Under the massive golden palace, the air felt incredibly heavy.
Countless ministers lowered their heads, not daring to make a sound.
The entire hall was serious to a frightening degree.
This atmosphere was due to Aurelianne's arrival.
This princess, who had almost never appeared in the hall before, came here in person for the first time.
When the surrounding officials saw Aurelianne, they were all stunned.
After all, this was the princess's first time attending court.
What did this mean?
None of the ministers present knew, nor did anyone dare to find out.
Princesses don't act as regents, this was common sense.
Moreover, Aurelianne's greatest claim to fame was still her title as a flower vase princess.
Although recently the princess's reputation had changed somewhat, after all, the empire's strongest fourth-tier mage Viktor had become her teacher.
Making people realize that Aurelianne might actually have some ability as a mage.
But no matter how impressive, no matter how much her reputation changed, she was still a princess after all.
Aurelianne ignored the puzzled looks of the ministers and quietly sat in the position below the emperor.
With an innocent smile, she looked at those extremely nervous officials.
That's right, this aged old emperor had even prepared a chair in the palace for his most beloved daughter.
This was treatment that even the two princes hadn't received.
But thinking it over, they felt this was somewhat normal.
As emperor, His Majesty certainly wouldn't stand behind one of the princes like these nobles, naming names.
Because that would mean His Majesty had publicly announced his choice for the next monarch.
And the princess could avoid this discussion, so the emperor could shamelessly dote on his daughter in front of everyone.
After all, no matter how much he doted on her.
The final outcome for a princess was only one.
Political marriage.
However, seeing the emperor's stance, many ministers still felt uneasy.
They didn't know why the princess had come here today.
It couldn't be that she just came here to watch the court session and relax, right?
Or perhaps this court session itself was related to her?
As the heavy drums signaling the start of the court session were struck at dawn, Emperor Aubrey on the throne waved his hand at the ministers bowing to him.
The crowd of officials slowly rose and began to report to the emperor.
"Your Majesty, Prince Owiser has arrived at the White Mage Association in the Northern Territories and met with General Vladimir."
"I believe in a few days, we will be able to investigate the truth about the demons in the North."
Another group of officials stepped forward, equally eager, and continued:
"Your Majesty, there has been great chaos at the monster rifts in the South, but Prince Aubrey returned to the South to suppress it not long ago."
"Before long, news of victory will come from the front lines."
In the court, one group after another, as if afraid of being outdone, reported on the achievements of the two princes.
Although neither side had yet taken substantial action, these officials made it sound as if both princes had already achieved their goals.
The entire morning court session became a scene of scrambling, basically all about describing whose achievements were greater.
Soon, from comparing the future achievements of the princes, it turned to the officials looking down on each other, entering the stage of mutual impeachment.
Aurelianne looked at this chaotic scene with some surprise.
This was her first time attending court, naturally also her first time encountering such a situation.
This was somewhat different from what she had imagined.
Aubrey sat on the throne, smiling and looking down at Aurelianne.
"Disappointed you, hasn't it, Aurelianne?"
"But it's like this every morning, I'm used to it."
The emperor chuckled there, and with each laugh, the heads of the ministers below would involuntarily lower a bit more, not daring to say much.
That laughter was as if watching clowns, mocking them.
But everyone wanted to be that minister who rode the dragon to success.
With the emperor clearly not having many years left, they seemed more anxious than anyone.
The emperor on the throne wasn't annoyed either, just squinting his eyes and chuckling, continuing:
"Now you know why your teacher basically never comes?"
Aurelianne nodded thoughtfully.
But after all, she was still an underage princess, and with such an identity, there were some things she certainly didn't need to understand.
Even if she understood, she couldn't show that she did.
So, she asked her father the emperor as if very innocently:
"Why do my royal brothers have to do such dangerous things?"
Aubrey placed one hand on the armrest of the throne, tapping his fingers incessantly, and said with a smile:
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
"Of course for the empire, for our country."
Aurelianne nodded and continued innocently:
"Teacher said he wants to take me to the South, to take me to the monster rifts there for training."
"I also want to fight monsters like Big Brother."
As soon as the princess said this, Aubrey had no reaction, but the officials on the crown prince's side seemed to explode, becoming extremely anxious.
They bent over, hurriedly saying to the emperor:
"This must not be allowed, Your Majesty!"
A crowd of ministers walked to the center of the hall, looking up at Aubrey, telling the emperor the pros and cons in trembling voices.
"The princess is worth her weight in gold, she absolutely cannot risk her life!"
"The monster gathering place in the South is sufficiently guarded by the army led by the crown prince!"
They appeared somewhat afraid.
Regardless of what the princess was thinking for now.
They knew very well what Viktor's combat power was like.
That day, the war magic ignited over the entire capital was seen by countless noble officials.
If he really took the princess there, what would be left for the crown prince to do?
What monster uprising?
With one spell from this master, how many monsters would still be alive?
But due to the indirectness required in court, they naturally couldn't directly state their thoughts.
They could only pretend to care about the princess's safety to persuade Aubrey to refuse the princess's request.
Before they finished speaking, Aurelianne's gaze swept over faintly.
"Mr. Quentin, I remember, you are the director of the Monster Management Bureau."
The person called Quentin seemed not to have expected that Aurelianne would remember his identity.
Seeing Quentin's bewilderment, Aurelianne began to speak slowly.
"The army my elder brother is leading mostly consists of first to second-tier warriors and knight squadrons, with few third-tier among them."
"And there are only a few barely adequate second-tier mage corps for logistics support."
As she spoke, an extremely vast magical power surged from Aurelianne's body.
The magic instantly immersed the entire hall, as if in a deep sea.
Countless ministers felt this terrifying aura and couldn't help blinking.
Wasn't the flower vase princess said to be just an ordinary first-tier mage?
But how could she have this amount of magical power that even second-tier mages might not match?
She's only fifteen years old!
Aurelianne took in the gazes of all the ministers and said very calmly:
"Do you think my strength is inferior to theirs?"
Her words seemed to carry some unquestionable dominance.
At this point, Quentin was left speechless by Aurelianne.
He cast his gaze towards the second prince's faction.
The noble ministers there also understood very well.
It wasn't a good idea to kick the crown prince's faction while they were down at this time.
If there's one, there will be two. If this time they really let Princess Aurelianne go with Viktor under the pretext of training.
This time it was the crown prince who suffered a setback, but next time, it might be the second prince's turn.
So they were willing to provide some support for Quentin.
A minister from the second prince's side stood up and said:
"Your Highness, you indeed have impressive strength for your age. However, the crown prince has after all led an army into battle, ensuring safety."
"Forgive my directness, but although Count Viktor is strong, he may not be able to look after you in battle..."
"Then why not add me to the mix?"
A lazy voice suddenly sounded from outside.
Everyone was drawn to this voice without exception.
They saw a white cloud.
Slowly, it floated in from outside the hall.
When they focused their gaze on the person on the cloud, their pupils suddenly contracted, feeling greatly shocked.
Cocotte Yade!
Since Lia had introduced her once in the palace, those noble ministers had a very deep impression of this elf.
The future Elf Queen, and also the former councilor who had known the current emperor from before.
That minister who had just spoken up was so frightened he could barely speak.
"Coun... Councilor Yade."
Fifth tier was a realm that countless people dreamed of and could hardly imagine.
And Cocotte was one in a million, about to cross into the fifth tier.
At this moment, all his words of concern earlier seemed to have become nonsense.
If such a mage couldn't protect a princess, who could protect the princess?
Should they ask the emperor himself to do it?
But they still didn't want to give up, someone stood up and continued:
"But... Your Highness, you should at least have a guard unit that can protect you..."
As soon as the words fell, a clanking sound of iron armor rang out from outside the hall.
Everyone looked out, wanting to see where this sound of steel was coming from.
Suddenly, they widened their eyes.
Outside the door appeared a legion formed of demi-humans.
They had various animal features like cat ears and dog ears on their heads, trembling slightly in the sunlight.
They wore armor made of bones that shone brightly.
The slightly protruding spikes on the armor made people feel somewhat fearful, like the faces of beasts.
Among this legion of all demi-humans, they noticed a human woman.
She stood out particularly.
An extremely powerful fourth-tier aura emanated from her body.
She wore the same armor as the demi-humans and carried the same weapons.
Some sharp-eyed ministers recognized that woman.
"Isn't that the fourth-tier adventurer from the South, the 'Giant Blade Assassin', Elsa?!"
"How is this possible, wasn't she supposed to have become Lady Cassandra's guard?"
Amidst a chorus of shocked voices, an even crisper sound of metal armor clashing slowly approached.
Gwen walked out step by step.
With her back to the morning sun, the brand new silver armor on her body shone brilliantly in the sunlight.
Like a sun goddess walking out of the light, she displayed her unique majesty and strength.
A red blade emitting a terrifying aura hung at her waist, and just at first glance one could perceive the endless flames it carried.
She slowly walked out, standing at the forefront of all the demi-humans, outside the palace.
The moment they saw Gwen, those nobles suddenly froze.
At this moment, facing Emperor Aubrey, she slowly placed one arm across her chest and knelt on one knee.
Whoosh!
The crowd of demi-human guards behind her uniformly followed Gwen in saluting the emperor.
An aura of iron blood and strength surged from this demi-human legion, like a powerful existence with its own natural will.
A terrifying sense of hunting entered the hall, making the ministers feel their hair stand on end.
But then, that fierce aura in the hall disappeared, becoming as calm as lake water.
Those ministers naturally knew that no matter how complex the aura, it could never completely disappear.
Unless... someone even more powerful had arrived.
They guessed correctly.
From the shadows of the hall, traces were drawn out, that black ink-like substance quickly gathering on the floor beneath the ministers' feet.
Soon, a patch of darkness began to surge, and a muscular body began to constantly reassemble.
The man in the trench coat stood behind everyone.
A faint and familiar voice gradually sounded.
"The army you wanted, I've brought."
He stood with his hands in his pockets, the familiar black crow perched on his shoulder, revealing his identity.
Amidst the shocked gazes of countless people, he slightly raised his head, with an arrogant posture, coldly looking at them.
"What?"
"Nothing to say?"
"""