Great Tengu and Prajna

Sensing that His Majesty the Emperor was clearly somewhat downcast, Conrad said nothing more. He trusted that the council and Crown Prince Archduke Ferdinand would determine how Germany could seize its own share of benefits from this conflict.

They could present it to His Majesty the Emperor for a final decision then.

After Conrad left, only the solitary old emperor remained in Frankfurt's palace. The setting sun stretched the shadow of the old man, who had lost both his wife and heirs, long behind him.

A dark figure slowly emerged behind the old emperor. A pair of conspicuous wolf ears stood atop his head, and a long scar ran from his jaw to the side of his ear. He was the emperor's personal spy, a wolfman from the Two Sicilies.

He said respectfully, "Your Majesty, the English ambassador has raised an inquiry. One of their soldiers claims to have encountered Candle Knight in Port of New Naples, Texas, and asks whether this was done at your instruction."

The English knew perfectly well that Germany could never ally with the French. The surging public sentiment demanding revenge against Germany and the cleansing of their humiliation was something even Napoleon, were he resurrected, could not withstand.

But the long-missing Candle Knight and Radiant Knight had suddenly appeared in the New World, and on the Texans' side no less. The English could not help wanting to give their little brother a warning. After all, although Germany could not ally with France, they could still reach an understanding over their overseas colonies—the English had taken far too much.

"Vivianna?"

The old emperor's face was filled with delight. "She's in Texas? Quickly, send people to find her at once! That heartless girl has been gone for so many years without even coming back to see