Chapter 309: So… Who Exactly Is Theresa?
"I heard Your Majesty ordered Lady Fu Hua to apprehend Zhuge Kongming. Might I ask what your intention is?"
It wasn't about eliminating a threat—Rita was certain of that. Neither Fu Hua's overwhelming strength nor Sigurd's otherworldly abilities were something Kongming could possibly challenge. No matter how wise or respected she was, Kongming simply didn't have the power to shift the status quo.
But a lack of threat didn't necessarily mean a lack of hostility.
Rita still didn't fully understand Sigurd, but using someone like Fu Hua to apprehend Kongming? That was like using a war elephant to squash a fly—it made her seriously question the intent behind it.
Surely it wasn't just that… Sigurd found Fu Hua annoying and wanted her out of the way?
"It's nothing much," Sigurd replied casually. "I heard she's pretty capable. Thought I'd have her brought in to help lighten your load. Besides, that brat's run out of things to do lately. She's been loitering around here with nothing better to do—it's annoying. Sending her on a long trip seemed like the best fix."
He was completely candid.
Rita's lips twitched. Shit! So that really was it—he was just annoyed with that ridiculously strong, borderline divine woman and wanted her gone!
"If you went to all that effort and pushed yourself to ask about her, you must care quite a bit," Sigurd noted. "That's good. Now you two can be each other's leverage—stay focused and work harder for me. No need to thank me for this reunion. It's only natural."
"You…" Rita opened her mouth, then gave up with a sigh. "If she's brought back quickly, that's fine. But if she's left wandering out there, it's only a matter of time before someone tries to use her name for something dangerous. If any faction waves her banner to rally a rebellion against the crown… that'd be a real problem."
Sigurd nodded, agreeing with her sentiment.
Then he shifted the topic.
"You've been running yourself ragged for over two weeks now. You should have a decent grasp of my administrative blueprint. Any suggestions or thoughts?"
Rita blinked, frowning slightly as her thoughts stirred.
"New laws, fresh systems, a revolutionary management structure, miraculous tools of governance, and Your Majesty's unparalleled vision for a golden era… Rita can only look up to it all with awe. I honestly can't offer much advice. But… I do have a few concerns."
"Go on."
"First—do we really need officials positioned above the Central Core? In Rita's view, their ability to correct errors is quite limited. In most cases, it seems far more efficient to let the Central Core handle matters directly. That said… even with the approval process in place, the current level of efficiency is like something out of a dream."
"It's necessary," Sigurd replied without pause. "I won't get into the whole 'AI crisis' topic—you wouldn't understand it just yet. But here's the key: humans are prone to dependency and complacency. Having the Central Core handle everything yields high short-term gains, but in the long run, people will lose their ability to think critically about policies, systems, and society itself."
"If everyone blindly believes the Core is the perfect government, if they grow used to an unchanging management structure, then who will think about the future of civilization? Who will craft better systems? The Core's wisdom must remain mechanical—it's up to humans to engage, manage, and evolve it. That's the only way to prevent stagnation."
"…Rita is humbled by Your Majesty's insight."
She touched her chin thoughtfully. She didn't fully grasp it all, but she did understand the depth of Sigurd's far-reaching vision—something far beyond the current age.
She continued.
"The second concern is the shortage of officials. Your Majesty's evaluation standards are brilliant but extremely strict. It guarantees only the most capable rise to decision-making positions, but such talents are rare. We've run out of suitable candidates, which is severely limiting the pace of Core deployment. And long-term, if there's a gap in successors, the bureaucratic turnover will pose a major threat."
"That's where education and internships come in. I already have a plan. You'll see it in a few days."
"Understood. The next concern is still related to bureaucracy. In the current system, officials have the sole authority to block policy implementation. If someone finds a loophole and becomes corrupt, the danger and secrecy of that corruption will be far worse than in the past."
"Which is why I've prepared another tool. Let's call it the Veritas Hall for now. It'll be used to screen officials' moral integrity during key assessments. You'll get the full data soon. Anything else?"
"Yes. Next is regarding the tax system. Rita believes that—"
Unbeknownst to them, the sun had already set outside, but the discussion within the palace continued.
Rita had spoken at length. Most of what she said had already been anticipated and accounted for in Sigurd's plans, but a few fresh perspectives surprised and pleased him.
Eventually, she slumped over the desk—and fell asleep.
In her dreams, Rita saw a flourishing dynasty: open-minded, prosperous, full of laughter and joy. A faint, blissful smile tugged at her lips.
Sigurd quietly adjusted the room's temperature for her, took a sip of tea, and then stood up. Bathed in the starlight spilling through the open palace windows, he returned to his ongoing task of reviewing and refining the system.
Forcing these talented people to work themselves to the bone—without shame—was justifiable to Sigurd for one simple reason:
He worked even harder than any of them.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Meanwhile, in the wilderness—
The moonlight poured down like silver silk, blanketing the mountains and forests.
Senti, holding a wooden stick, traced an intricate, arcane-looking pattern on the ground. She placed small stones, planted wooden stakes, and fiddled with the formation for quite some time.
Finally, with a subtle pulse, the entire formation vanished without a trace—like it had been absorbed into the earth—leaving behind nothing but a seemingly ordinary, wind-rustled forest clearing.
"Theresa! What do you think of my formation? Pretty amazing, huh? Way better than the one you designed, right?"
Senti asked cheerfully, fanning herself with a feather fan, and looked toward a certain white-haired girl dangling from a tree by chains.
The girl, draped in a white fur-lined mantle over a teal dress, had short but shapely legs clad in pure white stockings. Her crystalline blue eyes looked at Senti with utter resignation.
"…Yes. Strong. You're better," she muttered. "Also, my name's not Theresa. I'm Zhuge Kongming."
"Hehe! That's the strength of an immortal! Losing to me isn't anything to be ashamed of, Theresa!"
Senti puffed out her chest proudly.
In the realm of consciousness, Fu Hua—still studying this world's spiritual formations—rolled her eyes.
Strong, huh? This impatient little gremlin couldn't care less about actual cultivation philosophy!
She's just blindly relying on me, guiding her step by step from within her own mind to help her set up that formation… and she dares brag to Kongming—who's already a top-tier formation master?!
Zhuge Kongming dangled helplessly from her chains. Her arms were bound, her legs kicked a few times in frustration, but it was useless. She finally muttered with a flat expression:
"I'm really not this 'Theresa' person. Did you perhaps mistake me for someone else? If you tell me about this Theresa, I could maybe… leverage the imperial court to help you find her?"
She was exhausted. All she wanted was to quietly study the earth veins and perfect a formation for fighting the monstrous Huodou that was soon to emerge. Who had she offended to deserve this?
Still, this eccentric self-proclaimed "immortal" wasn't bluffing. Her power and mastery of mystical arts were undeniably formidable. Maybe… maybe she could recruit her into the plan to fight Huodou?
Her eyes darted as she began calculating her next move.
What she didn't know was that while she had been secluding herself and preparing for the coming calamity, the country she once served had already undergone a radical transformation.
Senti, now fanning herself with the feather fan she had stolen from Zhuge Kongming, grinned and said:
"No need, Theresa. I was looking for you, Theresa! Now be a good girl and come home with me, Theresa~"
"Theresa"—no, Zhuge Kongming—now sported a twitching vein on her forehead, her expression blank with fury.
I am Zhuge Kongming! Zhuge Kongming of Gou'an, born under the Western Star!
Who is this so-called Theresa who offended this lunatic and got ME caught in her mess?! Whoever you are, stand up right now!
Let me beat you until the stars themselves weep!!
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