Early June, the year 1073 of the Eternal Era.

It was five months after the Eternal Church launched a Great Holy War against the Life Church. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

As the war dragged on, the decline of the Noble Alliance Army of the Human Kingdoms became increasingly apparent. On various battlefields, the Life Church began to mount a counterattack.

From the Death Desert to the Elf Forest, from Fengyue Free Territory to the Southern Seeker Alliance, the reports of defeat for the Noble Alliance flooded back to the hub of the Human Kingdoms, becoming ever more frequent and exaggerated, causing the Human Nobles to grow increasingly alarmed.

Meanwhile, in the Human Kingdoms, particularly in the Holy Mania Empire where the Life Church had the strongest foothold, the missionary activities, once successfully suppressed by the Eternal Church, began to flourish again in secret as the tide of the war turned...

A subtle atmosphere started to pervade the entire Human Kingdom, spreading continuously in the Holy Mandy Empire.

When mid-June arrived, yet another significant event occurred in the Holy Mania Empire.

After the "God of Dusk and Sunset" incident, Empress Maria II, who had been bedridden with rage, finally regained consciousness for a brief moment after almost two years of intermittent comas.

However, shortly after regaining consciousness, the 84-year-old Empress learned of the Great Holy War and the repeated defeats of the Noble Alliance, becoming so enraged that she fainted once more.

This time, the Empress’s condition rapidly deteriorated, and she never woke again...

News of the Empress’s critical illness quickly spread throughout the central hub of the Empire, plunging the upper echelons of the Human Empire into chaos once again.

Particularly after the Cardinal, known for his prowess in healing Divine Arts, was brought to the Empress’s bedside by the Central Nobles and, after performing his magic, could only shake his head helplessly, the atmosphere within the entire Imperial Cabinet and Imperial Council grew even more delicate.

Everyone realized that the Empress, who had ruled the Empire for seventy long years, was at the end of her life and could pass away at any moment.

The Holy Mania Empire was on the verge of a change.

With external war failures and internal political instability, the Noble Council of the Holy Mania Empire descended into greater turmoil.

Especially after the news of the Empress’s critical condition spread, the bickering among the nobles in the council intensified.

There were heated debates about the choice of the next Emperor, the state of the Great Holy War, and their own interests...

The Empress was like a stabilizing force.

Even though she had been seriously ill for the past two years, under the Regency of Bishop Wenster, the entire Holy Mania Empire was able to function normally, relying on the prestige Maria II had accumulated over seventy years.

However, with the Empress critically ill and the atmosphere among the empire’s high-ranking officials fraught with tension, the nobles instinctively began to plan for the future, forming alliances and choosing sides...

Likewise, there were those with ambitions, beginning to stir in the shadows.

But, like a coin always has two sides.

Perhaps because the repeated defeats in the Great Holy War severely weakened the Imperial Nobles, particularly those powerful enough to vie for the throne, the entire Imperial Council had no objections to the current Imperial Family, the Treis Family, continuing to inherit the imperial throne.

However, whether to support Empress Maria II’s legitimate heir, Princess Theresa, as the new Emperor, or to choose a more experienced adult royal from the Treis Family became a heated debate among the nobles.

Among them, the Grand Nobles leaned towards supporting the young Princess as Emperor, while the smaller nobles preferred to select a royal member capable of turning the tide.

Both sides in the Imperial Council argued fiercely, seemingly oblivious to the fact that although the Empress was critically ill, she was still alive and remained the master of this Empire...

"The throne must, and can only be inherited by Princess Theresa! According to the sacred decree of Carl I, Princess Theresa is the first heir of the Empire! She is our future Emperor!"

In the Imperial Council, Duke Correns, who returned overnight from the battlefield upon hearing the Empress’s critical condition, resolutely declared.

"Princess Theresa is too young. Even though she is indeed the first heir according to the sacred decree, the current domestic and foreign crises are not something a girl under fifteen can bear."

"We need a more mature and powerful Emperor! According to the ’Imperial Succession Law,’ we have the right to choose a more suitable candidate from the Treis Family!"

On the other side of the council, representing the broad middle and small nobles, Marquis Wima shook his head.

"Marquis, the succession of Princess Theresa was already determined by the Imperial Council two years ago, have you forgotten?!"

Duke Correns retorted.

Marquis Wima sneered:

"Duke, placing a bewildered child on the throne, do you intend to control the imperial center alongside the major nobles and manipulate the council?!"

"Outrageous!"

"Shameless!"

The nobles bickered incessantly in the council, even coming to blows, resulting in a chaotic scene.

Sitting to one side of the council chamber, watching the farce unfold, Regent Minister Wenster Feudal Bishop frowned deeply, a look of disappointment hidden in his eyes.

"Enough! How long is this going to continue?! The Holy War is in dire straits, the situation is unstable, this isn’t a time for infighting!"