Chapter 335

Chapter 335. The Candidate for the New Minister of Finance?

In ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Winter City, Cicero’s wife received the letter.

In ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍truth, she had already learned from the Northern Territory newspapers that Her Highness Sylvia was about to be crowned queen.

She ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had faintly expected that, as a member of the Northern Territory’s core group, her husband’s status would certainly rise along with the tide.

But ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍when she personally saw the words “Chief Justice of the Kingdom” written in the letter, she was still so excited that she knocked over the hot milk on the table.

She ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍held the letter and paced back and forth through the room, her face flushed red with excitement.

“Chief ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Justice... My heavens, that is a position second only to the Cabinet Prime Minister! From now on, Emily will be a true daughter of a top-ranking power!”

The news of Cicero’s appointment took only half a day to spread through the noble circles of the Royal Capital.

Everyone knew that the newly appointed Her Majesty the Queen had used a ruthless figure from the Northern Territory to directly take over judicial authority.

This news naturally seemed to grow wings as it flew into Saint Arcadia Academy, located on the outskirts of the Royal Capital.

In the academy, the ones with the sharpest noses were always the students born from noble families.

Cicero’s daughter, Emily, as the cherished daughter of the Chief Judicial Officer of the Northern Territory, had originally already counted as an emerging figure of real power in Saint Arcadia Academy.

But at that time, the children of the old noble families with deep foundations had thought highly of themselves.

In private, they huddled together and excluded outsiders. In public, they would never easily lower their heads. At most, they maintained a surface-level politeness and distance.

But now, in a single night, heaven and earth had been overturned.

The Redleaf Manor massacre had erupted. The Golden Rose Palace had undergone a shocking upheaval.

The power structure of the Royal Capital had been completely smashed apart and reorganized.

The core of the old noble class had been almost entirely killed or wounded overnight. Meanwhile, Emily’s father, that extremely professional Lord Cicero, was now serving as the sharpest judicial butcher knife of the new regime, holding authority over the confiscation of property and life and death of all remaining powers.

In an instant, Emily became the most fearsome and untouchable figure of the hour in the entire academy.

Early morning, on the academy’s tree-lined path.

The morning mist had not yet dispersed.

Emily wore a high-end custom junior mage robe. In her hand, she held a short staff embedded with a top-grade fire-type Magic Crystal. Her steps were brisk, her chin slightly raised, and her confidence shone dazzlingly.

Half a step behind her was her friend Ashley.

Her personality was shy, and she was even somewhat socially anxious.

In truth, no one in the academy knew exactly what kind of relationship this timid, submissive girl had with the famous Professor Logaris.

But at this extremely sensitive juncture, merely because her surname was “West,”

and because she happened to be inseparable from Emily, that was already enough for everyone to imagine an entire drama behind it.

Under the terrifying shadow of this bloody purge, everyone would rather believe it than risk offending anyone who might possibly be related to that chess player behind the scenes.

Facing the gazes of awe, and even terror, that kept coming from all around, Ashley seemed extremely uneasy.

Compared to their usual arrogance, the atmosphere on the tree-lined path today was so oppressive that it made breathing difficult.

Those old noble children who normally stood high above others and looked down their noses at people had now all become frightened birds startled by the mere twang of a bowstring.

Looking carefully, many of them had black mourning gauze hastily sewn onto the cuffs of their mage robes. Their eyes were red and swollen, their faces deathly pale, and their expressions carried extreme despair and panic.

Walking behind the two girls was a young man with slightly messy short flaxen hair.

He wore a dark-blue robe representing a senior teaching assistant. His complexion had the sickly pallor of someone who had spent years staying up late in a laboratory.

It was none other than Logaris’s number one teaching assistant—Ryan Ashford.

Because Logaris was away from the academy all year round, or busy with various “earth-shaking” affairs,

the heavy responsibility of helping young people familiarize themselves with the environment and guiding their studies in the academy naturally fell on Ryan’s head.

Ryan clasped one hand behind his back and nodded slightly, reservedly responding to the greetings of those noble children who looked as if they were mourning their parents.

On the surface, he maintained the profound and inscrutable bearing of a rigorous scholar. In reality, he was already overjoyed inside. Even his footsteps felt light and airy, as though he were walking on clouds.

Her Highness Sylvia was about to be crowned queen!

What did that mean?

It meant that his completely insane mentor, Logaris, had thoroughly entered the kingdom’s absolute inner circle!

With the sticky yet dangerous and complicated relationship between the professor and Her Majesty the Queen, this wave was absolutely the treatment of someone starting at the level of a prince consort!

And he, Ryan, as a direct disciple under Professor Logaris, naturally saw his own status rise along with the tide. He had shot straight into the sky!

“Ah, back when the professor conscripted me as forced labor, I thought my future was bleak and my life would soon be over...”

Ryan sighed wildly in his heart, yet the corners of his mouth were harder to suppress than a magitech cannon, rising madly upward.

“Although the professor really is inhuman. He uses me like a workhorse at every turn and often uses spatial magic to throw me into midair to scare me...”

“But! I truly followed the right person back then!”

Ryan took a deep breath of the cool morning air. He felt as though even the wind carried the fragrance of power and status.

What was wrong with being a workhorse?

Being the number one workhorse of a future prince consort was still the finest of all workhorses!

“Senior Ryan, what are you laughing at? Your expression looks so strange.” Emily suddenly leaned forward, blinked her large eyes, and stared at him curiously.

“Ahem.” Ryan instantly restrained his smile.

He skillfully pushed the glasses on the bridge of his nose and returned to his meticulous, rigorous appearance. Then he turned and beckoned to the two girls.

“It is nothing. I simply thought of a rather complicated academic problem,” Ryan said with a straight face, spouting nonsense as though it were perfectly serious.

“Come along. Today, I will take you to the professor’s dedicated laboratory building. There are quite a few good things there.”

...

At the same time, in the heart of the Royal Capital, the Golden Rose Palace, Council Chamber.

After resolving the most troublesome issue of judicial restructuring, Sylvia turned her gaze toward the most central and lucrative position in the Cabinet.

Minister of Finance.

This position was far too important.

Astrelia had just experienced a great upheaval, and everything was waiting to be rebuilt.

The Northern Territory’s magitech industry required enormous financial investment before it could be promoted nationwide.

The army’s expansion and the replacement and upgrading of magitech armor were even more like bottomless beasts that devoured money.

Without a moneybag skilled in gathering wealth and coordinating resources, the new policies could not advance even a single step.

Sylvia sat at the head of the long table.

Today, she wore a neatly tailored, form-fitting silver casual outfit. Her long hair was casually pinned up, with a few strands hanging beside her cheeks.

Before her lay a thick list of personnel. Beside it were confiscation account books piled up like a mountain.

“Do you have any suggestions for the candidate for Minister of Finance?” Sylvia asked without raising her head. Her voice was cold and clear, carrying a trace of fatigue from handling government affairs for days on end. Yet before Logaris, she had slightly less of her guard up.

“How about Grayson, the Northern Territory’s finance officer?” Logaris casually suggested a name.

Sylvia shook her head without hesitation.

She picked up a dip pen, and the pen tip decisively crossed Grayson’s name off the list. Her movement was clean and direct, without the slightest hesitation.

“No.”

Sylvia analyzed calmly, “Grayson is indeed quite skilled at collecting taxes in the Northern Territory, and his execution ability is sufficient. But his vision is too narrow. He only understands regional economics.”

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