Meeting a Grand Duke of the Vici Empire was as difficult as scaling the heavens.
Viya knew this fact very well—especially when it came to Grand Duke Youwen.
This noble title wasn’t inherited through his family line; the title he actually inherited was Count.
But this young count, relying solely on his own ability to manage his territories and his political and commercial contributions to the Vici Empire, was elevated by the emperor to Grand Duke.
A significant portion of the vast treasury income of the Vici Empire today was generated by policies implemented by this very Grand Duke Youwen.
It could be said that, to the Vici Empire, he was the cornerstone of the entire empire.
And for a demon like Via to meet such a Grand Duke, the difficulty was obvious.
After all, the Vici Empire still publicly stood alongside the Church in opposition to the demons.
If the Grand Duke of the empire was found colluding with demons, the repercussions wouldn’t be limited to Grand Duke Youwen alone.
The route introduced by the old merchant was indeed feasible, but the first step alone was fraught with difficulties.
“Do you have any connections on your side? Like a direct meeting with the Grand Duke himself?”
Since the old man had given this option, it surely wasn’t a casual suggestion.
As a senior member of the merchant guild in the Holy City, his network back in the day was undoubtedly extensive.
“I have had several exchanges with His Excellency the Grand Duke before. At the time, he was communicating with me about the trade of goods with the Holy City, but honestly, I don’t have a deep relationship with him—at most, I only introduced you.”
“That’s enough.”
Via only needed a foot in the door; the rest, she could handle.
“You’re not seriously thinking of dragging him over to you or going to the human realm yourself, right? Wouldn’t that be a bit too conspicuous…”
“You don’t need to worry about the demons’ methods. Your job is just to facilitate communication between us.”
“…Alright, I’ll try. But please, keep this matter as confidential as possible, or else I’ll be ruined among my own kind.”
The old man was currently in Saint Anso City, and everyone knew his affairs. Because he had “submitted to serve demons” for the safety of the city’s citizens, people did not criticize him harshly.
Besides, demons and humans had always maintained extremely limited commercial relations.
Though they were at war, necessary trade actions were occasionally conducted.
Therefore, people naturally turned a blind eye to such behavior.
However, introducing a Grand Duke of a major human empire to the Demon Lord was an entirely different matter.
If this were exposed, the old man would not only be disgraced, but his grandson might face serious trouble as well.
“I will keep it secret. Only Cecilia, the Grand Duke, and I will know about this.”
Viya understood the old man’s concerns and immediately gave her promise.
The old merchant’s network and intelligence were assets she would need in the future.
***
As it turned out, age brings wisdom.
In less than five days, old Bert placed a sealed letter on Via’s desk.
The letter was stamped with a purple wax seal symbolizing the Grand Duke’s rank, the emblem being the Youwen family crest.
Viya looked up, surprised at the old man in front of her, then tore open the letter.
“To Demon Lord Viya:
Mr. Bert has conveyed your intentions to me.
As a Grand Duke of the empire, I should refuse your request and sever all contact with you and Mr. Bert.
However, considering your contributions to humanity and your unspeakable past experiences, I believe you deserve respect.
Therefore, this negotiation may proceed.
The meeting will take place at my lordly residence.
Remember to conceal your identity and do not let others know of this matter.
If it is leaked, the meeting must be immediately canceled.
I look forward to your arrival.”
“That’s a quick response.”
Viya felt the Grand Duke’s reply came even faster than she had expected.
By her ideal estimate, factoring in old Bert’s round trip, the time spent visiting the Grand Duke’s mansion, the conversation, and then the Duke’s decision-making, it would have taken at least ten to fifteen days to get a reply.
But unexpectedly, the Grand Duke’s agreement came decisively within five days—as if he hadn’t hesitated at all…
“Indeed, the reply is quick, but I think it’s due to recent events in the Vici Empire,” old Bert said.
“The Church’s absolute decree?”
Via immediately understood.
“…Absolute decree?”
Cecilia, who was sipping her black tea nearby, frowned and carefully placed down her cup.
“A couple of days ago, the Pope issued an absolute decree condemning Lute II, demanding all dioceses enact sanctions,” Via yawned and leaned back lazily in her chair.
“This matter has stirred quite a commotion among humans. The secret messages from my informants these past few days have mostly revolved around this issue.”
“Looks like the teacher can no longer restrain himself regarding the Vici Empire,” Cecilia added with a hint of helplessness.
In fact, when she was still the Saintess, her teacher had already planned to deal with the Vici Empire.
But back then, she worried such action would spark internal chaos among humans, giving demons an opening.
So she sought the Lord’s revelation and received the divine oracle: ‘Among the Lord’s children, all internal conflicts must be eliminated; no division in targeting one another is allowed.’
This oracle helped suppress the turmoil.
After she left, one guess was that her teacher would soon deal with the Vici Empire once she left the Church.
Now it seemed her speculation had come true.
“A church nation of this scale, with such population, resources, and economy—how could the old man not have his eyes on it?”
Via crossed her legs without concern.
“Issuing an absolute decree against Lute II means the mask is off. So it’s understandable that His Excellency the Grand Duke is willing to meet with me.”
“Yes. The Church’s absolute decree on Emperor Lute II is an attempt to force his submission. But obviously, the Grand Duke doesn’t want the emperor to submit. His willingness to cooperate with you is likely because he needs to withstand the Church’s decree and broaden economic channels,” old Bert explained.
The Church’s absolute decree against the emperor could never casually dethrone an empire’s emperor outright, but it would undermine his authority and legitimacy, affecting domestic development.
Coupled with sanctions, life in the Vici Empire would become difficult.
At this moment, concerns about demons or not were secondary.
The priority was preserving the domestic foundation.
Having the strength to oppose the Church was key; as for demons, acceptance was easier under such circumstances.
“Looks like lately, I haven’t been putting enough pressure on the Church. Even now, they’re still thinking about a deathmatch with the imperial power. How should I put it? Maybe I died too early. Otherwise, I might have been betrayed by my own people even worse,” Via sighed sincerely.