It had been several days since Petrovna arrived in the Empire of Aetherlight, and she had been awaiting notification from the Imperial Court.
However, before she received any response, she was first alerted to the battle taking place right where she was staying.
The young woman had naturally sensed the frightening aura that had just passed through. To be honest, Petrovna felt that the owner of that aura was even more powerful than her mother, Catherine.
Her mother was a Sovereign-level Lore Cardian, not just some random person.
Undoubtedly, the attacker was someone of her mother's caliber.
Fortunately, the aura had dissipated quickly, and the palace swiftly returned to calm.
This was assuming they ignored the crumbling palace and the plumes of black smoke still rising into the air.
Faced with this sudden situation, the best option for envoys from other countries within the palace, no matter how close their ties to the Empire, was to observe the unfolding situation in secret and avoid interfering in the conflict between the Empire and the Mughal Empire.
Firstly, there was no need to offend either of these two major factions. After all, supporting either the Empire of Aetherlight or the Mughals would undoubtedly offend the other.
Secondly, they were merely invited guests to Lord Lioren's funeral, and basic respect was due to the Empire.
In the current situation, it was best to pretend nothing had happened and leave the matter to Imperial authorities.
Tsarist Russia was no exception.
Even if Petrovna couldn't understand the situation, her courtiers would have reminded her.
But she came anyway.
The courtiers, of course, tried to dissuade the crown princess, but ultimately, they couldn't overcome her stubbornness and could only let her do what she wanted.
There was nothing they could do; she had the luxury of willfulness. Her mother was both the supreme empress of Tsarist Russia and the nation's only Sovereign-level Lore Cardian. Add to that her own talent, and few on Earth had more powerful connections than her.
Of course, this approach had its benefits, at least it would strengthen relations with the Empire. They had seen intelligence on Azrael.
As for Motian and his entourage, the Russian empress was also a Sovereign-level Lore Cardian. Did they really think they were afraid of him?
So they finally followed Petrovna to the scene.
Thinking of this, several Russian envoys smiled slightly and began to converse with the Imperial Lore Cardians surrounding the area.
Elsewhere, after reaching a deal with Aramaki, Azrael and the others prepared to deal with the aftermath.
After all, the incident had caused quite a stir, so they still needed to explain the situation to the envoys. The reason, of course, was to use what Aramaki had called "an exchange of ideas between masters."
However, Petrovna's arrival interrupted their movements.
Azrael was startled upon seeing her. "Your Highness Petrovna?"
"Why are you here?"
Petrovna blinked and said matter-of-factly, "With such a commotion, of course I had to come and see. I don't want to die in vain."
Azrael and the others were speechless.
Ignoring their expressions, Petrovna gestured curiously at the ruins. "Why did Master Azrael fight with His Majesty Motian?"
Azrael and the others exchanged glances at her question, then dismissed Aramaki's explanation. "It was just a sparring match."
"Master Azrael, do you take me for a fool?"
Petrovna puffed her cheeks slightly. She was naive, not stupid.
Azrael and the others, however, didn't really think so. They simply shook their heads, not directly addressing the girl's words.
Azrael then changed the subject. "Your Highness, have you been enjoying your stay in the Empire these past few days? If you have any complaints, please let us know."
Petrovna shook her head. She'd been quite comfortable these days; how could she possibly be dissatisfied?
It's true that the Imperial Palace in Beijing was significantly larger than their own, and the architectural style was quite different.
Besides, the Empire didn't prohibit foreign envoys from visiting. After all, after Aramaki's abdication, the imperial palace was inspected by the association to contain no sensitive information and was subsequently opened to the public for free viewing. It wasn't until Lord Lioren's funeral that it was temporarily closed, undergoing renovations and used to host foreign envoys.
"That's good," Azrael said, and silence fell.
After a moment, he spoke. "Your Highness, shall I show you around Beijing?"
Petrovna's eyes lit up at this. "Thank you, Master Azrael!"
Although she had already visited the Imperial Palace in recent days, she hadn't been anywhere else in Beijing.
Azrael also wanted to take this opportunity to discuss follow-up matters with the young woman.
Seeing Petrovna's agreement, the young man turned to Lucian and the others and said, "Teacher, I'll leave this to you."
The three Sovereign-level Lore Cardians nodded, indicating that he didn't need to worry about this.
Aramaki, standing behind the group, narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze shifting between the two of them.
Something's fishy! The gossip-monger's radar began to buzz.
Unaware of his thoughts, Azrael left the palace with Petrovna.
Upon learning of this, the other Russian ministers accompanying him began to consider how to report this to Her Majesty Catherine upon their return.
After all, before departing, Her Majesty had explicitly instructed them not to interfere with the relationship between Her Highness Petrovna and Master Azrael of the Empire.
Elsewhere, Azrael and Petrovna left the palace and strolled through the streets.
Passersby stopped to observe the two of them.
It wasn't because of their good looks, but rather that there was practically no one in the Empire who didn't know Azrael.
Hence their reactions upon seeing him.
After all, it was still quite difficult for ordinary people to encounter a high-level Lore Cardian like Azrael.
Ignoring the onlookers, Azrael said softly, "If Your Highness minds, I can arrange for someone to disperse them."
With his current status, he could easily impose martial law on the entire capital of Beijing, or even the Empire, let alone block a few streets.
At this time, Petrovna put her hands behind her back and looked at the buildings around her curiously.
After hearing Azrael's words, she waved her hand and said with a smile, "No need to bother, Master Azrael."
With that, a card appeared beside the girl.
A wave of light spread out, and the two of them disappeared from the surrounding crowd's sight.
"That's good."
Azrael could also hide his tracks, even more perfectly than Petrovna.
After all, the girl's card clearly couldn't compare to Aizen after the Hōgyoku fusion.
But since she had already done it, there was no need for him to go to such lengths.
Glancing at the girl beside him, who was softly humming a Russian nursery rhyme, Azrael considered for a moment before saying, "Your Highness, I must ask your opinion on something."
"The Empire hopes to exchange materials with Tsarist Russia. I wonder if Her Majesty Catherine agrees?"
The Empire had already planned to discuss this matter with the Russian Empire, originally planning to raise it later, but since the opportunity presented itself, Azrael spoke directly.
As a Sovereign-level Lore Cardian, he undoubtedly had the final say.
Seeing Azrael getting down to business, Petrovna grumbled a few times in dissatisfaction. "I really thought Master Azrael was being kind enough to take me shopping today."
After a brief complaint, the girl's expression turned serious. "Master Azrael, are you referring to materials of all grades?"
"To what extent are they interchangeable?"
The matter was of great importance, and Petrovna was forthright. Although she wasn't skilled at handling such matters, she had learned from her surroundings and was able to handle them.
Azrael had a preconceived response to her question. "Of course, materials of all grades."
"If the Empire agrees, the Empire of Aetherlight is willing to exchange materials of the same grade with you in the future."
To prevent one party from exploiting the other, while it was nominally interchangeable, it was actually a transaction.
Sometimes, however, all that's missing is a platform. Perhaps a Lore Cardian needs a material that the Empire doesn't have, but Tsarist Russia does.
In this case, he can exchange a material of the same grade for the one he needs.
This deal was undoubtedly beneficial to both Lore Cardians, even Azrael. When Tsarist Russia gifted him Sovereign-level materials, he'd noticed they possessed some of the materials he needed.
Furthermore, the young man could now transform low-level materials into Sovereign-level cards. If this were successful, it would undoubtedly greatly expand his resource base.
Hearing Azrael's response, Petrovna furrowed her willow-shaped brows slightly.
After a long pause, she said sheepishly, "I'm sorry, Master Azrael, I'm afraid I can't make a decision on this matter. I'll consult my mother when I get back and then I'll get back to you."
"Of course," Azrael said, unsurprised by the girl's choice.
Seeing he didn't seem angry, Petrovna breathed a sigh of relief. "Alright, alright, let's not talk business anymore. Master Azrael, please show me around."
With that, she turned away with a look of defiance.
Seeing the girl's expression, Azrael felt a moment of helplessness. He still had something to say, but since she'd already said so, he could only obey.
It wasn't a big deal anyway.
With a silent sigh, he took a few steps forward, then bowed slightly and said, "Please, Your Highness."
Petrovna's face lit up instantly, her golden hair gleaming in the sunlight. "Hehe."
"Master, you're such a kind person," she said. With that, the girl lifted her skirt and trotted after Azrael.
Perhaps for a normal person, exploring the entire city in a single day would be difficult.
But for both Azrael and Petrovna, high-level Lore Cardians, this distance was no different from a stroll.
After escorting the girl back to the palace, Azrael asked Shiraori to take him back to his residence.
However, upon entering, he saw Amina looking at him with admiration. "Master, you're amazing."
"?"
Hearing this, Azrael was momentarily confused.
But Amina soon resolved his doubts. The now much-grown little girl handed Azrael a tablet.
As soon as Azrael took it, he saw a line of bright, eye-catching red characters on the screen.
[BREAKING! A tyrannical master falls in love with a naive girl from a neighboring country!]
"?"
Azrael's face darkened.
Although the photo beneath the title was heavily blurred, he could still make out his own and Petrovna's figures.
The text itself was even more outrageous than the title.
[Azrael's face was littered with a wicked smile, and he placed one hand on the wall beside Petrovna, preventing her from leaving. "Woman, you've successfully piqued my interest!"
Despite Azrael's assertiveness, Petrovna remained stubborn, saying, "Azrael, don't even think about making me yield!"
"Don't forget my mother..."]
Azrael had no desire to read any further and had almost written his and Petrovna's names on the screen.
He casually shoved the tablet back into Amina's arms and said in a cold voice, "Children shouldn't read too much of this stuff. It can damage your brain."
"Your homework is doubled today."
Hearing this, Amina took the tablet with a dazed look and then walked towards her room with an expression like her parents had died.
Seeing the little girl's expression, Azrael sneered and walked towards the living room.
There, a tall, intellectual beauty quietly flipped through a book. The orange light cast a subtle luster on her long, soft black hair.
The woman reading was naturally Alice.
As Lucian's disciple, she would undoubtedly attend Lord Lioren's funeral, which was why she and Amina were in Beijing.
At this moment, Azrael did not feel guilty. After all, there was indeed nothing between him and Petrovna. Even if there was anything in the future, it would be a matter for the future.
He sat down beside Alice, leaning back against the sofa with a weary expression. He softly called out, "Senior Sister."
Hearing Azrael's voice, Alice closed her book, leaned slightly to the side, and gazed at the young man with eyes as clear as glass.
After a moment, she gently opened her red lips and asked, "Did you take action today?"
"Yes, that Motian came here with ill intentions. If we didn't take action today, he'd probably become even more aggressive later."
Azrael wasn't surprised that Alice knew about this. He simply closed his eyes and murmured softly, his voice barely above a whisper.
Sensing his exhaustion, Alice pursed her lips, then stood up and came behind him, gently massaging his temples with both hands.
Sensing his senior sister's movements, Azrael opened his eyes and found he could no longer see the ceiling.
Feeling the warmth at the back of his head, he closed his eyes again.
To say the pressure wasn't great would be a lie. After Lord Lioren's death, the burden of the Empire fell upon him. Even though he'd acquired a new ability after the confession with the world consciousness, there was no way to convert it into combat power in a short period of time.
Unless Azrael disregarded the other Lore Cardians in the Empire and focused solely on converting materials into combat power.
He could do so, but the situation wasn't that dire yet.
This was one of the reasons he pushed for the sharing of materials with Tsarist Russia.
After creating Naruto that day, Azrael had already experimented with Diamond-grade materials.
After testing, it was found that one Diamond-grade material could be converted into about five to ten percent progress, and the specific value was related to the quality of the material and the degree of fit.
It was also for this reason that Artoria's [King] category progress had reached 101.5 percent.
But although the number of Diamond-grade materials was much greater than that of Sovereign-grade materials, that was only compared to the Sovereign-grade; otherwise, Aizen would not have waited so long to be promoted to Diamond grade.
It was only after the test that Azrael realized that the progress could exceed one hundred percent, so there would be no waste of materials.
Thinking of this, he opened his eyes and gently broke free from Alice's hands. "Go to bed early, Senior Sister. I have to meet people from Great Britain tomorrow."
Hearing this, Alice didn't know what she thought of, and her earlobes turned a faint red.
She tucked the hair beside her ear and responded in a low voice.
"Yeah."