In the Name of Empress-Chapter 608 - 355: The Moon Is Beautiful Tonight

Leaving Sofia’s mansion, it was around ten o’clock at night.

Midnight was approaching.

In this era, there was almost no lighting after nine o’clock at night except in a few special places.

In the final epoch of depleted fossil fuels, even the crudest candles were costly, not to mention the even more expensive Magic Lamps.

The only places illuminated at night, apart from the few wealthy households and pleasure dens, were the libraries and squares.

But Val City was different; its lights were exceptionally bright.

The local people of Val had wealth, but the city’s future as the upcoming center of the entire continent also attracted numerous dignitaries and large merchants from abroad to settle here.

With more wealthy people, naturally, there would be more lights.

When Roland passed by the square, there were still hundreds of people enjoying the romance of the night under the public lights.

Young couples strolled hand in hand, parents led their children here for a leisurely walk, and quite a few elderly folks joined the bustle.

The most lively part of the square was the performance by the Minstrel.

Tonight, even though the Minstrel performing here was not as skilled as Adam, his cheerful voice and the striking appearance of his female companion still attracted many spectators.

If he weren’t busy, Roland would have stood by to watch for a while.

Just as he was about to leave, the Minstrel’s performance made him stop.

The play he performed was "The Battle of White Mountain."

Roland was somewhat curious about how the Minstrel would narrate the Battle of White Mountain that determined the fate of the entire continent.

Would he be portrayed as a War God-like figure?

Unfortunately, he was destined to be disappointed. The Minstrel’s story was too formulaic, filled with craftsmanship—just a tale of the two sides fighting for five hundred rounds without victory, ultimately forced to accept a draw.

With a self-mocking smile, Roland turned to leave.

It was only later that he realized, during the Battle of White Mountain, Sofia did not have a strong desire to kill them.

Her enemies were never the alleged opponents of the same level but rather the Three Goddesses who had left the Theia Plane.

Rather than a life-and-death battle, it might as well be said that it was Sofia’s selection of partners for promotion.

In any case, they passed the test.

Of course, such an incredible turn of events had already surpassed the Minstrel’s imagination.

The war that swept the entire Rodinia Continent and the surrounding areas, affecting dozens of countries and causing the tragic slaughter of hundreds of millions, was not even as significant to Sofia as his stunning performance.

Sofia had once been infinitely close to the Divine Domain, and her methods somewhat carried the perspective of a Goddess overlooking humanity.

In her eyes, the masses were probably no different from the weeds on the plains that grew anew each year.

Once he realized this, many of Sofia’s previously inexplicable actions suddenly made sense.

Roland did not think there was anything wrong with Sofia.

Perhaps this mentality was what resembled a Transcendent stepping on the path of Ascension to Divinity.

Compared to her, Roland was somewhat mundane.

He would still feel delighted seeing Val City gradually prosper and nightlife grow more vibrant.

Seeing the square was still bustling, he was in no hurry to go home, so he decided to join the nightlife of Val City’s people incognito, while listening to the genuine voices from the ground up.

After all, Val City is a special place.

In recent years, their stories have surpassed even those of major nations’ capitals.

Listening to the voices of Val City people helps better understand the real world.

This city’s rich experiences over the past three years could fill a book titled "Choices Matter More than Efforts."

Sofia thought the existence of the Val City-State was unnecessary, and they were partitioned by several major countries.

Roland wanted to challenge Sofia’s power, and they were resurrected again.

In last year’s Battle of White Mountain, the newly independent Val City-State people took up arms alongside Roland, bravely resisting the Holy Alliance, at great sacrifice.

They, alongside the Freedom Alliance, won the Val City Defense Battle.

Just as they were troubled about the two major camps being at odds for the long term post-war, feeling squeezed and having to pick a side, astonishing news spread.

The two camps reconciled.

Not just that, Roland, who had led them against the Holy Alliance, who was believed absolutely impossible to compromise with Sofia, who fought a bloody battle against Sofia at White Mountain, had surrendered.

He not only reconciled with Sofia but also was conferred the Duke of Kazan in the Vladimir Empire, even becoming a Cardinal Minister under Sofia, above 130 million people.

His flexible bottom line and Sofia’s particular demands stunned everyone.

Soon after, they heard new news, and the newly established Rodinia Alliance intended to set its headquarters in Val.

They were initially a bit disappointed by Roland’s defection, but upon learning the new information, they instantly boiled over with excitement.

They had the chance to become the center of the entire Rodinia Continent.

At least one of the centers.

Whose merit is this? The Val People know well.

First, exclude the Val City-State with only a population of tens of thousands, unable to resist surrounding powers on its own.

If they had that ability, would they have been disbanded forcibly?

Only Roland had long protected their interests and valued this city.

Roland, of course, acted for his gain, but the Val City-State was conveniently on his bandwagon, like family.

Thinking about how Roland traveled to the bitterly cold Vladimir for everyone’s sake, still needing to serve someone as capricious and murderously whimsical as Sofia, how could their hearts not be moved?

Moved, they pondered how Roland managed to achieve this.

Not only were they pondering but the entire continent’s other nations were pondering.

The two camps fought until their brains spilled, the Mad Cavalry of the Vladimir Empire was practically wiped out, and yet peace, when declared, was peace—truly a fantastical world.