Chapter 5 The Butterfly Emperor appointed her as Secretary Number Eight, the second-in-command of the Royal Secretariat...
Soon only the two of them remained in the room. The Emperor's voice was deep: "I've given you enough time. Even the slowest machine should have produced a result by now."
Lu Qi's heart skipped a beat. The Alliance had always ridiculed the Manra Empire's government agencies for their inefficiency, slow implementation of policies and regulations, and bloated structure... Although the Security Bureau was known for its efficiency and effectiveness, in reality, everyone would slack off and do their job.
This is something everyone tacitly understands.
Just like Shi Wei, a special S-level supervised individual, the people responsible for monitoring and protecting her are all very popular positions because they are easy... Even he quite likes to fabricate stories about the girl's daily life as research reports. He even knows Shi Wei's preferences very well. It's much easier for everyone to slack off and observe the girl together than to risk their lives to infiltrate, assassinate, or silence her.
Lu Qi looked guilty: "It's my fault. Dekari is my friend, colleague, and comrade-in-arms. I failed to notice his wrongdoing, and I also bear responsibility. His Majesty's decision to let me continue to be in charge of this matter is a sign of his trust in me—"
"Stop talking nonsense," said Sklag II.
Lu Qi coughed: "Decali's defection was ostensibly due to the defeat on the Western Front, giving the Alliance leverage over him. However, given your trust in him, such a blunder wouldn't be enough to make him betray his country. The real reason was the constant brainwashing he received from Shamir, a member of the peace organization TUA. Shamir has always maintained a good public image, but in reality, he has long been colluding with the Alliance..."
“Dekar came from a poor background. He lost his father in the war and his mother died of illness. His anti-war sentiment was seized upon by Shamir and became his weakness. Forgive me for speaking frankly, but Your Majesty has launched wars frequently in recent years. Although I can understand the reasons, Dekar cannot understand them. He does not hate you or Manra. For many years, he has been proud of his father’s death in the war to defend the country. He just cannot understand your current war strategy.”
The secrets contained in the chip were only meant to thwart Sklag II's subsequent war plans.
“We must fight to sustain our wars. Only in this way can the nobles of the empire unite,” the Emperor said. “Decali sees sacrifice, but I see the future of the empire. Without the sacrifice of our warriors, the nobles will quickly become corrupt and fight amongst themselves, and the empire will collapse once again… I can no longer launch a second war to defend the nation.”
The First Patriotic War reunified the collapsed Manra Empire, and the current Manra can no longer be saved by the old methods.
Lucy nodded: "I come from a noble family, so I understand this principle, but Decari comes from a commoner family, so he cannot understand it."
"Then what made him give up on stopping the war? Why would he hand over the chip to a young girl from the Fran Empire?" King Sklag II asked the crucial question.
Luca quickly said, "Miss Shi graduated with a degree in history. As an ordinary person, she is already more outstanding than most people at her age. The most noteworthy thing about her resume is her film 'That Year, That Person,' which is an underrated children's animation. If it were only for children, it would not have such a wide reach."
“I checked Dekali’s personal computer. He watched this film and even kept it for a long time. Considering that he was raised by government welfare institutions after his parents died, we can infer that he was influenced by this film. Miss Shiwei wants to show the history of the Fran Empire. Her presentation style is very special. She uses humorous and childlike descriptions to show the real history…” Lu Qi talked on and on.
King Scolag II said calmly, "Lucie, I can look up the film reviews myself."
Lu Qi coughed. Wasn't he setting the stage? He continued, "For any empire, the land and the people on that land are the foundation of the nation. However, history is being forgotten. Forgetting history is forgetting the land. Perhaps this is Manra's good fortune. She met the creator of this film on the Decari aircraft. With his memory, he must have recognized Miss Shi, so he deliberately started talking to her."
"They talked about the film very easily. Decali asked a very important question: why do the characters in the film hate such a corrupt and backward dynasty, yet still care about the country and sacrifice for it?"
"Miss Shi's answer was that they did not love the so-called dynasties. Over thousands of years, countless dynasties have risen and fallen. What she loved was this land. It is because countless people who love this land are willing to sacrifice for it that civilization has continued."
"Although the answer was like something out of a fairy tale, Dekari was deeply moved at the time. He was touched; the girl's words were like butterfly wings, stirring his emotions..."
"Alright." The Emperor interrupted him, frowning. "Luci, you mean that his mind was changed by a strange foreign girl, so he hid the chip in a book and gave it to her because we had already tracked him down by then. Her destination was Manla, so the chip would naturally be taken back to Manla."
"Decali, out of guilt, chose to commit suicide by jumping into the sea," Luke concluded. "He was too young and rose through the ranks too quickly. If he had spent a decade or two dealing with the nobles, he wouldn't have been brainwashed by Shamir."
The emperor thought for a moment and nodded: "Your conclusion is correct."
Lu Qi breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that the matter was finally over.
At this moment, the servant returned with Shi Wei.
She changed into a light sea-blue dress, a typical aristocratic young lady's attire, and she did look quite beautiful.
She is special because she can be trusted by Decali.
However, creative aside, this little Omega is definitely a coward, and now the Emperor has nothing left to ask of her—
Leaving this world wearing a pretty dress would probably be much more dignified.
He smiled as he asked the emperor a few very ordinary questions, and the pity in his eyes made Shi Wei feel uneasy.
The Emperor asked, "You said those things to Decari. I want to ask you, are you willing to give your life for the Fran Empire?"
Lu Qi sighed inwardly, "They've arrived."
Shi Wei felt a chill run down her spine. She keenly realized that this issue would affect her future... perhaps, her life.
Are you willing or not?
If you asked a young woman under sixty years old before she came to Manra if she was willing to give her life for the empire, she... of course she would hesitate.
But she is not the same person she used to be.
Shi Wei replied firmly, "Yes."
"The reason?" the esteemed emperor asked.
The girl's answer was honest: "I am able to stand here because my country fought for me. If it weren't for my country, I would have died in the security bureau's confinement room three years ago. So I am willing to sacrifice for it."
If you cherish your people, your people will cherish your country.
The study was very quiet.
After a long while, Shi Wei felt as if her body was about to be submerged by the blue icy sea, she finally heard the emperor's voice: "Go down."
Is this life or death?
She looked at Lu Qi blankly, and Lu Qi bowed and pulled her, who looked rather dazed, outside.
Passing through the gate, the garden is filled with all kinds of precious and beautiful flowers from Milan. The sunlight shines on her, making her feel as if she has been reborn.
“Luckily, you survived.” Lu Qi said, “You stopped Decari and brought the chip back. She’s an Omega girl. Even though the Emperor is a hundred years old, he’s still a man. Seeing the bloodstains on the white dress of the delicate yet strong girl, and then seeing her renewed beauty, he’ll still soften his heart to some extent.”
"Can I go home now?" Shi Wei felt a little dazed, as if she had just escaped death and still felt like she hadn't escaped from that terrifying deep sea.
Lu Qi looked at her like she was an idiot: "Wake up. Only eight people in all of Manra know about Decari's treason. Although the Fran Empire has a good relationship with us, do you think the Emperor will let you go back? Even if we wiped your memory a hundred times, we wouldn't feel at ease."
Shi Wei was stunned for a moment. Lu Qi patted her head and said, "I'll ask the Emperor about the specifics when he's in a good mood. For now, you're still an S-level protected person in our Security Bureau. Don't even think about running away. Even Decali couldn't escape, let alone you."
“…Thank you.” Shi Wei said softly. Even if she was slow to realize it, she knew that Lu Qi had deliberately delayed things for her for several years. In fact, if it weren’t for the accident at the security check today, the Emperor wouldn’t have remembered her so quickly.
Lu Qi shrugged: "Decali and I are good friends. He's much younger than me, and I treat him like a younger brother. It's a pity he was too young and fell into the trap of politicians... Now everyone thinks he died while carrying out a secret mission, which is the best ending for him. If it weren't for you, he would have been burdened with the most shameful crime."
This will also affect Lu Qi and the Emperor, along with other high-ranking officials.
So Shi Wei did them a favor. After studying the girl hundreds of times, he determined that she was innocent. Considering that Dekali had a peaceful end and the empire did not suffer greater losses, he was willing to help this Omega.
Dekali probably thought the same thing, so he chose an Omega, sent the chip back, and ended his own life.
Knowing that the Emperor wouldn't easily kill an Omega, and knowing that he would try his best to salvage the situation.
This young and outstanding genius, who was originally the emperor's right-hand man, was betrayed because of his youth, resulting in an irreparable tragedy.
Lu Qi said to Shi Wei, "You're just a commoner girl in Fran. Even if you don't have financial pressure, you'll be getting married soon. It's better to stay in Manla. You know so many secrets, and you might have a chance to enter politics. You're already enjoying the treatment of the Queen Mother. Before the Emperor removes your supervision level, enjoy it while you can."
"Mother of the Nation treatment?"
Lu Qi was puzzled: "You haven't read 'The Legend of Asta'? Every Omega has read it. Before her, S-class war criminals were locked in cages dozens of meters underground. Only she seduced Emperor Sklag to keep him silent, and then used her remaining influence in the military to negotiate with the Elders. She's not a war criminal, she's practically treated like an empress."
Shi Wei was slightly confused: "But the mercenary version I read said that when she was imprisoned in Manra, she endured humiliation and was even forcibly marked by Emperor Sklag... cough cough!"
She felt a little embarrassed.
Lu Qi scoffed, "Give me a break. Emperor Sklag was completely infatuated with her. She killed so many nobles and blew up the research institute, yet the emperor still insisted on protecting her and went against the Elders' Council. In the end, she even stole the new Originium, packed her bags, and abandoned the emperor to become a mercenary."
Shi Wei was even more confused: "But in the version I watched, wasn't the new Originium discovered by her during a match, which is why she was targeted by the elders and nobles of the research institute..."
Lu Qi sighed and said, "Of course, it's good for their propaganda if it's an autobiography written by a mercenary. Oh well... what do you know, you're just a little girl. Go play your game."
Shi Wei enjoyed the treatment of an S-level protected animal for three days.
She now understood why Asta had run away; no matter how good the treatment, he was still a prisoner.
Even if you indulge in the same level of pleasure as an emperor, you're still a prisoner.
If she had the ability, she would run away too.
It feels like there are surveillance cameras hidden under my fingernails.
However, three days later, the Emperor changed her supervision level.
Even though her S-rank status has been downgraded to A-rank, the matter of Decari's betrayal remains classified, and she will still be under surveillance. But that doesn't matter, as long as she's alive—does she still expect to reason with the Emperor or the head of the Security Bureau about human rights?
Her new identity was quickly confirmed, much to everyone's surprise.
The Emperor appointed her as the third secretary to Jiang Guyuan, the second secretary of the royal family and the eighth assistant to him.
Huh?
Seriously? They really want her to go into politics?
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