Deposed Crown Prince: After three years of service on the frontier, the entire court knelt and begge

At this moment, the atmosphere in the castle hall instantly became even more oppressive.

The Earl of the North, Lord Leicester, trembled slightly.

He recalled Horton's miserable state just now, and a pang of pain shot through his heart.

Duchess Vanessa held her wine glass, looking calmly at Sion Capo, seemingly deep in thought.

Sion Capo looked at them and smiled faintly, then continued, "I know that some of you have had dealings with Horton and Moros before. I won't pursue it, nor do I want to! After all, they are the ones who made the mistake, not you! As long as you choose to be loyal to the Alliance City and to me now, I will give you a chance."

"Furthermore, I am well aware that in your hearts I have always been a fickle and treacherous person... In fact, some of you here previously held a position far higher than mine... But... that was before, not now!"

"So, I'm saying you can have opportunities, but they won't be endless! To ensure the long-term stability of Britain, and to help you better understand the order of the Alliance City, I previously told you that your heirs should remain in the capital. I wonder if you have any objections or suggestions?"

These people are actually perfectly aware of this matter...

They were all prepared for the consequences, and moreover, this time Zion Capo didn't humiliate or insult them...

Zion Capo chuckled, and seeing that no one responded, he continued, "You all must think that I'm keeping them with me as hostages, right?"

The people weren't really doing this; they were only forced to acquiesce due to Zion Capo's 'tyranny'...

Therefore, they did not refute it at this point, which can be considered as acquiescence...

Seeing this, Zion Capo smiled and then said, "You really underestimate me... and overestimate yourselves..."

After hearing what Zion Capo said, everyone looked puzzled and confused.

Zion Capo maintained his assertive stance, stating, "If I really wanted to take your people hostage, I could do it directly without you having to tell me. You have no room or ability to resist..."

Everyone looked incredibly awkward... but they couldn't refute what Zion Capo had said...

Sion Capo continued, "I plan to establish the 'Alliance City Apprenticeship' in the capital! You all know that it's almost impossible for you to enter Alliance City on your own, right?"

At this point, a hint of anticipation flashed in Zion Capo's eyes.

Zion Capo continued, “However, as you know my current identity... I can use my identity to allow your heirs to enter the training institute to learn about the laws and management of the Alliance City, as well as the order and principles of the Illuminati.”

"Subsequently, based on your performance... they can first serve as palace guards, and then, after passing a test, assist in the work of the Alliance City Management Bureau. This process may be a bit troublesome, but it is indeed feasible..."

"It's definitely a much higher chance of you entering the Alliance City than if you relied on your own abilities..."

This made the nobles' expressions even more expectant, because they were all people who could be manipulated by Zion Capo.

They were all selected by the Alliance City...

Seeing the nervous expressions on the nobles' faces, he continued, "Rest assured, I will give them the best treatment and the best teachers. After they complete their studies, those who have the opportunity to enter the Alliance City will be recommended. Those who cannot enter will be sent back to your territories to use their newly acquired knowledge to help you govern your regions. This is not only a training program for them, but also a demonstration of trust in your families."

Zion Cabo's words still held some promise for the lesser nobles.

However, for those with established noble families, Zion Cabo's promise to enter the Alliance City was nothing more than empty promises.

The Earl of Leicester abruptly stood up, wanting to argue: "Your Majesty! My second son is still young, and..."

"Young?" Sion Capo interrupted him, his eyes instantly turning icy. "The Duke of Horton's son is younger than your second son and is already an orphan. Do you think your son is more valuable than Horton's son?"

The Earl of Leicester's face turned deathly pale. He opened his mouth, but could not utter a single word.

Duchess Vanessa took a deep breath and slowly rose to her feet. "Your Majesty," she said, "your suggestion is indeed for the stability of Britain. However, my daughter is an only child. If she remains in the capital, my territory..."

“I will send people to assist you in governing your territory,” Zion Cabo said.

"Furthermore, I will personally look after your daughter if she stays in the capital. Don't worry, she won't be mistreated. Besides, you know that the current president of the Illuminati is a woman. If your daughter can study well and follows me in the future, gaining the president's favor, do you think that's a good thing... or do you insist on thinking in the worst possible way..."

"If you insist on thinking that way... actually, I can help you with that..."

As he spoke, Zion Capo glanced at Iron Man, who was standing to the side, almost imperceptibly.

Duchess Vanessa glanced at Atie behind Sion Capo, that cold figure seeming to remind her that the consequence of refusal would be the same as Horton and Moros. She finally lowered her head: "Your Majesty, I will follow your arrangements!"

With Duchess Vanessa taking the lead, the other nobles had no choice but to express their opinions as well.

"I will follow Your Majesty's arrangements!"

"I'm willing to let my eldest son stay in the capital for his apprenticeship!"

"Your Majesty, we will follow your arrangements!"

The voices rose and fell, but there was no sincerity in them, only helplessness and fear.

Zion Capo smiled with satisfaction after seeing this.

He raised his glass and said again, “Excellent! Ladies and gentlemen, you are all sensible and considerate of the bigger picture! I believe that with our joint efforts, Britain will only get better and better. Let us raise our glasses again to the future of Britain!”

The nobles raised their glasses again, and this time they drank more than before, but they still couldn't taste the red wine; all they tasted was bitterness.

Atie remained standing behind Zion Capo, his cold eyes sweeping over each nobleman who had expressed his opinion, devoid of any emotion.

His mission was to protect Zion Cabo and also to keep an eye on these nobles.

Meanwhile, Zion Cabo used this victory celebration to completely control the British aristocracy. He used Atie's power and the quality of his heirs to weave an invisible net, trapping all potential rebels within it.

The music at the banquet was still melodious, and the dishes were still plentiful, but everyone knew the truth.

This victory celebration is not the end, but the beginning.

The world of Britain had completely changed. And these nobles could only live cautiously under the control of Zion Cabo and the Illuminati.

Zion Cabo looked down at the submissive nobles and sneered inwardly.

He knew this was only the first step in Empress Boudica's plan.

Once these noble heirs have become hostages and Britain has fully stabilized, the next step will be to deal with the Illuminati.

Now, all he has to do is continue to play the role of "Illuminati envoy" and wait for the best opportunity.

Even after the victory banquet ended, the inn in the capital remained brightly lit.

Count Byron returned to his room, locked himself in his study, and stared blankly at the family crest on the table.

Philip stood to the side, his face full of unease: "Father, do we really want to keep my brother in the capital? That apprenticeship academy is clearly a cage, and the opportunity he mentioned for us to enter the Alliance City is nothing but a mirage..."

Count Byron picked up the red wine on the table, poured himself a glass, and drank it all in one gulp.

He then put down his wine glass, his voice hoarse: "Otherwise what? Didn't you see what happened to Duchess Vanessa? She was so tough, but she still agreed, didn't she? Atie is in the palace, and the Radiant Army has the capital surrounded like an iron barrel; we can't resist. Besides, didn't you see those two corpses?"

"But my brother is only twelve years old!" Philip's voice trembled with emotion.

"He's in the capital, what if..."

“There’s no ‘what if’,” Earl Byron interrupted him, his eyes resolute. “Sion Capo wants our obedience, not to kill his heir. As long as we don’t cause trouble, my brother will be fine. Besides, staying in the capital will allow us to know Sion Capo’s movements, which may not be a bad thing.”

"And what if... Zion Capo did indeed make contact with the Illuminati? What if your brother really does have a chance to gain favor with the Illuminati? That would be a whole new opportunity for our family..."

He walked over to Philip and patted his son on the shoulder.

“Remember this: from now on, the top priority for the Byron family is to survive. Once things have calmed down, we’ll figure out a way to bring your brother back.”

Philip nodded, but his eyes were still full of worry.

Meanwhile, in Duchess Vanessa's room, she was talking to her daughter Alice.

Alice was only fifteen years old, her face still bearing the innocence of a young girl, but she also noticed that something was wrong with her mother: "Mother, do we really have to stay in the capital? The people here are all so fierce."

Vanessa stroked her daughter's golden hair, her eyes gentle yet resolute: "Alice, remember, starting tomorrow, you must behave well in the apprenticeship and not cause trouble. But at the same time, you must also remember that you are the heir of the Vanessa family, and you cannot disgrace our family's honor."

As she spoke, she took a small silver badge from her jewelry box. The badge was engraved with a soaring eagle, the symbol of Vanessa's family. She handed the badge to Alice: "Keep this with you and don't let anyone see it. If you encounter danger, give the badge to the old servant in the gray clothes at the inn, and he will help you."