My wife is an immortal black snake.

"...Ahaha, that's what I used to think...Back then, I was thinking that if Margarita agreed, I would just take the position of city lord and then raise her to live off others...But now her wish is to grow up quickly, right? So I won't stop her. No matter how long it takes, I will wait."

If Yang Hao were to meet Margarita now, he probably wouldn't be able to resist the urge to take her with him and raise her to be plump and healthy, letting her grow up on her own.

But Margarita herself wanted to grow up. After all, this was different from Head Maid Monica's situation—Monica wanted to live forever, and Yang Hao also wanted her to live forever, but due to certain issues with men, and the bad habits Margarita had given him, he wasn't in a hurry to say it then. Although in the end, everyone was happy.

The current situation is that Margarita wants to grow up as quickly as possible, while Yang Hao wants to keep her by his side regardless of whether she grows up or not... This goes against Margarita's wishes and also violates their promise. Therefore, Yang Hao thinks it would be better if they didn't meet for the time being; chatting by phone or sending letters would be fine.

Not to mention that after Monica's ascension, he gained an extra 20 years of lifespan and is no longer afraid of dying of old age inexplicably—he just needs to get some more ascension ritual supplies from the House of Elegy to help his confidants ascend, right?

After understanding Yang Hao's thoughts, Monica didn't object at all. She simply checked Yang Hao's clothes and appearance several times to make sure there was nothing wrong with them, then nodded in satisfaction, took two steps back, and disappeared from the mirror.

"I hope you won't say that in front of Lady Kosiché. If she gets jealous, you'll be in trouble."

"...I experienced that yesterday."

Yang Hao muttered to himself, while also noticing something: if Monica happened to be behind another mirror after entering the mirror world, then it would be possible to observe her presence from outside the mirror.

This could be considered the weakness of the girl in the mirror. After noting this down, he sat on the bed, waiting with a bored expression for Koschche to finish his bath.

.....

8: am.

Yang Hao and Kosicé, who was fully prepared, got into a car and headed to the palace where the nobles were gathering. On the way, Kosicé explained the current situation to Yang Hao while observing the people eagerly joining the army in the streets.

"If they knew there was an even more disgusting group of nobles we hadn't revealed yet, they'd be even more agitated right now, wouldn't they?" Yang Hao muttered, his arm around his wife. "To be honest, I really can't understand those bastards..."

"That's to be expected. If you could understand those people's thoughts, perhaps I'd have to find a place to properly correct your increasingly distorted personality."

"Haha... So, what's the deal with the nobles?"

"Is such that..."

Through Kosic's explanation, Yang Hao gained a general understanding of the current situation.

Since his reappearance on the 30th, his assassination attempt, and his subsequent stay at the Duke's mansion preparing for today's talks until yesterday, the nobles in Kotka Palace have been roughly divided into three factions.

The first faction, primarily composed of Duke Kosiché's close friends and associates—the noble generals—were radicals eager to immediately attack Duke Nikolai. These men might genuinely be acting out of loyalty to a friend, or simply because the disappearance of the Nikolai duchy would bring them greater benefits; in any case, they were willing to support Duke Kosiché's military campaign against Duke Nikolai. They were, for the time being, allies that Duke Kosiché and his wife could temporarily trust.

The second group consisted mainly of Victorian nobles who were simply there for the amusement. The Victorians were eager to see the Ursus Empire split in two, so they stayed behind the scenes, enjoying the spectacle. They were the kind of people Duke Koschcher wanted to get rid of immediately.

The third group consists of neutral parties—or rather, we don't know their stance yet.

"Her Majesty the Emperor is a member of the neutral faction, but she has already made her stance clear: she wants to exchange something with us. The guests from Yan Kingdom don't want to get involved, but your economic and private sector reforms make them reluctant to leave..."

"So our trouble today is with the distinguished guests from Yan Kingdom and His Majesty the Emperor?"

"Yes, it is."

"That's good... I'll try my best. Sigh."

He sighed, realizing he was facing quite a few troubles, but it wasn't too bad.

Chapter 190

On the morning of June 2nd, when Yang Hao and Kosiché returned to the Kotka Palace, all the nobles present offered their blessings upon his recovery from a serious illness.

Afterwards, he chatted briefly with the Abaddon brothers, with whom he had a close relationship, about the current situation in the Duchy of Koschei, before going with Koschei to a relatively safe and secluded secret room in the palace.

"The agreed time is almost here." After taking his seat at the meeting, Kosiché instructed Yang Hao while instructing his bodyguard, Serpent Scale Paul, to prepare. "Later, you absolutely must—be careful not to get His Majesty ensnared. Understand?"

"Yes Yes Yes..."

"The bottom line is that you can work at Saint-Germain for a few days, and then you have to go home."

"I understand, I understand, Koschche, I think you're just overthinking it..."

"hehe."

She chuckled a few times, indicating that she hadn't thought too much about it, but rather that this was her understanding of the emperor.

Yang Hao couldn't really argue further. After all, he had never met the emperor—although he had been chatted with unilaterally via mobile phone, it was a fact that he hadn't had much interaction with the emperor.

So he put his cane down against the reception table and then passed the time stroking the nimble cat tail that the esteemed Duke Koschche had extended onto his thigh.

Event: Meeting with the Emperor

No matter what, you can't escape it, just like a person whose hair is prone to falling out will lose it no matter what they do. Now Her Majesty the Emperor is about to arrive, and she intends to make a thrilling deal with you. The bottom line of the deal is that you must help her solve the economic crisis within the Ursus Empire—in exchange, Her Majesty the Emperor is willing to grant you a formal dukedom, the necessary military support to fight Duke Nikolai, and even the assistance of her inner guard.

Are you envious of the Ursus Emperor's inner guard? As long as you can get into her bed, then all problems will be solved—perhaps your wife and head maid have a problem with this, but rest assured, your little blood demon knows nothing about it and is still working hard to grow.

Please have a proper talk with His Majesty the Emperor. Then, find some time to visit the House of Lamentations—you've found a way to temporarily extend your lifespan.

'I really suspect you might be a spy sent by His Majesty the Emperor...'

"Ugh."

"what happened?"

"No, it's nothing. I'm just feeling a bit stressed."

"Is that so? Oh dear, please don't act cute at a time like this, okay? Let's talk about it when we get back."

Koschei's mother doted on her husband as always, but she knew this wasn't the time to complain—so, Mr. Yang Hao, please be more considerate. Don't actually let Mr. Koschei let you rest your head on her lap and complain, okay?

Yang Hao wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt like Monica was always complaining somewhere he couldn't see her... However, he decided to leave it for now and play with Koschke's tail for a while first.

In short, with Kosich's face growing increasingly red, at exactly 9 a.m., accompanied by footsteps outside the door, they looked up and found that Paul had already opened the door to the reception room.

Entering from outside was Her Majesty Catherine, dressed in magnificent attire, accompanied by her personal guards. Kosichev and Yang Hao rose to show their utmost respect for her arrival, while Yang Hao also took in the sights and gestures of observing Her Majesty Catherine's appearance and figure.

It must be said, she truly deserves to be the most noble person in the empire. Even in her private quarters, her long brown hair and noble bearing are accentuated by the extravagant luxury of her attire. There are few gold or silver jewels adorning her clothes, but the fabrics and silks themselves are luxurious high-end goods. Combined with her figure and beauty, the clothes, seemingly designed for her, only enhance her beauty even more.

And then again, is this really a 30-year-old woman? Yang Hao couldn't help but compare the Emperor with Koschich now. The delicate skin, the face without any wrinkles, and the faint dark circles under her eyes... After discovering that the Emperor's beauty was comparable to Koschich's, Yang Hao also noticed that a certain part of her body was much larger than the seemingly ordinary-looking Koschich—to be precise, the only bulge.

But that was all. Yang Hao wasn't the type to be swayed by lust. He simply made a quick mental assessment and then calmed down—what could be more alluring than a wife? Alas, besides, this emperor was said to be unmarried to this day, with no heirs, so Yang Hao abandoned his plans to beat and scold the crown prince for the next few decades after achieving immortality.

"Greetings, Duke Kosiché, and this gentleman—you must be Mr. Yang Hao?"

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

"...Greetings."

Yang Hao obediently returned the greeting to His Majesty the Emperor, who was smiling and greeting him, while Koschie seemed somewhat gloomy for some reason. She only said two words briefly before sitting down again, and seeing this, Yang Hao followed suit.

His Majesty the Emperor did not seem to mind Duke Kosiché's rudeness. After taking his seat, the most distinguished man in the Ursus Empire began to scrutinize the honest-looking man before him.

This was a handsome man. His Majesty the Emperor surveyed the man's face with satisfaction. He was weathered, as if he had lived through many great events; the scar over his left eye even gave him a touch of rugged charm—at least, it seemed this man was indeed the husband of the Duke of Kosice, the chat partner on that mobile app. But then again, it was a real waste for him to be in the duchy...

They are able to propose and implement innovative policies such as "work relief," possess unique Originium Arts or special abilities, and gain the trust of their people in the credibility of the "token."

He even possessed foresight, overcoming opposition to carry out political reforms, paving the way for basic compulsory education to enlighten the people, and building various convenient facilities for the people's well-being, thus making his leaders the people's support.

He accepted refugees who fled the Duchy of Nikolai, who were of no value to most people during the economic crisis, and even provided them with relief policies for several years in order to wait until they were able to live a stable life and become genuine "his subjects".

This could even impact global policies regarding areas with high concentrations of infected individuals... Although Ekaterina was already familiar with similar situations, building hospitals, communities, and specialized workplaces for those infected, and even ensuring that basic education doesn't pit infected individuals against healthy individuals...

Some of these events may have been made possible with the strong support of Duke Kosiché, but even if Catherine knew it herself, she would know that Duke Kosiché was incapable of coming up with such creative ideas.

She was visionary, but her vision was constrained by her centuries-long life in Ursus. All her ideas were limited by her past experiences. She could not possibly take in those worthless subjects during an economic crisis, nor did she have the ability or courage to carry out such major reforms to the government and people's livelihoods, nor could she have conceived of the path of basic compulsory education.

The immortal black serpent, the immortal Duke Kosichean, was ultimately just an Ursusian... She only possessed the vision of Ursus.

This man possessed a vision that transcended Ursus... no, even the vision that transcended this world... He should have been making his mark on a grander, more prestigious stage, and perhaps one day I would have been his opponent—no, perhaps one of the losers he would have defeated. But why would such a man condescend to serve under Duke Kosichear?

Could it be for love? Her Majesty the Emperor turned to look at Duke Kosiché with some confusion, and when she noticed that Kosiché's expression looked rather bad for some reason, she became even more confused.

I only watched for a little while, did you have to make such a fuss? No... you've lived for thousands of years, watching two short-lived ghosts interact is no different from watching two short-lived beasts rubbing against each other, isn't it?

You've lived so long, how could you experience such drastic emotional changes? Hmm...

That's a bit strange.

Her Majesty the Emperor revealed a mysterious smile, looking at the two before her—on one side, Mr. Yang Hao, who looked bewildered and unsure whether to speak first; on the other side, Duke Koschie, who looked gloomy and troubled, but hesitated to speak due to her status as an observer and her promise. She subtly did them a favor:

"It seems my arrival has triggered an assassination attempt by the Duke of Nikolai? I knew long ago that he intended to replace me, but I never expected his assassins to be such despicable beasts."

"...Your Majesty is right."

Yang Hao blinked, realizing that this seemed to be a favor the Emperor was doing for them.

Now, everyone with discerning eyes—more precisely, the high-ranking nobles—knows that the assassins from the Duchy of Nikolai are targeting Duke Kosiché, or someone close to him. Therefore, they know that no matter how much trouble Duke Nikolai causes, with the assassination target clearly identified, at most he will only face condemnation from both the Imperial Council and His Majesty the Emperor himself; it's nothing serious.

But now? The situation is different after His Majesty the Emperor publicly declared that Duke Nikolai was assassinating the current Emperor—regardless of whether Duke Nikolai had the intention or not, he will become a public enemy within the Ursus Empire. Almost all nobles and people will see Duke Nikolai as a traitor, and if he truly has no way out, he really can't stay in Ursus.

He'll probably be assassinated by the "righteous one" in less than two days, and that righteous one might even be his wife—but considering that Duke Nikolai isn't an ordinary nobleman, but a monstrous nobleman supported by the entire "Sherlock Nightclub" and possessing actual control over the duchy (though it's in a terrible state right now)... he probably won't be assassinated. The question is, will it escalate into a full-scale war?

Even if it leads to a full-scale war, it doesn't matter. With the Emperor's support, the Duchy of Kosiché has the righteous cause to rally all the nobles who obey the Emperor to attack the Duke of Nikolai—this is a great thing! For the Duke of Kosiché, who can't balance economic and military development at the same time, having soldiers from other noble territories serve as cannon fodder to fill the front lines is truly useful with His Majesty's word!

I'm so sorry for thinking about talking back to you before! You really are a wonderful person—

Yang Hao breathed a sigh of relief, but he also knew that His Majesty the Emperor was not the kind person he had imagined. She had done him and Kosiche a favor, and next, he would definitely need to exchange something for her.

So... he held his breath and waited.

"However, the Ursus Empire is currently experiencing a massive economic crisis. I think the Imperial Council and those useless parasites will not provide you with any support—perhaps I would be willing to speak out in support, but that would require an exchange."

The straightforward Ursus Emperor almost instantly shifted from cryptic to explicit language. But that's fine; this way of communicating is easier for both of us, much more comfortable than the riddles of Gotham.

"You mean, you want me to solve your financial crisis?" Yang Hao glanced at Kosichelle, and seeing that she had no objections, he carefully considered his next words. "And if I'm not mistaken, based on the messages you sent me on your phone earlier... you want me to work for you at Saint-Germain?"

“That’s one way to put it. But I also know that Mr. Yang Hao, you wouldn’t want to serve in Saint-Germain Castle for long—but the problem is, the Imperial Council won’t have any goodwill toward a nobleman who accepts an official position but lives a life of leisure in his duchy, and might even impeach you. That’s something I don’t want to see, because your abilities… require a rank commensurate with them to be effective, don’t you?”

"...Ha ha."

Her Majesty the Emperor seems to be still guessing, but she probably understands part of the principle behind my abilities. Thinking about this, Yang Hao felt a headache coming on... However, for now, it's best to continue the conversation and not try to think based on so little information.

Thinking of this, Yang Hao solemnly declared that, just as His Majesty the Emperor had thought, he was unwilling to leave the Duchy of Koschei for an extended period. He didn't just make this declaration; he also affectionately held his wife's hand and, in front of the Emperor's bewildered expression, declared that Koschei wouldn't want him to be away for so long either.

Although Kosichello was somewhat surprised by Yang Hao's sudden action, she went along with her husband's rehearsal. Meanwhile, His Majesty the Emperor, watching this thousand-year-old monster act like a submissive woman, was utterly astonished: this didn't look like acting at all... You rascal, are you really falling for a short-lived ghost?

This is...a difficult situation. Her Majesty had originally planned to use the few days Mr. Yang Hao was away working at Saint-Germain Castle to properly "develop their relationship," since she was considering that Koschitch, being an immortal being, wouldn't care about the fate of a husband with only a few decades of lifespan...

However, it now seems that this plan needs to be changed.

Chapter 191

What followed was a thrilling round of wrangling. Of course, it wasn't really wrangling—after all, even if His Majesty the Emperor had laid out her needs openly, there were still quite a few details that needed to be clarified.

For example, Yang Hao can work at Saint-Germain for a few days, but how are these days calculated?

Does it count as "working hours" and exclude days for meals, accommodation, and rest? Or does it include "days" for rest and other breaks?

Are Yang Hao only responsible for matters related to the economic crisis these days? Or does he need to handle other related tasks?

Will Yang Hao be required to obtain an official position after his departure? Or will he simply serve as an advisor behind the scenes for His Majesty the Emperor?

What if someone disagrees with the economic policies? Can they be killed? Or imprisoned?

Will he need to continue working from home after he gets back? Or can he just leave it at that once he gets home?

Numerous problems accumulated during this meeting, and these weren't just problems, but traps. The esteemed Emperor of Ursus could almost effortlessly weave trap after trap for Yang Hao with her words, waiting for him to fall into them, or she could simply set traps for him. If Koschei hadn't been listening and watching nearby, his expression shifting like a warning sign, Yang Hao would probably have already been completely bewildered and fallen into several traps.

Fortunately, Yang Hao did not fall into that predicament. Although he was dizzy from what he was being said, he still stuck to his principles.

“Your Majesty, if I go there, will I not only have to do economic work for you, but also some administrative work? I disagree, because I am not good at politics at all. All I can do is reform the economy and people’s livelihood—but the work you are asking for cannot be completed in a few days!”

"Hehe, how about this then?"

"...That won't work either. Judging from the conditions you mentioned, it would mean I wouldn't be able to go home for several years at a time. I'm a homebody, so I choose to refuse."

"Sometimes being too attached to home can prevent you from achieving much in your career."

"Haha, it's okay, I can build my career from home."

...and so on.

Her Majesty the Emperor has been trying to use linguistic traps to make Yang Hao stay at Saint Jun Castle for a longer period of time in the future. Not only that, she also hopes that Yang Hao can take on more responsibilities. But the problem is that although Yang Hao is also tempted by this, he also understands that Her Majesty the Emperor definitely has many things in mind for him.

So, after much deliberation, and considering his wife's expression and the menacing aura emanating from somewhere, Yang Hao ultimately declined each offer. And so, the time came to 11:20 AM—

The contract, barely the size of an A4 sheet of paper, has only reached an agreement on less than three lines of text. During the halftime lunch break, Yang Hao was also engaged in a subtle power struggle with His Majesty the Emperor...

Of course, since it was no longer considered a "meeting," it was understandable that Koschei would interfere. Under the Emperor's helpless gaze, Koschei, using both her tail and hands to hold onto her husband, pulled him towards her with a rather unfriendly expression.

At this point, even if His Majesty the Emperor were shameless, he couldn't do anything more. But after lunch? Heh, Kosiché could only fall silent once again, anxiously watching from the sidelines.

...... ......

4:20 p.m.

The contract negotiations with His Majesty the Emperor were only one-third complete, but Yang Hao was exhausted. Considering that both sides needed rest and more careful consideration, His Majesty the Emperor suggested that the final details be discussed and confirmed in the next two days.

"Tomorrow and the day after?...I agree. But Your Majesty, you've been away from the palace for so long, are you really sure it's alright?" Before Yang Hao could answer, Kosiché frowned. She hadn't expected His Majesty to be so good at stalling, even extending the time to the day after tomorrow.