Chapter 16: Abolishing Slavery

Solene’s voice was steady and resolute as she declared, "I intend to uproot the system of slavery and severely punish the merchants who traffic in human lives. There will be no leniency." The pocket watch clutched in her hand ticked rhythmically.

The assembled nobles fell into a heavy silence. Only Sylvia stood firmly by her side in full support, while the Saintess stood on the other side, expressionless and seemingly indifferent. The Imperial Knights—most of whom were youths from the Lowlands and commoner backgrounds—embraced this decision with a death-defying resolve.

The military was no longer the private property of the nobility; it belonged to the millions of citizens. Although those gathered here were Solene’s aristocratic supporters, even they were stunned by the gravity of this decree. One could only imagine the reaction of the old guard nobles. However, since they were currently within the palace, it meant Solene held all the cards; this meeting was merely a notification.

Solene raised her glass and said softly, "Rest assured, for those nobles who did not profit from the slave trade, I will exercise discretion. I will not sentence you to death lightly."

The other nobles stared at the floor, faces twisted with discontent or shock regardless of whether they were involved. Only one man tremblingly raised his glass, prompting those beside him to follow suit. Solene didn't wait; she tilted her head back and drained her glass, and the four nobles followed.

The remaining nobles glared at the four who had complied. Solene suddenly smashed her glass and laughed, commanding, "Sylvia, kill those who show such disrespect!"

The eyes of the nobles who hadn't toasted widened as a swarm of knights rushed in, swiftly cutting them down. Warm blood splattered across the four survivors. One let out a terrified roar before bursting into tears and lunging headfirst into a stone pillar.

Now, only three nobles remained on Solene’s side. Sue watched this in disbelief, wondering:

Has Solene become so powerful that she no longer needs supporters?

As Sue clenched her fists, Solene lightly patted her shoulder. "Sue, as our benevolent Saintess, pray for them."

With a thud, Sue collapsed to her knees. She sat on the floor, fingers interlocked, her forehead resting against the back of her hands as she fought to suppress her trembling. "May the Goddess forgive their sins... the Goddess is with you..."

Sylvia took the handkerchief Solene offered, wiped the blood from her face, and followed her out.

In a distant location, the two former Grand Dukes received the news. They stood up abruptly, eyes wide with shock. They quickly penned a letter and dispatched a secret messenger to infiltrate the palace, with orders to deliver the message directly into Ian’s hands. This matter concerned the very survival of the nobility and the Royal Family.

Ian sat at the furthest edge of the area he was permitted to roam.

"Why are you sitting here all alone?" Solene smiled, walking toward him with Sylvia.

"I killed Hill. She was a dead woman anyway; surely it doesn't matter if I killed her," Ian said with a smile, looking at Solene.

"Your wedding was supposed to be held soon, Ian. Are you trying to spite me on purpose?!" Solene’s voice rose, unable to hide her inner fury and irritation. Sylvia looked on in surprise; she rarely saw Solene genuinely bothered by anything.

Ian shrugged. "I don't understand what you mean. It shouldn't be a big deal, right?"

"On the eve of the wedding, the Emperor murders his own fiancée. How do you think the newspapers and the public will discuss this?" Solene questioned.

"It doesn't matter," Ian shrugged again.

Solene frowned and turned away. Ian remained by the fountain, basking in the brilliant sunlight, appearing exceptionally pleased. Sylvia followed closely behind Solene.

"What does the Emperor's action have to do with us?" Sylvia asked quietly.

Solene turned, her gaze deep. "Sylvia, our hands are covered in blood. Can this truly lead to a good outcome?"

"We have discussed this before," Sylvia said firmly. "You said the people would fear us for our actions, but I told you—my personal life and death have long been cast aside. As long as what we do is right, it is enough."

Solene nodded slightly. "If we are no longer here, the Empire will not need an Emperor, but a true leader."

Sylvia’s eyes widened for a moment before she slowly lowered them. "Countess Solene, I truly wonder if you have seen the Goddess with your own eyes. How else could you sacrifice everything so selflessly?"

"Sylvia, the people of the Lowlands don't even have the freedom to buy bread. If they bake it at home, they are hunted by nobles and sold as slaves. Every year, they risk the bitter cold to gather firewood by the river just to survive the winter. And this is only the tip of the iceberg. I often hear you and the knights speak of the commoners' suffering; do you understand my plight now? Does the Goddess... truly exist?" Solene’s gaze was as sharp as a blade.

Sylvia was left speechless, her throat tightening. She finally looked down and turned to leave, leaving behind one sentence: "Perhaps he will become an excellent leader. I trust your judgment."

"You certainly leave quickly. Is everything at the hospital and the orphanage handled?" Solene asked, leaning against a table.

Sylvia paused. "I’ve handed the hospital over to Andre; that kind of professional work doesn't suit me. He said he’ll report to you next week. I’m almost finished with the orphanage."

"Good. Go finish your mission then. The remnants of those cunning nobles won't be easy to deal with," Solene instructed.

"True. I haven't slept well in days, busy catching people," Sylvia gave a wry smile before striding away.

Most of the palace servants had been dismissed, replaced by Sylvia’s trusted knights.

The News:

The Emperor’s fiancée has been assassinated; the act is suspected to be linked to an old noble from the Emperor's former faction. With this exposure, the three major factions within the former Royal Family have surfaced. Among them, Countess Solene is shockingly listed as a member of the Empress's faction!

Solene smiled as she leafed through the newspaper. She had anonymously released the information she had meticulously recorded over the years, skillfully guiding public opinion and forcing the hidden old nobles into the spotlight. At the same time, she spread word among the nobles that Ian had killed Hill himself, trapping them in a dilemma where they had to accept the fact and even help Ian suppress the news.

She looked up at Ian sitting opposite her, a smile touching her lips. "Thank you."

Ian stared at her expressionlessly, remaining silent.

"How did you kill her? I didn't sense a thing. Did you use magic?" Solene curiously grabbed Ian’s wrist, but the restraint was still functioning steadily.

"The candle went out, so I simply drove the candlestick into her heart. She just fell over," Ian recounted calmly.

Solene was taken aback. A wound to the heart was indeed fatal, and the speed of it likely meant she didn't even have time to feel pain.

Ian, you are becoming harder and harder to control...

she thought to herself.

"Your Majesty, get some rest," Solene tried to change the subject.

However, Ian grabbed her arm, pulling her close. "The Emperor has been on the throne for a long time, yet has not named an Empress. What are the Countess's thoughts on this?"

"I have no particular thoughts. With the situation so chaotic, who would dare say anything?" Solene tried to pull away, but Ian pulled her into his embrace, pinning her chest firmly.

"Do you not want to be the Emperor, or the Empress?" Ian’s tone held a hint of provocation.

Solene laughed. "Your Majesty, you can marry anyone—except me. That is impossible."

Ian’s brow furrowed, his fingers rubbing lightly against her skin... "What does it matter what you want? We have already played the roles of Emperor and Empress countless times."

Solene’s clothes were suddenly torn open as Ian pressed her onto the sofa, sweat dripping from her brow. She struggled, but he gripped her wrists and roughly pulled her behind the sofa. The ache in her knees made it nearly impossible to stand; eventually, she could only let Ian lead her staggering toward the bed in the lounge.

Solene’s long hair was tangled around Ian’s wrist. She suddenly sat up, only to fall back onto the bed as her hair was yanked. She held her head, looking somewhat disheveled. Ian slowly opened his eyes—which had been light blue but now seemed to have deepened significantly.

Ian suddenly leaned down, sealing her words with his lips. With a quick turn, he skillfully untangled her hair from his wrist. Solene gasped for air as if the oxygen had grown thin.

"You could have pushed me away at any time, but you didn't," Ian said with a light smile, a strange light dancing in his eyes.

Solene coughed twice, her voice raspy from the struggle. She countered, "I don't care; I enjoyed it well enough. And didn't you know? I’ve been with many people. I had two lovers before this."

Ian’s brow tightened, and his grip instinctively hardened. Solene gasped again, clutching the pillow. Ian gently stroked her neck, his voice low. "Solene, I have always been watching her, while you... you knew nothing at all."

Solene laughed aloud, tears slipping from the corners of her eyes. Whether they were tears of laughter or sorrow, it was no longer clear. Afterward, they both fell silent and closed their eyes, as if all words had become redundant.

"Hello, I am the new maid. I’ve come specifically to serve the Countess for her bath."

Noticing the wide eyes of the maid who had appeared with the Emperor, Solene slowly removed her nightgown, revealing the mottled red marks and bite marks on her body. The maid blinked and hurriedly lowered her head in embarrassment. Other maids entered to tidy up, appearing long since accustomed to the sight.

Solene sat comfortably in the tub, looking at the maid who was carefully washing her hair. "Are you new?" she asked softly.

The maid nodded quickly. "Yes, Countess. Sister Xinle was injured, so I’ve come to take her shift. Please don't worry, I work just as hard as my sister!"

Looking at the maid’s flushing cheeks, Solene squinted slightly, a smile touching her lips. "What is your name?"

"My name is Flo." The maid’s bright, light-brown eyes were as dazzling as the sun, and her light-green hair radiated vitality and freedom.

"That’s a lovely name. From now on, you shall be my personal maid," Solene said. With that, she closed her eyes and leaned lazily against the edge of the tub.

Flo felt a surge of excitement. Being an ordinary maid was grueling, having to answer the bell at any moment. But a personal maid only had to deliver meals on time and act as a messenger, sometimes even getting to taste the master's leftovers. Noble meals were always lavish, with plenty of delicacies left over.

"Thank you for the promotion, Countess!" Flo said gratefully.

"Mm..." Solene responded softly.

"Countess, Lord Andre is here to see you."

"Send him in," Solene replied. She was currently in the study, focused on organizing the complex affairs of the Empire.

Inside the study, only the two of them sat opposite each other. Andre stepped in and sat leisurely on the sofa, taking a sip of the flower tea on the table. A faint smile touched his lips. "Your love for this flower tea remains unchanged." His eyes were half-lowered, his smile holding a hint of depth.

Solene looked up at him. "How is the situation at the hospital?"

Andre set down the cup, his expression turning grave. "It has been handled, but the old nobles are restless. Rumors that the hospital is a slaughterhouse are already spreading." He placed a stack of organized reports on Solene’s desk.

Solene leaned back, her gaze deep in thought. After a moment, she spoke. "Select a few patients for free treatment and publicize it widely to suppress the rumors. As for those nobles, I will deal with them and keep them quiet for a while. After what happened recently, those old fools won't just sit still; we must all be careful. Furthermore, the overseer of the other mining district has lost his patience and joined forces with Sue. We just need to wait for the right moment to catch them all at once."

Andre nodded, appearing as though he wanted to say more. He opened his mouth but eventually closed it and turned to leave.

"What do you want to ask?" Solene keenly caught his hesitation.

Andre paused. "Actually, it’s about the mole inside the Magic Tower. I’ve been investigating and wanted your opinion." However, what he truly wanted to ask was about the rumors regarding Solene and the Emperor. But the words stayed in his throat.

Solene looked at him sharply. "Investigate their movements, control their travel, restrict the use of magic stones, and conduct a full search of their quarters—do I really need to teach you this? The Commoner’s Law is about to be enacted; you must root out the mole before then. There can be no mistakes."

"Yes!" Andre answered.

At that moment, a small light-blue bird sat quietly on the windowsill, calmly observing everything. Its body was nearly transparent, as if it were one with the air.