The villain queen eavesdropped on my inner thoughts and won't let me lie down?

He raised his glass of ale with a touch of superiority: "After a hard day's work, a little numbness from alcohol is the best enjoyment. Just gulp it down and be done with it."

Roger raised the ale in front of him, wanting to show His Majesty how he could down it in one go.

But as he raised the glass heroically, his face froze the moment it touched his lips, and his hand could no longer move.

【How, how can this wine be so awful?】

Though he wasn't a delicate princess, modern food processing had advanced and iterated continuously. Even industrial alcohol was better than this…

The people of Green Vine are suffering too much! Magical industrialization is imminent!

Seeing his failed attempt to show off, the Eternal Night Empress's lips slowly curved into a smile, and she pretended to be considerate as she took the glass from him, even wiping the corner of his mouth with her sleeve: "I've had professional training; I don't laugh easily."

Roger returned an awkward but polite smile, feeling utterly humiliated.

He coughed and changed the subject: "One day, the daily pleasures enjoyed by nobles will also be accessible to ordinary people. Meat, wine, and fine clothes won't be unattainable for these laborers."

The Eternal Night Empress suddenly asked, "Is this the country you dream of?"

Roger countered, "Isn't this the country Your Majesty dreams of?"

She tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said seriously, "Add one more thing: My Great Green Vine must be invincible!"

……

……

Duke of South Kaniton's villa.

Cornelia returned to her room and immediately found the cursed magic vanity. She sent out all the information about Roger's strength.

Spiritual power surpassing legend, magic power at the level of a beginner mage—this is what caused many of his outrageous displays.

Then, as if it were burning her, she threw the vanity on the ground, collapsing onto her princess bed, utterly exhausted.

To have returned alive, she didn't know how many years of good luck she had used up…

Unfortunately, the magic vanity was of excellent quality. It rolled a few times on the ground, remaining intact, even emitting a taunting "beep" in response.

"Ahhh, don't come over here!"

She covered her head with a pillow, afraid that the response was from the guy who held her soul contract, sending her a new list of tasks.

For Cornelia, tonight was truly terrifying, a crazy flirtation with the edge of death.

The nobles collectively requested the exile of Roger, the Eternal Night Empress countered strongly, and the final result was just one archduke fainting from anger, with the other nobles escaping unscathed.

This was simply a miracle!

Although the nobles' obsequious behavior after their initial arrogance would become the laughingstock of the empire, at least their lives were spared.

The Eternal Night Empress's bloodlust was much less than in previous years.

This kind of dangerous intelligence work is really not suitable for me, Miss! Please let this terrifying night end quickly!

Cornelia prayed with her eyes closed, but fate didn't grant her wish. Her door was pushed open.

The Duke of South Kaniton said with a gloomy face, "Get up and pack your things; we're leaving."

"Father, can't we go home in a few days?" Cornelia pouted, acting spoiled.

Aodu was much livelier than the Duke of South Kaniton's territory. Although she had signed a soul contract, she had received many fashionable and beautiful outfits because of it, and she was planning to show them off to the noble ladies in the capital a few more times.

"No, we're leaving the Green Vine Empire," the Duke of South Kaniton gave an answer that made Cornelia's face pale.

"Father, why?"

"Because of Roger. Who do you think the Darknight Guard will investigate first after it's established?"

Whether it was the probing by the river that night or leading the provocation at the ball, the Duke of South Kaniton felt that he had become the Charles family's number one enemy.

Of course, there was another reason he didn't say: the Eternal Night Empress was so resolute that grain prices definitely wouldn't return to normal in the short term.

The grain he had hoarded by emptying his family's coffers was now worth the same as sand. Staying in the Green Vine Empire would inevitably lead to bankruptcy.

He needed to find a place where he could sell this grain at a high price, such as the orc tribes that had just been defeated by the empire.

War-torn defeated countries must be particularly short of food, right?

Even if they didn't have money to buy it, receiving a batch of orc slaves as beautiful as Tasika wouldn't be bad.

As long as he had money and people, he would still be a dashing nobleman in another place, oh ho!

It just so happened that a broker had come to his door a few days ago, promising to help his family move to another country.

At that time, the Duke of South Kaniton felt that he had saved the Eternal Night Empress's life and was in high favor, so he didn't need this kind of service.

In the end, that ungrateful empress wasn't worth protecting!

It was time for him to go to a wider world and watch her rise and fall~

This was the Duke of South Kaniton's escape route. You wouldn't have thought of it, right?

……

……

Aodu, military headquarters, underground.

One of Sparrow's liaison centers.

Margaret didn't have the slightest intention of sleeping, excitedly instructing her subordinates: "Three more noble families have requested immigration services? Arrange it! Arrange it all!"

Putting down the communication crystal, Margaret praised, "His Majesty's plan is brilliant. Everything is within her calculations. As expected, these nobles can't sit still and are preparing to flee!"

Margaret's subordinates had also been indoctrinated into fervent fans of the Eternal Night Empress, following her in praise: "As expected of Her Majesty!"

This group of nobles fleeing the empire thought they were finding some mysterious organization, but it was all Sparrow in disguise.

Now Margaret marked the routes these nobles would take to leave the country on the map, preparing to send another regular army disguised as bandits to ambush them on these immigrants' inevitable paths.

People can leave, but leave the money for your aunt!

The Sparrow responsible for contacting the Duke of South Kaniton asked for instructions: "Sir, the Duke of South Kaniton is going to take the grain to the orc tribes. Should we rob him?"

"Go to the orc tribes to sell grain? Heh, let him go!"

Margaret recalled the secret treaty she had just signed with the orcs, revealing a sinister smile.

The empire hadn't been plundering the orc tribes in the first place, and there would be various forms of assistance later. Wanting to go there to sell grain and recoup costs…

Great Majesty, is this also within your expectations?

She suddenly looked forward to these traitorous nobles living overseas.

She would arrange for Sparrow to take more magical recordings. Her Majesty would definitely like to watch them~ I am truly Her Majesty's most useful little darling~

……

……

Rose Riverbank.

After coming out of that tavern, the Eternal Night Empress had been quietly observing Aodu.

Roger accompanied her, and unknowingly they walked here again, feeling a bit amused.

Do these empresses and princesses all like the riverside?

The celebration didn't affect the loading and unloading of goods at the port. The empire's commercial activity and cross-regional trade were constantly increasing. Many long-distance shipping routes were racing against time, and every night was very precious, not to be wasted.

However, on the celebration day, the sailors and laborers willing to work overtime could earn more, and everyone was willing to work for the sake of copper coins.

The Eternal Night Empress looked at the brightly lit, crowded but orderly river surface and suddenly revealed a smile: "This is Green Vine's unprecedented prosperity."

"The ships of the future will be ten times, a hundred times larger than now, more numerous than now, and the Rose River must also be widened," Roger replied confidently.

"Do you think the power of magic will also affect the port?" the Eternal Night Empress asked.

"Of course. There is huge room for improvement in the power of ships, the strength of keels, and the caliber of cannons. The loading and unloading power and speed of the port can also be improved, as well as the transshipment of goods, overall management and scheduling, and the level of storage. Everything is too crude right now."

The Eternal Night Empress imagined the scene according to his description, yearning for it but also showing helplessness: "Very beautiful. Such a huge port must represent Green Vine's highly developed commerce. It's just a pity that with the Seven Gods, the time left for the empire is not much. Prosperity will always come to an end."

For an emperor who has grand blueprints in mind and has seen even greater paths, he naturally wants to borrow another five hundred years from heaven.

It was pitiful that the empire only had ten years.

Even if they could unify the thinking of all the mages, how much of those beautiful plans would they have time to put into practice?

War was a topic that the empire could never avoid, and the gods were the sword of Damocles hanging over their heads.

To use a very cliché phrase, the empire was truly defying the heavens.

This was the first time the Eternal Night Empress had proactively shown Roger her concern about the empire's limited time.

Roger didn't doubt her having this judgment.

The situation of the Seven Gods joining forces to target the empire had already formed. She had divination magic and a bunch of powerful cabinets. It would be strange if the gods hadn't written the ending for the empire long ago.

Even if the current empire was different from its original destiny trajectory, it was only a very small ripple for the multiverse, which would not affect the overall situation of the Seven Gods at all.

The Seven Gods were waiting for the ongoing war to end, drawing out their power to deal with the Eternal Night Empress. What was the empire waiting for?

"Please believe in the power of industrialization. There is indeed not much time, but the changes it brings are also a hundred times, a thousand times greater than in the past. We have a great chance of creating a miracle for mortals," Roger said affirmatively.

The Eternal Night Empress turned her head back, looking at Roger with a generous smile: "Rest assured, I have never wavered on the path I want to take. It's just that I occasionally regret that some encounters are ultimately too late."

Her eyes were too bright, too aggressive. It wasn't hard to guess who the subtext was referring to.

Roger's heartbeat inexplicably accelerated. The scene of her facing the nobles alone for him in front of the Star Han Palace was still vivid in his mind. Suddenly being looked at so directly made him unable to help but have too many fantasies.

Did a girl saying such words mean that she was implying to cherish the time and move on to the next step quickly?

He was a little afraid to believe his guess. After all, Her Majesty was not an ordinary girl. Her mind was becoming increasingly deep and unpredictable. It was also possible that she was deliberately implying it and then watching him make a fool of himself.

In the end, Roger didn't dare to respond directly. Instead, he half-jokingly said: "There's a saying that it's better to come at the right time than to come early. Later may not be worse. As long as we work hard and let this road continue to extend."

The Eternal Night Empress realized that he was still standing still, feeling annoyed. Was this kid ruined by her playing around?

I've already said it like this. Are you still playing games? What are you afraid of?

She also changed to a half-joking tone: "Then, how exactly will Roger, my dear minister, work hard and extend what kind of road?"

Prosperity, strength, and civilization flashed through Roger's mind, but facing those bright eyes that were gradually showing signs of shame and annoyance, a flash of inspiration finally came to his mind: "Your Majesty, with the Rose River that nourishes Aodu as a dance floor, with the never-ending whistle of the steamboats as music, please let all the sleepless citizens be the audience, and let us work hard to cherish every second, using dance steps to complete the interrupted celebration."

"That idea is not bad!"

The Eternal Night Empress chuckled, taking his hand proactively. The two of them flew to the center of the Rose River surface.

Underneath their feet were busy large and small cargo ships. The undulating whistles sounded like a magnificent symphony.

Roger naturally put an arm around her slender waist, and the Eternal Night Empress placed her other hand on his shoulder.

The power of magic drove his feet, naturally following the rhythm, leading the Eternal Night Empress to dance gracefully. The two of them swirled in the air like swallows.

The Eternal Night Empress dispelled their disguises, and her extremely bright appearance reappeared in the world. The light gauze of her cheongsam also fluttered gracefully in the air.

Mist rose from the river surface, and the figures of the two were faintly visible.

The sound of the whistles became more and more ethereal, the city's hustle and bustle became closer and closer, the music changed keys densely, and the dance king's feet became more and more compact with the rhythm.

A sailor stood on the deck secretly drinking wine, suddenly looking up and seeing water spirits and river monsters dancing wildly in mid-air. Looking closely, they were gone again, scaring him into a cold sweat.

The mist was spreading, and the figures of Roger and the Eternal Night Empress were getting higher and higher.

They reached the height where they could overlook the entire City of Mysteries, and the city's protective magic array lit up.

At this moment, the entire city flickered for them.

They forgot where they were, forgetting their identities in the elegant dance steps, forgetting the troubles of the world. Heaven and earth were transformed into starlight and streamers, setting off this dance that the Eternal Night Empress had been thinking about.

Finally, a song ended.

The final finishing move was Roger embracing the Eternal Night Empress's slender waist towards himself. Her small hands supported her on his chest, and the bodies of the two were only a line away from touching each other.

Roger took a deep breath, suppressing those inappropriate thoughts, completely daring not to look at that beautiful face so close at hand, but instead staring at the vast City of Mysteries: "What is the difference between Your Majesty and God at this moment?"

Such a dance, the scene, the music, and his actions were all the miracle of her creating magic, the manipulation was so wonderful, it was definitely not the level that mortals should have.

The Eternal Night Empress's breathing was also a bit disordered. After slowing down, she replied: "God has become a slave to faith, but I never will!"

Just as Roger was thinking about this sentence, he suddenly found that the hand she was supporting on his chest loosened, and her curvaceous body clung to his, then she looked up and lightly imprinted a kiss on his lips:

"Good night, little Roger."

She suddenly figured it out. Since I don't want to be a god, I don't have to abide by every instruction of that god, right?

Girls can't confess, doesn't mean they can't go for it!