213: Chapter 213 Alice's Investigation Results! Questioning! Shock!

Imperial Capital, Seran City.

After returning to the city, Princess Alice did not rest; instead, she began using her own authority to review all relevant reports.

The more she investigated, the more alarmed she became.

Some of the top merchant leagues of the Royal Family and the Eastern Territory had actually already begun quietly withdrawing their forces from the Northern Territory.

For instance, the Iron Crown Trade Guild, which controlled a vast amount of mineral trade in the Northern Territory, had silently transferred a large portion of its core assets and key personnel to the south of the Rhine River over the past six months.

Their actions were extremely secretive; on the surface, they continued normal commercial operations in the Northern Territory, but internally, their capital flows and staffing had been drastically reduced.

If not for the fact that she held the direct bloodline authority of the Royal Family and could access encrypted transfer records, she would never have discovered that these behemoths had already completed their withdrawal in secret.

The implications behind this chilled her to the bone.

She closed the investigation report, sat in silence for a moment, then suddenly stood up and headed for the palace.

Deep within the palace.

In Queen Elena's living quarters.

The afternoon sun shone through the half-drawn curtains, casting mottled light and shadows on the soft carpet.

The air was filled with a faint floral fragrance, a blend of lavender and precious sandalwood.

Queen Elena was sitting on a low couch by the window, flipping through a book, her posture lazy and elegant.

At this moment, someone pushed the door open and entered.

Seeing this, Queen Elena frowned almost imperceptibly and looked up.

When she saw that it was her daughter, Princess Alice, she was slightly stunned and was about to say something.

But before Princess Alice had even stood steady, she spoke up:

"Mother, I heard some news regarding the revival of the Red Moon."

"The news says that the Red Moon will revive in half a year and affect the entire Northern Territory. Is this true?"

"Also, the Royal Family and some major powers are already secretly withdrawing from the Northern Territory, right?"

As she said this, she took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly: "Are we really going to abandon the Northern Territory?!"

As her words fell, the room fell into a dead silence.

After hearing this, Queen Elena looked at her daughter's somewhat anxious face, her beautiful eyes narrowing slightly.

She did not ask where Princess Alice had learned this news; that was no longer important.

"Princess Alice," she began, her voice still gentle but carrying a deep sense of exhaustion: "You should know that after the Battle of Twilight Canyon, the power of the Royal Family suffered a massive blow."

"Your grandfather, King Blade, originally wanted to rely on a victory to establish his authority and suppress the restless nobles everywhere."

"But you saw the result; with a defeat, the Empire's control over the various territories slid once again."

After listening, Princess Alice immediately interjected:

"That is exactly why we should be vigorously supporting the Royal Family's direct vassals in the Northern Territory!"

"Take the Lance Family, or the current Flynn Family, for example; they are all loyal to the Royal Family!"

"As long as we give them enough support, they can completely gain a foothold in the Northern Territory and become an extension of the Royal Family there!"

Upon hearing this, Queen Elena sighed:

"There is no time, Princess Alice."

"The news you received is not wrong; the Red Moon... is indeed about to revive."

"When that time comes, the Northern Territory is destined to fall into chaos; it will become a true meat grinder."

"Under the rules of the Red Moon, countless ambitious people and those unwilling to be ordinary will swarm into that land like sharks smelling blood."

"The Royal Family cannot continue to pour resources into this quagmire. It is a bottomless pit."

"But—" Princess Alice still wanted to argue.

"There are no 'buts'." Queen Elena's voice was calm, yet decisive.

She looked at her daughter's eyes, which were somewhat similar to her own, and then whispered the thing she had not wanted to tell her daughter so early:

"The Royal Family has already reached a resolution internally!"

"In half a year, with the Rhine River as the boundary, the Imperial defense line will be concentrated and retracted to the south bank of the Rhine to prevent the chaos of the Northern Territory from spreading southward."

Upon hearing this, Princess Alice's eyes widened, her face full of disbelief:

"Mother! The Northern Territory has countless Imperial subjects! What about those commoners? What about those vassals loyal to the Royal Family? Are they just being abandoned like that?! And what about the Church! The Church won't just sit idly by!"

"The Church?" Queen Elena's mouth curled into a cryptic arc, not knowing if it was mockery or helplessness:

"After the Red Moon rules fully revive, the faith power of the believers in the Northern Territory will no longer be suitable for the Dawn."

"Why do you think those people from the Night Federation suddenly united and gathered heavy troops to attack the Western Territory of the Empire?"

"If it weren't for the fact that there are still too many Imperial resources and important assets in the Western Territory that need time to be withdrawn, the Imperial Capital would have opened the passage for them to head north long ago."

She looked into Princess Alice's eyes and said word by word: "In half a year, the Church's power will also simultaneously withdraw from the Northern Territory. The upper echelons of the Church have also basically reached a consensus!"

Princess Alice was completely shocked; her voice became somewhat sharp due to the shock:

"What?! The Western Territory is also being abandoned?!"

Queen Elena was silent.

She turned her head to look at the old oak tree standing quietly in the courtyard outside the window under the afternoon sun, a complex look in her eyes.

A moment later, she spoke, her voice carrying a trace of rare sadness: "Princess Alice, you must understand. The Empire is no longer the Empire it used to be."

She paused, as if weighing her words, or perhaps calming her emotions:

"Just like your brother, Mason Tudor, in the past, even if the Royal Family had to grit their teeth, we would have obtained a seventh-order potion to treat his injuries and help him break through to become a Sky Knight."

"But now... he also needs to go to the meat grinder of the Northern Territory to fight for food himself. Whether he lives or dies depends on his own fate."

Upon hearing this, Princess Alice looked at her mother in disbelief.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found that she couldn't say anything at all.

She had never thought that the situation of the Empire, under its calm surface, had actually rotted to such a degree.

The Northern Territory was to be lost, the Western Territory was to be lost, and the Royal Family and the Church were actually preparing to shrink their defensive lines, abandoning vast territories and hundreds of millions of subjects!

She turned around abruptly, intending to rush toward the door.

She had to go to the Northern Territory!

She had to tell Garuvi this news, tell Rowan, and let them prepare as soon as possible!

But just then.

Two knights wearing court armor appeared silently at the door, blocking her path.

Princess Alice's footsteps came to an abrupt halt.

She turned slowly to look at her mother by the window, saying with shock and anger:

"Mother... what does this mean?!"

Queen Elena sighed softly, walked up to Princess Alice, reached out, and gently smoothed the messy hair on her forehead.

Her movements were gentle and meticulous:

"Princess Alice, you shouldn't be running around during this time. As for the matter of you secretly running out of the Imperial Capital before, if I hadn't suppressed it for you, you would have already been imprisoned by your father."

Princess Alice's body trembled violently:

"You want to ground me?!"

Her voice was trembling.

Queen Elena did not answer this question, but continued: "Princess Alice, it is time for you to learn how to be a lady."

"After a while, there will be an important noble ball in Weixino City in the Eastern Territory, and young talents from various countries will participate."

"I will take you to attend then; you must prepare well and attend in your best state."

"For this period, just stay in the palace."

Upon hearing this, Princess Alice fell silent.

She understood her mother.

Although her mother seemed gentle and elegant on the surface, appearing not to care much about anything, once she made a decision, she would never change it.

No matter what she said or did, she could not change her mother's decision.

At this moment, one of Queen Elena's personal maids stepped forward, bowed slightly to Princess Alice, and said respectfully: "Your Highness, please follow me."

"The items you usually like in your residence have already been brought over."

"The room has been prepared for you."

Princess Alice stood in place, silent for a long time.

She looked at the two court knights at the door who were as motionless as statues, and then at her mother, who was still maintaining a gentle smile.

In the end, she said nothing more.

She simply turned around silently, followed the maid, and walked toward the depths of the palace...