A soul-shaking pressure crawled up the trembling and weak bodies of the ministers, spreading into their hearts.

The ministers stared blankly at the kneeling demi-human legion before them, suddenly realizing something.

Quentin was especially anxious, pointing at the demi-humans outside the hall, hurriedly saying:

"Your Majesty! Look at this troop."

"They're all demi-humans!"

The rest of the ministers, disregarding the chill sweeping their bodies, exchanged words:

"That's right... those are demi-humans!"

"How can demi-humans enter the country? Even form an army!"

The ministers spoke more and more excitedly, their voices growing louder and louder, completely ignoring Viktor standing behind them.

It seemed that if their voices were just a bit louder, a bit louder still.

They could reach the emperor's ears.

Demi-humans have very sensitive hearing, and the discussions in the hall clearly reached their ears.

Heads lowered, holding their breath, they just lightly bit their lips.

The fists placed on their chests also clenched slightly.

They weren't stupid. At this moment, they could clearly feel it.

Those humans, looking at them from afar, their eyes full of disdain and contempt.

As if they were merely treating them as a bunch of savage beasts.

The emperor's body leaned back slightly, his back pressing tightly against the throne, staring at those noisy nobles, a flash of displeasure in his eyes.

"So, what do you think should be done?"

Hearing the emperor ask for their opinion, the nobles thought the emperor had relented.

They were somewhat happy, even getting carried away, speaking without thinking.

A noble seized the opportunity, hurriedly saying:

"In my opinion, Count Viktor should disband this demi-human troop and expel them from the country."

"The empire shouldn't allow these non-human races to enter."

"Ha... then you might as well not allow me in either."

Cocotte yawned, sitting on the cloud, pointing at herself, saying faintly.

"After all, I'm not human either."

Hearing Cocotte speak, that noble suddenly closed his mouth, too frightened to say a word.

In human eyes, elves and demi-humans weren't really any different.

Because they weren't human.

But elves were considered nobler than demi-humans.

After all, demi-humans had no human rights, they could be bullied however one liked.

But elves were different.

He didn't want to suffer any curses in the latter half of his life.

At least for now, he wasn't willing to be hated by an elf.

Especially not by a powerful fourth-tier elf queen.

Although the ministers didn't dare say anything disrespectful to Cocotte, they still smiled and retorted:

"That's not quite right, Councilor Yade, you're an elf, naturally not comparable to demi-humans."

Cocotte blinked, looking at the noble who spoke.

"What do you mean?"

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"Elves aren't human, right?"

The man instantly froze in place.

Weren't elves supposed to be kind and friendly?

Did that not apply to the elf queen?

"No... I... that's not what I meant..."

"Then demi-humans aren't human?"

"This, I..."

He was completely confused by Cocotte's sophistry, wringing his hands, constantly thinking, but his slow brain couldn't come up with any meaningful rebuttal.

How was he supposed to respond?

If he admitted demi-humans weren't human, wouldn't that be directly insulting all elves including Cocotte?

Even though elves really weren't human!

The ministers opened their mouths, but couldn't say a word.

"Finished speaking? Then it's my turn to say something."

At this moment, Viktor's cold gaze swept over everyone.

The instant his voice sounded, they involuntarily froze in place.

"I remember, all of you have bought quite a few demi-human slaves for your homes, right?"

"This is no secret."

Hearing Viktor bluntly expose this cruel fact in front of the emperor, the nobles broke out in a cold sweat.

According to imperial law, demi-humans were forbidden from entering the country, and slave traders were prohibited from capturing demi-humans outside and illegally bringing them in.

Although demi-humans might appear within the empire's borders on their own, and captors could dispose of captured demi-humans as they wished.

Even keeping them at home as slaves.

But...

If many nobles had some demi-human slaves in their homes.

Where did all these demi-humans come from?

It's not possible that a group of demi-humans deliberately entered the country just waiting to be captured by humans, right?

If the emperor wanted to investigate, he could naturally trace the clues of slave traders from them.

When that time came, the situation would be quite different.

Viktor looked at those noble ministers with mockery, the meaning in his words very simple.

If you can use demi-human slaves for work, why can't the Kravina family form an army of demi-humans?

As for the danger of demi-humans?

Who dares to mention danger in front of Viktor?

"I understand what you want me to prove, very well."

Viktor raised his hand, snapping his fingers in the air, as if receiving some command, all those demi-humans stood up.

The cat and dog ears on top of their heads kept swaying.

They stood at attention in unison, completely ready for battle.

Judging from the reaction of this demi-human troop, its discipline could even be compared to a regular army of the empire.

And on the seemingly thin bodies of these demi-humans, there seemed to be a hint of dangerous hunting instinct and cruel coldness.

Those noble ministers were completely stunned looking at this uniformed troop.

Although some of them weren't very familiar with the empire's army.

But they could clearly feel from the demi-human troop before them.

What professionalism meant.

At this moment, many people had self-doubt in their hearts.

Were they really demi-humans?

Could demi-humans understand human commands?

No need for whips, no need for food, just a snap of fingers?

Then, Viktor slowly walked to Quentin's side.

One hand lightly patted his shoulder.

Feeling the heaviness transmitted to his shoulder, Quentin's whole body trembled.

He couldn't help but slowly turn his head, looking at Viktor with extreme fear.

"Mr. Quentin, as the director of the Monster Management Bureau, you should understand better than me."

"Monsters have intelligence too."

Viktor's calm voice sounded beside his ear.

This was true, the Monster Management Bureau would capture those rare monsters that could cause riots, and properly contain those monsters.

Among those captured monsters, many had developed some intelligence, races that wouldn't rely entirely on instinct.

"So, what makes you think demi-humans don't have intelligence?"

"Just because you treat them as beasts?"

The cold voice seemed to penetrate to the bone, drilling into Quentin's ears.

He couldn't stop trembling, his voice somewhat weak, his gaze involuntarily fixed on those demi-humans.

The demi-humans felt Quentin's gaze, still standing seriously in place, looking straight ahead, not moving an inch.

This was clearly an elite troop that could completely follow orders!

At this moment, the large hand on his shoulder slowly lifted.

Only then did Quentin feel that the near-death pressure from just now gradually dissipate.

Viktor walked in front of him, his back to Quentin.

"I hope you understand one thing, I am their master."

"It's not your turn to point fingers."

The moment the words fell, a strange color flashed in the eyes of the crow on his shoulder.

The next moment, a pair of huge black wings suddenly grew from Viktor's back.

Red light flowed between the feathers, black fragments falling in mid-air.

The wings fluttered slightly in mid-air, as if to drive away all irrelevant people.

The ministers looked at the pair of wings bursting out from Viktor, as if realizing some terrifying existence, all scared into shrinking back into the hall.

Demi-human traits? No!

That was clearly something only magic could achieve.

Quentin was still trembling, tentatively asking Viktor:

"Count Viktor, are you... really human?"

Viktor merely turned his head, glancing at him coldly.

"I'm not human."

"Are you?"

The mocking words descended on everyone's heads, making them feel their hair stand on end.

In Viktor's eyes, they were like a bunch of naked primitive beasts.

Making them feel utterly ashamed.

After a long silence, a hearty and vicissitudinous laugh came from the throne.

Seeming to dispel all the surrounding pressure.

The noble ministers finally moved, turning back to see the emperor patting his chair, laughing out loud.

Aubrey's laughter gradually subsided, and he said to the princess with a smile:

"Isn't this all prepared already?"

"Aurelianne, feel free to go with your teacher."

With these words, it was as if a bomb had been lit in the minds of all the ministers present, "bang", becoming completely blank.

In their ears, there seemed to be a faint ringing.

The emperor had agreed.

Aurelianne, sitting in her chair, was looking at Viktor's back, her eyes involuntarily flashing a little star.

Feeling nothing but admiration.

Emperor Aubrey looked down fondly at the princess sitting below, smiling and saying:

"Go ahead, Aurelianne."

"Don't let me down."

...

Wild snow danced incessantly under the sky, howling cold winds also constantly cutting the skin of visitors.

On the vast and boundless snow plain, there seemed to be no trace of life's color.

A group of guards and knights trudged through the deep snow, dragging their feet, moving forward with difficulty.

Under the white snow, an extremely heavy smell of blood rose from the earth, diffusing in the air.

A voice sounded faintly.

"We're here, this is the site of the decisive battle back then."

"Also where the demon appeared."

Led by General Vladimir's deputy, the third-in-command of the White Mage Association, Dick, this army from the capital was investigating the demon incident here.

The second prince flipped down from the sleigh, wrapped in a thick fur coat, breathing out cold air, looking around.

Soon, he narrowed his eyes.

"The aura of a demon."

The second prince could very clearly feel that a demon had indeed appeared here.

And this bloody smell...

'Is it Wrath?'

A low and viscous voice slowly came to his ear.

The second prince had no time to reply to Yem's words, just raising his head to look ahead.

Looking at that sea of ice.

Some time ago, this snow plain experienced an extremely terrifying war.

So many barbarians died at that time that the blood color in the sea of ice here still hasn't completely dissipated.

He was somewhat curious about who brought the Wrath from Jace here.

Thinking it over, he could only come up with one answer.

"Viktor..."

The second prince muttered this name softly, then cast his gaze forward.

On the sea surface, there was a grand ruin covered by heavy snow.

A ruin suddenly appearing on a flat sea surface, this he couldn't quite understand.

Could it be that some building existed here before?

Dick slowly explained:

"According to the spies at the time, they did indeed see a complete white temple here, at first they thought it was made by those barbarians."

"But that temple has already been destroyed by Count Viktor."

The second prince looked at the ruins over there, feeling somewhat surprised.

Viktor again?

But what exactly was this?

Suddenly, as if an enraged beast had stopped roaring.

The surrounding snow and wind gradually subsided, as if isolated outside a space.

The sky overhead was gradually covered by dark clouds, extremely gloomy.

But this abnormal weather seemed somewhat... strange.

It was clearly overcast, but...

Where was the wind? Why was there no wind?

The second prince seemed to sense something, abruptly looking up.

A pair of eyes, as if crossing the shadowy clouds.

Towards him.

Or rather.

Towards those temple ruins.

Staring intently at it.

"""