Chapter 966: Chapter 421: My Maid Is a Prince-Elector?

PS: Lately, comments for this Chapter have been decreasing. Looking back, the recent plot indeed hasn’t been exciting enough. Mainly because the New Year has kept me too busy; you can imagine going out to eat every day and returning to writing after ten or eleven at night. My mind is often muddled, and the quality of what I write inevitably declines. I’m not satisfied myself, so today, I’ve added one more Chapter in hopes of receiving your understanding and support. Thank you!

The Old World, Brittania, Count Glamorgan’s Domain, Gene Town, within the winery.

Laine, having attended the banquet, sat high in the main seat. Below him sat Elspeth and Theodore. Laine showed full respect for these two Holy Sanctuary powerhouses who came from Nuer. They indeed commanded respect from Great Nobles.

"So you came specifically for Amelia," Laine asked Elspeth, who sat below, in a low voice, his face showing some confusion.

He was not puzzled by Amelia’s identity since Emperor Carl Franz had hinted at it before. He was puzzled by the Empire’s attitude.

Plainly speaking, if the Empire truly intended to take back Amelia from him, there’s no reason to send only dozens of soldiers. A Prince-Elector’s personal guard is at least a thousand in scale, not to mention the tens of Knight Corps and twenty thousand troops Nuer possesses.

"We came because of Emmanuelle, and now we’ve confirmed her identity," Elspeth said. "As it stands, we will be returning shortly." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

"Wait, you’re not planning to take Amelia away?" Now Laine was somewhat baffled, speaking in a deep voice, "I respect Amelia’s decision. Whether she chooses to leave with you is her freedom. Does your choice to return mean she is unwilling to leave with you?"

His mind went back to a few days ago.

After meeting at the Boldro court, Laine’s little maid Amelia had calmed down, deciding to put aside the last shred of uncertainty and have a talk with Elspeth and Theodore.

Before her were these two Holy Sanctuary powerhouses who were staunch supporters of Amelia. The little maid knew they came solely because of her; there was no avoiding it now, only communication.

The three found a secret room to talk in detail. Out of respect for Amelia, Laine did not join. He simply told Amelia he respected her wishes; if she wanted to leave, she was free to do so. If she did not want to leave, then even with force, Laine would protect her.

Amelia softly thanked him and then entered the secret room to discuss matters in detail. No one knew what the three talked about inside the room.

"We came this time to confirm Emmanuelle is still alive and that she is truly Emmanuelle herself." Nuer’s Lady Black closed her eyes, her voice like a cold wind blowing through a cemetery, chilling the formerly warm atmosphere of the winery: "That’s enough for us. We should prepare until Nuer deems it fit to welcome her back. Until then, she will continue to stay with you."

"I haven’t agreed to Amelia leaving," Laine retorted.

"Lord Laine, we do not wish to be your enemy, but I hope you understand, Emmanuelle... or what you call Amelia is not your possession. She carries Marcus’s blood; she is the last direct descendant of Marcus, the first Prince-Elector of Brescia and Duke of Weisen. The people of Weisen require her; the soldiers of Weisen need her," Theodore tried to keep his attitude calm. Nuer’s Chief Justice was evidently wary of Laine’s skill: "She also carries Savior Ludwig’s bloodline; she is the sole legal claimant of the title of Grand Duke of Nuer. Everyone must fulfill their duties in this dark age. With Charlemagne above, I believe you can understand."

Laine’s expression was troubled, but he had to admit the guests from Nuer were right; Amelia did not belong to anyone. She had served as Laine’s maid for six years, and any debts owed then were long repaid. Whether she wished to return to Nuer was not determined by Laine’s wishes but by Amelia’s own.

Given Elspeth and Theodore’s decision to return, they must have secured a promise from Amelia, indicating that she ultimately decided to go back.

It was her duty and mission, and Laine had no right to stop it.

"How can I be sure you genuinely support Amelia and aren’t deceiving her to return?" Laine continued to ask.

"Time will prove everything. We have always been Emmanuelle’s most steadfast supporters, and only she can command us. This, Emmanuelle can attest to; for nearly ten years, we have searched for her whereabouts," Elspeth rarely spoke so much: "The Nuer Iron Armor Army and engineers from the Nuer Gunpowder Academy await Emmanuelle’s return. The nobility needs Emmanuelle, and Emperor Carl Franz has expressed support for our actions. If we welcome Emmanuelle back, he will support her as a Prince-Elector in his capacity as Emperor of the Empire."

"Hmm." Laine leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.

Elspeth and Theodore Bruckner departed from the winery. They would pack up and return to Nuer to clear the courts and political situation, readying for Emmanuelle’s return.

After the guests left, Laine sat in his seat, silent for a long time, trying to speak but finding his wife Surya standing behind him: "Surya?"

"Laine, my husband~" The female knight, dressed in a Marchioness’s gown, gently approached Laine and sat on his lap, embracing him softly: "You must be somewhat reluctant about Amelia, aren’t you?"

"After all, I am a man." Laine held the warm and tender figure in his arms, and said helplessly, "But what the Tomb Rose and the Grand Judge of Nuer said is true. Everyone in the world has their own responsibilities, and Amelia’s responsibility is not to be a little maid serving me, but to return to Nuer and fulfill her duties as the heir to the Prince-Elector."

Surya held her husband in her arms. She hesitated for a moment and whispered, "Actually... Amelia returning to become a Prince-Elector is all gain and no loss for you. You will have a strong ally again, and you can also leverage the engineering families in the Nuer Armory that produce those powerful war machines. Most importantly, Laine, perhaps because of Amelia, the alliance between Brittania and the Empire will become even closer."

"Even closer?" Laine pondered, "Indeed, with Amelia saved by me and sent back to the Empire, the bonds between the two parties will indeed become tighter, especially since Nuer, as the hometown of Savior Ludwig and the industrial heart of the Southern Empire, is considered one of the most important cities in the Empire."

"Amelia told me that if she went back, she would find a way to sign a military alliance with you." Surya dropped another bombshell, the female knight said in a peculiar tone, "Be satisfied, my husband, Amelia wants to return not just because of herself, but also largely for your sake!"

"Her future is for her to decide. This period is the last chance Nuer’s side is giving her to choose." Laine pondered for a while and continued to shake his head, "I should avoid seeing Amelia recently. Her future is for her to decide. It’s a right she was born with."

Since returning to Gene Castle, Amelia had locked herself in her room. The little maid now had to make her final decision on her own.

"Go take a nap, rest for a couple of days, Laine. Everything will get better. You don’t have to worry about the matters within your domain, I’ll help you manage them." Surya let Laine bury his head in her ample bosom and softly said, "Go rest."

"Thank you, Surya. It’s good to have you." The gentle and soft embrace of the female knight gradually melted the uncomfortable corner in Laine’s heart, and he held his wife tighter, "Surya, don’t worry, I’m fine."

With lips meeting, Laine and Surya kissed gently, their tongues entwining for a good two or three minutes. The female knight shyly pushed her husband away, motioning for him to go rest. If they continued kissing, even the female knight couldn’t take it anymore.

Following her suggestion, Laine returned to his bedroom. The bed in the bedroom of the chateau was already made. Dark Elf Ollica, wearing a black and white lace maid outfit, with black high heels and white thigh-high stockings, stood by the bed, "Master, everything is ready. I am here to serve you and help you rest."

In the dark amber eyes of the Dark Elf, a bright light gleamed. Her long black hair hung down to her waist as she helped Laine draw the curtains and close the windows, blowing out the candles. Once Laine got into the bed, Ollica bent over, unlaced her high heels, kicked them off, and slipped into Laine’s embrace, "Master~"

The dim bedroom became quiet as the light from outside was covered by the curtains, leaving only the faint rustling sounds.

"Ollica, will you leave me too? Go back to Naglos?" Laine, hugging his Dark Elf companion, asked somewhat anxiously.

"No, Master." Ollica shook her head repeatedly, the Dark Elf lying atop Laine, her arms around his neck, resting against his chest, "To Duruzi, Naglos is not our home. Our ultimate goal is to fight back to Ossuan; that’s our homeland. But for me, Ollica Korundia, the place where the Master is, is my home."

"I always feel like you’re deceiving me~," Laine said half-jokingly, his large hands exploring the gorgeous white-stockinged legs of the Dark Elf, "I asked Tygris, and he didn’t tell me that. He said you dark elves are all... quite peculiar, pursuing some bizarre hobbies."

Laine recounted what Tygris had told him to Ollica.

"Master~ That’s what Moras and her female sorcerer gatherings like to do! Or perhaps it’s those female lunatic executioners under Har-Gangxi’s bride ’Witch’ Helben!" Ollica puffed out her cheeks, sticking her little tongue out to kiss Laine. After a few fragrant kisses, the Dark Elf continued, "The Witch Queen Moras has always been suspected of being connected to Slaanesh; she’s far too well-versed in knowing the enemy, and she often uses the gold and silver treasures from her Titan Peaks to hire those northern barbarians who believe in Chaos to fill the gaps in her soldiers. Meanwhile, the Witch Helben desperately tries to satisfy Kaine’s insatiable thirst for blood and the art of slaughter. They are the main force in the war against the High Elves. Tygris only knows part of it; he’s slandering me!"

"I don’t quite understand you elves..." After chatting leisurely with Ollica for a few moments, Laine felt his mood slightly lifted. He casually remarked, "My maids are not simple at all. Amelia is unexpectedly the strong heir to the Prince-Elector, and Ollica, don’t tell me you used to be the Lord of Fear of Naglos?"

The Dark Elf’s face slightly changed, and she quickly responded, "Master, don’t overthink it. Duruzi doesn’t have such declarations. It’s a winner-takes-all situation. The Lords of Fear are always chosen through bloody assassinations, duels, and conspiracies. I’ve long since become your maid. I’ll always be your maid in the future."

Having finished, the Dark Elf rather shyly and somewhat annoyedly said, "I’ve even had your mark engraved on me. Do you think I don’t know what that spirit rune you marked on my abdomen is? Honestly! Master, you would rather believe the crap from that Lily-Lilith, the First Divine Chosen of Slaanesh, than trust me? I’m not speaking to you anymore!"

With that, the Dark Elf pouted and turned over.

"I was just asking offhandedly, didn’t mean anything by it," Laine quickly soothed, holding the waist of the Dark Elf from behind, feeling her silky smooth skin.

"Master~ You have to work hard! If you want to apologize, then show it through your actions."

"Alright, alright~"