In the Name of Empress-Chapter 568 - 342: Unimpeded Path to Ascension to Divinity (Part 3)

Chapter 568: Chapter 342: Unimpeded Path to Ascension to Divinity (Part 3)

Seeing Roland was angry but still thinking clearly, he was somewhat curious and tentatively asked:

"What are you planning to do? Continue chasing it down? Actually, what Barov took..."

"I have my own way."

Roland interrupted Sahalin and calmly said, "I’ll report for work tomorrow, it’s getting late now, I won’t see you off."

Seeing Roland’s determined attitude, Sahalin did not insist further and took his leave.

He had no personal friendship with Roland and even some private grievances. Although he considered the bigger picture and wouldn’t oppose Roland over past trivial matters, he still harbored a bit of a spectator’s mindset.

Did Her Majesty the Empress gift the Winter Palace to Roland as a real gift or a test?

He was somewhat curious.

After sending Sahalin off, Roland did not return to the main sleeping palace but chose a slightly remote residence as his dwelling.

Back at his residence, he immediately ignited the Magic Lamp, spread out paper and pen, and began to brew his emotions.

Just as he was writing vigorously, a knock sounded at the door.

"Master Roland, are you there?" A trembling elderly voice came from outside the door.

"Is it Barov? Please come in." Roland did not raise his head, speaking calmly, while his pen continued uninterrupted.

Soon, the Chief Steward Barov stood at the door, smiling warmly, his forehead full of wrinkles, but outwardly showing no evidence of someone daring to resell Imperial Family property.

"Barov, what do you want?" Roland did not raise his head and casually asked.

"Master, Her Majesty has said that you are now the owner of the Winter Palace, instructing me to follow your orders. Please move to the Mirror Palace to rest, as it is the residence of the Winter Palace master."

Roland put down the pen in his hand, looked up at Barov, and calmly said:

"That’s unnecessary. I am merely temporarily replacing Her Majesty Sofia in managing this place. She will return to reside here in the future."

The implications of these words were vast, as Barov’s complexion clearly changed, so much so that he did not dare to make eye contact with Roland.

His brain began to spin rapidly.

Sofia, since seizing power, had never lived here again; she loathed this cage.

What did Roland mean by his words? Had Sofia forgotten past pains, or was it...

Barov thought of a frightening possibility, his hands nervously clutching and unclutching.

He thought of all possibilities but did not consider Roland was making things up.

In the Rurik People’s stereotypical impression, nobody dared joke about Sofia, let alone fabricate imperial edicts which could lead to expulsion.

But Roland wasn’t a Rurik person, he dared.

Anyway, Sofia wouldn’t expose his lie, and since Sofia wouldn’t expose it, it became truth.

As for when Sofia might move back, that would depend on her mood; would Barov dare to proactively ask?

The old steward originally just wanted to spar a bit with Roland, but unexpectedly was facing Sofia, and he was momentarily frightened.

He hesitated for a time and slowly said, "It has been many years since Her Majesty visited, it would be Winter Palace’s honor for her to return."

Seeing Barov didn’t doubt, Roland seemingly mentioned a trivial matter casually, "Barov, I am not too familiar with the Winter Palace, but I noticed the fountain is old and broken, and other things. You wouldn’t want Her Majesty the Empress to return and be furious, would you?"

"What do you mean?" Barov asked shocked, looking towards Roland, trembling in his voice.

"I don’t care what method you use, within a month, fully restore the Winter Palace to the state it was in when Her Majesty left. I mean completely restored."

Barov froze.

He stood there dazed, momentarily unsure how to respond.

Roland ignored him further, simply motioned with a wave for him to leave.

Barov, struck by Roland’s set of combo punches, was left dizzy, unable to fathom his true intentions, and reluctantly departed.

Watching him leave, Roland continued his desk work.

Tonight he must complete a plan, outlining an imperial future development blueprint.

Tomorrow’s Cabinet meeting, he wants to make Cabinet members understand, he is serious about building the Empire.

He never believed Barov would return what was eaten.

After all, he is a relative of the Dowager, and the Dowager is Sofia’s last softness in the court.

But does it matter if Sofia doesn’t want to argue?

Now the Winter Palace is his territory.

If he didn’t take initiative, it was considered kind enough, but someone dared to reach into his pocket?

If he tolerated this, others might think he is a great benefactor.

Roland wrote the Empire’s basic situation upfront, and added "Under Her Majesty the Empress’s wise leadership, our country has won a series of brilliant victories in the Rodinia war" as an introduction, finally picking up the pen to write about a soul-touching pain point.

Though the Empire seems thriving, the nation’s fortune hinges entirely on Sofia.

Without Sofia’s hold, Vladimir Empire’s internal problems alone could tear the vast empire apart, let alone wage war.

Sofia invited Roland precisely to problem-solve, and of course, he went straight to the heart.

Receiving benefits requires reciprocation; he now has Sofia’s Duke’s Domain and a Winter Palace, plus comradeship forged in the Battle of White Mountain, this favor he committed to repaying.

Outsiders often see problems from different angles; Roland summarized Vladimir Empire’s issues quite clearly.

Unbalanced development.

Regional development imbalance, the Empire’s metropolis’s prosperity and remote areas’ backwardness appear as two different worlds.

This problem exists in Sussex and Jin Yuan too, but not as severely.

Vladimir Empire’s rural and remote areas even linger in tribal times; in this era where vile feudalism is nearing its end, many places in the Empire still practice slavery.