“Miss Rachel, I’m sorry, I don’t understand what you mean?” Mary’s hands were folded and rested on the table. The expression on her face reminded Todd of the Queen’s unforgettable pride and aloofness when they first met.

If it were an ordinary person, faced with such an aura, they would not only be unable to retaliate, but would even be hesitant to speak.

But her opponent was quite different.

Rachel, a woman with a mysterious past and a former member of the 'Dispute Legion,' looked around at the people around her, then gazed at the swirling snow outside the hall and said, "If I remember correctly, around this time last year, the Knights of Twilight were in a life-or-death predicament..."

Although she didn't know why the woman in green would bring up last winter, Mary, with a bad feeling, frowned and became extremely alert.

“Some stayed behind to defend the honor of the Knights with their lives, while others chose to evacuate after the war began. Those days were the most difficult and dangerous time for the Kingdom of Muxi…” As Rachel finished speaking, many people in the hall showed expressions of sympathy. The woman then changed the subject: “The achievements of the Kingdom of Muxi today are due to the efforts of everyone present. How can we just find a few so-called ‘scholars’ to formulate and enforce their ‘so-called laws’ to restrain and govern us?”

Seeing the monks, led by Joe, showing expressions of agreement, Mary's face paled. She quickly exchanged a glance with Ulysses and said, "So you mean to abandon the law? To decide and judge the right and wrong of the kingdom's affairs solely based on personal will and preferences?"

“I oppose those scholars who have no achievements and are new to the country taking on the responsibilities of legislation, justice and law enforcement in the Kingdom of Muxi. They are not qualified and do not have the right!” Rachel pointed the finger at the scholars’ qualifications and abilities.

When it comes to intelligence, Mary and Rachel are equally matched; but when it comes to eloquence, how can the queen, who has long been hidden in the deep palace, compare with the alien who has long been navigating between "man-eating beasts"?

Mary slammed her hand on the table, her voice rising three octaves involuntarily: "If this country has no laws, no rulings, sooner or later it will face another 'riot' like today! And when that happens, who will we turn to to judge right and wrong?!"

"The supreme ruler of the Kingdom of Muxi—His Holiness the Holy Son!" Rachel's gaze towards Mary grew increasingly cold: "He led the Kingdom of Muxi to its current strength, and we are all his subjects. Would you rather believe a few scholars spouting theories than doubt our King? Remember! In Muxi City, Lord Todd is the law!"

Mary froze, her hand hanging in mid-air.

The king is above all else?!

She recalled everything from the past: her husband, the King of Silver Ring, who had almost ruthlessly signed her death warrant. A thought welled up in her throat—"Are all the King's decisions right?"—but remembering Mu Xicheng and Todd, she swallowed the words back down her throat.

Todd, high on his throne, frowned deeply. Even the most foolish person could tell what had happened by now.

The people in the council hall were divided into three factions: the academics, the heretics, and the neutrals.

Led by Queen Mary, the academic faction, primarily composed of students and scholars from Tero City, is the backbone of science, research, education, literature, and art in Muxi City. While other nations place religion above truth, the emergence of the Muxi Kingdom is as precious as rain after a long drought for the academic faction. However, despite their growing influence, they hold few positions in the kingdom's upper echelons, hence their urgent demand for improved political standing.

Led by Rachel, the Interracial faction oversees the industry, logistics, and people of the Kingdom of Muxi. They share common interests and long-term visions; the Kingdom of Muxi is their sanctuary and last home. Unity is their motto, and any force that could potentially threaten their position is a source of great suspicion. This time, Mary's alliance with the Academic faction, using the drafting of laws and the establishment of courts as a pretext to seize power, has inadvertently touched upon a taboo subject for the Interracial faction.

As for Cumberland, Huggins, Brother Joe, and Kendi, they were loyal to Todd and were considered neutral.

Mary, having regrouped, asked Rachel, "I have a question. If there are no dedicated personnel for legislation, justice, and law enforcement, how can His Majesty, who is so busy every day, find the time to manage everything?"

Rachel straightened her back: "First, Your Majesty's will is the law of the Kingdom of Muxi. Those scholars' idea that 'the law is above all else' is usurpation of power! It's a conspiracy! They should be severely punished! Second, when it comes to legislation, the judiciary, and law enforcement, Your Majesty only needs to grasp the direction of lawmaking. As for the supervision and enforcement of the law, it can all be carried out by the army and the alien races."

Mary's eyes widened: "Let the military and aliens handle justice and law enforcement? Do you even know what you're talking about?"

"The full name of the Kingdom of Muxi is the Kingdom of the Knights of Muxi, which means that our country is a military-centralized country. During wartime, we are required to use the power of the army to realize the king's will, rather than using the rope of the law to bind our hands and feet." Rachel glanced at Cumberland and slowly said, "His Majesty is responsible for gathering wise men to revise the laws, the army is responsible for enforcing the laws according to the king's will, and the aliens will be responsible for supervision and reporting."

Mary listened carefully to Rachel's speech and suddenly grasped the crux of the problem: "You say that the aliens can take on the work of supervision and reporting, but how can you guarantee that the army's actions are legal? How can you ensure that every piece of information His Majesty receives is true?"

The latter smiled and said, "The 'Hive' ability allows 'Inheritors' to share information and thoughts. When the military is enforcing the law, the aliens responsible for the judiciary can monitor the military's every move by equipping themselves with the appropriate 'Hive', ensuring that they do not overstep their bounds. Meanwhile, the king's guards can use the 'Hive' to monitor the actions of the judicial aliens, ensuring that there are no problems with law enforcement and the judiciary."

At this point, Todd roughly understood the so-called "separation of powers" in military centralism. Strictly speaking, this was not a "closed loop of power." The king possessed supreme power and could arbitrarily alter and manipulate legislation, the judiciary, and law enforcement. In essence, this "separation of powers" was still a form of dictatorship.

In the council chamber, the discussions on legislation and the introduction of scholars came to a close, ending in a victory for the dissenting faction.

Todd adopted Rachel's suggestion and began to work on creating a legal system for a military-centralized state. However, he also considered the sentiments of the academics, inviting scholars such as Elijah, Machiavelli, and Bertalius to assist in revising the laws of the Knights of Twilight.

As for the handling of the riot, the marriage between the merchant's daughter and the dyer was preordained and blessed by God, so it was deemed valid; the merchant was greedy for money and the old widower was lustful, so they were each given fifteen lashes and fined; the sixteen instigators of the riot were sentenced to death; and the other immigrants who participated in the riot were stripped of their free citizenship and sentenced to forced labor.