Todd's anger caused the atmosphere in the room to freeze. Karin's hand holding the plate trembled slightly, and some soup spilled onto the table.

Rachel's smile vanished, and a fleeting, indescribable emotion flashed in her eyes as she looked at the king. This expression disappeared almost instantly, so quickly that it seemed like an illusion.

She put on a normal expression again, stood up, bowed slightly to Todd, and apologized: "Your Majesty, if my words offended you, I apologize, but that was not my intention."

Todd leaned back in his chair, waved his hand listlessly, and looked at Rachel with a hint of helplessness in his eyes.

This clever woman said and did this intentionally.

But thanks to her, Todd, after his anger subsided, also began to try to understand himself.

For most people, the idea of ​​traveling to another world, experiencing the crushing of barbarism by civilization, seizing the wealth of the world, enjoying the thrill of conquest, and satisfying their physiological needs is an unchanging premise.

Todd never considered himself a saint, nor did he ever think about so-called moral principles. When he first arrived in the other world, he did think about pursuing pleasure and indulging in indulgence, but after experiencing the alien races, the church, the academy, and the monarchy, he gradually began to think about the meaning of this kind of life.

Compared to the money-driven civilized world and the chaotic Middle Ages, Todd, having experienced two different societies, vaguely sensed that an invisible force of destiny was pulling him forward. However, he had no idea what lay ahead or where the end would be.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty?"

Rachel's call brought the king back to his senses.

Todd shook his head, temporarily setting aside the jumbled thoughts in his mind, and said to the woman in front of him, "Richie, you are a smart person. Why don't you help me analyze the current situation of the Kingdom of Muxi?"

Rachel glanced at Todd, then looked back at the ground. After thinking for a long time, she uttered a single word: "Terrible."

“That’s right. The current Kingdom of Muxi appears incredibly powerful, with a strong army, vast territory, and a full treasury. But in reality, the kingdom is like an egg tied to the edge of a cliff with a thin rope.” Todd picked at the bread on his plate with his silver fork. “The northern barbarians, the Silver Ring Kingdom, Holy Guard City, the Father’s Church, the Southern Empire—our enemies come from all sides. The reason we haven’t been attacked from both sides is because the Kingdom of Muxi still has some value to them. So, all I can do is gather as many forces as possible willing to fight under my command…”

Rachel looked at Todd and sighed softly: "Then you don't need to give those scholars power. What they're asking for would be a disaster for any kingdom."

“I know.” Todd forked a slice of pear and put it in his mouth. “No one in this world understands the power of knowledge better than I do. It can build a kingdom, and it can destroy one. So, when dealing with those academics, I leave myself a way out.”

“An escape route?” Rachel leaned her upper body slightly toward Todd, the shape beneath her robes undergoing a beautiful transformation.

Todd glanced at the woman, slowly chewed and swallowed a small piece of lobster, wiped his mouth lightly with a napkin, and said, "There is something that will soon be born in the Kingdom of Twilight. It has a dazzling exterior, but a heart as venomous as a snake. If used properly, it will be a shackle that restrains truth, and also a driving force for the kingdom's strength."

Rachel tilted her head and pressed, "What exactly is it?"

"Now is not the time to reveal the answer."

When Rachel realized that Todd had no intention of speaking further, she stopped asking and instead brought up another matter.

"Your Majesty, do you still remember our original alliance?"

Some wondered why the woman would bring this up, but Todd nodded and said, "I pledged to protect other races in exchange for their loyalty."

Rachel then said, "After the secularization of the Knights of Twilight, you, as the Grand Master, became the ruler of a country. Have you considered the matter of your successors?"

"Offspring?" Rachel suddenly brought up another matter, her train of thought so abrupt that Todd couldn't quite follow her train of thought for a moment.

The woman shifted her body, moving closer to the king: "You used to be the Grand Master of the Twilight Knights, and the alliance existed only between you and me. But now that you are the monarch of the kingdom, you will one day have your own offspring, and I must consider the future of other races."

Todd was both amused and exasperated: "I'm still young, isn't it too early for me to be thinking about this kind of thing? Besides, don't forget, I myself am an anomaly."

Rachel seemed to have no intention of joking: "Your Majesty, you may not understand the significance of this alliance to the alien races. The Tyro Empire is the best example! The alien races, who occupy an absolute majority of seats in the Supreme Council, embarked on the road of exile because of the jealousy and suppression of other factions."

"You may feel sympathy and friendliness towards those of other races, but what about the queen you will marry in the future? What about the children you will have? Who can guarantee that they will agree with your views?"

Todd pinched the bridge of his nose, looking exasperated, and closed his eyes, saying, "Then what do I have to do to convince you that the kingdom is protecting the alien races? Enact a law?"

“Faced with royal power, the law is nothing but a blank sheet of paper.” Out of the corner of his eye, Rachel glanced at Karin in the corner, who had her head bowed and was pale. “Your Majesty, it’s very simple. I just want to add some small ‘guarantees’ to our existing alliance.”

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