NOVPUBThree years had passed since the victory.
The newspaper that followed reported another event: at the time of the post-war election, everyone believed that Wilford would win. His campaign events were unprecedentedly grand, and the intelligence agency of the Demon World also thought that Wilford would win by more than 80 seats.
But Wilford lost, and the cheering crowds were actually bidding him farewell.
After years of war, service, sacrifice, bombardment, casualty notifications, rationing, and famine, the people were exhausted.
Looking at their battered homeland, they felt at a loss, while Wilford’s campaign platform was still ideological, calling on the people to continue striving and pointing out the obligations and duties of the Polante Empire.
But the people were already weary.
Wilford asked the people for more, but they had already given once before in 602.
This was a reflection of the disintegration of national morale in the election.
Compared to the responsibilities of the great northern countries, what the people needed more were relaxed food distributions, more lenient fiscal policies, and more public housing.
So when Wilford appeared before them after the war, a gentleman of the Polante Empire era, a leader during the war, and spoke to the people about the greatness of Polante and the responsibilities of the nation, they gave him enthusiastic applause.
And so his defeat became the outcome, with that most honorable figure left behind in the reports.
"It seems I’m no longer the Prime Minister," Lanci thought, feeling relieved.
He wasn’t much surprised by this result.
"Why? Why did this happen?" Talia protested in his heart.
"Because the people have suffered, no one wants to suffer more, and they shouldn’t have to," Lanci explained gently to Talia.
Prime Minister Wilford’s tenure ended with a certain dignity.
He had been consistent throughout, and the people paid him their respects.
Looking further to the right,
The walls were no longer covered with printed newspaper reports but had returned to a few commemorative oil paintings.
They depicted the most significant moments of the Polante Empire in recent years.
The largest painting featured a venerable Pope in the center, clad in a luxurious white robe. He wore a golden crown, held a scepter, and his silver-white mask exuded an aura of majestic authority.
He stood atop a marble platform, with dragons in the clouds sounding their horns, as the multitudes of people from the northern nations, nobles and commoners alike, knelt and devoutly received the Pope’s blessings.
And Empress Kexiya knelt on one knee, receiving the Pope’s blessing.
The Pope’s right hand rested on the Empress’s head, while in his left hand he held a "Trinity Scripture," bestowing the imperial authority upon this wise and decisive Empress of wartime.
At this point, Lanci realized something.
Strictly speaking, this place could no longer be called the Polante Empire.
Its new name was—
The Holy Polante Jiao Country.
Under the leadership of Polante, including neighboring nations like the Briss Kingdom, Fuclo Kingdom, and Idiss Kingdom, the northern continent countries had formed an alliance after the war.
Empress Kexiya remained the Emperor.
But the Polante Empire had added the mysterious figure of the Saint Polante Pope.
It was at such a point that Lanci found himself in a brand-new Shadow World.
"Meow meow."
However, Cat Boss was still curiously looking over the newspaper.
It discovered that the Polante Empire had successfully abolished the constitutional monarchy and upper and lower houses of parliament, restoring imperial sovereignty and the doctrine of divine right following the war.
The former Prime Minister of the Polante Empire had since retired from public life.
Some said his health was too poor to continue the duties, others said his harmfulness to peace in peacetime was greater than his assistance, and yet others said he had been a ghost from the beginning, with even his name and identity borrowed, as if he were a messenger sent by the gods to save mankind.
No one knew the true identity hidden beneath the mask of the elderly Pope with his white hair.
"Your appearance remains that of your youth."
Empress Kexiya’s light voice startled the Cat Boss on Lanci’s lap.
It had been so engrossed it hadn’t noticed.
At some point, Empress Kexiya of Polante had entered the dining room.
She sat down in the old spot—across from Lanci.
"Your Majesty Empress Kexiya."
Lanci put down the cat and prepared to rise and bow to Empress Kexiya, who had just arrived.
Twelve years had passed, and the once youthful Empress Kexiya was approaching forty, matured and much more composed, yet still captivating.
"No need for formalities."
Empress Kexiya elegantly extended her hand towards Lanci, gesturing for him to sit at the other end of the long table.
Her mannerisms exuded aristocratic grace, jewels sparkling amidst her satin-brown hair, her clear blue eyes seeming to penetrate through the silver-white mask on the other’s face, yet cautiously maintaining a sense of measured distance.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Lanci inclined his head in a bow, his cloak swirling lightly along the carpet, and then he sat down again.
He lifted his head, locking eyes with Empress Kexiya.
The dining room fell silent for a moment, with only the ticking of the clock and the crackle of the fire in the hearth.
The interior of the dining room wasn’t cold, but the winter air occasionally seeped through the windowsill, bringing with it frosty mist and leaving no trace of birds in flight.
The two sat in silence, as if awaiting a feast, yet also as if weighing their words.
As the sovereign of a nation, Empress Kexiya, normally entangled in public duties, rarely had such opportunities for private, intimate conversation outside of necessary public appearances.
Following the former routine of a Prime Minister, Lanci would normally start the conversation, explaining to the Empress the direction of parliamentary decisions, the progress of domestic and international affairs, and the future challenges they faced.
But times had changed, and this luncheon was no longer a meeting between the Emperor and Prime Minister as before.
