I Was The Hero, But I Woke Up as a Phoenix Princess! – Chapter 991

Chapter 38 Nobles (Part 1)
Verafia raised her head and saw Ig returning with two elf girls, still holding the juice she specifically requested. The corner of her mouth curved slightly, and she turned her head to look at Irene:
“Actually, Irene, you came to Anoalkolon ahead of time to find this young lady. I guess it was at Refynos’s request?”
Irene was slightly startled. Seeing the cunning flash in the Goddess’s bright and magnificent gem-like eyes, she lowered her head, clasped her hands in front of her, and smiled:
“As expected, I can’t hide anything from you, Goddess Princess. It’s about matters concerning the Empire’s nobles.”
“The Empire’s nobles? Hmm, that’s true. From the coast of the Inner Sea of Storms to the Tirolese Empire, and then to Anoalkolon, you’ve been marching alongside the Empire’s allied forces, so you’ve had plenty of opportunities to meet with the Empire’s nobles.”
Verafia tilted her head to the side, her delicate golden threads sliding down as softly as silk. She blinked her big eyes, and the curve of her lips widened.
“Since that’s the case, this young lady guesses that these human nobles are mostly trying to negotiate terms with Refynos regarding the post-war division of benefits… Hmm, put another way, it’s a game with the elves.”
Irene bowed: “You are correct. Queen Refynos and Lord Seralliss have traded many terms with them, but none have been officially signed. These two lords have asked me to seek your instructions.”
Her voice paused, and she continued: “Perhaps the human nobles are also waiting for you.”
“Tch, what does this have to do with this young lady?”
Verafia crossed her arms and pouted. She looked up and, through her divine sense connected by her World Tree incarnation, sensed Duke Rob’s palace. She indeed felt the human lords and elven nobles arguing. She shook her head:
“Ah, where are Andes, Princess Misella, and Little Fei? Andes even asked for my guidance, but it’s enough for them to represent me.”
“Then you?” Irene bowed and raised her face to ask.
“Going there so early to listen to these nobles argue is meaningless… Hmm, Irene, you brought two little ones. How about I continue taking you shopping?”
Verafia saw Ig return to her side, let out a light, silvery laugh, turned her head to look at the elf maiden, and blinked her big eyes playfully: “Refynos is the Queen of the Elves, and Seralliss is also here. Whether it’s trade or other terms, it’s fine for them to handle it.”
Irene’s gaze shifted to Ig, who had returned to the girl’s side. Ig, seeing her concern, immediately gave a comforting smile: “Miss Irene, as Young Lady said, she is not a special existence. Since Queen Refynos has a plan, she doesn’t need to be involved.”
Ig understood quite clearly that Verafia did not want to get involved in national affairs at all, as she found it quite troublesome.
—
In the guest hall of Duke’s palace in Anoalkolon, a red silk carpet was laid across the magnificent glazed stone floor. Duke Rob Vestins sat on the throne. For this relatively young duke, his furrowed brow already showed his inner frustration.
In the hall, banners embroidered with intricate family crests were hung. The nobles who came to the royal court wore various attires, some even wearing armor. However, without exception, their surnames were illustrious, and each banner represented at least one ancient city.
“Lord Rob.” A voice called out.
“Elector Lord.”
Duke Rob looked towards the noble with distinguished status and could sense the powerful magic circulating within him. Beside him, a straight greatsword hung, its metal facets reflecting the cold light under the magnificent illumination. As a warrior, he was the commander of the Northern Alliance, holding the same status as the ‘Magic Monarch’ Fatter, and the initiator of the alliance to suppress the Holy See.
Duke Rob remembered that it was also this Elector Lord who forged the alliance with the elves. And before Fatter arrived, it was this Elector Lord who represented the allied forces of the feudal lords.
The other party nodded: “You have already heard our intentions. Lord Rob, your father wishes to participate in the sacred vote. Coincidentally, the Duke of Haihai City was deceived by the Church and ordered his army to serve cultists. After we defeat the false believers who obscured the Sacred Light, his vote should belong to you.”
Rob smiled slightly. He knew what the other party meant.
Even though the war had not ended, the other party was already greedily eyeing the spoils of victory, fantasizing about completely controlling and manipulating the Emperor’s authority.
He merely nodded slightly: “Elector Lord, Lord Andes is a knight of the Goddess of Life. When your army had not yet arrived, and Anoalkolon was besieged by the Church’s army, it was Lord Andes who fought alongside us.”
The Elector frowned and slowly shifted his gaze to Andes standing beside him. “Then, ‘Holy Silver Knight’ Andes…”
“You are too much!”
Before Andes could reply, Ophires angrily raised her little head, her moon-bright, soft ice-white hair falling. Her puffed-up little face showed that she was already filled with resentment:
“Miss Siya did nothing wrong, she is also a victim. Furthermore, she is not even here, still in the clutches of that abominable Pope, and you are already planning how to bully her! You human nobles, did you intend to treat Siya as a puppet from the very beginning?”
The Ice Dragon Girl pouted angrily.
From the beginning of today, Verafia and Ig, those abominable guys, had left her alone, which had already made Ophires quite depressed.
Now, she had to listen to these nobles feign sympathy while actually harboring ambitions for the cute child Siya. Ophires had already become very impatient in her heart.
She hadn’t seen Siya for a long time, but she wouldn’t forget the human little girl who had been very close to Lichen and her back then.
The Elector’s gaze swept over the Ice Dragon Girl, sensing that she had already reached a realm close to legend, and his eyes showed surprise.
“You are Princess Ophires, the daughter of the ‘Black Flame Dragon King’ Gedohoya, aren’t you? Legend has it that you travel with the Goddess… So young, yet you possess such powerful strength. It seems the rumors are true.”
Ophires pouted and was about to speak when the other party’s voice came:
“However, you are mistaken. Princess Siya is the orphaned descendant of the late Emperor. Two years ago, His Majesty was cruelly murdered by Moon, and we all prayed for the gods to grant the princess protection and keep her safe. If Princess Siya is safe and sound, we are also willing to elect her as the Emperor of the Empire.”
The Elector looked at her and changed his tone: “However, Princess, she is after all young and has been in Moon’s hands for several years. I have just proposed that the council exercise the Emperor’s rights on behalf of Siya, and this is for the sake of the Empire’s tens of millions of people.”