Chapter 48: A New Official Takes Office

In recent days, the citizens of the imperial capital were surprised to find that the pervasive stench of human and animal waste that had long lingered in the streets had noticeably diminished. Upon inquiry, it became known that the newly appointed captain of the imperial guard had hired people to clean the streets daily, removing all the openly exposed filth that had been the source of the foul odor.

The common folk were largely indifferent to this change, having grown accustomed to the smell—some were even among those who relieved themselves openly, caring little about the presence or absence of any odor. It was instead the nobles and government officials who were most pleased, often donning veils when leaving their homes to block out the stench. They unanimously praised the guard captain, saying, “At last, someone in the guard is actually taking action.”

Shopkeepers who were charged additional fees to support the cleaning efforts were less enthusiastic, but their voices carried little weight. Moreover, with the foul smell gone, more customers were willing to stroll the streets, so they begrudgingly accepted the new reality.

News of this spread quickly among the noble circles of the imperial capital and soon reached the ladies-in-waiting around Her Majesty the Empress. One noble lady took the opportunity during a private salon hosted by the Amazon Association to share the news publicly and praised the Empress for her “keen eye for talent.”

“Hehe,” Empress Margarita said proudly, hiding her smile behind a fan. “At first, I did not know he was so capable; I only appointed him because of his unwavering loyalty to the royal family. I wanted to give him a chance as the commander of the guard.”

“Only a sage of your incomparable wisdom could so casually discover such talent for the empire,” another noblewoman complimented.

Laughter rippled through the gathering.

Sitting among them, Bethsalia smiled slightly, eyes half-closed, savoring the wine in her glass.

The Empress did not attend every salon. When absent, Bethsalia became the focal point; almost every noble lady wished to have a “confidante” among the dark elf aristocracy.

But whenever the Empress was present, Bethsalia modestly stepped back, letting the spotlight fall on this ruler who craved public attention. Having long been immersed in court politics, Bethsalia easily discerned the true nature beneath the Empress’s gentle exterior:

Arrogant, boastful, stubborn, utterly self-centered—and most importantly,

Foolish.

Margarita was well pleased with Bethsalia’s willingness to play the background role. They often sat together, whispering and displaying their cross-racial camaraderie, much to the envy of the other noble ladies.

“By the way, Bethsalia,” Margarita said gracefully, “I hear you are a close friend of Lady Rain?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Bethsalia replied with a smile. “We were good friends even before she met Rain.”

“The Redlands and the Jewel Isles are quite far apart,” a noble lady asked, puzzled. “How did you come to know each other?”

“The Redlands and the capital aren’t exactly close either,” Bethsalia said cheerfully. “I suppose it’s the gods’ intricate design that brings each of us to where we meet others.”

“Speaking of which,” another noblewoman inquired, “is it true that the dark elf kingdom is ruled by women?”

“That’s not exactly true,” Bethsalia was reluctant to elaborate, knowing that her knowledge of the dark elf kingdom came from a millennium ago and that many changes had surely occurred. “To be precise, only the dark elf chosen by the Holy Spirit has the right to lead the kingdom and its people.”

“Then the Holy Spirit must be a wise goddess,” the noble lady said with sudden realization, “otherwise she wouldn’t select only dark elf women to rule the nation.”

Foolish. Bethsalia thought silently but replied aloud, “Perhaps. I also believe the Holy Spirit must hold women in special favor, else why would she have sent this virtuous Empress to us?”

“I wouldn’t dare call myself a ‘Virtuous Empress’,” Margarita said with a bitter smile. “Sitting on this throne, I often feel anxious, fearing I have not fulfilled my duties and might disgrace the noble honor of the royal family.”

“Oh, dearest Margarita,” Bethsalia exclaimed dramatically, “if even you, such a renowned ‘Wise Empress,’ feel you have failed in your duties, then what of the other empresses in history? Were they all incompetent?”

The ladies and maidens burst into tinkling laughter, eager to echo Bethsalia’s praise.

Surrounded by flattering voices, Margarita initially tried to modestly decline but soon lifted her chin in delight, accepting every compliment wholeheartedly.

———————

There was a saying in the imperial capital: “East is wealthy, south is poor; west is noble, north forbids.” It meant that wealthy merchants tended to cluster around the markets in the eastern district, while nobles preferred the upscale inns near the Nervah Bridge in the west.

The southern district, home to the capital’s canal docks, was crowded with laborers who earned their living by hauling goods. It was a place where commoners gathered, and the lawlessness there was notorious—frequent fires, thefts, and even murders occurred.

Because there was little profit to be made, the guard disliked patrolling the southern district, often making only cursory rounds. This neglect emboldened criminals to act with impunity.

Just two months prior, a series of murders had shaken the southern district. The victims were almost exclusively women returning home late at night—the so-called “singing nightingales.”

The killings took place after midnight, with bodies often discovered by passersby at dawn. The victims were found partially undressed, scalps peeled back, and the murderer had drawn strange runes and magical circles in blood around the scenes, as if conducting some unfathomable occult ritual.

Rumors spread among the crowds that a necromancer was hiding in the southern district, murdering victims as offerings to an evil god. Consequently, a voluntary curfew was imposed—everyone stayed indoors after dark.

With no male patrons visiting taverns at night, the singing nightingales’ business plummeted. Many resorted to working only during the day, which incidentally ended the murders, since the killer lacked the courage to strike when crowds were about.

Rain had to review records of previous murders, only to discover the guards had failed to document the runes and magical circles, an oversight that earned them a fierce scolding.

“But sir, those are runes and circles left by the necromancer!” the captains protested innocently. “What if copying them summons terrifying undead creatures at night?”

“Fools! No matter how evil the necromancer, he cannot overcome our loyalty to the royal family!” Rain declared firmly, his face resolute. “Loyalty and faith are our strongest weapons and shields!”

Elina sat nearby, gazing out the window in boredom.

A naturally evil necromancer… one day, I will reveal your true face...

At that moment, a guard hurried in with urgent news:

“Commander! Another similar murder has occurred in the southern district!”

“This time, it was a home invasion murder!”