The flood of shocking news left Ryan with much to digest. The Knight King sat in his seat, carefully pondering everything.
It was now certain that Archaon, the Everchosen, had found the final artifact and was gathering his forces to march south. Since the Everchosen secured the last artifact, the winds of Chaos had grown increasingly violent. In the past two days, two more Great Guardian Nodes had failed.
The whispers of the Chaos Gods had spread across the world, causing Chaos cults to become extremely active. All Chaos believers were convinced that the best of times was coming, and they would stand on the side of victory.
The Chaos cults in the Empire had been lurking for many years, with most members unaware they were even worshipping Chaos. The Empire had too many secret societies and organizations to investigate thoroughly.
For example, the Empire's witch hunters and battle priests once spent considerable effort tracking down a well-known organization called the "Azure Eye Secret Cult." The name alone suggested it was a Tzeentch cult, right?
Wrong. It wasn't until the organization was destroyed that the witch hunters and battle priests discovered the Azure Eye Secret Cult was actually an inner circle of the Goddess Verena's church, renowned for training church knights in the study and practice of arcane magic. It was filled with powerful arcane knights skilled in arcane divine magic—elites among elites.
However, the reckless actions of the witch hunters and battle priests had caused irreparable damage. The arcane knights were nearly wiped out. During the subsequent Imperial High Religious Council meeting, the Church of Sigmar and the Church of Verena argued fiercely over the incident, nearly sparking a religious war.
Here's another example: the "Gatekeeper Sect," officially registered as a branch of the Morr cult, dedicated to hunting and eliminating necromancers and vampires. Sounds like a righteous organization, right?
Wrong. The Gatekeeper Sect was corrupted by Khorne within a decade of its founding, turning its members into bloodthirsty lunatics. They quickly shifted from hunting necromancers to targeting all "doctors," "herbalists," and "Shallyan priestesses" (as they began to believe that healing stole souls from Morr). This madness continued for years before the Empire officially declared the sect heretical and eradicated it.
The "Hidden Brotherhood"—doesn't that name sound suspicious? Wrong again. It's one of the Church of Sigmar's key intelligence agencies.
The "Brunswick Brotherhood"—doesn't that sound grand? In reality, it's a group of followers of Ranald, the god of thieves, made up of thieves, pickpockets, and bandits. Their favorite pastime was stealing oxen, cooking them together, and jumping from high places into haystacks, calling it the "Leap of Faith."
Thus, the myriad secret organizations and societies in the Empire made it incredibly difficult for authorities to determine who worshipped Chaos and who worshipped the gods of order. For example, in the Imperial capital of Altdorf, the Reiksguard, battle priests, and witch hunters searched every corner daily. Yet, the conclusion was terrifying—according to a secret scroll seen by Archbishop Alfred, Grand Theogonist Volkmar the Grim could confirm that one in every fifteen to twenty Altdorf citizens worshipped Chaos (though most didn't know what they were worshipping).
In Bretonnia, Chaos cult activity was much lower. However, in recent years, with the rise of the freeman class and Imperial immigrants, Chaos cults had begun to take root and flourish. The recent assassination attempt was clear evidence.
Ryan lowered his head, deep in thought.
Seeing her husband silent, Sulia took the initiative to steer the conversation. The Queen turned to Theresa and asked, "Dear Theresa, Elector Count Boris's wife, Anne, was a Slaanesh cultist. Is the Elector Count himself unharmed?"
"After the incident, Elector Count Boris underwent a purification ritual by the priests of the Ulric cult and was confirmed to be uncorrupted," Theresa replied respectfully, as it was Sulia asking.
"In that case, is there a possibility of conflict between Middenland and Nordland?" Sulia pressed.
"Yes, but Elector Count Boris prevented it. His investigation revealed that the Emerald Scepter was a local cult in Middenland. Lady Anne only became involved with the Slaanesh cult after years of loneliness following her marriage to him. If Middenland were to hold Nordland accountable, it would inevitably reveal the true cause of her death, leading to a messy blame game," Theresa explained. "Thus, Middenheim decided to let the matter rest, publicly announcing that Lady Anne died of illness."
"I see," Sulia fell silent, but Ryan picked up the conversation. The Knight King smiled, "So, Boris is a rough but shrewd man. Well done. Theresa, why don't you stay with us for the winter? I've prepared many new entertainment activities and imported plenty of health and wellness herbs from the Wood Elves."
"Yes," the sorceress pursed her lips, her eyes lighting up.
Aurora, sitting nearby, felt a pang of discomfort.
What about me?
Ryan pondered for a moment, about to say more, when Aurora interjected, "Your Majesty..."
"Ah, go on. What else is there?" Ryan nodded.
"During Marshal Bohemond's battle in the Forest of Arden, the Wood Elves provided crucial support at a critical moment. Orion, the King in the Woods, launched the Wild Hunt, charging into the Beastmen ranks from the rear alongside the Wild Riders. The Wood Elves later reminded us not to forget our alliance," Aurora reported. The Saint-level sorceress then asked, "Should we send envoys to thank them?"
There was more to her words than met the eye. Ryan narrowed his eyes and smiled, "Indeed, indeed."
Only now did he have the attention to properly look at his two court ladies.
Today, both mother and daughter had dressed meticulously to meet Ryan. Theresa wore a delicate, dreamy autumn-themed dress with a white fox fur coat, paired with ultra-thin black fluorescent stockings and 7-centimeter black stiletto heels with red soles. Her refined makeup, combined with her cold, elegant demeanor and waist-length, shiny black hair, made her appear both dignified and graceful.
Aurora, on the other hand, wore an ice-blue off-the-shoulder vintage evening gown, revealing her flawless, swan-like skin. Her smooth black hair was elegantly tied up, adorned with a white diamond feather headpiece, exuding grace and beauty.
The Saint-level sorceress wore light makeup, a white lace choker around her neck, and teardrop-shaped sapphire earrings. Her evening gown reached only to her knees, showcasing her long, alluring legs covered in sheer gray crystal stockings that shimmered in the light. Her delicate, gray-stockinged feet were nestled in red peep-toe high heels, with the faint outline of blue veins visible through her pale skin.
Ryan's eyes twinkled as he smiled, "Stay with Theresa and spend the winter with us, Lady Aurora. I've already reserved a royal suite for you at the Fontainebleau Palace's Bulgari Royal Hotel. Sulia will cover the expenses."
"Ah, yes!" Aurora's eyes lit up, and the Saint-level sorceress bowed respectfully, revealing her ample cleavage.
"You've worked hard. You've done well with this matter, but don't let your guard down. The winds of Chaos are growing stronger, and Bretonnia undoubtedly has many Chaos cultists preparing to cause trouble," Ryan addressed his two court ladies from Military Intelligence Seven. "Stay vigilant. Keeping you at Fontainebleau Palace for the winter isn't an excuse to neglect your duties."
With that, Ryan clapped his hands, and Olica appeared. The dark elf maid presented two exquisite large boxes containing the latest ultra-thin Lycra stockings.
Both mother and daughter shuddered at Olica's appearance, instinctively tightening their legs. Olica, however, curled her lips into an ambiguous smile, "Take them. These are gifts from our master."
"Yes..." Theresa and Aurora nodded in unison. Ryan gestured for them to rest and return for dinner later.
Olica led them away, the two Saint-level sorceresses following her like obedient chicks, powerless to resist.
"Couldn't resist, could you?" Sulia shot Ryan a look as Theresa and Aurora left, the air filled with the scent of lavender and violets. "Your injuries haven't fully healed yet. I'm not saying you can't..."
"Even if I'm not fully healed, I still managed to satisfy you last night, didn't I?" Ryan chuckled, pulling Sulia into his arms. The Queen blushed, recalling the previous night's events, and playfully hit Ryan's shoulder, "Devonshire is still here!"
"You know what you're doing... Alright, I'll go arrange dinner," Sulia glanced at her son, still kneeling, and decided to give the father and son some space.
Sulia left, leaving only Ryan and Devonshire in the inner hall. The Sun King stood up, hands on his hips, and slowly walked over to his son, looking down at him with a half-smile.
Seeing this, Devonshire quickly tried to stand up on one knee.
"Did I say you could get up?" Ryan asked coldly.
The son immediately knelt back down.
"Dad~" Devonshire whined, half-pleading, half-complaining, "You're so nice to Aunt Aurora and Aunt Theresa. They didn't even do a good job, yet you gave them seats, a feast, and even let them stay in the royal suite meant for you and Mom..."
"Oh? Did they not do a good job?" Ryan sneered, circling his kneeling son. "They've mapped out nearly all the Chaos cults in the Empire, identified their main areas of activity, methods, and possible headquarters. They even uncovered the Yellow Teeth Cult. Shouldn't I reward them? If possible, I'd even consider giving you another sister."
"Why not a brother?" Devonshire asked, puzzled.
"The iceblood lineage and special elixirs make it easier for sorceresses to conceive, but they only bear daughters," Ryan shook his head. Devonshire nodded in understanding.
The inner hall fell silent for a while as Ryan slowly circled his kneeling son.
"Later, go and properly apologize to your Uncle Angron," Ryan's tone softened. "Uncle Angron treats you like his own son. He's the one who's spent most of his time raising you. I've been busy with governance, expeditions, and dealing with your two mothers and that group of aunts, so I've rarely had time for you."
"It's my fault. I'll go find Uncle Angron tomorrow and apologize," Devonshire said, filled with regret. He tried to explain himself, "I was just... I was just a bit impatient."
"Impatient about what? When did it become our place as humans to meddle in the affairs of the High Elves and Dwarfs?" Ryan glanced sideways at his son. "How long has the young queen been missing? If they wanted to kill her, she'd be dead by now. If she's useful, they won't kill her so easily. Can't you figure that out?"
"I..." The son hung his head in defeat.
"You what?" Ryan crossed his arms, continuing to sneer. "Do you think that just because you have a powerful grandfather, a bunch of powerful uncles, and a strong father, you can do whatever you want?"
"You're wrong! We are us, and you are you!" The father's words struck Devonshire like thunder. "We love you because you're our grandson, nephew, and son. But that doesn't mean we'll blindly follow your orders."
"I'm not strong enough," Devonshire said bitterly, his heart heavy.
"It's not about strength, son. It's about your mindset," Ryan smirked, his nose twitching. The Sun King placed a hand on his son's shoulder and continued, "To make others respect you, to make them loyal to you, you need to be special, unique, and possess something that draws people to you. You need to offer them something they can't refuse."
"Do you think jumping around like a monkey, rushing to save someone, or throwing a tantrum will make them grateful? Make them fear you?" Ryan squeezed Devonshire's shoulder, making him yelp in pain. "Look at you, acting like a lovesick fool. The High Elves excel at leveraging influence and relationships to achieve their goals. If you act like this, she'll take you for granted. When she makes unreasonable demands, will you agree or not?"
"..." Devonshire was speechless, bowing his head in acknowledgment of his mistake.
"Sometimes, being too obvious and eager can backfire," Ryan finally allowed Devonshire to stand. The Sun King walked ahead with his arms crossed, while Devonshire followed, hunched over, listening to his father's advice. "Being too obvious makes it clear you're pursuing her, and it becomes awkward for everyone. In relationships, you need to leave some room for yourself, understand?"
"Understood."
"It's fine to be good to her, to pursue her, and to make some concessions or offer benefits initially," Ryan nodded. "But you must make it clear that you're not a lovesick fool. Your kindness comes with conditions and a price."
"Those who are favored often take it for granted," Ryan sneered, then called out, "Sylvie, is the bath ready?"
"It's ready," the head maid replied from outside.
"Good. Devonshire and I will take a bath before dinner," Ryan called out, then turned to his son with a smile. "Let me tell you a story. In ancient times, three tribal chieftains vied for supremacy. There was a famous riddle at the time, and the three gave different answers. The riddle was, 'If the cuckoo does not sing, what should you do?'"
"The first said, 'Kill it!'"
"The second said, 'Lure it.'"
"The third said, 'Wait for it to sing.'"
Devonshire couldn't help but chuckle. He thought for a moment and said, "The third one must have won in the end, right, Father?"
"Oh? You're quite sharp," Ryan glanced at his son in surprise.
"Because the first two don't align with what you've been saying," Devonshire sighed.
"Good, you're starting to understand. What you need now is patience," Ryan nodded. "You're still in the phase of accumulating and improving yourself."
"Father's words make sense, but I think sometimes making a big show can also be a way to deceive the enemy. If everyone thinks I'm foolish, then I'll act foolish," Devonshire suddenly said. "Father, I believe that sometimes playing along can be both going with the flow and catching them off guard!"
Ryan's eyes widened in surprise.
This son of mine...
Not bad, he takes after me!
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