In the Name of Empress-Chapter 566 - 342: Unimpeded Path to Ascension to Divinity

Chapter 566: Chapter 342: Unimpeded Path to Ascension to Divinity

The carriage stopped at the mountain road leading to the Summer Palace.

This mountain road was originally passable for carriages, but Sofia did not like being disturbed, so she had someone destroy most of the road surface, leaving only a width sufficient for pedestrians.

Sofia and Angelina were walking on the mountain road, with Angelina consciously trailing half a step behind.

Angelina never thought there was anything wrong with this.

Sofia is not only the supreme Emperor of the world’s greatest nation but also stands at the pinnacle of power in the entire world.

She does not know that Sofia has abandoned her previous power and is still exploring a new path to strength, with her hard power even slightly weaker than Angelina’s.

Even if she knew, she wouldn’t have any thoughts about it; she’d just move to the Summer Palace to protect Sofia closely.

Sofia seemed in a good mood and even took the initiative to talk about some matters.

"Angelina, do you have any objections to my arrangements?"

Angelina was startled, and her face turned slightly pale.

Of course, she knew what Sofia was talking about, referring to the sudden proposal at the welcoming banquet to arrange a new wife for Roland.

She originally thought Sofia was joking but did not expect her to bring it up again.

Angelina’s mind went blank, and she didn’t even know how to respond.

Sofia did not force her to answer, only smiled and said, "A wise person once said, only with a home can one settle down with peace of mind. To make Roland feel at ease at work, he must have a sense of belonging."

Angelina wanted to remind Sofia that although Roland’s moral baseline is flexible, his feelings for Sif are beyond doubt, and finding a girl superior to Sif is too difficult.

She doesn’t think she can compare to Sif. In terms of status, beauty, and even strength, Sif undoubtedly tops her in every way.

Replacing a perfect score with ninety points, this is called...

She recalled a business term Roland once said, something like consumption downgrade?

There were more words on the tip of her tongue, but she dared not speak them.

Looking across the world, only Sofia herself could compete with Sif.

This was something she dared not say.

Seeing Angelina hesitating to speak, Sofia assumed she was unhappy because she hadn’t been informed beforehand. She smiled and explained:

"There’s no need to worry; Roland would never dare accept such a condition, so my real offer is to give him a Winter Palace."

"But that’s the resting place of successive Emperors!" Angelina couldn’t help but remind her.

"Successive Emperors?"

Sofia said calmly, "If I don’t die, I’ll be the last Emperor of the Empire. If I do die, these things won’t matter."

Angelina was instantly silent.

Sofia was right; high-level Transcendents possess lifespans beyond ordinary humans.

With Sofia’s strength, living until the final day of return is undoubtedly achievable. Without descendants, she could only remain the Emperor perpetually.

Since she dislikes the Winter Palace, the palace can only remain idle, and giving it to Roland as a gift was indeed a good choice.

Angelina nodded without speaking.

The Winter Palace is a sanctuary in the hearts of the Rurik people, and as Her Majesty the Empress grants Roland a treasury of art, she also imposes pressure on him.

If he doesn’t achieve anything, the Rurik people will surely be unsatisfied.

Sofia stopped speaking, only quickening her pace, while Angelina obediently followed behind.

Since she became Sofia’s personal guard at the age of fourteen, she has always followed Sofia in silence, long accustomed to it.

At the gate of the Summer Palace, Sofia suddenly stopped, and Angelina understood that the Empress did not want her to follow further, wisely taking her leave.

However, Sofia called her back.

"Angie, you’ve been following me for nearly ten years, right?"

"Ten years and thirteen days," Angelina answered offhandedly.

"You were originally sent to be my personal maid, yet the first task we did together was to seize Imperial Authority with me. In hindsight, it’s truly remarkable."

"Your Majesty, I..."

"You’re twenty-four this year, and at an age suitable for marriage. If you don’t like Roland, do you have an ideal partner in mind? I’ll decide for you."

"Your Majesty, I am loyally devoted to you, with no divided loyalties!" Angelina felt somewhat panicked.

Angie was her name when she served as a maid to Sofia. Since entering the Shadow Sanctuary, Sofia rarely used that name. Not knowing what Sofia meant, she could only express her sentiments.

Sofia smiled slightly, her voice softening a few degrees, completely devoid of her usual chill, more like an elder sister showing concern for a naive younger sister.

Her gentle gaze gave Angelina some comfort, but Sofia’s words still caused her anxiety.

"Angie, I am fully aware of your loyalty. Family life does not conflict with devotion to me. Don’t you want your descendants to inherit your title?"

"Your Majesty, I do not."

Angelina bravely met Sofia’s gaze, her tone especially earnest.

"Your Majesty, I may have had some thoughts before, but after witnessing your earth-shattering sword, I suddenly feel that the love between men and women is meaningless."

"Romance and marriage will not bring me happiness. I yearn to grow stronger, to someday be as powerful as you."

Angelina bit her lip and said, "I know I will never catch up with your footsteps, but I at least want to be on the right path."

"You want to gain immense power?" Sofia was somewhat surprised; she hadn’t expected Angelina’s determination to pursue strength to be so resolute.

She smiled and said, "Ambition is a good thing, but the path of becoming stronger doesn’t have to be lonely; look at Roland and Sif, aren’t they doing well? They can even withstand my killing blow."