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

So the Eternal Night Empress smiled again. She turned around, gazing at the City of Mysteries destined to be sleepless, where faint cries never ceased.

Her voice suddenly became ethereal, as if coming from a very distant place: "Roger, do you know why I trust you so much?"

"Your Majesty, I really don't know."

"Because, I was once like you, just wanting to be a useless good-for-nothing!"

A hint of a smile involuntarily appeared on the Eternal Night Empress's lips. "The little princess of the Green Vine Empire really had no ideals. She enjoyed falconry and dogfights, riding horses and hunting. She cultivated magic so she could bargain with her father when it came to arranged marriages. She was gluttonous, loved to play, and liked to sleep in, fantasizing with Ange about what kind of Prince Charming they would meet one day..."

Roger listened quietly, knowing that the Empress was not lying.

Historical records showed that the Empress's girlhood was indeed carefree, a time when she was a loafer who didn't care about politics.

"But an invasion by the Kingdom of Vabriga collapsed my world," the Eternal Night Empress's voice suddenly turned cold.

"Father and Mother died, Big Brother and Second Brother died. I returned to the City of Mysteries from the Mage Tower, and on the city walls, I could vaguely see the raging flames rising from Manny City."

"Soon, the Kingdom of Vabriga's forces pushed to the outskirts of the City of Mysteries. As a military mage, I followed the light cavalry out to scout and saw villages that had been slaughtered and burned, saw the corpses of young girls discarded by the roadside, their clothes in disarray, saw Father, Mother, Big Brother, and Second Brother hanging high on the flagpole, fluttering like flags..."

"They died, my parents and brothers who were so good to me died just like that. I must admit, they were not good kings, good queens, or good crown princes, but they didn't deliberately harm this country. They were just mediocre in their abilities, unable to restore the glory of this decaying country. They should have received a decent burial, not become trophies for the Kingdom of Vabriga to show off their military achievements, allowing any of the most rude enemy soldiers to mock and comment on them at will..."

"At that time, I had only one thought: Octavia, you can't cry, you must not cry. Crying is useless; it will only be ridiculed by the enemy and make the people around you as weak as you. You have to find a way to kill them all. Your country must not fall into the hands of the invaders. Don't let the people of a country become those fluttering flags."

"I don't remember how I returned to the City of Mysteries. When I woke up from sleeping and eating, I was tied up by my Fourth Brother. He said the Green Vine Empire was beyond saving, this broken city couldn't withstand it, and that I, as his sister, should serve the Crown Prince of Vabriga well, perhaps helping our Shelley family preserve a title..."

Perhaps this memory was too profound and shocking, even after so many years, the Eternal Night Empress's hands still trembled involuntarily, and her voice seemed to come from the depths of hell:

"My Fourth Brother, who kept talking about restoring the glory of the Green Vine Empire, the Sword Faction who daily instigated Father to attack this and that, was preparing to surrender! He wanted to send his sister to be someone else's concubine! He was advising me to be a good dog, to preserve the last shred of dignity for the Green Vine Empire..."

"I spat in his face. I would rather be hung on a flagpole than do what he said!"

"Dignity is never begged on one's knees, it is earned by killing! My foolish brother, he is clearly finding excuses for his cowardice, isn't he? F word! F word! F word!"

The Eternal Night Empress had a reputation for being cruel and bloodthirsty, but her aristocratic etiquette was always impeccable.

This was the first time Roger had heard her swear, and a whole string of them at that...

Bland and crude without any flair, lacking the artistry of a Zuan old-timer?

But you could feel that she was really angry, still angry at her Fourth Brother.

This was a historical passage that he had been sick of seeing when compiling the Imperial History, but hearing it again from the perspective of the little princess at the time, he only felt a chill down his spine.

Her scolding was flawless, even a little sweet, making you want her to scold you... oh no.

"The Fourth Prince is a pure idiot, good riddance! F word!" Roger cursed along.

The Eternal Night Empress spread her hands: "So you know what happened after that, my historian? The Sword Faction prince wanted to surrender, and a useless princess established an empire... Whether they call me a hero, a tyrant, or a murderer, I avenged my parents, and I killed for the last shred of dignity for the Shelley family!"

Roger nodded slowly; the Empress's achievements were known to all.

From a certain perspective, she single-handedly raised the Green Vine Empire to a height it shouldn't have reached.

This was evident from the rapid avalanche of the Green Vine Empire after the Eternal Night Empress was gone.

The Eternal Night Empress turned around, smiling as she reached out a hand to Roger:

"Stop thinking about what kind of person you are and think more about what you can do for this empire. Roger, no matter how much suffering you have faced, no matter how many dangers there are in the future, are you willing to work with me to prevent the day the empire's four hundred million people see their land shattered?"

Indeed, he had not explicitly chosen the empire, but his heart was already leaning towards it.

For a lazy little guy who was afraid of death to directly face the gods' bloody cruelty without being frightened into running away or embracing the gods was already a good result.

Even if the prophecy came true, she still had ten years, and the empire still had ten years.

She spent five years sweeping across seventeen countries. How much could be done and how many people could be changed in ten years?

The checkpoint where Roger needed to make a choice had not yet arrived; she allowed him more time to understand this empire and decide his position.

You have not yet grown into the hero I want to see, so I will give you time, you brat!

It must be said that, bringing her thoughts back from that desperate night in the empire, Empress Octavia Shelley's smile at this moment, confident, firm, inclusive, and beautiful, was dazzling and heart-stirring.

She was a bright moonlight, she was a blooming rose, she was an indomitable dragon spear.

As long as there was a chance, she would pierce that eternal night, proving her tenacity and unwillingness to all immortals.

Heaven wants to destroy me? I will slay the heavens!

God blocks my path? I will slaughter God!

Those deep blue eyes, like an abyss, burned with flames, and her golden hair fluttered.

This woman had been confused and hesitant, but in the end, she chose to continue moving forward.

Roger's gaze moved down, looking at the small hand in front of him, seemingly soft and boneless.

The world knew how much blood this flawless white hand carried and would create more.

"Your Majesty, thank you for your trust. I am willing to use my limited intelligence and ability to forge a greater empire."

He finally reached out and shook hands with the Empress.

He did not promise to live or die with the empire; he didn't want to be a hero, he thought that was a very stupid thing.

But he was willing to do more for this empire.

He didn't know if he would regret it in ten years, but at this moment, he was willing to stand on the same front as the former useless princess.

Life or survival, he wanted to lean more towards the former.

A long time later.

"Lord Roger, shouldn't you let go of my hand?"

"Thinking about building an unprecedented great cause with Your Majesty, I am excited, my legs are weak, and my whole body is weak. I have to draw a little strength from Your Majesty."

【Your Majesty's hand feels so comfortable to hold. This impulse has probably tied half my life to the empire. I have to touch it a little longer to get my money's worth! I'll definitely never have the chance to touch it again!】

【Actually, what she just said sounds like the wedding vows to be together in sickness and in health... Speaking of which, the blood-soaked wedding dress limited edition is really beautiful!】

【Blood-soaked doujin content.jpg*1000】

"It's okay, if you're tired, just lie down obediently!"

The Empress snorted and flicked his hand away.

Roger was caught off guard, lost his balance, and fell backward.

The Empress was still not appeased, and she raised her little foot, pressing half of Roger's head into the soft soil.

She couldn't help but be angry.

I have shown such respect and personally invited you to this extent, and you only tie half your life?"

And this bastard is getting bolder and bolder, daring to fantasize about me wearing a wedding dress and performing that kind of scene with him?

Damn guy, how could I possibly strike such a shameful pose?

I conquer everything and will always be the one to launch the attack!

Huh?

What am I thinking again?

Ahhh, how can I think about these things?

How could I have any connection other than as ruler and subject with this brat who is only a little handsome, whose strength is terribly bad, who only thinks about being lazy and slippery all day long, and who constantly hides his abilities from the empire?

That is absolutely, absolutely impossible!

I would jump straight into the Storm Sea rather than have any connection with this guy other than as ruler and subject!

Ahhhhh, if I had just meteor-showered this kid to death, where would these lingering images come from now?

For very young men and women who have not experienced an overnight growth, once some fantasies and desires are opened, it is difficult to stop...

With a soft pop.

The Eternal Night Empress directly tore through space and hid back in the Maple Spirit Moon Shadow Palace.

So by the time Roger pulled his head out of the dirt, he didn't have a chance to see the Eternal Night Empress's face, which was red to the roots of her ears.

Due to certain missing knowledge, the full name of the invincible Empress should perhaps be:

Octavia Kaguya Shelley.

Chapter 48: I Can't Lose the Breath-Holding Contest!

The City of Mysteries, the small street opposite the Great Library.

All the other shops were closed, leaving only one small restaurant lit up. War Priest Josda's patience was about to turn into some kind of anxiety.

Using the divine power simulation, a talent ability granted by the Goddess of War, he arranged for his fanatical followers to pose as believers of the God of Nature and launch suicide attacks in several important locations in the City of Mysteries.

Now that the attacks had been launched, the task of making the Green Vine Empire feel the Goddess's explosions should have been completed.

But the other task, killing Roger Charles, who provided the Eternal Night Empress with the strategy to impersonate the Restoration Army, Josda had not found an opportunity to do so.

He simply couldn't imagine that, with the clock past midnight, that useless younger brother was still reading in the Great Library?

Although many mages were obsessed with research, the information showed that this famous useless younger brother of the Imperial Capital didn't know any magic at all, did he?

Moreover, the City of Mysteries was now in chaos, and a search for the cultists had been launched. If he delayed any longer, it would be difficult for him to leave.

However, he could not leave until the Goddess of War's mission was completed.

If he left, the power granted to him by the Goddess would backfire, which was definitely a consequence he could not bear.

The gods were cruel to their enemies, and equally ruthless to their priests and followers.

If he didn't know that the Great Library was personally arranged by the Eternal Night Empress, with advanced protection and reconnaissance arrays that would guarantee his exposure upon entry, then he would have to face an entire city of enemies alone, Josda would have wanted to go in and find him.

"How can a playboy be so patient? Isn't he curious about the excitement outside? Is he really just focused on his own business and oblivious to what's happening outside?"

Josda tapped the table, his pupils suddenly contracting.

He saw a small team of city defense soldiers searching door to door.

They would soon reach his shop.

The Imperial Capital had suffered over a hundred thousand casualties from the cultists' bombings, and the entire city was in a state of panic and rage.

Josda really couldn't leave at this time.

After a little thought, he cast an illusion to change his appearance and clothing.

At first glance, he was a larger version of the shop's little boss.

Then he flipped a gold coin between his fingers.

In his sleep, the little boss, hugging his money bag and thinking about how to spend this huge sum, suddenly convulsed and bled from all seven orifices.

Soon, his movements gradually subsided.

At the same time, Josda gained some memories that did not belong to him.

The shepherd's money was not so easy to take.

That small team of city defense soldiers was a little surprised to find this shop still open.

Everyone had been busy all night and was hungry.

"Boss, what's there to eat?"

"Only noodle soup."

"Give me eleven bowls, with meat, my treat."

The city defense team leader's generosity won the cheers of his team members.

Only food could slightly reduce the lingering haze on everyone's faces.

Josda moved quickly, and soon eleven bowls of steaming noodle soup were served.

The city defense team finished eating at light speed and prepared to continue searching.

Suddenly a young team member said, "Captain, we haven't checked this boss yet."

Instantly, Josda, who was washing dishes, tensed up and gripped the dagger in his arms.

The team leader wiped his mouth and slapped the team member on the back of the head:

"This noodle soup can't be made without decades of experience. Do you think those priest lords of the church would personally cook this? Stop wasting time, let's go to the next one."

"The captain is truly perceptive!"