CHAPTER 60: CHAPTER60-THE QUIET CHANGE IN THE BALANCE OF THE EMPIRE

From the beginning to the end, Aurek had no intention of backing down. The fruit that is forced is never sweet, and he would not allow any force to interfere with his decisions.

No matter how powerful Hyrule War Academy was, if it couldn’t be used for his benefit, it was nothing more than useless trash.

Everyone thought Hyrule War Academy was noble and powerful, but they all forgot that this was Crossbridge Empire, not Hyrule Empire.

Now, it was time to show everyone who the true master of the empire was.

"Alright, the meeting is adjourned," Aurek announced, cutting the conversation short. He didn’t give the officials a chance to persuade him.

In his mind, he knew one thing very clearly: Hyrule War Academy was just one of the many enemies Crossbridge Empire faced. In fact, compared to the rest of the empire’s enemies, it wasn’t even the strongest.

If he couldn’t deal with something like Hyrule War Academy, how could he continue executing his grand plan?

With that thought, Aurek stood up and walked out of the Royal Council Hall.

William and Heimerdinger immediately stood up, intending to follow Aurek and try to persuade him, but they were stopped by Angie.

"Gentlemen, please go back now," Angie said, blocking their way.

"Angie, you must try to convince His Majesty," William said, his tone serious. He knew how important Hyrule War Academy was.

Even if Aurek wanted to expel them from the empire, William felt that it should be done slowly and not with such a forceful attitude.

However, Angie shook her head and said, "William, sometimes it’s because you care about too many things that you fail to see the truth."

"Don’t you realize? It’s actually the emperor who has been bearing the entire weight of Crossbridge Empire."

"This empire doesn’t matter to His Majesty whether anyone stays or leaves."

After hearing Angie’s words, William fell into deep thought.

In truth, they couldn’t truly comprehend how heavy the burden was on Aurek’s shoulders. The empire was on the brink of collapse, and even the slightest display of weakness could tear it apart.

Angie’s words had a profound impact.

William and Heimerdinger, along with other members of the Royalist Party, began to reflect deeply.

It wasn’t that they couldn’t see the truth; it was just that the empire’s problems were so numerous that they had become cautious and hesitant, unsure of what action to take.

But now, their emperor was acting with the mentality of a man prepared to fight to the bitter end to save the empire. How could they have the right to persuade him otherwise?

Realizing this, a tinge of sadness flashed in William’s eyes.

Aurek was still just a 20-year-old young man, yet he had to carry the entire weight of the empire on his shoulders.

The emperor must be exhausted.

After a brief moment of silence, William spoke again.

"You’re right, this is something we’ve overlooked. The Crossbridge Empire is still in peril, and the only way we can stand against the forces that are stirring is by aligning ourselves with the emperor. We must unconditionally trust the emperor’s decisions."

The other Royalist Party officials nodded in agreement with William.

Previously, they had been trapped in a stagnant mindset, always thinking about compromise and yielding. But now, things had changed. They had to update their way of thinking.

At that moment, Heimerdinger spoke up.

"Alright, let’s return for now. We never know how many enemies are watching us in this imperial city. For us, the most important thing is to stabilize the entire empire first."

With those words, the officials began to leave the Royal Council Hall.

Throughout the imperial city, even the lowest-ranking commoners understood that the political landscape had undergone a massive shift.

Some of the more perceptive individuals began to realize the great things that Aurek, the young emperor, had achieved.

At the Clover Auction House, Kafka sat quietly, sipping his red wine, with two other old friends seated across from him.

"It’s surprising," Kafka said, taking a sip of his wine. "This young emperor Aurek, he actually has such skills."

"I thought for sure Aurek would fail this time, but now it seems I underestimated him."

In truth, many people had not expected Aurek to actually accomplish what he had.

Kafka continued, "But even if the young emperor Aurek survived this challenge, what comes next?"

"Now, the delicate balance that once held the empire together has been shattered."

"Now the real challenge begins—how will Aurek deal with the coming turmoil in the empire?"

"This situation is unpredictable."

An old man, dressed in scholarly robes, paused for a moment, then added, "Although the balance has been broken, Aurek has successfully unified the power. Now, he holds all the power of the empire in his hands."

"And haven’t you noticed? Throughout all of this, the Ordon Theocracy has remained silent."

"If Aurek can demonstrate his value to the Ordon Theocracy, they will assist him."

"Ultimately, this young emperor Aurek will have to prove his worth through his own power."

"If the Ordon Theocracy steps in, then all other factions will fall silent."

At this moment, Kafka spoke up again.

"What you say is indeed plausible. But I don’t think Aurek will do that."

"The events that have unfolded so far show that Aurek is an incredibly proud man. I don’t believe he will lower himself to seek refuge from the Ordon Theocracy."

"This situation cannot be dictated by his desires."

The bald scholar’s face became serious.

"Now that the balance is shattered, all the forces are stirring. If Aurek does not rely on the Ordon Theocracy, he will be torn to pieces."

At that moment, the silent elder suddenly spoke.

"But even if he seeks the Ordon Theocracy’s protection, that is merely seeking shelter from a tiger. It might allow the empire to survive for a few hundred more years, but what does that matter in the grand scheme of things?"

"We can only observe how things unfold. But I do have one question—should Clover Auction House get involved?"