C3 The Special Arrangement of the Empress

In the Oberiske Empire, Chris, the exclusive maidservant and guard to the Third Prince Ostar, was a celebrity. Her fame was such that nearly everyone in Onisret City, the empire's capital, knew of her.

Chris was a legend in her own right, having defeated all the royal guards in the imperial palace single-handedly at the tender age of six, emerging completely unscathed. Had she harbored any ulterior motives, she could have altered the course of Oberiske's history with ease, as overpowering the emperor's bodyguards would have been well within her capabilities.

It wasn't just the palace guards who had fallen to Chris. Despite his outward calm, Emperor Augustus VIII was deeply intimidated by her martial prowess. After failing to recruit her, he had even attempted to send the Dark Guard and the palace's grandmasters to eliminate this potential threat, a little girl.

However, these so-called masters of stealth were no match for Chris. She dispatched them with ease, leaving many crippled and their lifetimes of training wasted, all at the hands of a mere child.

Following these events, Emperor Augustus VIII abandoned any thoughts of opposing Chris. He was irked by her unwavering loyalty to the Third Prince, fearing that Ostar's potential designs on the throne could jeopardize his eldest son Osd's right of succession.

To this day, none of the other princes or even Emperor Augustus VIII himself had anyone who could match Chris's skill. The silver-haired beauty's strength was an enigma, shrouded in an air of mystery that no one could penetrate.

Yet, Chris was not without her equals. In the palace, there was Yulia, who served as both a maid and a guard to Empress Marguerite III. When the Empress suggested giving Ostar a maidservant comparable to Chris, Ostar had an inkling of what was to come. He was momentarily taken aback, recalling the unpleasant history between Yulia and Chris six years prior.

"Mother, surely you're not considering sending Yulia with me to the Middle Continent! She is your maidservant," Ostar protested.

"You've guessed it already, so there's no need for introductions. What's the issue with Yulia? She's not exclusively mine, and now that I've assigned her to you, you're hesitant? You have no idea how many princes have requested Yulia's service, all of which I've denied."

Queen Marguerite III's face was graced with a gentle smile, yet her tone left no room for doubt. It was clear that everything had been meticulously planned, with no opportunity for negotiation. Yulia's origins were shrouded in mystery. Prince Ostar recalled that this striking girl had come to the palace when she was six, just a month or two after Chris. It was rumored that she was found by Empress Marguerite III during one of her patrols outside the palace.

Ostar had no particular recollection of this enigmatic maidservant until six years prior, when Queen Marguerite III issued a false command to test Yulia's loyalty and obedience by ordering her to assassinate her own son, the Third Prince Ostar.

During the assassination attempt, Empress Marguerite III also took the opportunity to test Chris, the Exclusive Maidservant, and the Dark Guard who had been by his side for years, to see if they were truly devoted to the prince and willing to defend him at all costs. When Ostar learned the truth, he was deeply troubled for quite some time, utterly confounded by his mother's extreme tactics. It seemed like an elaborate ruse at his expense.

The outcome of that deadly duel was known only to Prince Ostar and a select few. It was a fierce battle that left both parties severely wounded. Yulia and Chris fought to a stalemate, nearly meeting their end together. Thankfully, Queen Marguerite III arrived just in time to clear up the misunderstanding.

Nevertheless, this incident led Ostar to harbor resentment towards his mother for a considerable time. Empress Marguerite III spent over a year consoling him, offering numerous benefits to quell her son's discontent.

Naturally, the relationship between Chris and Yulia after their life-or-death struggle was strained, to say the least. It had plummeted to an icy low. If not for the presence of Prince Ostar and Queen Marguerite III, they might have continued their battle to a fatal conclusion. Now, with both of them accompanying him to the Middle Continent, Ostar was faced with the daunting task of mending their relationship during the journey.

"Prince Ostar, I am wholeheartedly committed to your protection. You need not worry. My actions that year were carried out under orders. Chris, I apologize for being overly aggressive back then."

"Humph! Yulia, that's not just a heavy hand; it's like you're out for blood."

Yulia soon made her entrance at the "Emerald Palace," having been there for some time by arrangement of Empress Marguerite III. Chris responded to Yulia's apology with a cold snort, signaling that their relationship wouldn't be mending anytime soon.

With her jet-black hair cascading over her shoulders and her piercing violet eyes, Yulia exuded an air of mystery. Her beauty rivaled that of Chris, both of them the kind that could lead to downfall. Her porcelain skin was flawless, her figure sculpted to perfection, and her delicate features were without a single discernible imperfection.

Unlike Chris's sweet and soft tone, Yulia's voice carried a cool, ethereal quality, seemingly devoid of any emotion. Smiles from Yulia were a rare occurrence, so much so that even after many years, Empress Marguerite III had yet to witness a genuine one.

Dressed in a black robe reminiscent of a dark mage's attire, Yulia's true vocation was far from that of a mage—she leaned more towards the role of an assassin. Ostar had seen through her during her deadly duel with Chris; this stunning girl was dangerously skilled, with a chilly demeanor and the bloodthirsty traits of a killer, expertly concealed beneath her calm exterior.

Thankfully, Empress Marguerite III had taken her in as a foster daughter, treating her with the same care as Chris, never as a mere servant. This prevented Yulia from becoming a true assassin. Had she not been found by the Empress, Yulia would likely be a top-tier assassin within a guild of killers by now.

Ostar harbored doubts that Yulia was purely human. He recalled his mother mentioning that since the age of six, this exquisite girl's achievements were nearly on par with Chris's. She had single-handedly foiled multiple assassination attempts on Empress Marguerite III, silencing the assassins with methods more ruthless than Chris's—Chris would cripple her foes, while Yulia would mercilessly dispatch them.

Standing at around 167 cm, Yulia was a touch shorter than Chris, with curves to match. At the behest of Empress Marguerite III, Prince Ostar had no choice but to include Yulia in their company. A mother's command, after all, is not easily disobeyed.

Moreover, he couldn't come up with a single reason to decline. Yulia was on par with Chris in both beauty and combat prowess, leaving him no grounds for refusal. The real challenge would be to broker peace between her and Chris in the future. Given their history of a life-and-death struggle, burying the hatchet wouldn't be simple.

After years of relentless killing and intimidation, no one dared to target Empress Marguerite III any longer. Assassination attempts had vanished, and even with Yulia's departure, the Empress would remain unthreatened. Thus, Queen Marguerite III decided to entrust Yulia to her son, Ostar. Yulia had vowed to guard the prince as fiercely as she had protected the queen.

"Master, it's time to head to the Imperial Palace, or the Emperor might grow irate."

"Yulia, you... Just call me by my name like Chris does. Drop the 'master' bit; it sounds odd."

"Understood, Lord Clyde."

Initially, Yulia intended to address Prince Ostar as 'master,' just as Chris had, but he gently declined until her true background was ascertained. Ostar's demeanor towards Yulia mirrored his approach with Chris—no peculiar thoughts or behaviors.

After collecting Yulia from Empress Marguerite, Prince Ostar departed from the "Emerald Palace" and made his way to the "Sun Palace," where Emperor Augustus VIII resided. The Sun Palace, abuzz with activity, stood in stark contrast to the serene elegance of the Emerald Palace. It was a hub for the empire's dignitaries, and today marked Emperor Augustus VIII's triumphant return. Representatives from the Emperor's Faction, the Empress's Faction, and the Native Faction were all in attendance—a rare convergence of the empire's power brokers.

"Little brother, you're the last to arrive again. This habit of yours puts Father in a difficult position."

"Big brother, I had to deliver a report to our mother, which is why I'm late."

Inside the grand hall of the Sun Palace, Prince Ostar encountered his elder brother, First Prince Osd, a notably tall figure among the princes at about 178 cm. Ostar, not quite matching Osd in stature, cleverly used their mother's errand as a deflection from his brother's chiding and challenges.

Upon witnessing Ostar invoke Queen Marguerite III, Prince Osd found himself at a loss for words. The golden-haired, sunny-faced heartthrob, who was usually self-disciplined, worked tirelessly as the throne's heir apparent, embodying the dignified presence of his father, Emperor Augustus VIII, in his piercing blue eyes.

Within the ranks of the Oberiske Empire's royal family, Eldest Prince Oswald commanded considerable respect as the legitimate successor and elder brother. Most princes deferred to him, but Ostar was one of the few who disregarded his authority. Ostar viewed his brother as overly rigid; while commendable in governance and a frequent aide to their father in state matters, Oswald's military acumen was painfully lacking, and he was not inclined to warfare.

Emperor Augustus VIII was acutely aware of his heir's shortcomings. Prince Oswald was fit to be an emperor who protected his realm, but ill-suited for the task of expanding new territories. Given the current geopolitical climate across the continents, a purely defensive military stance meant being perpetually on the receiving end of aggression, a predicament that vexed the emperor.

The designated heir, Eldest Prince Oswald, was outmatched in military prowess by the belligerent Second Prince Oster, in cunning and guile by the astute Fourth Prince Osk, and in lineage and background by the nonchalant Third Prince Ostar, who spent his days idly. Convincing his brothers to acknowledge his rule post-succession would likely prove challenging.

Prince Osd's expression grew complex at the sight of Chris and Yulia flanking Ostar. Envy was unavoidable; the Third Prince, lacking ambition, was surrounded by high-caliber beauties, a combination of strength and allure, a squandering of resources that did not sit well with the other princes. Yet, constrained by Queen Marguerite III's domineering protection, they feigned ignorance.

Ostar, however, was indifferent to his elder brother's thoughts. Disinterested in palace intrigues, he promptly greeted Prince Osd before leading Chris and Yulia to their seats, readying themselves for Emperor Augustus VIII's impending oration.

In this special edition, we delve into the royal secrets of the Hegemony Empire.

At the heart of Mesfir Tower Continent, the bustling capital city of Onisret in the Oberiske Empire thrived with life. As the dominant force in the West Continent, the Oberiske Empire waged wars to the south and north, silencing all other nations within the West Continent. They were left without a voice or defiance, having been crushed three times by the Oberiske Empire's forces, which compelled the other empires to concede and never again challenge the Oberiske Empire's supremacy as the West Continent's overlord.

Emperor Augustus VIII of the Oberiske Empire was renowned as the most belligerent and strongest emperor in the empire's history. Having subdued the West Continent nations into submission and timely tribute, the ambitious and martial Emperor Augustus VIII set his sights on the Middle Continent, known as the "land with no master," and commenced his campaign there.

The Middle Continent, properly called the Sudimant Continent, remained a chaotic, leaderless expanse. Its vast, fertile lands and abundant natural resources lay fallow, as no one dared to venture into this lawless territory for development. Despite its potential wealth, the risks were too high without established order, making investment a cautious affair. Its unique geographical position, surrounded by other continents in every direction—four human-ruled continents to the east, west, south, and north, and four non-human-ruled continents to the southeast, northwest, southwest, and northeast—earned it the moniker "Ninth Continent."

Despite the Sudimant Continent being more than thrice the size of any of the other eight continents, its precarious location made it difficult to establish a stronghold. A single misstep could provoke an onslaught from multiple powers. To this day, no single ruler has claimed the Middle Continent. Instead, the various continental powers have tacitly carved out small spheres of influence, maintaining a watchful balance with one another.

On this occasion, the Oberiske Empire Expeditionary Force captured only a portion of the Sudimant Empire's eastern coast before withdrawing, halting their advance. This restraint was part of an unspoken agreement among the eight continental powers, a sort of unwritten rule. They all shared in the bounty of the vast Middle Continent, but none dared overstep, ensuring the territories they occupied remained roughly equal, preserving a delicate balance that continues to this day.

Today marked the triumphant return of Emperor Augustus VIII and his grand army, igniting the capital of the Oberiske Empire, Onis Reiter, with an energy that surpassed its usual bustle, as if the city itself were celebrating. The spoils of this latest campaign may have been modest, but the expansion of territory was significant enough to warrant a round of accolades. Nearly all the imperial princes had joined their father on this venture to earn their military stripes, all except one notable outlier: the Third Prince, Ostar.

Prince Ostar had scarcely ventured beyond the walls of Onis Reiter. In the eighteen years since his birth, he had remained ensconced in the opulence of the royal court, rubbing shoulders daily with the scions of noble families. He epitomized the indulgent lifestyle of a pampered aristocrat, earning him a less-than-favorable reputation among the capital's denizens, who dismissed him as nothing more than a wastrel. Many ministers recognized this, yet for various reasons, they kept their opinions to themselves.

Despite appearances, Prince Ostar's martial arts and magic training over the past decade were merely cursory, hardly a cause for concern. But the influence backing him was formidable, and not to be underestimated. Prince Ostar was the sole offspring of the current Empire Empress Marguerite III, who was not Emperor Augustus VIII's first wife. The Emperor's original consort had died under mysterious circumstances years earlier, and for the sake of political stability, he entered into a marriage of convenience with Marguerite. Devoid of romantic love, their union was purely strategic. Consequently, aside from their wedding night, the couple rarely shared a bed, making the birth of their son all the more remarkable.

Empress Marguerite III, as the stepmother, showed little warmth to the children of the Former Empress, reserving her affection exclusively for Prince Ostar. A formidable presence in her own right, Marguerite possessed a regal bearing that suggested she could have ruled alone had she not married Augustus. To suggest that her marriage to the Emperor was devoid of any sentiment would be implausible.

Marguerite III hailed from the most powerful empire on the Eastern Continent, the Rhodemanos Empire, where she was once a princess and the sole surviving child of Emperor Gramat IV—all her siblings had tragically died young. Rumor had it that the emperor's excessive wartime killings had cursed his lineage, leading to their untimely deaths. Concerned that his last daughter might fall victim to the same curse, Emperor Gramat IV, after deliberation with Queen Maria II, decided to marry Princess Marguerite off to the West Continent. She was wed to Emperor Augustus VIII of the Oberiske Empire, the mightiest realm on the Messfield Continent. Despite the lack of affection from Emperor Augustus VIII, political necessity dictated a show of courtesy and respect towards Queen Marguerite III.

Empress Marguerite III had only one child, Prince Ostar. Although Emperor Augustus VIII had already established his predecessor's son, Eldest Prince Oswald, as the heir to the throne, Prince Ostar was not at a disadvantage. His maternal lineage was the formidable Rhodemanos Empire, ruled by his grandfather, Emperor Gramat IV, and his grandmother, Empress Maria II, who had only Marguerite III as their daughter and thus only one grandson, Ostar. Their affection for him was nearly equal to their love for Marguerite.

Although the Third Prince Ostar was not in line for the Oberiske throne, his status as the sole grandson made him the rightful heir to the Rhodemanos Empire. His grandmother, Maria II, also served as the twentieth Bright Pope of the Eastern Continent's largest religion, the Bright Church. She had already appointed Ostar as her successor, the twenty-first Bright Pope. Given the unity of church and state on the Finis Farlier Continent, this succession was seamless.

In his youth, Prince Ostar was the subject of several diplomatic missions from the Eastern Continent's Finis Farlier Continent to the West. Envoys sought an audience with Empress Marguerite III at the imperial palace in Onisret City, hoping to escort Prince Ostar back to the Rhodemanos Empire. While the Empress consented, Prince Ostar himself never agreed. Despite visiting his grandparents on the Finis Farlier Continent multiple times, he seemed to prefer the freedom of his current home over the prospect of staying in his mother's homeland.

Prince Ostia may have had negligible skills in martial arts and magic, but he was exceptionally mature for his age and had a knack for winning over adults. His father, Emperor Augustus VIII of the Oberiske Empire, remained unimpressed, dismissing his son as ostentatious and inept, with a penchant for pretty words. Nevertheless, it's undeniable that Prince Ostia made a stellar impression on Queen Marguerite III, his maternal grandfather Gramat IV, and grandmother Maria II, securing a political resource advantage unmatched by his siblings. Despite their low opinion of him, they refrained from openly criticizing Prince Ostia.

Emperor Augustus VIII of the Oberiske Empire had a complex heritage. He was not born into the imperial family's direct lineage but was instead the son of Emperor Olandar VI of the Abifrel Empire and Queen Elizabeth III, from the most powerful empire on the South Continent, the preeminent Anastasia Continent. Due to the birth order, he had no claim to the throne there.

Emperor Olandar VI and Queen Elizabeth III adored their youngest son but could not bestow upon him the status of heir, as per imperial tradition. To protect him from the empire's internal strife, they arranged for him to be adopted by Auguste VII, the then-ruler of the relatively modest Oberiske Empire on the West Continent. Auguste VII accepted the foreign prince to secure support from the Southern Continent.

Upon the death of Auguste VII, the foreign prince seized the moment to stage a coup. After a brutal and bloody struggle, Augustus VIII executed all rival princes and ascended to the throne. To consolidate his rule, he ruthlessly quelled internal dissent and, after the mysterious death of his first wife, married the beloved sole daughter of the most powerful empire on the Eastern Continent, the Finis Farlier Continent's Rhodeman Empire, ruled by Emperor Gramat IV and Queen Maria. She became his queen, Marguerite III.

Under Emperor Augustus VIII's command, the Oberiske Empire expanded its reach through a series of aggressive wars, swiftly conquering other empires on the West Continent and defeating nations on the Mesfair Tower Continent. Within a decade, it emerged as the new dominant power of the West. With such monumental achievements, the skepticism surrounding Augustus VIII as an outsider and throne usurper gradually waned, and now, such criticisms are seldom heard.

Having secured a significant victory on the Middle Continent, Emperor Augustus VIII saw an opportunity to hone the skills of his son and prepare the future successor to the throne. The ideal method was to grant them a fiefdom to assess their individual capabilities. However, these fiefdoms couldn't be within the borders of their own Oberiske Empire, as each prince wielded considerable influence there. Such connections would undoubtedly obscure their true governing abilities. Therefore, the Middle Continent, often referred to as the Ownerless Land, presented itself as the optimal choice for this test.