Extreme Cold Era: Shelter Don't Keep Waste
Chapter 169 - 167 Justinian

Chapter 169: Chapter 167 Justinian

After the protracted tug-of-war-like audience meeting finally ended, everyone felt exhausted, and thus no one lingered further at the palace. They all got into their own carriages and left.

However, compared to the others, Perfikot’s situation was quite different. She had originally arrived at the palace in Eldest Princess Annie’s carriage, but now the Empress had kept her back.

To spend the night at the palace, regardless of the era or country, is an extraordinary honor.

After all, the significance of the palace is self-evident; staying one night at the palace is not a privilege easily granted by mere favor.

Even though Perfikot and Eldest Princess Annie had a close relationship, she had only been accommodated at Windsor Castle. Although both were royal territories, they were two entirely different concepts compared to the palace.

If it weren’t for her special status now, and the Empress’s intention to win her over, Perfikot should have gone to Windsor Castle tonight instead of staying at the palace.

Yet Perfikot did not feel the honor of staying at the palace, but rather found it bothersome.

Because she was approached by a very troublesome individual, which filled her with irritation.

The person who sought out Perfikot was the first successor to the Empire’s throne, the Empress’s eldest son, Eldest Princess Annie’s brother, the current Duke of Windesore, Justinian.

This fellow blocked her way, and naturally Perfikot couldn’t refuse to see him. After all, he is the Empire’s first in line to the throne.

But once this fellow spoke, he brought up Perfikot’s use of the cruel weapon, the Thermobaric Bomb, in the war. This massacre had caused great dissatisfaction among the church, and they wanted her to face a religious trial, implying that only he, the Empire’s first successor, could protect Perfikot, demanding her loyalty and even to become his mistress with such unbecoming excessiveness.

To this, Perfikot even felt amused by her anger.

It’s not that she was truly disgusted by the church, but rather she knew clearly that the church had no intention of trying her, and if they did, it was merely the thoughts of a few individuals, not a decision by the church.

What truly made Perfikot amused with anger was Justinian’s absurdity.

Because he’s simply a joke in the Empire.

The reason is quite simple: his title is Duke of Windesore, a title historically only granted to future heirs to the throne. Windsor Castle is also the residence of the Duke of Windesore, akin to the Eastern Crown Prince’s palace.

However, Windsor Castle is now occupied by Eldest Princess Annie, which clearly signifies the underlying meaning.

Otherwise, the future first successor of the Empire would hardly be excluded from participating in the audience meeting, and nor would he lack a proper and empowered position.

As for his reputation... even when Perfikot was living in the countryside, she had heard of the Duke of Windesore being a wastrel and of his ridiculous antics.

Thus, facing such an individual, Perfikot naturally didn’t show any goodwill.

But given that they were in the palace, she couldn’t really do anything to him; after all, he still was the Empire’s first in line to the throne.

If he were hurt or harmed, it would indeed be a difficult situation to handle.

However, Justinian apparently did not understand the situation; he thought that Perfikot was genuinely scared and thus indecisive.

Just like those noble ladies he tricked into bed, as long as he scared them a bit and spoke a few sweet words, they would be completely devoted to him.

Hence, Justinian not only did not restrain himself but showed an air of confidence, outright and implicitly teasing Perfikot, as if he had taken her for granted.

He self-assumed that his charming demeanor would certainly win Perfikot’s heart, making this supposedly talented woman his new mistress.

Justinian saw nothing wrong with what he did, after all, he was the Empire’s first successor, destined to become Emperor, and the entire Empire belonged to him anyway. A mere fallen aristocratic lady was nothing substantial to worry about.

Although he’s the Empire’s first successor, the Empress had given up on him many years ago.

It’s just that Eldest Princess Annie was a female, and the Empress still had a son, so she couldn’t pass the throne directly like she herself did, thus keeping him around.

Of course, so-called keeping around amounted to merely nurturing him in the palace, letting him remain content in the fantasy of being the Empire’s first successor.

This led to him not even understanding who Perfikot really was; he merely heard that Perfikot was talented, thinking winning her over would benefit him in inheriting the throne.

So this wastrel came with intentions of getting handsy with Perfikot.

In fact, for those who truly held power within the Empire, it was clear that the Empress’s true chosen successor was Eldest Princess Annie.

However, due to the Empire’s current male inheritance law, the Empress couldn’t directly abolish Justinian’s inheritance rights.

But it was clear Justinian himself had no awareness of this, and Perfikot could also see that the people pushing this matter from behind Justinian were likely the members of the Knight Association.

After all, the Knight Association was once called the Royalist Party, and about two or three hundred years ago, they were stalwart supporters of the Royal Family.

Later, with the gradual stabilization of imperial authority, these erstwhile Royal Knights gradually transformed into an institution managing the Empirical Knights, forming today’s Knight Association.

Unwilling to fade into obscurity, nor to slip away from power’s core, naturally, they wished to stir things up.

Unfortunately, with the collapse of the feudal system, knights were destined to be discarded by the era. If it weren’t for Perfikot’s Steam Knight initiative, the Empire’s Military Department was planning to decrease the number of knights.

After all, the expense of maintaining knights was too high; it was more cost-effective to build more cannons and train more regiments.

Therefore, the Knight Association had no allies, and their relations with the military were lukewarm at best. After vacillating, they somehow latched onto such a useless person like Justinian, seemingly trying to help him ascend.

Perfikot didn’t spend too much effort to figure out the ins and outs of the situation, after all, Justinian was a mere wastrel, getting information out of him was not too challenging.

But Perfikot was already too tired to deal further with this nauseating fellow, having attended meetings all day, she was weary and unwilling to deal with his antics.

Fortunately, just when her patience was nearly spent, the Empress and Eldest Princess Annie arrived timely, and after some harsh rebuke, chased Justinian away.