"...That's why they didn't receive our envoy."

"..."

"Your Highness? Are you listening?"

Responding to Marila Elkaras's voice, Isabella, somewhat bewildered, snapped out of her daze. She shook her head, regaining the haughty demeanor befitting a queen, and replied, "Excuse me, please repeat... Lady Marila."

Marila naturally had no intention of refusing Isabella's request, and she reported again: "Just as Duke Caligula's intelligence indicated, the Duchy of Hazard may have found an opportunity."

"If the intelligence is correct, the other side believes that Illa's departure has shaken the foundation of the empire, making it vulnerable to division and instigation. Therefore, they have indeed decided to carry the war through to the end."

"That's why they didn't receive our envoy."

Upon hearing Marilla's words, Isabella looked at the tall female governor and asked, "So, what do you think we should do, Minister Marilla?"

Although Isabella seemed to have been prepared, she still asked the question... This was the attitude a king, at least a king of the empire, should have; there was no way around it.

Few could fathom what Isabella was truly thinking... and it was precisely because of this that she was able to barely stabilize the situation after Joseph's death.

Although everyone understands that Isabella with Isabella is far inferior to Youser with Isabella, this is a topic that everyone within the Empire avoids.

"If you want war, then let's fight."

Marilla said this, making her stance so simple... because she didn't believe the duchy could defeat a powerful empire through sheer strength, let alone resorting to underhanded tactics.

so……

"However, Your Highness still needs to write a letter and send it to the area controlled by the demons, and have the Demon King's territory also write a letter and send it back to the country... Only in this way can we ensure that nothing goes wrong."

As Marilla spoke, she didn't mention Illa at all, but every word she said was about Illa; she didn't mention the unstable domestic situation, but every word she said implied that the people in Illa's faction were not at peace.

Does Isabella understand? Of course she understands...

"Let's talk about it later..."

To Isabella's words, Marilla shook her head helplessly and said, "Your Highness, you are already a mature ruler and need to consider the empire more."

"..."

In response, Isabella simply looked at her, then shook her head, and rebuked, "Minister Marila, perhaps your Elcaras family has a peculiar way of communicating? Can't you be a little more sincere in your advice?"

This statement undoubtedly means that Marilla, like Illa, always speaks and acts indirectly, using polite, lengthy explanations to imply something... It certainly gives her face, but it's really exhausting.

For example, the previous statement that said something like "You are already a mature king" actually conveyed a very simple core meaning—stop being willful.

“This is not the imperial court, Lady Marilla… although I know you mean well.”

As she said this, Isabella sighed, shaking her head in distress, and said, "I should have been confident that Yinla would have approached me more openly and honestly, instead of transferring his people away, but now... I've lost my confidence."

However, it's simply a case of reaping what you sow...

After legalizing the slave trade with other races, although money was indeed made, Yinla seemed genuinely angry... To be honest, Yinsabella was a little panicked; she was sure she would be disliked now.

Although she herself also has the self-awareness that she brought this upon herself.

Should we write a letter to plead for leniency?

Isabella sighed softly, propping her chin up on her hand and leaning against the desk, looking slightly lost... She didn't seem to be in good spirits, not because anything serious had happened, but simply because she was a little tired.

Previously, state affairs were handled jointly by the Emperor, the Queen Mother, Yinla, and the nobles. After the Queen Mother passed away and the Emperor died, all state affairs were handed over to Yinla and the nobles. As before, Yinla set the direction, and the nobles implemented it.

Originally, Isabella hadn't thought much of it, but now that these matters were actually being handled by her, she could really feel how many things there were and how complicated they were.

From appropriations of tens of gold coins to rewards and punishments for nobles, everything was buried in those parchment documents that needed to be reviewed, piling up into a terrible mountain... It would take many days to review them, and new developments would occur during this process.

I can sleep now, although I haven't gotten used to Yimra's absence...

Instead, she falls into a deep sleep as soon as she lies down in bed.

...

"I'd rather go there in person than write a letter."

As Isabella said this, she glanced seriously at Marilla, who had a look of "this is for the best," shook her head, and once again displayed the majesty of a queen, saying, "I was just joking."

After all, Isabella didn't want to admit defeat... at least not like this, before the duchy had even really started doing anything, she was like a wronged child crying and running to her parents.

"Hmph, the Principality of Hazard, huh?"

Isabella laughed, resting her chin on her hand and tapping her fingers on the table. She smiled confidently and said, "A self-righteous stray dog, thinking it can smell the blood coming from the wound... How ridiculous."

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