Chapter 185

Chapter 157 The Current Situation

“Clang—”

“What are you doing…?”

“Ahhh—! The Sword of Canri…”

“Pfft.”

The commotion outside the mansion subsided quickly.

Most of those iron-clad guards were just ordinary people who had undergone some basic training. They were generally not very skilled and were far from the level of the Canri Sword, who was proficient in the power of order and had extensive combat experience. Without even looking, I knew that what was happening outside in the courtyard was nothing but blatant slaughter; it hardly qualified as a fight.

But such things… made me feel slightly suffocated.

Those iron-clad guards didn’t really deserve to die. To kill them so casually… I’ve always hated the so-called “elites” themselves. Their casual words could make “subordinates” die without any value.

Back when I was in the Valen Empire, the city guards who attacked me, and now these iron-clad guards, were all like this. Perhaps in the eyes of those “in high positions,” their deaths had value, like Victoria said about “attitude.” But in reality, the dead also had families, wives, children, and friends. How would they think?

But that’s just how things are; there is no distinction between right and wrong.

From Victoria’s perspective, if she didn’t kill them, her enemies would subtly be implanted with the idea that “there’s no cost to harming Victoria.” In the future, they would become more ruthless, doing things increasingly over the top, until one day it reaches an irreparable point, and maybe ten times, a hundred times more people will die than today.

What would happen if a country’s ruler was weak and vulnerable?

It’s unimaginable.

Of course, perhaps after today, things might escalate further. But choices can never be confirmed as right or wrong until they are made. Victoria is a woman whose intelligence is unsettling to me. I’m sure she won’t let herself get into a situation where she has no way out.

So, when she said she wanted to kill all those iron-clad guards, I said nothing and did nothing.

I knew she was right.

I was almost getting used to such things.

This was the game rule of this world, and there was no room for my interference.

But I would set a bottom line in my heart.

The Empress Dowager downstairs had already left. I saw her leave, lost in thought, her face pale. Until the very last moment before she left, she glared fiercely at Victoria, but Victoria never looked back at her again.

I hurried up two steps to the second floor and came silently beside Victoria.

The rain was falling steadily, making a “bang bang” sound on the window and tiles. It sounded clearer on the second floor.

The lawn outside was stained red with blood, mixing with the rain and gradually spreading outward.

Victoria’s face was cold as ice. She tapped her fingers lightly on the railing, her gaze seemingly fixed on the exquisite candle chandelier above, or perhaps something even farther away, pondering something.

I stood quietly beside her, tilting my head and thinking for a moment, then asked, “Is this okay?”

After a long silence.

“This is fine,” she said.

I nodded and remained silent.

After a while, Reckert entered through the main door downstairs.

He wasn’t covered in blood, but he had been gone for quite some time and was thoroughly drenched by the heavy rain. Water droplets dripped continuously from his clothes and pants. Reckert stood at the door, shaking himself off, then wiped his face and walked briskly up to the second floor.

“Let’s go, we’ll talk over there,” Victoria spoke beside me.

I followed her into a study on the second floor. There was a wooden carved round table for meetings, with an old-fashioned oil lamp in the center. Along the edges of the round table were rows of original wood display racks, with a color

The items here were expensive and well-crafted, with some books and boxes on display, though mostly just books. They were arranged haphazardly, and upon closer inspection, they were covered in dust—clearly not much cared for by their owner.

Could it be that Victoria doesn’t like reading?

She doesn’t read, drinks heavily, always keeps a cold face, and doesn’t eat sweets… People who don’t eat sweets can’t enjoy life; she will have a hard time getting married in the future.

With such thoughts in mind, I pulled out a chair and sat down, watching as Victoria sat opposite me. As for Reckert… he didn’t sit down; he stood to one side.

“Tell me the results from this morning,” Victoria said indifferently before I could even settle in my seat.

She didn’t ask about what happened outside because she already knew the outcome, and she wouldn’t ask Reckert to wrap things up since she knew he would know what to do. She was a woman who didn’t waste words.

I had thought she would still be immersed in the strong emotions from earlier, but she wasn’t. She was so calm that I doubted everything I had seen and heard was just a dream—Victoria’s mother hadn’t come at all, and nothing had happened here.

“The fires on Aleric Street have been completely extinguished. The damage isn’t extensive, but many residents have lost their homes, and repair work must be done as soon as possible… Three civilians died, which is fortunate.” Reckert said.

He then looked at me: “It’s also fortunate that it was Miss Sylviega. If it had been me… I saw the battlefield. Facing that kind of flame, I wouldn’t have been able to think of anyone else; I could only try to save myself.”

I tilted my head for two seconds before realizing he was praising me.

So, I gave him a slight smile.

But I felt a bit ashamed, because even I hadn’t thought of others at the time—the headache was too severe… It was just luck that there weren’t more casualties. As for the three who died… they were probably those ruffians.

“The residents were likely terrified; several people said they saw demons…”

My heart tightened, and I suddenly found it difficult to breathe.

“No wonder, those heretics… They would even commit suicide, and with such power… Truly insane, calling them demons isn’t wrong. Besides, they believed in—”

“Reckert, get to the point,” Victoria said unhappily, knocking on the table.

I breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

The hand gripping my skirt was sweating.

Thank goodness. No one noticed… There’s no way anyone would believe… Don’t be afraid… No one would think of that place.

Reckert’s expression tightened: “…Yes, next is Cataromma. Everything is normal there, except for one boy missing named Abel. Currently, both the orphanage and our people are searching for him, but they haven’t found him yet.”

The tension gradually eased, and I listened intently to his report.

Abel hasn’t been found… He told me this when he was outside. Deputy Captain Tynis is still looking for him, and worrying now won’t help.

“The information I received indicates that the last person to see Abel was the gatekeeper of Cataromma. It was yesterday evening, when Abel went out alone, tricking him into saying he needed to cut deer meat for his sick sister. His sister was frail and often ill, and Abel would go out every few days to get food the orphanage couldn’t provide. The gatekeeper didn’t suspect much and let him go, but he never returned after that.”

I furrowed my brows.

Abel’s sister… Wasn’t she one of the three little girls in that desolate street in the Emerald City? I remembered him mentioning it.