"..."
In the royal bedchamber, Herbert felt a piercing coldness.
It ca both from the chill wind and the person standing before him.
The murderous intent was genuine.
If he really was the madman intending to wreak havoc in the Kingdom, then this once kind uncle before him would transform into the most violent demon, dragging Herbert into death along with him in his final monts.
"Herbert, can you give an explanation?"
The thunderous roar exploded in the room.
But at this mont, facing the King's interrogation, Herbert remained exceptionally silent.
The gale ssed up his white hair, making his garnts flap loudly, but it couldn't break the calm in his eyes.
He neither resisted nor explained, rely watching the King silently.
One second, two seconds, three seconds...
One minute, two minutes, three minutes...
Who knows how much ti passed, until the storm began to subside, until an unease appeared on the tense face of Reinhardt, Herbert finally spoke slowly.
"They started it first."
The white-haired boy shrugged innocently, spreading his hands: "They struck first, and I rely retaliated in self-defense."
"My dear Majesty the King, do you expect to let them bully without seeking revenge?"
"Wouldn't that be unreasonable?"
Crack!
The storm that raged a second ago suddenly cald, lightning illuminating the helplessness on Reinhardt's face.
"But even so, your actions were too extre..."
The King, symbolizing the storm, never wanted to take action from the outset. He didn't want to kill this child he had watched grow up.
And Herbert had always known this fact, which is why he dared to co before Reinhardt alone.
The storm cald, but the gathering clouds didn't disperse. Accompanied by rumbling thunder, the blizzard gradually descended.
Herbert stood up, lit the candles in the room, and sat back beside the King.
During this process, Reinhardt remained silent until Herbert sat down, then spoke helplessly: "What do you intend to do next? Have you prepared any follow-up plans?"
"I have."
Herbert obediently lowered his head and said softly: "Bishop Lila of the Ice and Snow Goddess Church has already agreed to cooperate; they will step forward to support the royal family in suppressing the nobility."
"And their required compensation isn't high; just the official authorization to spread their faith within the Kingdom, ideally with overt support from the royal family, endorsing them as the state religion."
"In the anti, the Mist Monastery will also support the royal family, intimidating the nobility and ensuring that the Ice and Snow Goddess Church doesn't have other motives."
Herbert's answer left Reinhardt silent.
Judging by the outco, this seed to be the best solution at present.
It could weaken the power of the nobility, maintain the royal family's dominant position, and thwart the Eldest Prince's usurpation plot.
It seed like a win-win situation.
But even if none of this had happened, even if he died and Terence ascended the throne, the royal family's power wouldn't change, they wouldn't have to share faith with the Divine Spirit Church, nor would they have another Mist Monastery above their heads.
However, as Herbert had long been certain, Reinhardt, after contemplating for a long ti, didn't refuse.
Despite the countless unwillingness in his heart, the current situation was as such.
At this point, neither he nor the Frost Crystal royalty had any choice.
They could only passively accept this sowhat humiliating assistance.
"Child, you have won."
After a long ti, Reinhardt looked up at the unfamiliar Herbert and asked:
"But I want to know, what role did you play in this, and what do you ultimately want to beco?"
"What do you... want?"
Is it just revenge?
What do you want to gain from it?
Do you want to beco a hero who saves the Kingdom?
Or an uncrowned king controlling everything from the shadows?
Or...
"?"
Herbert, upon hearing this question, thought for a mont and shook his head with a smile: "A victim, a participant, a scher, an organizer... and an outsider."
"An outsider?"
Everything before was understandable, but Herbert's last identity left the King a bit confused.
"What does that an?"
"It ans that once all this is done, I will leave the Kingdom again and won't be involved in the future affairs."
Herbert laughed,
In the big picture, Herbert had arranged everything. As for the remaining follow-up details, they weren't his concern anymore.
Those matters would be for Laila and Kaplan to worry about.
And he—would just walk away!
"You... really don't care?"
Herbert shook his head, looked into the King's eyes, and seriously said:
"It is too small here, far too small."
How could such a small country, without even an Epic-level powerhouse, ever make him stay forever?
Herbert was too aware of the pressure and mission placed upon him.
From the mont Nenasha set her sights on him, his fate was destined not to be ordinary.
Legendary?
It's just a scenery along his future journey.
Epic?
Although difficult, it will still be overco by him.
Saint is currently the visible endpoint.
After all, to truly free Nenasha, there was a towering hurdle that could never be easily bypassed in front of Herbert.
A unique Old Deng, whose evaluation of everyone was "a bit worse than ."
Compared to that, the killings and romantic entanglents between kingdoms seed so petty.
Once vengeance is served and all enemies are eliminated, it's enough.
Putting more energy into this, even gaining a title of regent, in fact, would be descending to a lower level.
Reinhardt had been watching Herbert's expression from the mont he spoke, and upon confirming his thoughts were indeed as he said, he sowhat powerlessly lay back, resting his back against the head of the bed.
"You..."
"You really are becoming more like your father, cough cough... but in your bones, you are still more like your mother, preferring not to be constrained and more confident."
He shook his head, sighed for a while, then forcefully shook his head, shaking off all the complex emotions.
In just a few breaths, he returned to his original state—weak but firm.
Such setbacks couldn't shake the will of the strong.
With eyes full of spirit, he propped up his weak body, gazing at Herbert:
"Herbert, as the greatest benefactor in this turmoil who maintained the royal family, I shall reward you!"
"Speak!"
"What do you want?"
No matter whether Herbert was the mastermind behind this or not, from the result, he truly helped the royal family overco this turmoil.
Therefore, as King, Reinhardt should reward Herbert.
Both of them understood this, so Herbert didn't deliberately shirk it either.
He pondered for a mont and then slowly said: "Regarding the reward, the Monastery has only one request... complete control over the Mist Mountain Range."
Herbert wanted to explain that this wasn't excessive, but who knew Reinhardt spoke even faster than him.
"Alright, I'll give it to you!"
Herbert: ?
Huh?
So straightforward!?
Did I ask for too little?
Herbert was greatly surprised, but Reinhardt seed very calm.
Ceding land might seem humiliating, but for the Frost Crystal Kingdom, this wasn't a decision that would cause much heartache.
Because, it was not a loss at all.
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