Chapter 526: Chapter 10: Isabella II

“Your Majesty cannot!”

When Empress Isabella issued the order, the elder adorned with gear decorations suddenly stepped forward and said in a deep voice, “Although Count John violated the ban, he does not deserve death.”

“Let’s have him arrested first.”

“It won’t be too late to pass judgment once the matter is clarified.”

As the elder spoke, several others in the great hall immediately agreed, appearing to be ministers of the Empire.

Empress Isabella, seated on the Golden Throne, hesitated for a moment at these words, then expressed a bit of impatience, “Then detain him for now.”

“I’m feeling a bit tired.”

“Do not disturb me unless it’s necessary.”

Having said that, Empress Isabella stood up and walked towards the back of the palace.

In one of the reception halls in the rear palace.

Empress Isabella, who had just left the great hall not long ago, immediately appeared cold-faced as she looked at the empty space before her and asked slowly, “Has the cause been found out?”

“Who leaked the information?”

The air in the previously empty space before the hall suddenly blurred, and a shadowy, mysterious figure emerged, kneeling on one knee, “Your Majesty the Empress.”

“We haven’t found out yet.”

Empress Isabella angrily rebuked upon hearing this, “A bunch of useless people!”

The crystal lights in the hall trembled slightly.

The dark shadow immediately knelt on the ground, with a tinge of fear in his voice, “However, we found that all this is related to the Mechanical Pantheon; their Mechanical Knights have appeared near Count John’s territory, and only they have the devices to break the Mind Suppression Barrier.”

Empress Isabella suddenly fell silent for a moment, then furiously said, “Damn the Mechanical Pantheon! They are getting increasingly reckless!”

“If it weren’t for this damn headache, I would have dealt with them long ago!”

As she spoke, Empress Isabella suddenly let out a muffled groan, her expression slightly twisted, and her once enchanting face became somewhat grim, seemingly in great pain. She placed her hand on her forehead.

“Your Majesty the Empress,” a middle-aged woman in black nun attire stepped forward and said softly, “You should rest.”

Empress Isabella waved her hand, “I’m fine.”

“I’ve slept enough already.”

The shadow kneeling on the ground before her softly asked, “Your Majesty, should we send assassins to silence Count John?”

“No need.” Empress Isabella paused for a moment, shaking her head, “Count John knows nothing, and the Mechanical Pantheon’s people won’t be able to extract any valuable intelligence either.”

“Recall everyone.”

“Those old guys in the Upper Chamber have surely sensed something; do not act recklessly for now.”

As she spoke, Empress Isabella asked, “Is there anything else?”

The shadowy figure showed slight hesitation but still said softly, “We detected a momentary level 10 Spiritual Wave near Count John’s territory.”

“It’s possible that the late Emperor also appeared in that area.”

Empress Isabella’s expression gradually hardened into seriousness, and she murmured, “That monster, perhaps?”

“Send someone to search.”

“If there is any news, inform me immediately.”

The shadowy figure immediately replied, “Yes.”

“I will go now.”

With these words, his figure gradually faded and disappeared as if he had never been there.

“That monster appeared as well?” Empress Isabella mused aloud, sitting on a long bench, “Could it be that it smelled the scent of Entropy?”

“Why don’t you just die already?”

The failure of the Spiritual Ascension was an unprecedented and massive blow to the Imperial Family’s prestige.

Even though the plan was agreed upon by Congress and all nobles before its execution, all blame ultimately fell on the Emperor, and only he lived on, having turned into a terrifying monster. Nominally, Empress Isabella was the Empire’s supreme ruler, but the power she truly controlled was limited to within this grand Imperial Palace. In the shadows, who knew how many spies were around. If not for the Imperial Family’s millennia-long rule and their command over extraordinary powers, those old fellows would have already been compelled to launch a coup.

“Your Majesty, you need to rest.” The black-cloaked nun spoke again.

“Sleep! Sleep! Sleep!…” Empress Isabella stood up somewhat emotionally unguarded and roared, “I’ve been asleep for over thirty years already!… ”

“I… Ugh!…”

A pained groan escaped.

With a distorted expression, Empress Isabella clutched her head, her elegant demeanor becoming disheveled, her voice hoarse as she growled, “Get out! Get out of my head!”

The middle-aged nun walked over expressionlessly, taking out a syringe filled with a pale red liquid and injected it directly into Empress Isabella’s white, slender neck.

Ssss.

The liquid rapidly flowed into Empress Isabella’s body.

“Huff, huff!…” Empress Isabella panted heavily, and as the pain subsided, her expression relaxed considerably, a hint of weariness in her eyes, she softly said, “Help me to rest.”

The middle-aged nun responded, “Yes.”

Saying this, she supported Empress Isabella as they headed towards the bedroom at the rear.

This was an exceptionally spacious and luxurious bedroom, with the floor paved in silvery tiles, walls in gilt patterns, and masterpieces of art displayed in the corners, each seemingly priceless. However, the centerpiece of the room was not a bed, but a Crystal Hibernation Pod, with a silver-white frame, surrounded by pink drapery, and flanked by blooming flowers. Despite the owner’s best attempts at decoration, it still looked like a giant Crystal Coffin.

Buzz.

The heavy Crystal Hibernation Pod opened, accompanied by the flow of energy, and an invisible Dark Energy Protective Shield activated.

Before entering the hibernation pod, Empress Isabella suddenly turned to look at the middle-aged nun in black, saying slowly, “Matron.”

“Would you ever betray me one day?”

The middle-aged nun kneeled on one knee at these words, saying solemnly, “Your Majesty.”

“I will always remain loyal to you!”

Empress Isabella abruptly smiled, her expression as striking as melancholy, she gently shook her head, stepped into the Crystal Hibernation Pod, and before closing it, she spoke in a low tone, “Those old relics dream of me lying in here, as if dead, forever.”

“For a hundred years, a thousand years…”

“Until death.”

“And then the next Emperor shall be placed inside as well!…”

Empress Isabella softly closed her eyes, leaving unsaid the last sentence, which was that if the middle-aged nun ever betrayed her, she would probably remain in this hibernation pod sleeping for a thousand years until her death.

The heavy crystal pod door slowly shut.

An extremely powerful Dark Energy Protective Shield activated, enveloping most of the room entirely.

Empress Isabella was born with an extraordinarily stunning Spiritual Talent, having reached level 9 Spiritualist while hardly needing any training by adulthood. But as a consequence, her mind was extremely sensitive. Even within a Mind Suppression Barrier, she couldn’t completely ignore the external murmurs, and the only way to regain her composure and sanity was through deep sleep inside the hibernation pod.

Yet this was also when she was at her most vulnerable.

The black-clad middle-aged nun took a long look at the gradually slumbering Empress Isabella, then slowly turned around, walked out of the bedroom, gently closing the door, and entered a nearby small room.

For decades, she had endlessly guarded this place, never leaving by even a step.

………

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