In the Name of Empress

Chapter 663 377: Land of the Forsaken or Land of the Blessed?

Cyrus felt completely numb.

Although he had been striving to enhance his personal abilities and organize the internal affairs of the Divine Court of Nature, the disadvantage of it being far from the world's center of civilization was not something personal efforts could easily change.

The Nubian Kingdom's attraction to young talents was still far inferior to that of the various nations on the continent.

The greatest dream of Nubian youth was to acquire skills and seek development opportunities in Sussex, Jin Yuan, or even the Vladimir Empire.

For them, Sussex and the Jin Yuan Republic, which had a greater focus on ocean development, were practically sacred lands.

In such an unfavorable situation of talent outflow, Cyrus was still able to rectify internal conflicts, allowing the weakest of the three major religions, the Divine Court of Nature, to not lose in momentum, which could be said to be quite remarkable.

However, the development of an organization depends not only on personal efforts but also on the changes in the international situation.

He was waiting for an opportunity.

Waiting for the chance when the internal conflicts within Rodinia left corpses strewn everywhere and the countries' powers were greatly weakened.

The fierce battle between the two camps in Rodinia last year had once made him think the opportunity had come.

Although he longed more for a maritime civilization like Sussex, he still insisted against the opposition on having Nubia join the Holy Alliance camp.

He did not have confidence in the Holy Alliance, but he trusted Sofia.

Besides that, he had no choice.

The Nubian Navy was ranked second in the world, and its ecological position overlapped with that of the Sussex Empire.

Joining the Freedom Alliance, even if victorious, would not yield the largest gains, but joining the Holy Alliance was different.

As long as they won the war, they would have the chance to replace the Sussex Empire.

He had calculated everything, except he didn't predict the war would end in a manner almost like a farce.

The Nubian Kingdom, which lost nearly its entire navy, became the real loser of this war.

That was also why Cyrus dared not offend Roland.

For the Nubian Kingdom to restore its peak naval capacity would take nearly a hundred years.

Of course, they couldn't sit idly for nearly a hundred years, so they ambitiously set their sights on the Southern Continent.

Although the people here were ignorant and development lagged, the place was rich in resources, with fertile land capable of supporting hundreds of millions of people.

Most of the Southern Continent had indeed been divided among major powers as colonies and protectorates, and the Nubian Kingdom had to race against time to seize the last blank territories while other countries were still recovering.

But were even these remote areas being contested?

This was shameless.

Seeing Cyrus's remarkable expression, Roland felt somewhat sympathetic toward him.

Sympathy was one thing, but in his heart, Roland was still more inclined towards Anthony and the Magic Empire.

Clearing his throat, Roland couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Cyrus, what do you intend to do if the Dark Race invades from the north?"

"Construct a defensive line along the Nubian River and hold tight," Cyrus said, somewhat exasperated.

Although he didn't want to appear weak, lying in front of Roland would only make him appear weaker.

"And if the Magic Empire advances south?"

Cyrus's face twitched slightly, but he still put on a brave front, "Talia Kingdom's navy isn't particularly strong. Even though our navy has lost its combat effectiveness, it's not difficult to fend them off by relying on coastal defenses."

"What if they join forces?" Roland pressed on without hesitation.

Cyrus's face changed drastically, deciding to lay it bare, "Mr. Roland, our country is, after all, a signatory to the New Continent Pact. Do you really intend to sit by and watch foreign forces annex us?"

"Of course not."

This was the attitude Roland was waiting for; he said seriously, "Your country is not only a signatory to the Continent Pact but also a member of the Rodinia Alliance, and I must be responsible for your country's security."

Cyrus hadn't expected Roland to agree so readily.

Despite his delight, he felt a tinge of wariness. Unsolicited offers were rarely free of ulterior motives.

Roland might not be a notoriously evil bastard, but don't count on him being a paragon of virtue either.

Fortunately, his actions still had some bottom lines; even if a price had to be paid, it was better than annihilation, Cyrus thought silently.

He asked solemnly, "What is the price?"

Dealing with Roland, one should never expect to profit; a small loss would be considered a huge gain!

Cyrus knew Roland all too well, knowing that those who tried to take advantage of Roland ended up with nothing but grass on their graves.

"According to the agreement between Empress Sofia and the Demon Emperor's representative, the countries of Rodinia would gradually withdraw from the Southern Continent. The existing colonies must be dealt with within thirty years."

"I am now Sofia's executor, so the countries I serve cannot violate her decision."

Roland's enticing voice sounded like a demon's whisper, "But you are different; you do not need to adhere to this secret agreement. Similarly, the Magic Empire also does not need to comply."

"Among the three forces, the complete form of the Dark Race is the strongest, your country is next, and unless a miracle occurs, the Magic Empire is the weakest."

Roland's words pleased Cyrus, but he still modestly exchanged a few polite words.

"Mr. Roland, you're kidding. Though the Magic Empire is currently the weakest, their foundation is the deepest, and as long as they can discover new Magic Crystal Ore veins, their potential surpasses ours by far."

After pondering for a moment, Cyrus slowly said, "I'd like to ask Mr. Roland to help make introductions. I wish to speak with the Magic Empire's representative privately."

Roland smiled and said, "I will arrange it as soon as possible."

Though Lisa could also make decisions on behalf of Master Anthony, Roland did not intend to involve Lisa in this matter.

The treacherous complexities of politics were too much for her, and Roland, having personal motives, did not want Lisa entangled too deeply with the Magic Empire for now.

In his view, the era of the Magic Empire had ended, now just a brief resurgence before the ultimate decline.