Vol 4. Chapter 36: The Future of the Snow Night Empire

In the southern part of Skyvault, atop a section of the city wall that was almost completely deserted, a young blonde woman sat quietly, thoughtfully surveying the heart of the empire.

This young woman was none other than the Fourth Princess of the Snow Night Empire, the late emperor’s most cherished daughter, and Xue Tianao’s younger sister,

Fengling-Valedin, known as ‘the Most Beautiful Angel of the Empire.’

As the flower of the empire, Fengling-Valedin was naturally breathtakingly beautiful. Her silky golden hair fluttered in the wind. Beneath slender willow-like brows, her water-blue eyes shone as brilliantly as the stars and moon. Her delicate nose was elegant and high, while a faint blush colored her cheeks, complemented by cherry-red lips that seemed almost dripping with moisture.

A single glance was enough to steal the souls of countless people.

However, at this moment, the beautiful princess was not dressed in her usual luxurious golden attire. Instead, she wore simple cloth garments beneath a pure-white fur cloak. Her clothing seemed completely incompatible with the word ‘princess.’

Moreover, Fengling’s once vibrant and captivating water-blue eyes no longer displayed her noble elegance, thoughtfulness, or overflowing compassion.

Instead, her face bore a profound desolation that appeared only when grief had grown beyond what even wailing could express, so deep that merely looking at her was painful.

Clearly, Fengling’s heart was currently filled with complicated emotions.

“Sigh...”

Looking down at the city of Skyvault below, Fengling let out yet another long sigh.

She could no longer remember how many times she had sighed.

Now,

this city that had once been the heart of the Snow Night Empire, its political and economic center,

this metropolis that had once been the most prosperous, beautiful, and magnificent city in the entire empire, the place countless imperial citizens yearned to visit, had completely lost its former splendor.

Because of the Abyss Demon horde’s assault, the central and northern parts of the city had been almost completely destroyed. Not a single intact building remained. There were only shattered walls and ruins, mixed with countless nauseating chunks of flesh.

The stench of rotting meat was continuously carried southward by the cold wind, making Fengling’s stomach churn violently.

Fortunately,

having already witnessed similar mountains of corpses and seas of blood in the northern territories, she managed to suppress the urge to vomit.

Although the southern part of the city had yet to be trampled by the vicious Abyss Demon horde, it had long since become deathly still, submerged in an eerie silence. Fearing another Abyss Demon attack, the residents of the southern district had already begun fleeing in massive numbers, migrating northward.

The entire southern district was now completely deserted.

If this had been a week ago, no one could possibly have imagined that the capital of the Snow Night Empire would end up like this.

“Sigh...”

Fengling sighed again.

And just as Fengling continued sighing incessantly, accompanied by a comfortable fluctuation of holy magic, a clear and pleasant voice like the gentle flow of a stream slowly entered her ears, instantly bringing the light back into the blonde girl’s eyes.

“Hey, Your Highness. Are you doing okay?”

The voice was pleasant and warm, filled with genuine concern. It brought a trace of warmth into Fengling’s otherwise deathly, gloomy inner world.

Then,

Fengling suppressed the gloom on her face, revealed a friendly smile, and slowly turned around.

At this moment,

standing on the city wall behind Fengling was a valiant silver-haired girl wearing platinum-white knightly dress armor, her hair tied into a single ponytail. She was waving at Fengling in a rather friendly manner.

Upon seeing her old friend, a trace of joy immediately appeared between Fengling’s brows.

“Hm? Mengxi? It’s been a long time.”

“Yeah. It’s been about half a year since we said goodbye at the academy, hasn’t it?”

Mengxi reminisced as she spoke, then sighed emotionally.

“Time really does fly.”

“It does.”

“How have you been?”

Looking at Fengling, whose face had become noticeably thinner, who appeared listless and even somewhat enveloped in depression, Mengxi couldn’t help asking.

Back at Yexinlian Academy in the capital of the Crimson Leaf Empire, Fengling had been the only person who had genuinely gotten along with Mengxi and had even become her friend.

At the time, in order to conceal Mengxi’s identity, Nick had enrolled her in Yexinlian Academy under the identity of a commoner girl. Inside that ‘royal academy,’ which was filled with the children of imperial nobles, wealthy merchants, and political dignitaries, Mengxi had inevitably suffered some discrimination after enrolling.

At the same time,

because of the influence of her Holy Spirit Power, those students had gradually developed some strange affection toward her. Quite a few boys began coveting her body, while numerous girls became jealous of her beauty. As a result, they had caused Mengxi no shortage of trouble.

Fengling had been the only person back then who didn’t care about Mengxi’s commoner identity and treated her amicably. She had even proactively helped Mengxi resolve quite a few troublesome situations.

Because Fengling herself was quite powerful and possessed extremely strong mental power, she hadn’t been particularly affected by the ‘Holy Spirit Power’ surrounding Mengxi’s body.

Therefore, Fengling was one of Mengxi’s very few friends.

And Mengxi cared deeply about her friends.

Thus,

after learning where Fengling was, Mengxi took advantage of the time while the Church’s main force was packing up their belongings and came to the southern part of Skyvault.

“I heard before that Xue Tianao imprisoned you inside the imperial palace... That... that brother of yours didn’t do anything to you, did he?”

She had originally wanted to say ‘stallion,’

but considering the blood relationship between Xue Tianao and Fengling, Mengxi temporarily suppressed her disgust.

Upon hearing the three words ‘Xue Tianao,’ Fengling froze slightly before revealing a complicated expression. She thoughtfully looked into the distance, toward the imperial palace that had already been reduced to ruins.

“No, he didn’t. Although Brother really wanted me to become his imperial consort, he ultimately chose to respect my wishes and let me think about it slowly... At least during the time I was inside the imperial palace, he didn’t make a move on me. ...Enmmm, although maybe it was because you came to the imperial capital, Mengxi. Once that guy’s attention was drawn to you, he probably stopped caring about me.”

Fengling chuckled.

Although she was laughing, her laughter contained an indescribable bitterness.

The ever-considerate Mengxi quickly noticed the sorrow concealed within Fengling’s smile.

“Are you like this... because of Xue Tianao?”

“Sigh, I suppose so...”

Facing her good friend, Fengling chose not to hide anything and honestly nodded.

“Xue Tianao... Although he had become increasingly insane and greedy lately, he was still my older brother. He took care of me ever since I was little. Without him, I probably would’ve died long ago in the infighting of the inner palace, right? Besides, after Father and my other brothers and sisters died, I suppose he was the only family I had left in the truest sense... For a family member like that to suddenly die without any clear explanation... I can’t help feeling somewhat... depressed about it...”

Fengling shook her head self-mockingly.

Seeing this, Mengxi said nothing more.

To Fengling, Xue Tianao was probably someone she, enmm... utterly despised, yet also depended upon greatly. An important person with whom she had an incredibly complicated relationship.

Mengxi didn’t know how she should comfort her friend about something like that.

However,

she couldn’t help sighing inwardly as well.

That guy Xue Tianao really is dead...

Although she still didn’t know exactly who the person who had taken Xue Tianao away earlier was, judging by the situation, that person clearly hadn’t spared the Child of Destiny.

Back then, Mengxi had felt somewhat regretful that she hadn’t been able to personally eliminate Xue Tianao.

But now, she couldn’t help feeling relieved.

After all, if she really had killed Xue Tianao—killed Fengling’s older brother—she might genuinely have felt too guilty to face this friend of hers.

“Come to think of it, Fengling, I heard that now that Xue Tianao is dead, the imperial priests intend to nominate you as the new Empress.”

The silver-haired girl attempted to change the subject.

“Hm?”

Hearing this, Fengling gave a noncommittal nod.

“Yeah. After all, all my other brothers and sisters were killed by Xue Tianao... I’m the only one left who can become the new Empress.”

Even though she was about to become the empire’s new ruler,

there wasn’t the slightest trace of joy in Fengling’s expression. There was only endless worry.

After all, Xue Tianao had left her one gigantic mess to clean up...

“The other members of the imperial family must have plenty of objections...”

Mengxi asked worriedly.

She knew Fengling’s position within the Snow Night Empire very well. Previously, everything Fengling possessed had existed under Xue Tianao’s protection. Without Xue Tianao, the Fourth Princess was essentially little more than the empire’s mascot, without any actual political power.

Now, asking such an imperial princess to become Empress...

The lords in the eastern and western regions of the Snow Night Empire probably wouldn’t accept it easily.

Even if they did agree, Fengling could very well become nothing more than a new puppet Empress.

Hearing Mengxi’s words, Fengling smiled faintly.

“Yes. Those people even had an argument with the High Priest over it yesterday...”

“What troublesome people. But Fengling, don’t worry. I can help you with this. As for the Asumos Church, all I need to do is talk to Archbishop Nick and—”

However,

before Mengxi could finish speaking, Fengling shook her head.

“Thank you for wanting to help, my good sister. But... that problem has already been resolved... Enmm, basically resolved, I suppose.”

“Hm? Resolved?”

Mengxi frowned, her pale-purple eyes filled with confusion.

“Wh-What do you mean?”

“Enmm, well... Actually, I’m completely baffled by it myself. Anyway, this morning, Duke Black Rose suddenly came to see me and said that the Black Rose Family was willing to support me in becoming Empress, and that they would speak with the opposition on my behalf. Then, during the meeting just now, the three nobles who had previously opposed me inexplicably changed their minds and agreed... And just like that, the resolution for me to become Empress passed.”

As Fengling spoke, even she began to feel as though everything were some kind of dream.

Mengxi, standing beside her, revealed an even stranger expression.

“Black Rose?”

Them...

again?