CHAPTER 314: CHAPTER 58: POSITION AND TRUST

"Achoo~"

In the throne room, everyone looked at the king sitting on the throne... watching her rub her nose and listening to her say, "Regarding the recent war... Ah... Ah... Achoo~"

"..."

"Achoo!"

Isabella’s relentless sneezing made Marilla shake her head helplessly. She reached out and draped her large coat over the little king... even though she was already wearing a thick dragon robe.

Wearing such clothes in early summer... the weather was becoming increasingly bizarre.

However, after being wrapped in a large coat, with only her head peeking out, Isabella seemed to feel a bit better... at least she didn’t continue to sneeze so much.

Although the royal etiquette and dignity were severely compromised, akin to a child playing under a blanket with only their head sticking out, these concerns gradually faded away.

Isabella wasn’t particularly focused on this at the moment.

"Regarding the recent war, has the sudden cold had any major impact?"

As Isabella questioned this, the officials below looked at each other in confusion, not very knowledgeable on the subject... Ulrichla was the one who knew the specifics about the ongoing battles.

Everyone only knew that the current situation was great—lands that were intentionally abandoned before were now gradually being reclaimed, but they weren’t very clear on the details.

"Your Majesty, if you’re feeling unwell, why not try my alchemized ’All-purpose Potion’?"

The short-haired girl with brown glasses suggested, and Isabella hesitated for a moment before saying, "I will consider your proposal, Lady Gurela... but not now."

Isabella said this, while the latter part of her words remained unspoken—*Because I’m afraid of dying*.

It wasn’t that she was worried Gurela would harm her, but... who would dare try a magic potion made by an alchemist that claimed to cure all diseases? What if she woke up as a frog the next day?

Besides, an alchemist making magic potions was as odd as a mage creating gold and gem crystals.

But Isabella wouldn’t say these things directly. After all, Yila had taught her the basic ’etiquette.’ For the questions about the battlefield, only the current Chief Governor, Marilla, had a clearer understanding.

"The situation is excellent... for the external beasts summoned by the Governor and Death Trigger, temperatures are meaningless."

Marilla said, standing to Isabella’s right... where Caligula originally stood. Now, Isabella’s left side was still vacant, looking rather conspicuous.

In theory, with only Marilla present, she should have sat in front of Isabella. If she were Isabella’s elder, she would have the right to stand behind her.

However, no one raised any objections to the current incongruous scene... partly because everyone knew who the vacant ’Left Venerate’ position belonged to, and partly...

Would you dare to voice an objection to Isabella?

"On the contrary, the sudden cold has a significant impact on the Duchy of Hazard... the only effect on our empire is that we might not be able to push into the duchy’s original borders in one swift action."

Marilla said, and Isabella had no objections to this.

"I understand, Lady Marilla... with massive civilian casualties, expanding territories is difficult. Even if we succeed, it’s hard to defend, let alone gain more land. I’m not a greedy king, nor am I intent on establishing a vulgar legacy."

Saying this, Isabella truly deserved to be a king. Her brief words carried multiple layers of meaning, each one further stabilizing and commanding the loyalty of her officials.

Wisdom (*Aren’t I smart?*), Position (*I’m with Yila’s faction*), Interest (*If the nobles die, the pie gets bigger*), Distribution (*What’s mine is also the Yila Faction’s, meaning yours*)... it was all clear.

————Silver Moon Tree Court Divider————

"Sister, look at the beautiful snowfall..."

Watching her younger sister hopping around joyfully, Cassiopeia nodded with a smile. She looked up at the sky... seeing the snowflakes gradually falling, not yet realizing the snow covered a global calamity, she propped her chin with one hand.

With the literary talent an elf possessed (Vera:...), Cassiopeia slowly wrote something on a piece of paper... after a moment, she finished the letter, but decided not to send it, instead tucking it under the desk.

To be honest, she felt a bit embarrassed...

"Wow! Sister, what are you writing?"

"Eep!"

Cassiopeia made a strange noise as she watched her sister take the letter, then saw her reading its contents... she didn’t try to snatch it back, instead covering her eyes in embarrassment.

"Yila, how have you been lately?"

Cassiopeia’s sister, the little elf girl, read out loud, then immediately looked at her sister with a mischievous grin, making an "O~~~~" sound while continuing to read—

"I don’t quite understand why sometimes I feel the urge to share something with you, but..."

"Whenever I see the crimson Silver Moon Forest at dawn, the sparkling Silver Moon Forest under the night sky, the Silver Moon Forest shrouded in twilight at dawn... I just want to tell you something."

Reading this, the little elf girl’s expression gradually shifted from playful to serious, becoming absorbed in Cassiopeia’s letter, she continued reading, "Sorry, Yila... the Silver Moon Tree Court is beautiful, but it’s just a forest. You might find it tiresome, right?"

"However, sharing your past, talking about ’dungeons,’ ’adventures,’ ’mazes,’ ’Avalon,’ I think... those are truly wonderful experiences."

"When we first met, you always smiled gently, but the last time we met, you didn’t seem very happy... so, I want to share what I find beautiful with you. Will this make you feel better?"

"Yila, today at the Silver Moon Tree Court..."

"It’s snowing."

"..."

After reading Cassiopeia’s letter, the little elf girl was deeply moved. She looked at her embarrassed and shy sister with astonishment—she couldn’t believe her sister wasn’t sincere in her writing.

In her heart, she was convinced—*My sister has fallen!*

After a brief moment of thought, the little elf girl nodded seriously, then ran quickly toward the upper levels of the Royal Court Tree, shouting, "Dad! Dad, come quickly! Sister is ruined!"

..."

Cassiopeia: *Ruined? What do you mean I am ruined?*

Cassiopeia: "Wait a minute! Hold on!"