I will be crowned king

Empire, Xiaolong Principality, Lakeside Manor.

A crisp knock on the door woke Bernard Molwes from his sleep. He tried to open his eyes and saw an old butler in neat clothes and white gloves walking into the room and placing a hot tray on his on the bed:

"Your coffee, sir."

"Oh, thank you, Ryan." Bernard, who was yawning and holding back his sleepiness, climbed out of bed sleepily. The distant dream still seemed to be lingering in his mind: "What time is it now?"

"Nine fifty-five, sir; Lady Juliana has already gone into town an hour to attend Her Majesty the Queen's garden party - just like she always does." The old butler said respectfully, and at the same time opened one side of the heavy Wool velvet curtains:

"Madam ordered me to inform you that she may come back very late tonight. There is no need to prepare anything else for dinner - do you need me to bring your formal clothes?"

"No need, just hand me the robe."

Bernard, who was sitting on the bed, took a sip of coffee. The bitter taste finally made him sober up a little: "I'm not going anywhere today, and I'm not going to entertain guests. Tell the kitchen that there's no need to prepare lunch. I have nothing to do today." appetite."

"As you command, sir."

The old butler nodded, and while Bernard was drinking coffee, he brought him an ironed silk nightgown, a home nightcap, wool socks and cotton slippers, all dressed up like a formal dress.

"Ryan."

"Sir Bernard?"

"Is the climate in Xiaolong Principality always so humid? Or have I stayed in the south and north for too long and I am no longer accustomed to the climate here?"

"Maybe this is part of the reason, sir, but it's probably more because of the Church of Order." The old housekeeper said calmly:

"Not long after you returned home, Your Majesty has agreed to the church's request to build factories near the capital - each of those factories has more than a dozen huge chimneys, spewing gray steam into the sky, so that even the usually dry Principality of Xiaolong The air has also become humid.”

"Really?" Bernard was stunned for a moment: "When did this happen?"

"Last year - to be precise, it was the end of the 100th year of the Saints calendar, almost at the same time as you went to the colony." The old housekeeper replied respectfully: "As you know, President Luther of Clovis that year The Bishop officially announced that the blockade on the core steam technology will be lifted and promoted to the entire Order World."

"The Clovis are never far behind when it comes to heresy...even their High Septon."

"Yeah..." Bernard couldn't help but sigh: "But in this way, the empire will also have its own steam core, and can produce steel and mine coal in large quantities like the Clovis people - losing this last Advantage, it won’t be long before they lose the war.”

"Yes, sir."

But His Majesty's empire may not be able to survive until that day comes... Bernard thought secretly in his heart.

Whether building a factory or producing a steam core, it is an extremely expensive investment. Just from the "more than a dozen chimneys" described by the old butler, "even the dry Snapdragon City has become wet." Just imagine how big these factories would be.

Based on the income and expenditure of His Majesty's treasury, it is absolutely impossible to come up with such a large sum of money, so it must be borrowed from the church bank; and those IOUs that are already full of the treasury are the noose that the church is tightening around the neck of the empire bit by bit.

Yesterday they can ask the Empire to open the transit permit for the Judgment Knights, and tomorrow they can "suggest" the Empire to produce steam cores like Clovis, and then use a steady stream of "benefits" to make the Empire lay down a steady stream of IOUs until the Empire is one year old. The taxes cannot even cover the loan interest, and more IOUs must be relied on to maintain the country's operations...

So the powerful empire is no longer built on ancient oaths, knights' swords and crowns, but white IOUs replace the solid foundation stone bit by bit.

But these have nothing to do with me anymore.

Bernard knew very well that although the emperor had not really punished him, he would never trust or reuse him again; unless an unknowable accident occurred, Bernard Molwes' career would have come to an end here.

No matter how many reasons and reasons there were, he had lost all the colonies that had taken the empire hundreds of years to gain a firm foothold. He, who had been treated as a "scapegoat", could not escape this responsibility at all - he was not executed or stripped of his title of nobility. , the emperor's conscience is still intact, and the Morweis family is not ready to give up on themselves completely.

Juliana... She was as proud as all the descendants of Hered. She would never bow her head and obey fate. Even though she knew there was no hope, she still ran around all day long, begging the queen and the adults in the court for mercy.

But Bernard had given up.

The empire may be able to win this war, but what will be the result - can taking away a few important military locations and putting Clovis into diplomatic isolation again can restore peace to the world of order?

Of course it is impossible, or even completely unthinkable... The Clovis people, who have suffered so much humiliation, will only resist more strongly next time than now; their passive response to the war is in itself equivalent to acknowledging the dominance of the empire in the world of order; And the more the empire tries to control and suppress them, the more it will arouse their desire to resist.

The Hantu is like this, the colonies are like this... The stubborn emperor and imperial court seem to never be able to learn any lessons from failure.

"I'm not going to see anyone today, and I don't want to be visited by anyone." Bernard stood up and prepared to walk towards the restaurant: "If anyone comes, tell them I'm not here, and don't let them enter the main building. Just have a cup of coffee and get rid of it as soon as possible.”

"Yes, sir."

The old butler nodded slightly, and then stopped Bernard in his tracks: "But since you mentioned the guests, there is something that I might want to report to you first."

"What's up?"

"Before you got up this morning, a guest had already visited the lakeside manor. Out of the most basic courtesy, I did not refuse, but I also told him that you might not want to see the guest for the time being; before I was sure of your thoughts, I had to ask Guests come to the restaurant for a drink.”

"……who?"

"Excuse me for being rude, but this guest doesn't want to reveal his name." The old butler buried his head in his chest:

"He repeatedly asked me not to tell you. Out of the most basic courtesy of a butler, I was forced to agree to his request."

Forced to agree... Bernard raised his eyebrows: "Let me guess, he is a relative of mine and his status is not low, right?"

The old housekeeper didn't speak, but nodded silently.

Bernard's face immediately darkened.

After leaving the bedroom, he walked quickly through the corridor and stairs in slippers and arrived at the restaurant on the ground floor. Before he could get close to the door, he saw a figure with beautiful golden curly hair holding a glass of crystal clear wine and saying with emotion:

"Slightly sweet and rich, it tastes smoother than silk, and has a faint scent of sour plum... The ring of order is on top. This taste is so unique. Compared with the aperitif for breakfast at our house, it is simply the same. Aged vinegar is no different!”

"Nonsense!" Bernard glanced at the wine bottle next to him and couldn't help rolling his eyes. He said subconsciously: "What you're drinking is a cellar from the 86th year of the Saint's calendar. How can ordinary people's aperitifs be mixed with it?" This fine wine looks like...Arthur?!"

"My dear brother-in-law Bernard!"

Arthur Heritage turned around suddenly and laughed valiantly at the shocked Bernard. The wine glass in his hand almost spilled all over the other man's face: "I miss you so much, brother-in-law!"

"Why are you here?!"

Bernard still hadn't recovered from his shock, and his suddenly shrunken pupils instantly focused on an object in the other person's hand that shouldn't have been there: "Also, can't you drink?"

He clearly remembered that the opponent's "Dragon Knight" bloodline was as powerful as the main gun of a battleship, but its disadvantage was that it had extremely high health requirements on the lungs and throat, and any damage would directly affect the performance of its strength.

Don't talk about wine... In order to avoid affecting his strength, this guy with a heavy smoking addiction even gave up cigarettes.

"That was what happened in the past. Now I have found a way to avoid side effects." Arthur smiled extremely happily: "Well, it's all thanks to that girl."

"Which girl?"

"The one I met when I was in Hantu, the one who almost killed me with one shot...well, that's not important."

Arthur waved his hand and quickly changed the topic: "In short, today I am here on behalf of His Majesty Herred to summon his most trusted colonial minister."

"In order to prevent the rebellious colonies from completely merging with the Clovis people and going into opposition to the empire, His Majesty believes that some reasonable measures should be taken as soon as possible to bring these colonies back on the right path."

"And you, the distinguished Minister of Colonial Affairs, my dear brother-in-law, are currently the only person in the entire imperial court who knows the actual situation of the colonies best. His Majesty hopes that you can come to the palace to see the court at the recent imperial meeting. Tell the truth to the royal family and help deal with this unprecedented crisis."

"To show respect and attention, Your Majesty specially selected me, who is both a member of the royal family and a relative of yours, to be responsible for announcing the call. I also avoided any fanfare so that you, my brother-in-law, who is recuperating, can avoid being disturbed by worldly eyes."

"Oh, by the way, His Majesty also told me that you can enter the palace at any time without abiding by any rules; but... it is better to try to come at a time when the imperial meeting is held."

Seeing Arthur, who was getting more and more excited as he talked, Bernard gradually calmed down:

"Finished?"

"That's it, how are you? Are you excited?" Arthur said excitedly: "I said a lot of good things for you in front of His Majesty, my dear brother-in-law Bernard!"

"Thank you." Bernard nodded slightly: "I understand."

"Oh, then when are you going to enter the palace?"

"No, I'm not planning to enter the palace."

"..."

Arthur was stunned.

The young knight, who had been petrified for nearly a minute, seemed to have finally woken up from his sleep, his eyes widened: "Aren't you going to enter the palace?!"

"Bernard Morweis, do you know how precious this opportunity is?! Do you know how long my sister worked hard to finally get it for you?!"

"I know, and I'm grateful for my wife, your sister."

Bernard said calmly, his eyes so silent as if there was no trace of emotion: "But I have made up my mind not to accept any more appointments from the royal family, because I have seen the facts clearly."

"What fact?!"

Arthur still looked in disbelief.

"The fact is that I am no match for the Clovis people, nor am I suitable to be a colonial governor." Bernard looked at him, his voice calm and terrifying:

"I tried and worked hard, but in the end I failed - not because I was disloyal or deliberately did something I shouldn't have done; the reason for the failure was simple: I was not suitable for this position."

"If His Majesty really wants to know the true situation of the colony, then he should ask Bernard or someone from the Roland family, not me, a failed colonial governor."

"Bernard..." Arthur frowned: "You mean...Louis?"

"Yes." Bernard nodded slightly, then immediately shook his head:

"No."

"……What's the meaning?"

"It means that Louis can definitely give the most correct answer, but it is definitely not the one His Majesty wants." Bernard pulled up the chair next to him and sat down, explaining unhurriedly:

"He will tell His Majesty that the best outcome for the Free Confederacy and the Empire is to give up war and establish a mutually beneficial alliance as equals."

"But... that's impossible." Arthur stammered: "What your Majesty wants is... to regain the colony, not an alliance."

"So it's best not to let His Majesty meet Louis...or the current Governor of Sailing City."

Bernard nodded expressionlessly: "And if even he can't do it, then I, the failed colonial minister, can't help much."

"Thank you for your helping hand, and thank you sister...but the incompetent Bernard will let you two siblings down. I will not help the empire to counterattack the New World and regain the colonies. I'm sorry."

After saying that, he took the wine bottle on the table, filled a large glass of wine, and picked it up as if to make himself drunk, ready to drink it in one gulp.

Just when the wine glass was about to touch the corner of his lips, the silent Arthur spoke again:

"Not His Majesty the Emperor."

"Um?"

The right hand holding the wine glass was hanging in the air. Bernard was stunned and frowned slightly: "What did you say?"

"It's not His Majesty who wants to take back the colonies, but the Church... they want to take back the New World." Arthur raised his eyes and looked into Bernard's eyes:

"Last night, two guys dressed as judges rode a carriage from the Principality of Adlan to Xiaolong City overnight, just for this matter."

"An apostle...an unknown apostle crossed the Turbulent Sea and headed towards the New World; if the World of Order does not take action immediately, if the believers of the Ring of Order do not turn their attention to the north as soon as possible, then the New World..."

"...will become the kingdom of the Old God Sect!"