The nobles hung their heads low as they dejectedly left the imperial palace.

  Outside the golden palace, the sun shone brightly, yet an invisible cloud of gloom seemed to hover over the ministers' heads, reflecting the darkness and confusion in their hearts.

  Their steps were heavy as they scattered to board their respective carriages.

  Even the usual pleasantries exchanged among them were absent, leaving only silence and the distant sound of carriage wheels echoing through the air.

  The minds of all ministers were filled with unimaginable chaos.

  Everything that happened today was far beyond their expectations, leaving them confused and uneasy.

  When everyone thought that Lipoaot's return to the royal capital would stir up a frenzy within the city, the reality turned out to be quite unexpected.

  They had assumed that the appearance of the Reiser family head would at least persuade Emperor Aubrey to cancel Aurelianne's designation as heir.

  They had even considered how the situation might change if Viktor burst into the palace while this matter was being discussed.

  The nobles had thought of every possible unexpected situation.

  They had anticipated all kinds of potential twists.

  But from beginning to end, Viktor never showed up.

  The news of the Reiser family head's return to the royal capital was known to all nobles.

  With Viktor's extensive information network, how could he possibly not know?

  Yet, he didn't even bother to come today.

  It was as if from the very beginning, he never considered the Reiser family worthy of his attention.

  Only his sister, Lia Kravina, came to the palace in his stead.

  What was even more outrageous was that she, by herself, had made the imperial ministers look like a bunch of short-sighted, antiquated clowns.

  Because the Kravina family had gained the friendship of the elves.

  When hundreds of elves appeared before these nobles, their minds went completely blank.

  As the freest race, elves did not need to concern themselves with the scheming and plotting of the human world.

  Their long lifespans made human dynasties' rise and fall and power struggles appear as fleeting as flowers that bloom for a single day in their eyes.

  Therefore, elves originally had no need to establish diplomatic relations with any country.

  But now, they had spread their precious elven friendship to the Carensia Empire in the name of nature.

  As for that so-called "in the name of nature"?

  That was just a nice way of putting it.

  None of those present were fools; who couldn't see that these elves were there out of respect for Viktor?

  These ministers sat in their carriages, sighing heavily, their expressions gloomy, their brows furrowed tightly.

  But suddenly, their attention was drawn to a black figure at the palace gate.

  Lipoaot walked with elegant and steady steps in the morning light.

  Some nobles who supported the crown prince's faction, upon seeing him, enthusiastically waved their arms, eagerly greeting him:

  "Mr. Lipoaot, would you like to travel together?"

  "Mr. Lipoaot, I have some matters I'd like to discuss with you."

  The nobles present were shrouded in a haze of confusion.

  They desperately hoped that Lipoaot, a man of both wisdom and status, could answer the questions in their hearts.

  From today onwards, how should these nobles who supported the crown prince act?

  Although today's court meeting did not mention the matter of the heir to the throne, whether mentioned or not seemed irrelevant now.

  After all, the Kravina family had personally brought the Elven Queen to establish diplomatic relations with the empire.

  The countless strategies they had carefully prepared for the court meeting seemed pale and powerless from the moment the elven race stepped into the palace.

  Any country would hope to gain the friendship of the Elven Forest.

  The special status of elves in the hearts of humans was self-evident.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  From a national perspective, the fact that the thousand-year-silent elven race had taken the initiative to establish diplomatic relations with the empire—was it a blessing or a curse?

  Of course, it was an unprecedented good thing, almost equivalent to a milestone in the empire's history.

  Having the friendship of elves was tantamount to receiving the favor of nature.

  However, for these nobles, this wasn't necessarily good news.

  Because the family that brought the elves was Kravina.

  If the elves established diplomatic relations with the empire out of respect for the Kravina family, the consequences would be unimaginable.

  Let's not forget who the Kravina family supported.

  More importantly, the friendship of elves was something one could encounter but not seek.

  If Emperor Aubrey truly intended to establish diplomatic relations with the elves, then the heir to the throne would likely be none other than Aurelianne.

  Moreover, Aubrey himself seemed to have this intention.

  At this point, many ministers finally realized what was happening.

  Although Viktor had not personally attended, his tacit understanding with Emperor Aubrey seemed to transcend distance.

  Together, they had established Aurelianne's identity as the heir.

  For the ministers present, this was undoubtedly a clear indication.

  Whether they agreed or not was irrelevant.

  The fact that the elves were introduced by the Kravina family had significant political implications.

  If Viktor was dissatisfied with the ministers' reaction, he had the power to make the elves return to their forest.

  And by doing so, declare the elves' disappointment with the empire.

  Without saying much, this could result in a major loss in the diplomatic relations between the empire and the Elven Forest.

  For any country, such an opportunity to establish good relations with the elves could not be missed.

  If the empire missed the chance to establish diplomatic relations with foreign lands due to the obstruction of nobles, this was a charge they could not bear.

  The nobles sat in their carriages, sighing heavily, realizing that the situation had reached an impasse.

  The fact that Aurelianne would become the heir to the throne seemed to be set in stone.

  But at this moment, Lipoaot slowly raised his head, looking at the noble who had just greeted him.

  He smiled elegantly, declining the noble's goodwill.

  "No need, my carriage will be here shortly."

  The noble could only sigh:

  "Very well."

  "Goodbye, Mr. Lipoaot."

  "Goodbye."

  Lipoaot's face still wore that calm smile.

  One by one, servants raised the reins, and the nobles gradually left the palace gate.

  Carriages departed one after another, the sounds of wheels and hooves growing distant.

  Lipoaot watched the direction of their departure, raised his head, and gazed at the dazzling golden sun.

  His golden pupils gleamed brilliantly under the light, as if a golden river flowed deep within his eyes,

  The shimmering golden eyes seemed capable of devouring the entire sun's radiance.

  Mysterious and noble.

  Soon, a new sound of hooves echoed once more.

  Rhythmic and distinct.

  Then, a carriage engraved with golden patterns appeared around the corner.

  He narrowed his eyes, examining the emblem on the carriage.

  Casidra Trading Association.

  The carriage slowly stopped outside the palace courtyard.

  The coachman halted the horses, dismounted, and opened the carriage door.

  Zora stepped down from the carriage.

  She had come to visit Emperor Aubrey today.

  As Zora's feet touched the ground, she looked up and saw Lipoaot standing there, gazing at the sun.

  Upon seeing him, Zora hesitated for a moment, about to speak but then holding back.

  Lipoaot, sensing her gaze, turned around and saw Zora.

  He smiled at her:

  "Not a good time for a visit today. His Majesty is receiving important guests."

  "Let's go."

  Zora nodded, watching as Lipoaot boarded her family's carriage.

  She followed closely behind, also boarding the carriage.

  The two sat facing each other in the carriage, with Lipoaot's gaze passing through the window, focusing on the scenery outside.

  Zora looked at him with a hint of respect and spoke with dignity:

  "Father."

  "You seem to be in a good mood."

  Hearing Zora's words, Lipoaot slowly turned his head:

  "Honestly, he is truly extraordinary."

  "Although I didn't see him today, I'm already looking forward to seeing his subsequent performance."

  In his pupils, one could see the flickering golden light.

  As if a pool of shimmering golden liquid was hidden in the depths of his eyes, revealing a complex emotion of both admiration and anticipation:

  "Elves, nature."

  "It seems he must have discovered something too."

  Zora sat in her seat, silent.

  Lipoaot leaned back on the carriage sofa, closing his divine-radiant eyes.

  As if casually bringing it up, he gently asked Zora:

  "Have you already negotiated with the Kravina family?"

  "Yes, Father."

  Zora nodded in response.

  "Then continue to maintain business transactions with them."

  The corners of Lipoaot's mouth curved slightly upward, revealing a faint smile:

  "Let's go, it's time to see my old friend Levi."

  The carriage slowly rolled over the cobblestone streets, heading towards the bustling city gates of the royal capital.

  ......

  In a room bathed in golden light, a warm fire burned in the fireplace nearby, dancing merrily among the stones.

  Luxurious chairs adorned with gems were arranged in the room, and in front of the chairs was a gleaming golden tea table.

  A servant stood by the table, pouring tea for the three seated individuals.

  Lia sat upright on the sofa, with Cocotte and Vinia seated on either side.

  After pouring the tea, the servant bowed respectfully:

  "Please wait a moment, His Majesty will be here shortly."

  Then, the servant turned and left, gently closing the door behind him.

  Seeing the outsider leave, Cocotte's palms suddenly became sweaty with nervousness.

  She hadn't felt anything when they were in the palace earlier.

  But now that they were about to seriously discuss matters, she became anxious.

  Where was Viktor? Damn Viktor, why wasn't he here yet?

  Lia turned to look at the nervous Cocotte who couldn't sit still, and sighed.

  The room was so quiet that even Cocotte's breathing could be heard clearly.

  Soon, the door opened again.

  An elderly man dressed in extremely luxurious silk velvet clothes entered the room, his presence steady.

  He leaned on a luxurious cane inlaid with crimson gems, walking into the room with steady yet faltering steps.

  Despite his luxurious attire, his hunched figure made the three immediately recognize the newcomer,

  It was Emperor Aubrey.

  Supporting him was Princess Aurelianne.

  The princess wore a silver-gray ceremonial dress, adorned with scattered silver stars.

  The slender dress accentuated Aurelianne's beautiful figure, while the translucent veils falling from both shoulders enhanced her charm.

  She extended her arm, supporting Aubrey's other arm that wasn't holding the cane, and approached the three.

  The crimson firelight cast their silhouettes in a reddish glow, their elongated shadows swaying on the walls of the room.

  As Lia and the others were about to rise, they saw the emperor wave his hand and say:

  "No need, there are no outsiders here."

  He then sat down in a chair first, with a friendly demeanor.

  His cloudy eyes surveyed the group, lingering on Lia for a long while, with a hint of seriousness:

  "Let's talk about the main point."

  "I don't have much time left now."

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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