Two months passed in the blink of an eye...
After Minos arrived in the capital of the Flaming Empire, he spent his days quietly in this city, sometimes having fun with Isabella, often training with local leaders.
He had not gone to the Spatial Kingdom in this period so as not to be absent nor draw attention to what he had in a place with many prying eyes.
But even so, he had improved his cultivation a little, as Payton was still a place with a higher density of spiritual energy than the capital of the Black Plain Empire.
One couldn't compare this place to the Spatial Kingdom, but it wasn't bad for training for just a few weeks.
In any case, Minos would not change levels in a short time, so nothing of great relevance to him or the local forces happened in this period.
Mortimer was still planning his moves with meetings with leaders of organizations in the empire, being careful, as Minos had expected.
But not only was the leader of the Saints Killing Sect taking action, but the imperial family was also using Minos' presence to negotiate with their vassals about their responsibilities in a crisis with Mortimer.
At first, the Edwardstone family should not have to negotiate or rather strengthen ties with their vassals. It was the duty of such organizations to support their sovereigns. However, in these difficult times, one couldn't stand still by their own pride.
Those who were threatened, even if they were previously the most powerful, had to humbly bow down and review their agreements, promising generous gestures to those willing to honor their promises.
The leaders of this great family knew this and had done their best to negotiate with the largest sects and families in the empire.
The supreme elder even used the fact that Minos and Isabella were close to each other to show that someone with a future as promising as he would be on the side of this family and that it would be wise not to stand against them.
Anyway, the two sides were negotiating their alliances. At the same time, the tension throughout the state increased to a level rarely seen before!
...
At this moment, Minos was meditating in a cultivation chamber in the imperial palace, which only the highest-ranking members of the royalty could access.
In theory, this was the cultivation place of the emperor's lineage.
But in the absence of Harold and strains of the most important members of the imperial family, Minos had gained access to this fine place of training and cultivation.
He was one of the few with the peace of mind to continue his cultivation routine even in this crisis.
In the middle of his meditation, Isabella's mother entered that place, bringing some food and drinks for Minos.
Minos no longer needed to feed himself to nourish the cells of his body. But he liked to do this at least twice a day.
Madeline Shaw, level 78, knew this and constantly brought something for Minos to eat when Isabella couldn't do it.
"You can control an impressive amount of spiritual energy for someone at level 70... It's no wonder you're so strong." She muttered, still impressed with Minos' cultivation even after watching him do it for a few weeks. 'I don't think I could do anything like that until I was at level 77.'
As this woman compared herself to Minos, he opened his eyes due to the delicious fragrance reaching his nose.
Immediately after that, he thanked his mother-in-law and started devouring the meal she had brought him.
"Minos, if something happens to me, I expect you to care for Isabella with everything you have. Even if you must take her out of the empire." She said, thinking that Mortimer would probably target the main line of the imperial family when he was going to start acting.
Minos understood this woman's concern and wasted no time talking nonsense. "Nothing will happen to Isabella while I'm around."
"Good!
I just wish Harold was around right now... He could solve all our problems in no time."
"Hmm, I'm sorry about that." He said, looking into her eyes.
"Don't be sorry. Harold made his own decisions, and it's not your fault what those women from the Flowers Kingdom ordered." She said as she shook her head, indicating that she didn't blame Minos.
"Anyway, I know that one day you will go to that state to try to rescue my husband, but be careful. I have been to the Flowers Kingdom, and I can tell you that the life of those women is to think of methods to deceive men.
They can't act against men outside their territory without plausible justifications or even exaggerate too much, even at home, or they would have to face the whole continent. But don't think they can't make your life hell just because of those limitations."
"I am aware..." Minos said, knowing that those women were complicated. 'But their little games also give opportunities to those who accept the danger of going to that place...
If I don't falter, I might gain more than just paying my debts to Harold.'
"Well, I won't get in your way anymore. Go back to cultivating. I'll take care of some business..." She said before leaving there, as she was going to talk to her family, a local noble organization that was showing worrying signs to her.
This organization had been very loyal to the imperial family since her marriage to Harold. But in that man's absence and Mortimer's growth, they now didn't seem ready to fight for Madeline's home.
As the former home of the empress, this woman simply could not accept that this house would be on the opposite side of her and was striving to keep the situation in favor of the imperial family.
She was not weak and had a lot of influence in the empire!
'Those old men can't do that to me after all we've done to help them over the years...' She flew toward the neighborhood where House Shaw headquarters was located in Payton.
While she went to do this, Isabella was attending to her responsibilities as Harold's heiress, which continued to increase with each passing month.
To give you an idea of how busy she was getting, if nothing wrong happened in her path in the next two years, she would take over her father's position for good.
So no matter how much Minos was in the city, she didn't stay with him all day, but only in the evenings.
As for cultivating, she struggled to do so, but she couldn't get as much peace of mind as Minos to cultivate daily and make progress in her strength.
But amid her work, this woman found herself distracted from the papers she was signing due to the hectic and hurried entrance of one of her subordinates into her room.
"Your Highness, terrible news is coming from the Imperial Army's southernmost outpost!" That man said this in a worried tone.
"What?" A level 77 woman, who was standing next to where Isabella was sitting, asked.
"Elder Lucas has just been reported dead!" He referred to the man responsible for that post, a powerful level 78 Spiritual Saint!
With those words, silence filled the surroundings of that office, with some people turning pale at the thought of what might be behind it...
'Mortimer!'
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