When the nobles of the capital talked about their empress: Blood Gold - Aurola, they mostly gave a consistent evaluation:
Cold, ruthless, merciless, but also capable.
Few people knew why Aurola, who was studying safely at the Saint Viliana National University at the time, was able to develop rapidly after graduation, relying on support from various external forces and the new army in her hands to defeat her two brothers and successfully climb to the throne of Saint Viliana.
After sitting on the throne, her first knife was first directed at her own royal brother, followed by this group of long-indulgent nobles, and there were even rumors that she also planned to take action against the church, which had great authority throughout the entire continent... but no one could confirm this.
If it was just that, it wouldn't be much.
What truly earned her the title of "Blood Gold" was an unexpected assassination attempt on a night in the capital five years ago.
Although it was publicly announced that the target of this assassination attempt was Empress Aurola herself, anyone with eyes could see the intricacies within... At that time, attempting to assassinate a young empress who was at the height of her power and was a seventh-level transcendent herself was undoubtedly an extremely foolish act.
At that time, almost all the noble factions involved were cut down, either directly exiled, and even some church forces that had infiltrated the court were completely eradicated under the empress's fury. All forces in the entire court that had the ability to oppose the empress's voice were completely wiped out, and this place thoroughly became her one-person show.
As for whether that so-called "assassination attempt" really happened or was a self-directed and self-acted play by the ambitious empress... now no one can know or mention it.
And Lister... naturally was one of those who were purged.
...
Saint Viliana, the capital.
In the highest room of the magnificent palace in the center, a woman in white military attire with golden hair was quietly standing by the window, gazing at the lively night outside the capital.
Her face was reflected through the window, that cold and beautiful face showed no expression, as if an iron mask was worn on her face, making it impossible to guess any of her emotions.
There were still documents waiting for her review on the desk beside her, but obviously, she was not in the mood for that now.
"Your Majesty the Empress, new information... There was a sighting report of the Demon Lord from White River Town."
Behind her, a woman wearing half armor was reporting the documents in her hand.
She was Marika, the grand commander of the Crusader Legion who had followed Aurola from the very beginning of the conquest.
"I know. I heard it, that roar... It was directed at me."
Aurola didn't turn around and responded lightly.
"So, we need to send out..."
"Wait a moment."
Aurola interrupted Marika's words.
She turned around, her pupils like pure gold staring straight at Marika.
"Wait for the news from that side first."
"...Your Majesty."
Marika paused, then continued,
"Although the actions of the Magitech Armed Nuns were unexpected to us, this also indirectly ensured the safety of Lord Lister, right? After all, they are one of the few forces in the church that will meticulously go through all the trial procedures, so before that, we still have a lot of time to maneuver."
"Of course I understand, but that's not the point."
Aurola's hands behind her back unconsciously clenched into fists, and her golden pupils seemed to shoot out substantial cold light.
She just didn't expect that the church would really continue to reach out to that side.
Would really... have the guts to continue touching her person.
"Your Majesty, please pay attention to your emotions."
Marika reminded in a timely manner beside her. Aurola closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, the overwhelming cold air around her had dissipated a lot.
That's right... She couldn't show herself to be so irritable anymore.
So many years had passed, it was time to have a talk with Lister.
At this moment, there was a knock on the door outside the room.
"Come in."
Aurola answered softly, and then a dark elf spy in a black stealth suit walked in and knelt in front of Aurola.
"I hope you brought me good news."
Aurola said softly.
"..."
'Good news...'
'If you don't cut me down after hearing what I'm about to say, I'll be satisfied, Your Majesty...'
The spy swallowed and then slowly said,
"Your Majesty... Forgive my incompetence, I failed to stop..."
"It's okay, I didn't expect you to be able to snatch someone from the Magitech Armed Nuns."
Aurola seemed to have noticed that this spy she had specially cultivated by Lister's side was very nervous. She remembered Marika's words to control her emotions just now, so she softened her tone a little.
"No need to be afraid, I'm not as ruthless as you imagine... So speak, now Lister is being held in that church, who is guarding him, where did the Magitech Armed Nuns go?"
'It's not that I'm afraid, Your Majesty, because what I failed to stop wasn't some Magitech Armed Nuns...'
'It was the Demon Lord!'
"...Your Majesty, can you promise not to be angry later?"
"I won't be angry."
"..."
The spy took a deep breath and said in a tone of facing death:
"I, with my own eyes, saw Lord Lister... being, being taken away by the Sinful Dragon Demon Lord... So, now Lord Lister is probably being held in... the Demon Lord's Castle..."
*Boom!*
The glass of the room was instantly shattered by the magic power pressure released by Aurola. Marika and the dark elf didn't dare to face the terrifying pressure head-on and struggled to support themselves from falling.
Her trembling pupils looked towards the distant south, and her breathing also became rapid.
She waved her hand wearing white gloves, and a magic power-formed interface appeared in front of her.
It recorded Lister's internal magic power level, vitality index, whether he was conscious or not, and a dazzling array of status bars detecting if there were any negative effects.
These monitoring spells and inscription formations were all personally engraved one by one by her when Lister was asleep or at other opportunities. Lister, as a mortal, couldn't feel Aurola's actions towards him.
Her gaze quickly scanned up and down, confirming that there were basically no abnormalities—that is, indicating that Lister had not suffered physical injury and life-threatening danger, only then did her overwhelming pressure recede a little.
But the next moment... all these status bars were wiped clean.
Only the spell at the bottom confirming the inventory status was still preserved, emitting a faint glow.
Aurola understood that this was not a problem with Lister, but that her little tricks on Lister had been seen through and removed by someone.
Moreover, the other party deliberately left this last technique for her to see.
This was a provocation.
"..."
After a brief silence, Aurola put away the magic vision and turned around again.
"Who informed the Magitech Armed Nuns about Lister's information?"
"O-Owen, the priest of the Astaria Church branch in White River Town."
"Anyone else?"
"There shouldn't be..."
"Very well."
Aurola answered lightly.
"Commander Marika, I order you in the name of the Empress of Saint Viliana to immediately organize five hundred Crusader Knights to set out with me tomorrow."
"Your Majesty, I'm also very worried about Lord Lister and understand your anxious feelings, but now if we go to war with the Demon Lord..."
"It's not war."
Aurola's golden pupils looked towards the south.
"It's to save someone."
"Tomorrow, we will pass through White River Town and then directly head south to the Demon Lord's Castle."
"As you command, Your Majesty, my knights and I will be the sharpest blade in your hand."