My older sister is a villainous rich girl

Because it was conquered land, in order to appease the local forces, many nobles and officials of various ranks who had defected to Grand Duke Laird were not abolished by the Lorne royal family. As long as they surrendered to Lorne, most of them would only be promoted one rank, and this continued indefinitely. As a result, the seeds of trouble were sown. Under the indulgence of the royal family, the local forces gradually grew stronger over the decades, resulting in chaotic management at the grassroots level, severe exploitation, and frequent rebellions.

They might not lack the share they pay to the capital, but it's almost impossible to rely on these people to bring development to the southwest region.

If the total wealth doesn't increase, how can relying solely on layers of exploitation be a long-term solution? But Franz also understands that the underlying relationships are extremely complex, and it's clear that he can't change anything by his own efforts alone.

The Royal Family of Lornes was not at ease with the Southwest, while many military nobles saw the rebellious forces in the Southwest as the perfect place to gain merit.

As long as they are listed there, the credit they have earned will continue to appear on their desks.

Even Franz, who had always disliked Eliot Winche, now had to acknowledge the Duke's bold decision to step down at the height of his prestige. What seemed like a self-inflicted wound actually allowed him to distance himself from these scheming individuals, preventing him from being entangled in their interests.

Looking at Wayne Winche, who was apologizing to him politely but with an embarrassed expression, it was as if a string in his mind had been gently plucked, and a sudden flash of inspiration struck him.

The mess in the Southwest needs to be dealt with by dragging that guy Elliott into it as well, and only through heavy-handed pressure can there be a glimmer of hope.

The Edgeworth family had a weak foundation within the military aristocracy, but the Winchester family was entirely different. Many of the officials stationed in the Southwest were former subordinates of the Duke of Winchester. As long as the Duke of Winchester's household could once again step into the vortex of the Southwest and act as a shield to draw fire, then whether it was to implement financial reforms under their cover or to watch them exacerbate the various conflicts in the Southwest, causing widespread discontent and a decline in prestige, it would all be something they would be happy to see.

Thinking of this, Franz became unusually amiable. The more he looked at Wien, the more he felt that he was a "promising talent" and that he had to give him a push.

"Oh, it's you guys. I thought it was some random person wandering around on the street." He first made a sarcastic remark, then offered enthusiastically, "Are you heading back to the Duke's mansion? How about I give you a ride?"

"?" Wayne looked like he had seen a ghost.

When he suddenly saw that it was Old Man Ge Li opposite him, he felt something was wrong. After he explained his intentions, he felt even more uneasy. He never expected that the Kingdom's Minister of Finance, who had always been at odds with his family, would actually say that he wanted to come to visit.

It should be noted that since decades ago, when Minister Franz harbored a grudge against Duke Eliot for "stealing his lover," he had never set foot in the gates of the Duke of Winchester's mansion.

Wayne tried his best to suppress his subconscious surprise and calmly observed him. He didn't seem to know any secrets and wanted to settle scores with him later.

"Uh, Your Excellency Franz, have you just returned from your trip?"

“Not bad.” Franz maintained his composure and said succinctly in a deep voice.

"Well, you must be eager to go home as soon as possible, right? Miss Ge Li must have been waiting for you at home for a long time. Chris and I won't disturb you any longer."

But Franz didn't want to let Wien off so easily.

After thinking for a moment, he suggested in a gentle tone, "Speaking of which, you and Geli are childhood friends. You, Wayne, have only recently returned to the capital after your exchange studies at the Holy See. Our two residences are not far apart, so why be so formal about such a small matter? I happen to have some questions for you."

Wayne broke out in a cold sweat. How could you so calmly portray Gole as a good friend to Chris, who was constantly at odds with him at the academy?

Under his watchful gaze, Wayne racked his brains to come up with several excuses to decline, but they were all rejected. Chris was probably getting a little impatient and interrupted the two of them, saying, "I think His Excellency Franz is so insistent on inviting us because he has something important to discuss. In that case, Wayne and I will have no choice but to trouble you."

She leaned close to Wayne's ear and whispered without any hesitation, "Why don't we see what kind of medicine he's selling?"

Although Wayne felt guilty and didn't really want to deal with Franz, he couldn't refuse in this situation, so he had no choice but to get into the Edgeworth family's carriage with Chris and sit opposite Franz.

After a brief preparation, the carriage set off again.

"The sudden passing of Pope Reggio Emilia was quite unexpected. What's the situation on the Vatican's side?" Franz asked directly, indicating that he had also received news of the changes at the Vatican.

"Fortunately, Tasia Louis was crowned the new pope by divine decree, and nothing went wrong." Wayne didn't know which aspect of the news he wanted to inquire about, so he could only give a general answer.

Tasia was already a chosen one of God, and with the divine appointment and the support of the chief cardinal, the voices within the Holy See that dared to directly oppose her were probably not as loud as the voices of the person who was taken away on the spot that day.

Franz smiled enigmatically.

"An oracle? Have you ever witnessed an oracle being delivered?"

If the gods are dead, what divine pronouncements could there be? They are nothing but lies fabricated by Diabart and his ilk.

"The former pope and the chief cardinal secretly presided over the oracle ceremony before his death. Of course, an outsider like me had no chance to see it. I only learned that Tasia would be the new pope when the funeral was held." He said this with some resentment.

Those bastards from the Vatican, just to keep me from disturbing Tasia, forcibly removed me without a word; they must have some personal grudge against me!

Chapter 681 The War Is About to Begin Again

Regardless of Wien's indignation, Franz seemed to be deep in thought.

"The chief of the Cardinals, huh..."

He said with a hint of emotion, "The people of the Vatican have always been closed-minded and stubborn. The fact that they are willing to accept you for study and exchange is already a breakthrough. I'm afraid this is because Tasia was not constrained and benefited greatly when she studied at Qingxi Academy."

"In just one month, I only taught some similar magical theories and basic spells," Wayne said dismissively.

In summary, it taught him how to use magic more sparingly and how to make magic balls of different sizes.

While the Vatican might consider sharing this knowledge a groundbreaking act of breaking down barriers and eliminating sectarianism, it was far too simplistic for Wayne. However, he didn't stand on ceremony; upon returning, he immediately transferred all the notes he had taken at the Vatican to Professor Conley, who was very interested in Vatican magic, and Dean Harold.

Since the Vatican has never said anything about not spreading this, he should make good use of it for magicians outside the Vatican, which can also be considered as praying for the deceased god.

It's likely that Qingxi Academy will be adding two new courses soon.

Franz sensed the disdain in his tone and said with a smile, "The talents cultivated by our Qingxi Academy, with the combined efforts of the entire kingdom, are certainly not much worse than those of the Holy See."

Hearing such high praise from him, Wayne felt extremely strange.

What is going on here?

Was he suddenly triggered by something or did he take the wrong medication? The Franz I met today was completely unlike himself.

“But—” Franz quickly changed the subject.

"No matter how much knowledge you learn in the classroom, it will only remain on paper. It's just something others have summarized. Without practice, you can't truly internalize it or apply it effectively. The talents the kingdom needs are those who are down-to-earth and dedicated to the kingdom, making a difference to earn respect."

After he finished speaking, he paused for a moment, looking at Wayne with admiration, as if waiting for him to respond.

“…?” Wayne slowly typed out a question mark.

Seeing that he was not cooperating with his guidance at all, and was just staring at him blankly with a clueless look, Franz frowned slightly, but quickly smoothed it out.

"The southwestern region of the kingdom is in turmoil again. Back then, Duke Wincher made unparalleled achievements in the war to pacify the southwest. Wayne, would you be interested in experiencing it?" He said lightly and casually, as if it were just a spur-of-the-moment thing.

Now it was Wayne's turn to frown.

Franz wants to go to the southwest? Why?

Did he discover some secrets about his origins? Or was he simply trying to use the power of the Duke of Wincher's mansion to achieve his own goals?

"What do you mean?" He leaned forward, moving closer to Franz.

The instant Wien leaned forward, Franz instinctively leaned back to keep his distance. The movement was so sudden that even his double chin was exposed.

Wayne: ...

The situation became a little awkward for a moment.

"Do you dislike me?" he asked bluntly, seemingly somewhat hurt.

"No, no, I'm just not used to getting too close to other people." Franz's lips twitched, as if he was trying hard to adjust his expression.

“No need to hide it. It’s understandable that you dislike me, after all, your relationship with my father has never been very good.” Wayne actually found him a little funny. Was it really true that they were father and daughter? Sometimes Miss Ge Li’s unintentional little actions were so interesting.

“Wayne, actually I admire you.” Franz took a deep breath and said calmly. “I’ve even thought more than once how wonderful it would have been if it had been my Edgeworth family that adopted you back then.”

He completely ignored Chris, who looked dissatisfied and hesitated to speak.

"Personally speaking, I do dislike that guy Elliott, but the future of the kingdom belongs to the young. The wheels of time keep turning, and my conflict with him will one day be left far behind, regarded as the outdated views of the older generation, and forgotten by the new generation who are eager to lead the kingdom forward."

It's surprising that Minister Franz, who is usually petty and narrow-minded, could have such foresight.

"The kingdom needs talented individuals who can decisively resolve the problems in the southwest; otherwise, the situation will continue to deteriorate and eventually drag the entire kingdom down."

Wayne admitted that what he said was quite pleasing to the ear, but he wasn't so easily swayed by his sweet talk that he would forget his own limitations.

Had Duke Elliott not adopted him first, the Edgeworth family patriarch, who valued and was extremely proud of his noble lineage, would never have given a commoner from a remote town the opportunity to cultivate a relationship with him for no reason. Among the powerful nobles at the top of the kingdom, so-called "talented individuals" were as plentiful as carp crossing a river; only those they couldn't obtain were eager to be courted.

“As for the situation in the Southwest, what you said may be true,” Wayne said. “Perhaps you have also seen many things along the way that urgently need to be changed, but with my power alone, with the power of the Wincher family alone, it is not enough to bring about fundamental change.”

"If you only want the Edgeworth family's influence to expand deep into the southwest, and you're content as long as you can get a share of the pie from those vested interests, then you've come to the wrong person to describe these grand plans to me. Perhaps my father, who is more familiar with the local situation, would have a more mature opinion on your proposal."

The implication was, "Stop trying to appease the child, go talk to my parents."

Franz was finding it hard to maintain his amiable and unpretentious demeanor.

He hadn't had much contact with Wayne before, but now he suddenly realized that the guy was much more shrewd and worldly-wise than he had imagined.

"What are you saying!" Franz feigned displeasure and lightly rebuked, "The Edgeworth family wouldn't be so short-sighted and ignorant of the bigger picture."

Perhaps realizing that he could not make any favorable progress with Wayne, Franz temporarily backed down. "I will report to His Majesty on the situation in the southwest region. The situation there has reached a point where intervention is imperative. The change of leadership in the Papacy has attracted everyone's attention, and the internal transition will require time to adjust. They will inevitably retreat outwards, which is the perfect opportunity for us to make our move."

"Just as some people have used the suppression of the southwestern rebellion as a shortcut to gain merit and honors, this matter cannot be led by others, nor can it be led by you. Go back and relay this to Elliott Winche, and he will understand what choice is in the best interests of the kingdom."

……

"—Is another war about to begin in the Southwest?"

In the Duke's study, upon receiving the message relayed by Wayne, Duke Elliott let out a long sigh.

Chapter 682 Wayne, you must remember this

The previous Duke of Winchester was the most famous military genius of his time, but in his later years he no longer interfered in the kingdom's military affairs and declined all praise for his unparalleled achievements.

"This is a victory not worthy of praise." On his deathbed, he made this assessment of the Battle of Mist Moon, which had made him famous throughout the Western Continent.

No one knows why he said that, or rather, people don't really care why he thinks that way.

The kingdom needed a general who could win victories, a hero who could prove the strength of the nation, and so Mr. Willie Winch appeared in response to the people's call. Everything was so natural, like the gears of fate turning with every tooth fitting perfectly.

“Wayne, I’ve never asked you this before, but what is your assessment of this war?”

"Duke Elliott asked."

Wayne was taken aback.

"I……"

Should we say that the despicable king is using religion as a pretext for annexation? I myself have just returned from studying at the Papacy.

The Chief Cardinal had publicly expressed his high regard for him, and the Vatican had also given him high praise for their interactions over the past month. Although Wayne understood that it was only part of a private deal he had made with Diabat, in the eyes of others, he was indeed a special figure treated with special courtesy by the Vatican, and he was already marked with a close relationship with the Vatican.

There is no doubt that this question allows one to determine their own position.

From Elliott's focused gaze, Wayne could sense that he was waiting for a clear answer.

“I have carefully read the book I obtained from you, Grand Duke Laird’s ‘Speculations on the Awakening of Magic in Commoners.’ In addition, I also specifically looked up his works left behind under the pseudonym ‘Monroe’ at the academy. I must admit that he does have remarkable ideas and talents. If it weren’t for the War of the Fog Moon, given time, this Grand Duke would probably have had a great chance to promote the development of magical theory and leave his mark on the history of magic.”

Elliott's face remained expressionless; he simply nodded slightly, signaling for him to continue.

"However, his theory greatly threatens the concept that the Vatican has long upheld and shakes the foundation of the Church. If human magical talents are not a gift from God, then it means that people do not need to rely on devout faith to gain divine favor."

"The Papacy, which monopolizes the power to interpret oracles and speak for God, could not possibly allow such heretical theories to spread. King George I of Lornes provided an opportunity to challenge Archduke Laird, which naturally provoked a thunderous response from the Papacy. So, perhaps some things are destined to happen before they even begin."

"It's very good that you can see the deep-seated interests behind this, instead of simply attributing it to justice and evil," Elliott said, expressing his appreciation.

"This is the heavy shackle that the Vatican and even the whole of Lornes cannot get rid of. Those inherent ideas, the people hidden behind those ideas, and the interest groups they represent will form an unbreakable net that will devour all the prey that tries to break free of this spider web."

He walked to the other side of the desk and gently stroked a map of Lornes made of some kind of animal fur, which hung almost as tall as him.

This map has been hanging in the study since Wayne can remember.

“Therefore, after the war, the Winchester family refused the offer to become the governor of the Southwest Province,” he said. “Because my father saw that it was just a pretty flag, and no matter who sat in that position, it was impossible to bring real peace to the place. If he insisted on going against the tide and going against those people, then they would choose a new spokesperson, and he would probably face betrayal from those who originally supported him. In the end, he would not only fail to reconcile with the locals, but would also become the enemy of the entire class he originally represented.”

What people expect from the beginning is only what benefits his position can bring, not the specific person sitting in that position.

"Furthermore, he didn't want to arouse the King's suspicion by having too much power, so he, who was praised as a hero by the world, chose to retreat," Elliott sighed. "He was only a mortal, and he also had weaknesses."

"Do you think he's a coward?" Elliott asked, turning around.

Wayne understood his concerns.

"At least... he protected you, and he protected me. Without the excellent foundation he provided, we wouldn't be standing here today, talking about other people's fortunes or misfortunes without any real understanding."

Eliot stared at him for a moment.

“You’re right,” he said after a long silence. “It is precisely because of the strength we accumulated through forbearance and retreat back then that we are able to do what we had not yet had time to accomplish at this more opportune moment.”

Wayne understood the implication in his words.

He was a little surprised.

Elliott actually intended to wade into the murky waters of the Southwest, and it seemed he had been secretly preparing for quite some time.

Perhaps in some respects, Minister Franz understood Duke Eliot's thoughts better than he realized.

“The people of the Duchy of Milistan have never been accepted by the Kingdom of Lornes. They are deliberately ignored. Apart from launching one rebellion after another, you can hardly hear their voices in the capital.” He sat back down at his desk, gathered the spread-out documents to one side, and placed his hands on the table, like an interviewer conducting a job interview.

"If you had a chance right now to change all of this, what would you choose to do?"

...Me?

"That depends on what I can do with the resources at my disposal," he replied without hesitation.

A commander with only a wooden stick and no troops can accomplish very different things than one with a fully equipped and well-organized army.