...
Greg watched the wind magic Wendy unleashed, his eyes widening slightly beneath his mask.
He had originally thought Wendy was purely a desk worker, but now it seemed he was mistaken.
The strength of this Fifth Imperial Princess was far greater than she let on.
“Your Highness...!”
Seeing Wendy execute the Crown Prince right before their eyes, several guards instinctively gripped their weapons and prepared to step forward.
“Stand down!” the Emperor barked, raising his hand to stop them.
The Emperor's gaze swept over the two figures standing beside Wendy.
The sharp, biting aura radiating from the sword-wielding woman made him feel as though this young woman was even more formidable than Roland, the former Empire's Sword.
And although the masked man didn't emit any noticeable presence at the moment, the Emperor guessed he must be the mysterious figure who had just blanketed the entire Imperial Capital in magic to clear Wendy's name.
Both of them possessed immense strength, far beyond what ordinary guards could handle.
Besides, he didn't feel Wendy had done anything wrong.
Finn's collusion with an unknown faction and his attempt to stage a coup to seize the throne had completely crossed the line.
Taking a deep breath, the Emperor looked at Wendy, his voice carrying an unprecedented solemnity:
“Wendy, let me ask you something. Are you willing to return and continue serving as the Empire's Fifth Imperial Princess?”
Wendy was slightly taken aback and didn't answer immediately.
The Emperor continued, “If you are willing, I hope that in the future, you can become the Empire's first true Empress.”
Hearing this, Greg's heart skipped a beat.
An Empress? Wendy had a chance to become the Empress of the Empire?
His gaze instantly turned burning hot. He stared intently at Wendy, desperately hoping she would agree.
If Wendy became the Empress, what a massive boost that would be for his future plans!
Wendy felt the heavy gaze Greg directed at her.
She turned her head slightly and saw the burning anticipation in his eyes.
I understand what you mean, Lord Bishop. You must not want me to leave your side to become some Empress, right?
Thus, without the slightest hesitation, Wendy declined. “I'm sorry, Father, but I cannot accept.”
Greg: “...”
At that moment, it felt as if something had shattered inside him.
A flicker of regret crossed the Emperor's face upon hearing her response, but he didn't push. He simply nodded:
“May I ask your reason for refusing?”
Wendy turned around, walked over to Greg, and reached out to naturally wrap her arms around his.
Her body leaned slightly against him, her tone gentle yet firm: “Because I have already dedicated my heart and soul to this lord.”
Greg froze as he felt the soft sensation against his arm.
He hadn't expected Wendy to say something like that right in front of the Emperor.
...
Beside them, the scabbard in Allie's hand trembled slightly, letting out a soft metallic clink. In the end, however, she took a deep breath and forcefully suppressed the jealousy she could barely contain.
The Emperor watched Wendy cling to Greg's arm, his gaze growing even more complicated.
Although Wendy was his most valued daughter, he hadn't been able to summon the resolve to rescue her before, yet this man had succeeded.
As such, he had absolutely no right to say anything in opposition.
The Emperor fell silent for a moment, then let out a long sigh, his tone carrying a sense of relief:
“Very well... Since it is your own choice, I respect your decision. After all, you have always been my wisest and most talented child, so I trust your judgment.”
A bright, happy smile bloomed on Wendy's face: “Thank you, Father.”
The Emperor shook his head: “I am merely an incompetent father.”
He couldn't help but think that if he had done a better job, his only son might not have strayed down such an evil path, and his favorite daughter might not have had to leave her homeland.
Wendy glanced behind her at the Imperial Capital, which was gradually beginning to regain order. “The final task I needed to accomplish is done, so it is time for me to leave.”
With that, Wendy turned and began to walk away.
“Oh, and Wendy, there is something I must tell you as well.”
As if remembering something, the Emperor called out to the departing Wendy:
“To commemorate the assistance of the Goddess of Night today, I, in the name of the Emperor of the Empire, grant the Dark Night Order permission to operate within imperial borders.”
He paused, his voice softening slightly:
“Consider this my apology to you, child. I failed you before, but this place will always be your home—you are welcome back anytime.”
Wendy's footsteps halted.
She stood there with her back to the Emperor, her shoulders trembling slightly.
After a brief moment, she turned around, her eyes slightly red, but a relieved smile graced her lips.
She bowed deeply to the Emperor: “Thank you... Father.”
Then she turned back around and left alongside Greg and Allie.
The Emperor watched the figures of the three disappear into the night before slowly retracting his gaze.
He raised a hand to wipe the corner of his eyes, then turned to the attendants beside him to briefly arrange the aftermath. This included recovering the Crown Prince's remains, reassuring the citizens of the Imperial Capital, calculating the damages, and planning the subsequent reconstruction.
Order after order was issued methodically from his mouth, showcasing the composure and decisiveness expected of a sovereign ruler.
Yet, after arranging all these matters, a sudden thought occurred to him.
He had seen very clearly that Wendy was fond of that masked man.
But what about the sword-wielding woman?
What was her relationship with that man?
In the eyes of an Emperor like him, that woman was also an exceptionally outstanding individual. Not only did she possess a powerful aura, but her appearance was also remarkably striking. It was impossible for any man to be uninterested.
As a man who had witnessed the perils of the imperial harem, he suddenly began to worry for his daughter's well-being.
...
Under the cover of night, the three walked side by side through a quiet, secluded alleyway.
Wendy hesitated for a moment before asking, “Lord Bishop... is it really alright that you exposed the existence of the Order just to help me?”
Greg shook his head:
“It's fine. Exposure was bound to happen sooner or later anyway. Besides, with the Emperor's permission now, even if the people from the Church of Light harbor hostility toward us, they won't be able to do anything to us within the borders of the Empire for the time being. If anything, this is a prime opportunity to expand the Order's influence.”
He paused, silently adding in his mind:
And as the Order's influence grows, Nightmare might even grant me another Divine Protection.
In this battle, had it not been for the Sovereign of Night's Divine Protection, he wouldn't have been able to pull off such an absurd feat.
Therefore, to speed up the progress of obtaining his next Divine Protection, taking on some risk was well worth it.
Wendy felt slightly more at ease and gave a soft nod.
After walking a bit further, a group of magic academy students appeared not far ahead.
They were busily assisting in the rescue of affected civilians, carrying the injured, and clearing away debris in full swing.
Greg stopped in his tracks and said to Wendy and Allie, “It's time for me to head back and regroup. You two should find a place to get some proper rest as well.”
As he spoke, he intentionally disheveled his clothes to look as though he had also gone through a grueling battle, then limped his way toward the group of students.
Only Wendy and Allie remained.
For a moment, the atmosphere turned somewhat awkward.
...
Wendy lowered her head, her fingers nervously twisting together.
Although Allie had previously said she didn't mind, Wendy knew in her heart that she had indeed crossed some lines.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something to break the silence, but found herself at a loss for words.
At that moment, Allie spoke up first: “Are you hungry?”
Wendy looked up, somewhat surprised.
Allie tried her best to sound casual: “You must be starving after being busy for so long. Let's head back to the stronghold and get something to eat.”
She paused, then added, “Also, as punishment for your reckless stunt, you have to personally cook for me this time—until I'm satisfied!”
Wendy was stunned for a moment, and then a warm smile spread across her face.
Taking two steps forward, she proactively reached out and took Allie's hand:
“Understood, Lady Allie.”
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