Chapter 167: Chapter 36 Although Isabella Didn’t Care

Sometimes, the strength of an individual doesn’t mean much… Often, the amount of water a barrel can hold depends on the shortest plank, which is the origin of the term “short board.”

Although the state of the empire couldn’t be entirely described by the “short board” theory, it came quite close to the truth…

Against all common sense, Yila, as the strongest, stayed in the empire, making its execution ability extremely strange… It couldn’t be said to be weak, but became stagnant and slow to act, like a pool of stagnant water.

The nobles would trip them up…

Whether Yila’s policies or the strategies clearly belonging to the Yila Faction’s nobles, the Noble Faction would resist to a certain extent… They might not even know why they resisted, but they just would.

After all, Yila was too special, too dazzling, and unwilling to hold back… Holding back didn’t hold much meaning for Yila.

Yila leaving the empire, on the other hand, turned it into a united front, or rather… the current Noble Faction was more willing to put the prosperity of the empire above resisting the Yila Faction, just as it had been when the war started.

Fortunately, the war hadn’t become one-sided to the point where the empire could quickly gain a significant advantage.

As the frontline extended, the war between the empire and the duchy was destined to become a prolonged one… As long as the nature of the governor didn’t change, neither side would have a decisive method to end it.

“…”

In his room, Yila held a quill dipped in ink, resting his chin on one hand as he pondered something, then wrote on the parchment spread out on the desk… He was writing a letter.

As for whom he was writing to, it naturally… couldn’t be Isabella.

Although Isabella would certainly speak without reserve, even if Yila asked her about the next strategic goal of the empire, Isabella wouldn’t withhold anything, but…

*Yila was simply being capricious; he didn’t want to take the initiative to ask Isabella anything.*

“…”

After signing off, Yila pondered for a moment, then picked up another piece of parchment, spread it out on the desk, and pressed it down with two sanded stone bricks to avoid it rolling back up.

Yes, Yila was going to write more than one letter… not even just two.

Yila had quite an extensive network, so even if he stayed in the Demon King Territory, he still had ways to get information from many places, and the timeliness wasn’t bad either.

Probably with the help of the Blood Clan, he’d get a response by tomorrow night, though the situation on the battlefield would surely change by then.

As for the Witch Demon Territory and the trade ship matters, they’d have to wait.

“…”

“Ah, right…”

Yila said, the quill twitching lightly in his hand, as he spoke to himself with a trace of helplessness: “I wonder if Cassiopeia knows about this news, I should inform her too.”

Once these letters were written, and replies arrived, probably everyone would be able to understand the full extent of last night’s developments.

“Knock knock~”

The door was gently knocked on… From this, it was unlikely to be Vera; if it were her, there would have been loud shouts and a sudden entrance.

“Come in.”

With Yila’s voice, the door was pushed open from the outside, revealing a cute yet hesitant face. Satan Ye’s soft voice came through: “Mr… Mr. Yila.”

The voice was a bit coy, causing Yila’s hand to tremble, making a small ink blot appear on the parchment… Fortunately, the ink on parchment didn’t spread quickly, so it could be wiped off soon enough.

“Hmm? What’s the matter?”

Yila asked, turning his head to look at Satan Ye, who had come to find him. He placed the pen aside, glancing at her small tail that unconsciously curled up. He asked, “Did something happen?”

Satan Ye hesitated, blinking before handing Yila a folded piece of parchment, saying, “Youyou said this is a letter from the empire, addressed to you… We didn’t open it to see who it’s from.”

“…”

There was no need to say it explicitly; Yila knew the answer, and he knew everyone else did too… So, how should he face Isabella now? What should their relationship be considered now?

Parchment… wasn’t magic paper.

*Thinking, Yila took the parchment, recognizing the fine and familiar handwriting. He realized something and said,* “Isabella knows I’m aware of her support for the Slave Capture Team… Is she afraid I’ll scold her?”

Listening to Yila, Satan Ye lightly sat on Yila’s bed, blinking at the sight of Yila tirelessly writing at the desk, with a soft question: “Could someone as powerful as Isabella really fear being scolded?”

But when thinking about it… if Mr. Yila got angry… it could indeed be quite terrifying.

“Isabella is still somewhat immature, though she is first a king, but subsequently, inevitably just a child…”

Yila said this, looking at the contents of the parchment sent by Isabella, continuing: “Since I left, she seems to have become more and more willful… When next we meet, I’ll break her legs.”

Making such a declaration, Yila examined the contents of the parchment.

“…”

Both of them remained silent. Yila read the letter, while Satan Ye observed Yila’s indifferent expression… Yila’s expression was merely indifferent, much like how governors often appeared.

So it was impossible to discern his inner thoughts.

“Hmm, what does it say?”

Satan Ye finally couldn’t resist asking.

“Some self-praising comments hoping for my approval…”

Yila said, rubbing her small head and handing her the parchment… People in the Demon King Territory seemed particularly concerned with privacy, whether this was good or bad was hard to say.

…

“Lord Yila, how are you? Since you left, the Noble Faction truly regained the glory of their past, but I know this is not due to my effort, but yours… It seems I am still far from being a competent ruler.”

“When you receive this letter, the first night of the war should have ended, and we should have achieved some good results. If there were any mishaps, consider it as an inept student failing to learn the crucial points…”

“Lord Shara is one of your people. Calming him and the governors left in the empire took much of my effort, and so did Gurela, who almost followed the convoy to find you. At such a critical moment, Lord Yila, please don’t call them to your side.”

“If the time comes when you must summon them to your side, and if we are to be at odds, I would actually welcome it, for then it would prove I had become a competent ruler.”

“Though I do not mind, please convey my regards to Satan Ye.”

“I am somewhat curious about your life in the Demon King Territory and how you get along with the new ruler, yet Lord Yila need not reply, for I do not mind.”

“Perhaps I should not care, but should you find your stay in the Demon King Territory unbearable, you may return to the empire any time, although you would have to remain hidden in my palace, unseen by the public.”

“If given the chance, I will visit the Demon King Territory myself. Until then… please watch over my performance, teacher.”

“Hmm…”

Satan Ye pouted, commenting: “Isabella… doesn’t seem to like me much.”

…

“Hmph~ Perhaps…”

Yila couldn’t help but chuckle.