The council chamber of the Silent Royal Court was heavy with an oppressive silence that seemed to suffocate the air.
Around the large round table sat the empire’s most powerful nobles.
The grand dukes sat upright in their seats, their expressions grave.
The princes kept their heads lowered, their faces clouded with complex emotions.
Standing at the center of the table was Cassian Valerius, the Minister of Intelligence.
In his hand was a thin battle report.
“Everyone, here is the situation from last night’s battle.”
Cassian cleared his throat and began to read aloud:
“Her Highness the Eldest Princess arrived over Weeping Blood Valley at the hour of Zi.”
“At one quarter past Zi, the allied army’s aerial unit, the Gryphon Wing Knights, was completely annihilated.”
“Casualties: three thousand enemy troops, all wiped out.”
“Our casualties: zero.”
“Duration of the battle: the time it takes for one incense stick to burn.”
The hall fell into a dead silence.
Grand Duke Glack Bruch, Minister of Military Affairs, looked ashen.
Before him lay a thick stack of operational plans.
Every page crammed with countless tactical arrangements.
“Lure the enemy in,” “divide and conquer,” “siege and capture.”
Now it all seemed like worthless scraps of paper.
“One incense stick’s time?”
Prince Dracula Camarilla slowly lifted his head, his voice dry.
“Three thousand elite knights gone in just one incense stick’s time?”
“To be precise, not even a full incense stick was burned.” Cassian added.
“That time even included Her Highness the Eldest Princess searching for her target.”
Prince Reginald Bruch rubbed his temples.
“So what you’re saying is…”
“The actual combat time was probably less than the time it takes to finish a cup of tea?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Grand Duke Glack felt as if his intelligence was being rubbed into the ground.
The battle plan he had spent three days and three nights crafting was resolved in the time it takes to finish a cup of tea.
How could he hold his head high in front of his peers now?
“And what about the current state of the allied army?”
Minister of Economy Lorenzo asked.
“According to intelligence from spies at the front, the allied forces are in a state of extreme panic.”
Cassian flipped through the report in his hand.
“However, Pope Uther VII quickly stabilized the situation. They are currently reorganizing their offensive.”
“They are expected to reach our defensive line before dusk today.”
Lorenzo nodded and was about to speak when he suddenly felt the communication crystal in his hands vibrate.
He glanced at it discreetly.
Sender: Head Maid.
Message: The Little Princess is satisfied with the ‘Dewdrop Bloodberry Tart.’
Lorenzo’s spirits immediately lifted!
Wonderful!
Those twelve pastry chefs had worked through the night.
Finally producing a dessert that pleased the Little Princess!
This was far more gratifying than winning ten battles.
He struggled to suppress his excitement and feigned nonchalance while continuing to listen to the report.
Yet the corners of his mouth involuntarily curled upward, pride shining in his eyes.
Across the table, Grand Duke Fenris Gont noticed Lorenzo’s change in expression.
“Lorenzo, you look quite pleased?”
Fenris regarded him suspiciously.
“Ahem, nothing.”
Lorenzo cleared his throat and tried to maintain a serious tone.
“Just thinking about some positive economic news.”
Fenris gave him a doubtful look but didn’t press further.
Cassian continued his report:
“Additionally, Her Highness the Eldest Princess has returned to Nightfall City and is currently resting.”
“Her Majesty the Queen has also temporarily ceased the full exertion of the Night’s Authority.”
“The environment of Weeping Blood Valley has returned to normal, and our forces can operate as usual.”
Grand Duke Glack finally found his moment to speak.
“In that case, I will immediately mobilize the frontline troops.”
“Together with the Eldest Princess’s victory, we will launch a full-scale attack on the allied forces!”
“Wait.”
Lorenzo suddenly spoke up, standing and walking over to the map at the center of the table.
“Glack, are you sure this is the right time to attack?”
“What do you mean?”
Glack frowned.
“Look, although the allied army’s morale is low, their numbers remain substantial.”
Lorenzo pointed to the red markers on the map.
“If we launch a reckless assault, we risk falling into a grueling battle.”
“And a grueling battle means noise.”
“Noises will disturb the Little Princess’s rest.” Glack was stunned.
“The Little Princess? What does that have to do with the war?”
Lorenzo looked at Glack as if he were an idiot.
“Glack, have you lost your mind?”
“The Little Princess’s mood directly affects the Queen and the Eldest Princess’s state.”
“Their state, in turn, directly influences the course of the entire war.”
“So focusing on the Little Princess’s reaction is essentially focusing on the core of the war.”
Glack opened his mouth to retort but found Lorenzo’s argument surprisingly reasonable.
Come to think of it, the Eldest Princess’s intervention last night was precisely because the allied forces threatened the Little Princess’s safety.
If the Little Princess were unhappy with the war’s progress, it’s possible Her Majesty would personally enter the fray.
Annihilate the entire allied army.
What value would he, the Minister of Military Affairs, then have?
“You’re right.”
Glack gritted his teeth and admitted defeat.
“Then we will observe the Little Princess’s reaction before drafting our next battle plan.”
Lorenzo nodded with satisfaction.
This was the essence of commercial thinking: always focus on the most critical point of demand.
In this empire, the Little Princess Sylvia’s satisfaction was the highest standard for all decisions.
Whoever pleased her held the advantage in the empire’s power structure.
After the meeting ended, Lorenzo returned immediately to his office.
He took out an encrypted communication crystal and contacted pastry workshops across the empire.
“Immediately classify the ‘Dewdrop Bloodberry Tart’ recipe as top secret of the empire.”
“No one is to disclose it under any circumstances. Offenders will be charged with treason.”
“Also, notify all pastry chefs to continue developing new flavors.”
“Require at least three new products each week.”
“Remember, this is a matter of the highest priority for the empire.”
After finishing the transmission, Lorenzo leaned back in his chair and exhaled.
As head of the Giovanni family, he had managed countless commercial empires and witnessed all manner of power games.
But never before had he seen a little girl’s taste preferences influence the entire empire’s decisions.
Yet, this was understandable.
After all, the Little Princess was no ordinary child.
Every move she made affected countless hearts.
At this moment, the Little Princess, closely watched by the empire’s highest powers, was pacing boredly in her room.
Sylvia wore a pale blue court gown, her hair loosely draped over her shoulders.
She walked to the window, gazing at the eternal blood moon outside.
“It’s always night now, I can’t even tell day from night anymore.”
She murmured, her tone tinged with complaint.
“When will this kind of life ever end?”
Having once lived in a normal world, the eternal night weighed heavily on her spirit.
She longed for sunlight, blue skies, white clouds, and those ordinary yet beautiful days.
***
Standing silently by the door, the Head Maid carefully recorded every word the Little Princess spoke.
“The Little Princess is dissatisfied with the lighting environment and longs for change.”
She quickly edited and sent the message to Her Majesty the Queen.
At the Silent Royal Court’s highest echelon, Ophelia was attending to imperial affairs.
Upon receiving the Head Maid’s report, she put down her documents.
“Sylvia wants a change?” Ophelia fell into thought.
Her daughter had grown tired of the eternal night.
Then she would give her daughter a more magnificent sky.
Perhaps a brilliant fireworks display staged by the million allied troops before Sylvia’s eyes?
Or directly unleashing the Night’s Authority to create a dazzling aurora above the blood moon?
A gleam of anticipation flickered in Ophelia’s blood-red eyes.
For her daughter’s happiness, she was willing to do anything.
Even if it meant redecorating the entire sky.
Little princess is the top priority