Chapter 394: Emperor Julius Axel Is Dying

Earl Bretagne traveled lightly, accompanied only by his eldest son Antonio, two attendants, and a single carriage. He did not even notify Annie or Charlot but instead directly entered Liguria. With the skills of the earl and Antonio, not only was the capital of Moldova accessible to them, but even the capitals of the Five Great Empires would pose no hindrance. They came and went as they pleased, unstoppable.

At that moment, Charlot was discussing with Annie plans to establish a landmark building in Liguria that combined a publishing house, library, and bookstore. Suddenly, the Earl of Bretagne appeared, startling Charlot so much that he almost called upon the four Saint-rank protectors—Black Dragon, Silverback Gorilla Choudrou, Bull Demon Samson, and Saint Viggo—for protection.

Once Charlot recognized that the visitor was Earl Bretagne, he let out a sigh of relief. After all, those four Saint-rank powerhouses combined might not even defeat Antonio, let alone confront Earl Bretagne.

Antonio, upon seeing Charlot, was genuinely delighted. He immediately embraced Charlot warmly, displaying great affection.

Earl Bretagne had initially intended to intimidate Charlot a little. However, with Antonio's actions, the earl lost the mood for it and instead addressed Charlot. “You must return to the Red Dragon Strait immediately, but Annie cannot continue forward. She must stay in Moldova.”

“I will leave Grandma Saint Karen here and have also brought two Saint-rank powerhouses for her.”

Charlot detected a certain unpleasantness in the earl’s tone and couldn’t help but ask, “Has something happened in Strasbourg?”

The earl responded coldly, “Julius Axel is dying.”

Charlot was momentarily shocked before feeling a creeping dread. He asked, “Who will be the next emperor?”

Earl Bretagne sighed and replied, “I don’t know.”

Charlot exclaimed, “How could you not know?”

The earl gave a bitter smile. “We simply don’t.”

“Julius Axel has had five children—three daughters and two sons.”

“My wife and Princess Axo Axel are not worth mentioning. The youngest princess ran away from home and hasn’t been heard from since. Of the two princes, one died young, and the other became a God Pact Holder.”

Charlot hesitated for a moment before suggesting, “Could it be the emperor’s brother or someone from a collateral line?”

Earl Bretagne’s tone turned icy. “If such a person ascends the throne, the Bretagne family will not be tolerated.”

Charlot fell silent. He knew the earl was telling the truth. Emperor Julius VI had reigned for decades and commanded unparalleled prestige. Even though he was wary of the Bretagne family, he refrained from taking any drastic action because he trusted in his ability to maintain control. A new emperor, lacking both prestige and effective governance, might resort to reckless measures to consolidate power.

A new emperor with no authority would inevitably seek ways to reclaim it…

Historically, there were countless examples of emperors staging coups to seize power. Some succeeded, others failed, but few rulers opted to remain passive and endure. Earl Bretagne’s decision to leave Annie in Moldova was a genuine act of protection for his daughter.

As the Duchess of Moldova, Annie Bretagne could avoid the political storm brewing in Fars entirely. Even if the new emperor sought to interfere, it would be impossible, as Saint Mabiga lay between them. Moreover, Moldova’s strong ties with the Lionheart Empire made it unlikely for Fars to antagonize the one empire that had yet to join the war.

As for Charlot, the earl’s insistence on his swift return to the Red Dragon Strait was clearly a strategic move. The elite forces of tens of thousands of orcs there were a significant political bargaining chip.

Without hesitation, Charlot replied, “I’ll return to the Red Dragon Strait at once.”

The earl stated calmly, “I’ll handle matters in Strasbourg for you.”

The meeting was brief. Earl Bretagne and Antonio stayed only half a day before departing hastily for Strasbourg.

...

After the earl’s departure, Charlot began transforming Liguria into a labyrinthine city. This transformation would allow him to continuously transport resources to Moldova while using it as a transit hub for his caravans to enter the Lionheart Empire.

Moldova, as a crucial transit point, would soon experience economic revitalization, lifting it out of poverty.

The labyrinthine transformation involved tax collection—a process Charlot was quite familiar with. He had done something similar in the Black Phoenix Dynasty, though that city’s labyrinth had been destroyed by the dynasty’s extraordinary powerhouses.

Charlot introduced several small taxes, completing the labyrinth transformation. Once it was finished, he refunded the taxes to Liguria’s residents and declared a total tax exemption policy.

This approach was akin to Earth’s practice of offering tax breaks and incentives to attract large corporations. Such policies rarely hurt the local economy and often spurred rapid growth.

By implementing tax exemptions in many cities while monopolizing local commerce, Charlot had established a robust and efficient system. Wealth continued to accumulate, and the residents of these cities enjoyed stable, fulfilling lives.

After setting Liguria in order, Charlot reluctantly bid farewell to Annie and used the labyrinth’s pathways to return to the Red Dragon Strait.

...

During Charlot’s absence, Anastasia had managed the cities of the Red Dragon Strait exceptionally well. Human residents had begun settling there, and reconstruction was underway in all the cities. Many merchant fleets, having heard the news, resumed their routes through the Red Dragon Strait, revitalizing trade.

While the eleven cities of the Red Dragon Strait were in good shape, Strasbourg faced potential chaos.

Shortly after returning to Red Cliff City, Charlot sensed a growing tension, as though a storm was brewing. Reports from Strasbourg became increasingly frequent yet shorter and often contradictory. The directives sent to the eleven cities of the Red Dragon Strait were inconsistent and, in some cases, outright illegal, coming from dubious sources.

Charlot chose to remain inactive. For legitimate directives, he cited orc uprisings as a pretext for inaction. For illegitimate ones, he simply ignored them.

Several times, Charlot was tempted to secretly return to Strasbourg to witness the turmoil firsthand. He knew the city must be in chaos but refrained from acting impulsively. As Earth’s adage goes: “Wait for the dragon’s roar.”

Half a month later, while Charlot was in Red Cliff City, he finally received momentous news—news that could alter the fate of the entire continent.

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