Chapter Forty-Three: Return

Emperor Morris is a man of terrifying military talent; I imagine his presence is hardly a source of joy for anyone here. Now that the Holy Knights have been weakened as never before, why not eliminate this promising threat in its infancy? Sun Li knew that his actions in the Morris Empire could not be concealed from the astute Duke Norman. If she were unaware of even this, she would hardly have been able to uncover the secret operations of the Radiant Theocracy.

Rather than conceal and arouse suspicion, it was better to speak openly. Demonstrating goodwill toward the English Empire was of paramount importance to Sun Li at this moment.

Victoria was pleased by Sun Li’s forthrightness; it seemed this great knight was indeed a man of loyalty and sentiment.

"The English Empire is always magnanimous toward friends," Victoria declared sincerely. "I hope that the Song Empire might become our ally—bound in friendship and mutual aid, perhaps even united through marriage. What say you, Lord Sun Li?" She extended her overture without pretense, and her allusion to marriage was a clear hint to Sun Li. To be so direct, Victoria was displaying remarkable sincerity; this was nearly a confession! Surely Sun Li could not refuse the English Empire’s invitation.

Victoria’s olive branch filled Sun Li with both gratitude and regret. For a goddess-like woman to broach the subject of marriage herself—what a predicament. If only their nations were not rivals! But alas, some regrets are inevitable.

"Of course, but I must first return home to report to my father and His Majesty the Emperor of Song. I am certain that, in the face of England’s friendship, our great Song will be deeply grateful. From now on, we shall be as one family." With those words, Sun Li even winked at Victoria—a gesture, admittedly, a touch indecorous.

Hearing Sun Li’s promise, Victoria’s composed face could not help but flush with color—the way Sun Li looked at her was...

Well, since she had made up her mind, such details hardly mattered. The days ahead were long, after all, and what man does not appreciate beauty? Victoria was supremely confident in her ability to win Sun Li’s loyalty and to bring this formidable ally into the Norman family’s fold. With such strength at her side, perhaps the Norman family—already half the power behind the English Empire—might at last claim the other half. Truly a prospect worth anticipating!

Thereafter, with Sun Li’s full cooperation, the negotiations between the English Empire and the Song Empire proceeded smoothly in all details. At the ball, Sun Li mingled with the English Empire’s luminaries, and amidst laughter and toasts, all became well acquainted. They might well work together in the future—so the more harmonious, the better.

When the ball concluded in triumph, Sun Li found himself the linchpin between the two empires, with the reward of winning a beauty’s heart. At least, that’s how everyone else saw it—Sun Li himself was privately amused.

After the celebration, Sun Li received his payment for the Morris Empire mission: one million gold pounds! It was the first time he had ever seen so much gold at once. Previously, any money he had was poured straight into the Empire System—an endless pit, where he would have split a coin in two if he could. Alas, that stingy Xiao Bai never budged—no gold, no army, more miserly than a usurer!

Of course, it was not that Xiao Bai embezzled—what use would he have for wealth? It was simply that the system required resources to function.

With this fortune in hand, Sun Li did not foolishly load it onto a ship and send it to Song. Such a move would have nullified all his goodwill; sending so much capital home would be far too conspicuous.

Instead, Sun Li used the system’s farmers to erect a town center beside his villa—publicly declared to be a treasury. By storing the gold there, Sun Li could transfer it into the system with a mere thought. Even if the English Empire suspected something, he would be long gone before they could act.

He arranged for necessary guards—officials of the English Empire would hardly stoop to robbery, but one must be wary of thieves and bandits. For such a sum, only system-produced Embroidered Guards could be trusted. Of course, if these men were discovered, they would not survive, but to avoid arousing suspicion, their sacrifice was necessary.

A small price to pay compared to the rewards. Sun Li, alone, left all his assets in England, making it clear that he regarded it as his home. Boarding the ship with Victoria’s diplomatic mission, he finally set out for home after a year on the continent of Europa.

This journey not only gave him a thorough understanding of Europa’s nations, but also allowed him to fully establish the Embroidered Guards’ network. No longer was he ignorant of the wider world. He had gained a vast fortune, eliminated a formidable rival with little effort, and most importantly, successfully sparked the war that would engulf the continent.

Following the fall of the Morris Empire, the Elven Empire’s brutal invasion and massacre abruptly put a halt to the looming human civil war in Europa. For days, Sun Li was quite frustrated—even considering lending England a victorious campaign to reignite the flames. Yet, within a month, the Istanbul region erupted in chaos as the Elven Empire clashed fiercely with the hardy mountain tribes there. Two hundred thousand elite Elven troops became mired in the quagmire of Istanbul.

Unless the Elven Empire could pacify this tumultuous border, they dared not campaign further. Disrupted supply lines could collapse their frontline armies.

The human nations never expected that the common folk could achieve so much. The terrain—mountainous and forested—favored the defenders, yet the resistance’s tenacity was truly remarkable.

Even the most optimistic among the human nations estimated that it would take the Elven Empire at least ten years to quell the guerillas of Istanbul—that is, to exterminate all local humans.

Relieved, the leaders of the various nations turned their attention once again to their rivals. Such a heaven-sent opportunity—how could they not seize it to unify the human forces of Europa?

Only the Madrid Empire, shrouded in gloom, showed no desire for war. All others sharpened their blades, while at the entrance to the Islia Peninsula, the two ** armies moved once more. Advanced weaponry flowed to the front lines, and the emperor of Madrid, even as he ordered a desperate defense, longed for swift aid from the Radiant Theocracy.

At this moment, however, the Grand Master of the Holy Knights paid Madrid no heed—he had a more important target to eliminate.