When Jeanne heard that Fyodor wanted to speak with her alone, she was somewhat curious. What could he possibly want with her at a time like this? Was there something left unsaid about the operation in Lungmen?
Meanwhile, in the imperial palace, Fyodor dismissed everyone around him. Even the Emperor's Blades responsible for his protection left the room, leaving him sitting alone. Not even Kashchey knew why Fyodor had suddenly made this move, but no matter how curious he was, he had no choice but to obediently leave the chamber.
"Say, what do you think His Majesty wants with her, to the point of even kicking you out? Could it be he wants Jeanne to take command of the Emperor's Blades? Or maybe His Majesty wants to convert to the faith?"
Kashchey chatted with the black pillar beside him with a hint of gossip. Unfortunately, his companion was not very talkative, standing there like a stone without any reaction.
"If you have the time, you should really go get your brain checked. You've clearly come down with some serious illness lately... though I doubt a neurologist can do anything about matters involving the soul."
Even while speaking, Emperor's Blade Twenty-Nine kept his eyes fixed forward, standing there like a black tower. If the thing beside him weren't so annoying, he wouldn't have spoken to him at all. This creature was simply infuriating; he couldn't understand how Talulah had managed to endure him for so long before finally cutting him down. If it were up to him, Kashchey would be lucky to survive seven days.
Inside the room, Fyodor faced the communicator in silence. His expression was heavy as he sat lost in thought.
"Everyone on my side besides myself has left the room, and there will be no one eavesdropping outside. You may say what it is you wish to discuss in private."
As Councilor Witte left the room and personally closed the door, Jeanne was likewise left alone in her room, sitting there waiting to hear what the Emperor intended to say.
"I have a rather personal question and wish to consult your opinion. You have personally witnessed the cities and countryside of Ursus. In your view, where does the most serious problem in Ursus lie?"
Jeanne hadn't expected the Emperor to keep her behind to discuss internal national conflicts. No wonder he wanted a secret dialogue. It was truly unexpected that in such a situation, the Emperor would turn to her for consultation.
"I am curious why you chose me as your consultant. If you want someone who understands this country, surely there are many clever people around you who could answer that question?"
Upon hearing that Fyodor sought her out to inquire about national affairs, Jeanne immediately felt he had found the wrong person. Even if he wanted a different perspective, shouldn't he have gone to Talulah? She was someone who had actually governed a city; surely she was more suitable than a "country girl" like herself? Or was it that after seeing her miraculous power, this Emperor intended to treat her as a prophet to ask about the future? Would she have to be made into a statue with incense offerings next...
"Because you understand Ursus well enough, yet can still view the current Ursus from the perspective of a bystander. Lady Talulah cannot do this; she is too entangled with Ursus, and there are things she cannot see in their entirety..."
Jeanne felt a surge of desire to complain about those words. Could he spare her the platitudes and just get to the point?
"Furthermore, during my recent exchanges with Duke Kashchey, he has been full of praise for your various methods. Therefore, I also wish to hear how you see the current Ursus."
Fyodor recalled his private chats with Kashchey, where the Duke had shifted one of his viewpoints—an erroneous impression he once held about Jeanne.
Before Kashchey spoke, Fyodor had viewed Jeanne as merely someone who had reached this stage by relying on divine power; it was nothing more than a victory of deus ex machina. Kashchey had quickly corrected this view, understanding why an Emperor who didn't know Jeanne would think that way. Thus, Kashchey urged him to take this girl named Jeanne seriously. One chosen by a God would never be someone who required the God to personally come out and clean up every mess.
From his observations during this period, this girl was not as simple as he had imagined. She wasn't just a "vase" (figurehead) waving a flag, but rather a capable individual. He truly wanted to know what Ursus looked like in the eyes of such a person. Perhaps her words could bring him a new line of thinking.
"Is that so... If you're asking how I view Ursus, the word is 'Cold.' In my opinion, the most serious problem with Ursus right now is that this country has no warmth."
"No warmth?" Fyodor hadn't expected such a view. He didn't understand what "warmth" represented here. Was it the temperature, or something else?
Unfortunately, Fyodor could not see Jeanne's expression, nor could he guess the meaning behind her words through her face. Fortunately, before he could ask, she continued.
"I am not talking about the temperature of Ursus or anything of that sort. I mean that under your rule, this country has not a shred of mercy for its people; it is merely ruthlessly plundering everything that belongs to them."
Jeanne looked forward with a heavy expression, as if Fyodor were sitting right across from her. For a moment, she had an impulse to simply purify this country with a single fire.
"Even the scraps and leftovers that the nobles once looked down upon—ways to exploit the people—they now find ways to snatch back from the mouths of the masses. Even if this did not start with you, you, who have the power to change it, have spent all these years pushing them off the Ursus warship."
Fyodor could not offer a rebuttal to these words. What Jeanne said was indeed the truth. To ensure his rule was more stable, he had indeed abandoned many subjects who trusted him but had lost their value—and those people were entirely unaware of it, even remaining grateful to him.
Jeanne waited for a while and found that Fyodor did not intend to explain anything. Perhaps he silently agreed with her words, or perhaps what he heard was simply not what he had hoped for?
Jeanne composed her breathing and prepared to leave, ending their discussion on this topic. These were not things that could be changed with a few sentences, just as the tragedy of Ursus did not happen in a few days.
Jeanne stood up and walked to the closed door, but she paused the moment she gripped the handle. Then, she turned back and said one last thing to Fyodor:
"I believe that what an Emperor should do is guide the people to unite during difficult times, even if that means on the snow-swept tundra. But the current Ursus lacks that mercy for its people, let alone the will to protect them."
Having said this, Jeanne turned the handle and walked out without waiting for Fyodor to respond, leaving behind only a silent Emperor and an active communicator.