I returned to the mansion the next morning after a passionate night with the empress.
Breakfast was just as normal, with none of the girls asking where I was last night.
Just after breakfast, some visitors arrived at the mansion.
The first to arrive was a carriage carrying my elder sister.
Dina was dressed as though she was here to visit her little brother. She smiled as soon as she saw me, hugging me tightly and kissing my cheek.
In truth, though, her visit today has another purpose.
A strategic meeting for the emperor's birthday five days later.
Perhaps because of that, Dina's expression was slightly rigid despite her trying her best to look normal.
Although the reason for Dina's visit was a strategic meeting, on the surface, she was here to visit me, her brother. The people that will come later had the same excuse.
Fortunately, all of them were relatively close to me, so this excuse could be used easily without raising too much suspicion.
A few minutes after Dina arrived, another carriage arrived. This time, a young lady with white hair and very beautiful features stepped down the carriage and bowed slightly with a smile.
"Prince Claus, it has been a long while since the last time we met."
"Hello, Miss Alice. It has been a long while indeed. You are as beautiful as always."
The young lady, Alice Ferret, giggle softly and put on a playful expression. She then opened her mouth as to say something, but suddenly, a brief expression of hesitation appeared on her face, and she stopped.
My eyes narrowed unnoticeably. However, I said nothing. Instead, I feigned that I did not notice it and greeted Alice's two followers warmly.
"Mr. Aaron, Miss Hannah, it's a pleasure to meet you again as well."
"I'm honored for your words, Your Highness."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
"Great. You can enter the house first. My maid, Daisy, will guide you to the place of the meeting."
"Thank you." Alice nodded and entered together with her two followers.
When they entered the mansion, I could not stop myself from narrowing my eyes.
Alice, huh…
I should pay more attention to her.
I'm pretty sure that she will be the point of breakthrough that Ysnay will use when the time for our battle arrives.
There is no way that I can know exactly what Ysnay is planning, so I can only be as careful as possible.
While I was lost in my thoughts, the third and last carriage arrived.
This time, it was a carriage carrying the insignia of the church.
As soon as the door of the carriage opened, a beautiful girl with auburn-colored hair and wearing a nun habit rushed towards me.
"Claus!"
I opened my arms and caught the girl, hugging her delicate body tightly and kissing her lips passionately.
The girl responded just as passionately, as though she was a traveler in a dessert that just found an oasis.
Only after several minutes like that, and after we heard a cough coming from behind the girl, we separated.
"I know that you two are engaged and that it has been a while since the last time you met, but you should show some restraint. Clara, you are the holy daughter of the church, remember? And Your Highness, you are a prince." Safelia said with an exasperated expression.
Clara blushed deeply and nodded. However, she held my hand tightly, not planning to let go despite Safelia's words.
Seeing that, the Saintess sighed again. For an instant, though, I could feel a small trace of jealously through our connection.
I chuckled with an amused expression.
This girl…
Suppressing my urge to laugh out loud, I greeted Saintess Safelia while I used our connection to send a message to her mind.
[Jealous?]
Safelia snorted in answer and glared at me angrily without replying.
[If you want, I can give you a kiss as well.]
Safelia rolled her eyes.
[Stop joking, Prince. You know the consequences of that. Instead, let's start the meeting.]
I nodded and led the two girls of the church to the hall we were going to use for the meeting.
In the way, I used our connection to ask Safelia about how she had been since she became my dependent. Safelia replied that everything was alright, but she had a bit of trouble controlling her strength.
Fortunately, I used a technique to hide her real cultivation before leaving back then, so nobody in the church noticed her sudden increase in cultivation and they only thought that Safelia was feeling sick.
Not even the goddess managed to notice Safelia's changes.
That is good, I guess.
[… By the way, the goddess has been preparing extensively lately. She probably will make her move soon.] Safelia suddenly said.
I fell deep in thought and nodded. So she is finally going to act, huh.
[When is it?] I asked.
[I'm not sure. The goddess has not revealed it. But it should be soon. You must be ready.]
I nodded and thanked Safelia for the information.
Actually, I don't care too much about the plans of the goddess. Anyway, I'm already completely prepared for that.
In the end, the Goddess of Order is just a small fry compared to the Immortals. I'm just waiting for her to make her move, and then, I'll finish her.
Even so, I reminded myself to be careful, just in case.
Looking at the auburn-haired girl holding my hand, I decided to make sure that everything was alright again.
We arrived at the hall at that moment.
Besides Dina and Alice plus her two servants (Butler Aaron and Knight Hannah), Louise, Daisy, Headmistress Evelyn, Katherine, Raven, and an old man were in the hall as well.
Louise and Daisy were here as Dina's attendants, Headmistress Evelyn and Katherine were here representing the Imperial institute, and Raven was here as the Red Skull Gang's representative.
As for the old man, he was a Creig Quintin, a fifteenth-layer powerhouse and the former emperor of the Arcadian Empire.
The people gathered in this hall represented the main supporters of Dina's faction, the people that wanted to make her the next emperor.
After Safelia, Clara, and I arrived at the hall, the meeting started.
"I guess that all of you know the reason why we are here," Dina said with a stern tone. "Five days later, during the emperor's birthday, will be the day when I become the next emperor.
"I know that some of you have doubts about the situation, however, I assure you that everything is ready. In fact, I can become the emperor right now if I want. The reason we are going to wait until the emperor's birthday is to fish out some rats hiding in the empire."
Alice, Headmistress Evelyn, Saintess Safelia, and the others narrowed their eyes in thought.
Mainly Alice, her butler Aaron, Headmistress Evelyn, and Saintess Safelia; who recognized that the old man in the hall was the former emperor of the empire.
They immediately understood that Dina had somehow managed to get the support of the elders and the hidden strength of the imperial family.
Seeing that, Alice was the first one to speak up.
"My Ferret Family is already ready, Your Highness. That day, all the private troops of my family will be there to help Your Highness to punish the traitors of the empire."
"The Imperial Institute is ready as well." Headmistress Evelyn followed in an even tone. "We are ready to move when your highness sees fit."
"The Red Skull Gang will follow your orders, Your Highness." Raven was the one to speak this time.
"The paladins and priest of the church are waiting for Your Highness's orders." Finally, Safelia spoke up for the church.
Seeing that, Dina nodded with a confident look. "Good. Then, let's talk about the plan for that day."
...
P4TRE0N: patr-eon.com/aidnovels