vassal states may also be completely shifted to the southeastern part of Ottus by this road! Meanwhile, the rest of the empire will be weakened!

Liu Xia was well aware that once this road was built, more than half of the empire's elites would be in an uproar! In particular, those elites whose base was in the north and west would regard him and the Thunder Fortress forces as rebels about to seize power!

Even if she is using the title of the thirteenth princess, it is still a huge stimulus to the other princes and princesses who are vying for the throne!

There will be many people who want to see Tipalotura and themselves die!

But once this road is built, all sorts of resources from the Southern Continent will flow into our hands continuously! Goods from Sochi can also be sold far and wide! Ryuga thought about the various resources and minerals marked on the engineering drawings along the route. With these, and if we also obtain Ansel Gel during this southern expedition, the magical engineering project in Sochi will truly take off!

Ryuu smiled wryly. Even he couldn't help but waver when faced with something that was both extremely risky and extremely rewarding. His mood swayed back and forth with the changes in his thoughts, as if he were walking a tightrope.

"I have already obtained my father's permission for this matter."

At that moment, Tipalotura's simple words brought a glimmer of light to Ryūsha's gloomy heart! However, he didn't show his joy, but instead looked calmly at Tipalotura and said:

Do you have any proof?

Without evidence, Ryukyu would never believe Tipalotura's words alone.

Tipalotura seemed to have anticipated Ryusha's question, and with a smile, she took out a small crystal ball from her person and placed it on the table.

"Due to political maneuvering in the capital, Father Emperor cannot show me such favoritism, so I need your approval and help. Moreover, you, Liu Xiaqing, understand that techniques recorded on paper are not enough. Although the royal-controlled magic workshops have replicated some of the products you developed in Sochi, their quality and efficiency are far inferior to those produced in Sochi. Professional matters should be left to professionals, and this is also Father Emperor's intention..."

As Tipalotura spoke, she channeled a wisp of magic into the crystal ball, which immediately projected the majestic figure of Emperor Otus, Harraguria.

"This is a video recording."

Tipalotura gently reminded him, which made Ryusha relax a little. If this was a magical communication, it would be his first face-to-face meeting with the ruler of the largest empire on the continent.

The man in the picture appeared somewhat aged, yet still exuded an aura of authority and power. He looked old enough to be Tipalottura's grandfather, and his age was roughly the same. Ryūka had heard that this emperor had only recently left his prime, and was not yet sixty years old. Considering that he may have had children when he was a teenager, it wasn't surprising that the third prince, Clovina, was the same age.

“Lord Ryusha of Sochi, if possible, I would like to speak with you face to face, but let’s save that opportunity for when you come to the Sacred Tree Hall in person.”

The emperor began with a rather amiable opening. Ryuga watched the old man seated on his throne, one hand supporting his cheek in a clenched fist, smiling gently, and wondered what he was thinking. The emperor spoke a few words, mainly concerning the matters raised by Tipalottura, and his hope that during his upcoming visit to the Purple Thorn Kingdom, if he discovered any signs of disloyalty, he would work with Tipalottura to suppress them.

The few words were concise, neither rambling nor so brief as to seem hasty. It perfectly mirrored how Ryūka usually handled official business, replying to various comments below.

"This crystal is now yours."

As the video ended, Tipalotura gently pushed the crystal ball towards her. Ryusha understood that this was some kind of proof, a guarantee that she wouldn't betray him. With this video, it proved that all his actions were authorized by the Emperor; it was as if he had the imperial decree in hand.

“I understand.” Ryusha put away the crystal and couldn’t help but sigh. Tipalotura’s so-called discussion was actually an order, after all, she had brought up the old emperor. No matter what, Ryusha was nominally a vassal of Otus, and until she had the ability to fight against all enemies, she still needed to take shelter under this big tree.

To enjoy the cool shade comes with a price: one must also do things according to the empire's wishes. At least so far, Liu Xia has been doing very well as the governor of Sochi. Aside from paying taxes, he acts like a local tyrant, and among the surrounding nobles and lords, this young upstart Liu Xia is the boss; no one dares to disobey. Those who do disobey have been eliminated by Liu Xia. Even so, the capital's laissez-faire attitude towards him is truly unbelievable.

For a ruler of an empire, Haragoria's attitude towards himself was remarkably lenient. If it were Ryukyu, with someone like himself in their empire, they wouldn't let him go unchecked. Even loyal talents would be brought to the central government to be tamed; they would never trust him to become a regional governor.

Ryūka understood that the Empire's attitude towards her was largely the result of Tipalottura's machinations. However, Ryūka couldn't understand why neither Emperor Haraguria nor his daughter Tipalottura tolerated her so much. Even though she had been so disobedient to Tipalottura, she seemed completely unconcerned.

Ryūsha accepted the crystal ball in silence, while Tipalotura, with her keen intellect, seemed to see through his thoughts. She looked up at the ceiling, somewhat lost in thought, and smiled at Ryūsha.

"Liu Xiaqing, you should know that my goal is to completely resolve the feud between the Kranar clan and the witch bloodline, right?"

"Ah."

Ryūsha knew, of course, that the power of order within the Kranar clan resided in Tipalottura, which was why the emperor himself had already chosen her as his daughter. Even the reclusive Three Saints of Ottus were being restrained by Tipalottura before them.

“Then…” Tipalotura looked at Ryukyu again and asked in a slightly ambiguous tone.

Have you ever thought about what the end result of this journey will be like?

Chapter 8: Does this imply some kind of official decree?

"What is the ultimate goal of this?"

Ryuu didn't immediately grasp the deeper meaning behind Tipalotura's words. His first thought was the most obvious outcome: if the Cruel Witch was completely destroyed, the power of the Witch lineage would also dissipate, and the curses binding Kania and the other witches would be dissolved, making both demonic desire and lifespan no longer an issue.

It sounds like a happy ending for everyone! But Tipalotura's nonchalant tone suggests that there must be a deeper connection hidden beneath this long-cherished wish.

After a moment of quiet contemplation, a clear line of reasoning took shape in Liu Xia's mind!

The power of order inherited by the Kranars is inextricably linked to the witches from its very origins, continuing through generations of blood. Even as time changes, dynasties rise and fall, and the family changes its name to Otus, wielding supreme imperial power, the innate destiny and extraordinary abilities of the Tipalotura lineage continue to contend with the cruel witches. It is precisely because of this that the Otus Empire, relying on its nurtured witches, can rival the Papacy and dominate the continent.

This means that once Tipalotura has completely fulfilled her wish and erased all witch power from the world, the order and authority upon which the empire rests will also vanish! This princess, burdened with a thousand-year destiny, will likely lose all her extraordinary abilities and become just an ordinary mortal girl. The order and the system of raising witches that have supported the Otus royal family's rise to power and transcendence across the continent will also be completely severed and cease to exist.

The foundation of the Otus Empire rested on the unique power of order possessed by the royal family and the ancient system of nurturing witches. When the power of order was transferred from Emperor Haragoria to Tipalotura, the power amplification of the entire royal family was already reduced by more than half. The once powerful royal family is now only supported by three reclusive Saint-level figures, barely maintaining the empire's crumbling rule with their last remaining extraordinary strength.

All of this is the result of the tug-of-war between Tipalotura and the Ottus clan.

If the Autus royal family were to completely lose all its privileges and power, the nobles and knights who wield private armies and magical martial arts would instantly overturn the millennia-old hierarchical order, and the vast Autus Empire would inevitably face disintegration.

At this point, Ryuga fully understood her deep-seated schemes and finally realized the true reason why Emperor Haraguria was determined to reform the imperial system.

If the Autus royal family loses its ruling deterrent, the entire continent will inevitably be engulfed in a new round of brutal power struggles. Lords will carve up their own territories, nations will fight each other, and the Papacy will dominate, until a new hegemon emerges and peace returns. But how many years will this take, and how many other changes will occur in between? Perhaps to avert this destruction, the emperor is in a hurry to establish a new system on the eve of collapse, so that even if imperial power changes hands in the future, the foundation of the empire can be stabilized to the greatest extent possible, and the spread of war can be contained.

Even a little bit, if a stable and mature system is established, it will bring more order and peace in the future.

It is precisely because of all this that Tipalotura is completely tolerant of all of Ryukyu's flamboyant ambitions and expansion of power.

She had no intention of maintaining the crumbling old order of the empire, nor did she have any interest in the throne. To her, having acquired the power of order from the Kranar clan, the throne was merely a cumbersome, empty shell. With her long-cherished wish fulfilled, the rise and fall of power on the continent, the prosperity and decline of dynasties, held no meaning for her. Only a sliver of compassion and responsibility within her, the pride of being a descendant of the Kranar royal family, prevented her from watching Otus fall into disarray and plunge the entire continent into chaos.

She hoped that after she had fulfilled her destiny, someone would step forward to reunite the forces, stabilize the empire's borders, and bring peace to the world.

So that's why she's been so tolerant of me?

Understanding this weighty, hidden entrustment, Ryuga felt only oppression and heaviness, without a trace of the joy one might expect from being "chosen" by the princess. As he pondered the implications, his gaze quietly fell upon Tipalotura opposite him. She sat upright, the ribbon around her neck accentuating her clean, long neck, her hair neatly styled in an updo, with only a few stray strands swaying gently in the cool air. Her clear, deep blue eyes were half-closed, devoid of any emotion or smile, devoid of their usual liveliness and charm, leaving only a serene and transparent depth.

She stood tall and elegant, displaying the dignified bearing of royalty, yet from head to toe, she exuded a sense of aloofness beneath her composed exterior. She sat there quietly, seemingly detached from the world's clamor, carrying the weight of a thousand-year-old bloodline's destiny alone, quiet and reserved, with a faint trace of melancholy and weariness hidden in her eyes, both serene and captivating.

But this beautiful appearance makes her look more like a statue than a living person.

The aloofness hidden beneath her stunning figure and noble status deepened the heaviness in Liu Xia's heart.

After a long silence, Liu Xia let out a long breath and slowly spoke:

"I have no plans for such distant future events. The future is unpredictable, and no one can be certain of the outcome. But since it is your and His Majesty's expectation, I will accept this responsibility."

"Who can know what the future holds..."

Tipalotura repeated the sentence in a low voice, her clear, deep blue pupils trembling slightly.

Is this... him trying to comfort himself?

She looked up at the boy in front of her, seeing his heavy heart yet stubborn and awkward expression, and a gentle smile slowly rose on her lips. Liu Xia didn't like sweet words at crucial moments; instead, she seemed rather direct. But this frank agreement was the most sincere answer.

Tipalotura then nodded slightly, her eyes crinkling with a gentle smile, and said softly:

"Thank you."

With just this promise, Tipalotura was completely at ease. She was absolutely certain that whether it was building a cross-border passage spanning north and south or venturing into dangerous territory to track down the Chosen Ones, Ryūsha would handle everything smoothly and without any mistakes.

Like the ever-changing weather, she concealed the deep emotions in her eyes, lightly turned her wrist, and propped up her fair chin, instantly shedding her previous solemnity. The girl's eyes were bright and lively, with a touch of charming and playful flirtation, as she smoothly steered the conversation from the heavy topic of fate back to the realities of life.

"Let's put aside our heavy fate and future for now, Liu Xiaqing. Let's talk about the most practical thing right now—that cross-border route connecting the north and south."

Tipalotura lightly tapped the table with her fingertips, her posture languidly upright, her toes, encased in white stockings, slightly raised. Her tone was light yet earnest as she meticulously recounted the benefits to Ryusha:

"Once this road is fully operational, you and Sochi will be the biggest winners. Rare magical materials and unique specialties from all over the north and south will be able to reach your territory without any obstacles, directly halving the huge transportation costs. All the post stations, workshops, and trading posts along the way will be under your full management. All the caravans, delegations, and adventurers will have to rely on your businesses to rest and stay, and the continuous flow of revenue will all fall into your pocket."

She blinked her clear eyes, a smile playing on her lips, and continued:

"In addition, your magical temperature control equipment, new military uniforms, and various innovative magical instruments can be spread across the entire southern territory without any hindrance. Nobles, lords, and the military are all your stable customers. More importantly, the vital passage connecting the north and south will allow your troop deployment and power patrols to be carried out in all directions, which is equivalent to gaining control of the transportation hegemony of the entire south out of thin air, paving the way for your subsequent expansion."

After recounting these tangible benefits, she slightly pursed her lips, a hint of feigned grievance in her eyes, both charming and sly:

"On the other hand, I have to deal with the capitals of various countries, coordinate border defenses, and mobilize a huge amount of manpower and resources. I have to put in a lot of effort and time, but I haven't received any real benefits."

She leaned forward slightly, drawing the sweet fragrance closer, her tone carrying just the right amount of coquettishness and probing:

“From beginning to end, this is a completely unprofitable deal. I’m giving you the entire slice of this pie, wouldn’t you say that shows my sincerity? In that case, could you please do me the trouble of going to Cornwall to investigate?”

As he heard the tangible benefits, Liu Xia couldn't help but smile. The oppressive heaviness that had been weighing on his mind vanished instantly. His fingertips unconsciously tapped the edge of the table as he rapidly calculated the commercial dominance and power gains this route would bring. He was already completely tempted.

"If you calculate it this way, the benefits are indeed substantial enough."

Liu Xia composed herself, still feigning composure, but couldn't hide the excitement and certainty in her eyes:

“This route is irreplaceable for Sochi, and I really can’t resist it. Okay, I’ll take this trip to Cornwall. But let me make this clear from the start: if the risks inside far exceed our expectations, you’ll have to give me extra compensation afterwards.”

Chapter 9 A Secret Maneuver

Cornwall, a small town nestled in the southern hills and rainforest. Liuxia and Gerberi rode side-by-side on horseback, gazing at the town from a low hillside. Though dilapidated, with many rooftops in disrepair, the sprawling cluster of houses rivaled the size of some towns, though the number of residents remaining was unknown. The majestic church tower in the town center still bore traces of its former glory, its golden pendulum swaying, its sound echoing through the undulating church quarters below.

"Although it's in ruins, it doesn't look like a town at all, especially that huge church district, which is half the size of Lake Dorin. And it's built on uneven terrain. Compared to the flat town area, the church district's terrain and houses are like a fortress perched high above. From above, you can easily overlook the town's four entrances. Just set up ballistae and deploy a team of elite mages or holy knights, and you can easily control all the streets of the town! Is this a church district or a castle?!"

Ryuga observed the layout of Cornwall. Compared to a small town, it was more like a military base! Or perhaps a secluded cult town in the mountains, like those in some horror games. Especially in the humid, sultry, and eerie weather, it resembled a haunted castle in the rainforest.

He finally understood why Tipalotura wanted him to come instead of sending one of her witches. In such a dilapidated town that seemed closed off and exclusive, any outsider would attract considerable attention. And not all witches were stealthy; most needed to use their charm to blend into the crowd. In this environment, even if a witch used her powers to bewitch those around her, she couldn't escape the commanding view from the central church district.

Especially since this time the opponent is the Holy See, even if the Holy See's forces have been infiltrated and controlled by the Chosen Ones, they are still the most troublesome enemies for the witches.

Ryuu sighed and turned to look at Gerberi, who was frantically swatting away mosquitoes with her battle aura. The woman looked irritable, like a menopausal gorilla, hardly suitable as a partner for an infiltration investigation. But Tipalotura had already made her intentions so clear—giving him all the profits from the construction of the transnational road, and even explicitly stating that if the Otus Empire declined in the future, she wouldn't mind taking its place; she would be his ally now and in the future.

The premise is that I must also support her as an ally on her path to achieving her wishes.

Thinking of the treaty that Tipalotura was signing with the ambassadors of vassal states outside the Bauhinia Kingdom, Ryuka managed to resist the wicked urge to fight the muscle-bound witch beside him, tie her naked to a tree in the rainforest, smear her with jam, and watch the mosquitoes bite her.

"I'm telling you, Gerberi, they're just mosquitoes. They can't even bite through your skin, you Heavenly Rank Witch. Is it really necessary to make such a fuss?! We're almost at Cornwall Town. If we run into some villagers on their way, we'll be completely exposed!"

Ryusha frowned and grumbled at Gerberly. The two of them had changed into the typical attire of merchants in the rainforests of the southern continent: wide-shouldered linen shirts with trousers and low-cut cloth shoes, their arms and ankles exposed. Locals dressed like this because they were used to the environment, but as citizens of the Empire, it was really uncomfortable to dress like this in such a humid and hot place.

Gerberly continued to fan out bursts of fighting spirit from time to time to drive away the mosquitoes that kept approaching. When Liuxia questioned her, she just glared at her and uttered two words with a sullen face.

"nausea!"

I don't know if they're talking about Ryuka or the mosquitoes that can't bite through her skin.

Ryusha sighed. Fortunately, Tipalotura had laid a lot of groundwork for this infiltration operation. Otherwise, given Gerberi's condition, they would probably have aroused the enemy's suspicion as soon as they entered Cornwall!

One of the preludes was that the imperial delegation was currently stationed at the border outside the Bauhinia Kingdom, summoning the ambassadors of various countries to sign mutual assistance agreements between the Otus Empire and them.

The agreement covered various forms of cooperation between the empire as the suzerain state and its vassal states, including economic, trade, military, and technological collaborations. It also involved in-depth cooperation to address the problem of the rampant monsters in the south, and the exchange of a portion of the flesh and blood of the earth dragon beasts as a favor in exchange for the loyalty of these vassal states.

This portion of flesh and blood belonged to Lady Sophie. It was less corrupted by the witch and, after a certain degree of purification with holy magic, could be used as ordinary cultivation material. This was done to appease the Southern Continent's covetousness of the Earth Dragon Beast and to send a message to other observing nations—in short, a political show.

However, the most important topic of this meeting was Tipalotura's "Golden Road" project. This is why the signing ceremony was held outside the borders of the Bauhinia Kingdom; the official reason was that this would be the starting point of the "Golden Road," a path to wealth utilizing new magical techniques and materials, hence the groundbreaking ceremony!

The signing ceremony took place right at the gates of the Bauhinia Kingdom, naturally attracting a lot of attention. Especially the special envoy from the Bauhinia Kingdom who was there to greet the delegation at the border, was furious upon learning of the event!

After all, this southern tour by the Otus Empire was a state visit between the Bauhinia Kingdom and the Empire, to handle issues such as the fact that their new king had not been officially appointed and other political matters. Frankly speaking, the Bauhinia Kingdom should have been the main focus, and the smaller countries the delegation passed through along the way were merely incidental visits! But Tipalotura, as the Emperor's plenipotentiary envoy, quietly pulled together the various countries along the route to create this cooperative project between nations!

The 'Golden Road'! The name itself evokes images of wealth and the future! Especially since Tipalotura proclaimed that this road would greatly enhance trade and technological exchange between the Empire and these smaller nations, and that the technology used in its construction was a gift from the Empire, as their suzerain state! With this technology, these smaller nations could fund the construction of new roads within their borders, or, if their own resources were insufficient, commission professional engineering teams from the Otus Empire to undertake the work!

Such a momentous project, once announced, immediately attracted the attention of the entire central continent. The noble lords of Otus in the north, and the smaller kingdoms near Otus's southern border, all focused their efforts on it. Even the Holy City of the Papacy and the Imperial Capital of the Empire began discussing the matter.

Only the envoy from the Bauhinia Kingdom, his face green with embarrassment, reported this matter to the capital...

What angered him most was that when he wanted to meet Princess Tipalotura of the Empire, he was told that without prior application, as the ambassador of the Bauhinia Kingdom, he could not freely cross the border into another country, nor could he attend meetings he was not invited to.

As key countries visited by the empire, they were excluded from this project, which was bad enough! But the signing ceremony was held right on their doorstep! They were separated by only a border, yet they weren't even allowed to ask why they weren't included!

This is utterly humiliating!

There has been much speculation that the princess's actions indicate that the Ottus delegation's visit to the Bauhinia was not aimed at strengthening ties, but rather at suppressing the protests.

Of course, no matter how angry the ambassador from the Bauhinia Kingdom was, he could only swallow his anger. After all, it was said that the Imperial Governor Liu Xia, who was the deputy envoy of the delegation, had already advanced to the Heavenly Rank! And the last time someone under the age of twenty on this continent achieved the Heavenly Rank was back in historical legends seven or eight hundred years ago. Many of these were local legends; the truly universally recognized ones were the heroes from the witch war a thousand years ago.

Moreover, Thunderburg also plays a key role in this project. Sophie Orlando, the Pillar of the Empire and the Crimson Sage, has left the Imperial borders again after guarding them for decades to attend this meeting.

She had just finished suppressing the rebellion in Linze Fort, and it could be said that she arrived at the border of the Bauhinia Kingdom before the blood on her blade had even dried!

Furthermore, there are rumors that her daughter, Olivia Orlando, has also broken through to the Celestial Rank. Although the southern kingdoms are surprised that their great-grandmother, who has been suppressed for decades, has suddenly gained another daughter, the most important thing is that Otus has gained another Celestial Rank member!

Compared to Liu Xia's story of becoming a Heavenly Rank expert at the age of seventeen, which sounded almost too fantastical, Olivia's achievement of becoming a Heavenly Rank expert at nearly thirty years old shocked them even more. After all, her mother, Lady Sophie, had single-handedly guarded Thunder Fortress for decades, and no one dared to cause trouble. And considering Olivia's age, coupled with the extended lifespan of a Heavenly Rank expert, it filled them with even more despair.

Therefore, many people's attention was drawn to this meeting. The Bauhinia Kingdom and the Chosen Ones organization were also undoubtedly looking in that direction. This allowed Liu Xia to quietly lead her people across the border and arrive in Cornwall.

Furthermore, the witch Nanalia will alternately transform into the forms of Ruka and Gerberi to attend the ceremony, and other important figures from the delegation will also be present.

Only a few people disappeared, but they seemed insignificant: Olivia's female special forces squad. They had briefly left under the guise of rescuing Madam Sophie, but in reality, a new group of female soldiers had returned. Since these girls were not yet famous, no one really remembered their faces, only their bright new uniforms. As long as this group of female soldiers returned with Madam Sophie, no one would suspect that they had been switched.