Victoria's thank-you gift? Chen Qi's plentiful haul / Theresia: I'm the one controlling the whole show!

"So, Imperial Calendar Bureau is heading this way now, is she planning to have us film in Lungmen?"

"Yes, Wei Yenwu is already writing the letter, and if all goes well, it will be sent to Londinium in about two weeks."

Meanwhile, Chen Huijie, far away in Lungmen, successfully contacted Chen Qi through the phone provided by the system he had given her. Now that the awarding ceremony was over, Chen Qi was planning to travel to Columbia by land-based ship with Kristen, who had been waiting for some time, to film the movie " To the To the Moon," which they had discussed long ago.

This award ceremony was incredibly rewarding for Chen Qi, most importantly because of the newfound "honor" he received.

[Lord of Victoria (Silver): This title is bestowed upon you by Victoria, as evidenced by the Victoria Royal Medal. You are currently the only person in Victoria to have received this title without being a Victoria citizen. Although you hold no real power, no one dares to show you any disrespect.]

[Effect: Host's sense of authority increases by 30%; possesses a natural aura of oppression towards non-nobles; Victoria public's reputation with the host increases by 10%; Victoria armies of less than 1,000 men, or special armed forces of five or fewer, have a certain probability of obeying the host's commands.]

It must be said that Victoria was quite generous, with two grand dukes personally presiding over the ceremony to award him the title. This lordship successfully reached the "silver" standard, giving Chen Qi a certain degree of power.

However, compared to the "honor" that the brother and sister gave her, Victoria's achievement paled in comparison.

[Lord of Kazdel (Gold): This title was conferred in the presence of the two Sarkaz kings and two of the kings of the Royal Court. In the hearts of the Sarkaz, such titles are almost never bestowed upon races outside the Sarkaz. You are the second person to receive this honor, and because of the two kings' recognition of you, which has been proclaimed to all Sarkaz, this title holds extraordinary significance for you.]

[Because the host's rank was granted by two kings, reaching a level equal to that of the princes of the Royal Court, the original silver "honor" has been upgraded to gold, and its effect has been greatly amplified.]

[Effect: Sarkaz affinity +30%; Sarkaz reputation gain with the host +20%; all Sarkaz below the host's Royal Court will have a very high probability of obeying the host's commands; kings of the Royal Court will have a moderate probability of assisting the host and carrying out the host's instructions.]

He could command the Sarkaz army! Even beings of the Bloodborne Archon's caliber have a considerable chance of aiding him! With such power, one would say the treatment he received from the Theresis and Theresia was truly generous enough. Was he really, in a literal sense, equal in power to the kings of the Royal Court?

Chen Qi really hadn't expected that Theresia and Theresis would give him such a grand honor. They completely stole Victoria's thunder at the awarding ceremony, making everyone only remember that he was awarded the Lord of Kazdel and that he was on equal footing with the princes of the Royal Court.

[The host can equip a maximum of three "Honorary Titles" at the same time. "Honor" titles will affect the effects and assistance the host receives. Not equipping them will not affect the host's daily life, but will only result in a lack of boosts.]

Therefore, after some thought, Chen Qi equipped himself with "Lord of Kazdel", "Lord of Victoria", and "The Lost Sui".

Although "Director of the Integrated Cultural Troupe" is a silver-level title, Chen Qi doesn't doubt everyone's trust in him, even without the equipment. In comparison, although "Lost Sui" is a bronze-level title, it provides Chen Qi with a significant boost.

However, Chen Qi was somewhat surprised by Chen Huijie's phone call before he left—the Emperor of Yan wanted him to act in a movie?

"However, I already have a plan. I've already agreed to go to Columbia with Miss Kristen... Is Wei Yenwu's situation alright?"

"It's not a big deal. It's a year, and the punishment isn't severe," Chen Huijie told Chen Qi over the phone.

"It's just kneeling on a washboard for a few days. To be honest, I was a little hesitant to call you."

"Oh, it's alright then, I don't think it's in a big rush."

However, Chen Qi, who had reached a high degree of consensus with Chen Huijie on this point, exchanged a glance with Talulah, who was standing next to him, and received the same look of approval from Talulah.

Of course, this was just a joke. If the Yan Emperor were to hold a knife to Wei Yenwu's neck, Chen Qi and the others would definitely drop everything and rush to Lungmen immediately... But the problem is, the Yan Emperor would at most just watch his brother make a fool of himself, so the risk is much smaller.

Of course, more importantly, there is a full year to go. Chen Qi and the others will be going to Columbia with Kristen to film a movie. It will take no more than half a year, so a round trip is perfectly feasible.

In particular, most of the scenes in " To the To the Moon" needed to be completed within Chen Qi's painting scroll. Since time passes more slowly within the scroll, it might only take two or three months to finish filming the movie.

However... it's better to set off as soon as possible. Chen Qi knows that there's a rift between the Yan Emperor and Wei Yenwu. No one knows if this seemingly light punishment will be used as an excuse to escalate it later. It would be better if they set off quickly to finish filming in Columbia and then immediately head to Lungmen.

"I understand, Huijie. Have Wei Yenwu deliver the letter to the Rhine Lab headquarters in Columbia. That's our next stop."

"Okay, take care of yourself... and Little Tal too." Chen said this on the other end of the phone, and the call, which had lasted for several days, came to an end.

Outside, everyone in the Art Troupe had already moved all their belongings to the land-based boat; everything was ready.

"During this time, I had Rhine Lab's security department send us some guards." At this moment, Chen Qi, who had long been preparing to leave Kristen, finally came to see Chen Qi after a long time. During her time in Londinium, she could tell that Chen Qi was very busy, so she didn't bother him too much.

"Several young men from the security department are all wearing the latest power armor; they can protect us along the way."

"Yes, very thoughtful arrangements, Miss Kristen."

Chen Qi exchanged pleasantries with Kristen. Kristen knew nothing about the crew's combat capabilities; he only knew that Patriot and his Shield Guard looked formidable, so it was normal for him to arrange some security personnel.

However, Chen Qi didn't think anyone would be so foolish as to attack them along the way, especially after the medal-awarding ceremony, given that he clearly had the backing of at least three countries.

"Director Chen Qi."

Just then, a call made Chen Qi turn around, only to find that Vina had brought Wellington and Duke of Windermere to him without him noticing.

Upon seeing this group, Chen Qi instinctively felt something was amiss. Sure enough, Duke of Windermere gave Chen Qi a cruel smile and said, word by word:

"Director Chen Qi's crew is indeed full of talent. Not only are there members of the Drac tribe, but also Wendigo, and even our Crown Prince is in your crew."

"I'm sorry... teacher..." Vina, who had rarely gone out during this period and had not been exposed, did not expect to be caught red-handed just before leaving.

However, Duke of Windermere didn't seem to intend to make things difficult for Chen Qi. Instead, he released Vina and said softly:

"Rest assured, Director Chen Qi, we are not here to interrogate you. We have no objection to who Her Highness Alexandrina is with. Our Highness is now clear about the situation; she knows very well that she is not capable of leading the people of Victoria."

"Victoria no longer needs a monarch. Therefore, we will not stop Your Highness from following whomever you wish to serve, as long as you refrain from interfering in Victoria's political affairs."

Killing Vina would be pointless for the dukes and would only provoke Chen Qi. Moreover, Vina no longer poses any threat to Victoria's regime. Once her status as crown princess is no longer meaningful, Vina herself is no longer worth their attention.

Windermere released Vina, allowing Vina to return to Chen Qi's side. After Chen Qi asked Talulah to look after Vina for a while, he turned to the two dukes and smiled:

"That's good, thank you for your generosity."

"No, we should thank you, Director Chen Qi." The Duke of Wellington nodded and said, "Without you, Victoria wouldn't be as united as it is today. Maintaining a false peace would have inevitably led to greater conflict sooner or later, and this outcome is perhaps the best."

"Therefore, we have prepared a gift, which cannot be presented at the investiture ceremony, but after some discussion, we, the Grand Dukes, all feel that this gift should be given to you as a reward for 'Yes, Prime Minister.'"

"A gift?" Chen Qi was taken aback. He had assumed the title was a return gift, since Chen Qi had already benefited greatly from this "honor" and had subconsciously forgotten about the reward.

Now, Duke of Windermere opened a sword hilt that he had always carried on his back. Soon, Chen Qi saw an ancient luster emanating from the hilt, a restrained and simple yet dignified one-handed sword.

"--The Breath of Kings."

"Director Chen Qi is indeed a man of exceptional insight." Duke of Windermere, seeing that Chen Qi recognized the sword, readily acknowledged that it was indeed the symbol of Victoria royal power, the Breath of Kings.

When the name reached Vina's ears, Vina, who was about to board the land-based ship, trembled violently, turned incredulously to look at the Breath of Kings in Duke of Windermere's hand, and immediately ran back.

"The Breath of Kings? You're just going to hand over the Breath of Kings, a symbol of imperial power, to Director Chen Qi like this?" Vina asked in utter disbelief, but Duke of Windermere's answer was resolute:

"It is not the sword that represents imperial power, but rather imperial power that makes the sword what it is. A monarch's success is never proven simply by the fact that he draws his sword."

"If the one wielding the sword does not possess the abilities of a king, even if he has the bloodline of a king, the Breath of Kings is nothing more than a slightly harder weapon, utterly meaningless."

"... However, this sword itself has an extraordinary significance; it is a key, a key that, if possessed by someone with ill intentions who knows its purpose, will trigger a disaster."

The Duke of Windermere felt no attachment to the sword, the Breath of Kings. As she said, she never thought the sword represented anything; she was only loyal to Victoria.

"It's regrettable that there are such people among the Grand Dukes. Therefore, rather than letting them spy on the Breath of Kings, it's better to entrust it to a trustworthy person for protection."

"So, you're handing this sword over to me? Because our crew is capable of Protection it, and we don't even know its purpose?" Chen Qi asked, guessing, and received a nod of approval from Duke of Windermere.

"Rather than letting it fall into the hands of villains, it's better to render this sword meaningless. That way, at least we can avoid relying on any vague 'trump card' and focus wholeheartedly on strengthening ourselves."

"This is the result of discussions among our grand dukes, and the majority agreed upon it. I believe the few remaining ones... wouldn't dare to openly oppose it."

Duke of Windermere once again presented the Breath of Kings to Chen Qi. This time, after a moment's hesitation, Chen Qi accepted the Breath of Kings under Vina's somewhat complicated gaze.

[Congratulations, host, you have obtained the rare item: Breath of Kings!]

[The Breath of Kings: The sword of Victoria, representing royal power, has been broken and Reforging many times. Now, Victoria no longer needs a monarch, and this sword has lost its symbolism, but it still tells the story of the glory of Victoria and carries the tales of its monarchs.]

[Effect: Host's physique is enhanced; Victoria Swordsmanship (Mastery); Gain "Protection" (When the host is attacked by an enemy, the phantom of the Beast King Aslan will negate one threatening attack and have a great intimidating effect on the enemy, refreshing every fifteen minutes)]

The system's voice sounded again. This time, Chen Qi gripped the Breath of Kings with even greater force, expressing his deepest gratitude to the two Grand Dukes with exceptional solemnity:

"Thank you for your trust. The Breath of Kings is safe with us; there will be absolutely no problem!"

Chen Qi was worried they might regret it and want to go back, but he was grateful for Victoria's generosity in giving him a divine skill! With the boost from the Breath of Kings, Chen Qi could be said to have gained an ability that could save his life in a critical moment!

Moreover, Chen Qi could clearly feel that his physique had indeed been further strengthened. The effects of the "Blood of Sui" were extremely obvious along with Chen Qi's enhancement. It seemed that the stronger Chen Qi became, the more the "Blood of Sui" could help Chen Qi even greater heights.

Now that Chen Qi's strength has increased once again, he has once again rekindled his confidence in "avenging his previous defeat" against Talulah!

Talulah, this time, I will come back stronger! Chen Qi's confidence soared, and he was certain that this time, he could utterly defeat Talulah!

Chapter 173: Theresia: I am the one who controls the whole situation!

"The Breath of Kings... I truly never imagined I would encounter it in this way."

From the moment Chen Qi received the Breath of Kings, Vina's eyes never left the sword. However, her expression was more one of strangeness than shock...

Now, her status as crown prince has become meaningless, and even this sword was given to Chen Qi as a "gift." Obtaining the Breath of Kings in this way made Vina feel a sense of loss.

"Since it belongs to Victoria, Vina, you can use this sword."

Seeing the obvious interest in Vina's eyes, and having already received the amplification from the Breath of Kings, Chen Qi casually handed it over Breath of Kings Vina, who could use it better.

Chen Qi himself didn't need to do much, and when he transmigrated, he didn't even know what the Breath of Kings was for. Therefore, to him, it was just a slightly nicer sword, not very useful.

He kept the [Royal Court Covenant] and the Laterano firearms only for self-defense and to be able to call upon any potential Sarkaz reinforcements. The Breath of Kings isn't Excalibur; keeping it wouldn't be of much use to him. If it really came to a fight, wouldn't the pistol Laterano gave him be far more useful?

"I'm not very good at using weapons anyway, so the Breath of Kings is meaningless to me. Since this sword is so important to you, Vina, it's only natural that I entrust it to you for safekeeping."

"I'm entrusting this to you so that I can be assured that this sword will never be lost, because you'll definitely take good care of it. I have too many keepsakes to carry with me, and it wouldn't be good if I forgot to take it with me."

Chen Qi then handed the Breath of Kings to Vina. Vina seemed surprised by Chen Qi's generosity and was unusually flustered as she accepted the sword with both hands, her expression still somewhat dazed.

The Duke of Wellington and the Duke of Windermere did not stop them from doing anything. After all, as they said, for Victoria now, this sword did not represent royal power, and Vina obviously did not know the true use of this sword. Even if she could use it, she would only use it as a weapon.

Seeing Chen Qi's nonchalant attitude, treating even Victoria's national treasures as nothing, the two grand dukes couldn't help but feel a sense of unease...

"As expected of Director Chen Qi, he possesses such talent, yet he seeks neither fame nor fortune, and even treasures cannot tempt him."

Even the Duke of Windermere couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. When she took out the Breath of Kings, she couldn't help but feel sorry that the sword was going to be given away, but Chen Qi didn't even glance at it.

Little did they know, Chen Qi had already received the greatest benefit; the system's boost was far more powerful than a single sword that couldn't emit light waves.

"Making the best use of something is the best way to give a treasure its due." Chen Qi remained unfazed by such praise, then, as if remembering something, he turned to Duke of Windermere and asked:

"However... I did hear that there's a Steam Knight at the location of the Breath of Kings? Why was there no sound at all during our filming when you took out the Breath of Kings?"

Chen Qi asked the question casually out of curiosity, but it caused the two dukes to fall into a brief silence. Then, Chen Qi saw their gazes become increasingly serious, and eventually, they began to show some fear.

"... Who exactly are you? How do you even know about this?"

"The Last Steam Knight, we shouldn't have told anyone about this, not even the Sarkaz. How did you know?"

Duke of Windermere's eyes held a wary glint, even a hint of apprehension and fear. She seemed to be beginning to realize that someone as talented as Chen Qi, if he were some kind of mysterious being, would actually be easier to explain...

However, facing the increasingly tense situation, Vina, who had just obtained the Breath of Kings, and Talulah, who was standing beside her, immediately shielded Chen Qi. Chen Qi, however, stopped them and calmly asked:

"Everyone, just consider myself well-informed and know some things that others don't."

"But I'm also very curious, what happened to that Steam Knight in the end? How did you manage to defeat him so silently? Logically speaking, that shouldn't be possible."

"... When we found this Steam Knight, we discovered signs of life inside, thus confirming the death of this tenacious knight before removing the Breath of Kings."

Duke of Windermere sensed that Chen Qi was unwilling to explain, or perhaps tacitly accepted his own guess. There was no point in concealing the truth now, so he revealed it, saying:

"We buried this knight who, despite betrayal, continued to fight. The armor of this last Steam Knight will be preserved as a reference for our future production of new Steam Knight."

"--During this period, we, the Sarkaz, will guarantee the reconstruction of Londinium. The new military factory and related production line enterprises will receive the protection and assistance of the Sarkaz. In exchange, Victoria will provide us with assistance in rebuilding Kazdel and relocating facilities such as the Shattered Tower."

While Chen Qi and the two dukes were still discussing the Steam Knight, Theresis and Theresia slowly approached from a distance. Upon seeing them, Chen Qi greeted them with a noticeably warmer smile:

"Theresis, Theresia, thank you for coming to see me off."

"We want to thank you for your help, Chen Qi." Theresis and Chen Qi were already acquaintances, and they now addressed each other by their first names, which was quite a unique experience for Theresis.

"Rest assured, wherever you go, please remember that the Sarkaz are your eternal friends. If you ever need any help from our clan, please contact us as soon as possible. The Sarkaz are a reliable support for our friends."

Therefore, Chen Qi is of great significance to the Sarkaz clan. It can be said that the Theresis treats Chen Qi now will largely determine how much the Sarkaz clan's image among the world can be changed.

When Chen Qi is away from home, his biggest backer is the Sarkaz clan. If the Sarkaz want to return to the ranks of civilized nations in the future, then Chen Qi's attitude towards the Sarkaz, which is currently the neutral force on Terra the greatest "propaganda strategic threat," will be of little consequence.

Theresis even hoped that some foolish, easy target could provoke Chen Qi, allowing their Sarkaz clan to wage a crushing war. This would not only enhance the new image of their Sarkaz clan but also increase Chen Qi's goodwill towards them.

At that time, Theresis's chances of successfully promoting her sister to Chen Qi will be even higher.

"Of course I won't forget." Chen Qi couldn't help but sigh. He never imagined that he would actually become friends with the Sarkaz, especially with a ruthless king like Theresis.

However, it now seems that the Sarkaz are indeed Chen Qi's strongest asset so far in his travels on Terra. Now that this is confirmed, the better Chen Qi's relationship with the brother and sister, the more beneficial it will be for his future.

"Well then, you two, we'll take our leave now."

Just as Chen Qi was calling Talulah and Vina to board the land ship and was about to leave himself, he felt his clothes being tugged.

Chen Qi subconsciously turned his head to look behind him, only to find a small hand still covered in dried blood. Just as Chen Qi was about to leave, Theresia suddenly made this inexplicable move.

For a moment, Chen Qi was dumbfounded, and even Talulah and Vina were stunned. Neither of the two dukes had ever seen such a scene before. They looked at Theresia and Chen Qi with suspicion, feeling that something was not right.

The most bewildered was undoubtedly Theresis, but after a moment of confusion, he felt an overwhelming joy, because he knew that his sister's soul was not yet complete; she was merely a collection of Sarkaz consciousness!

But now, Theresia's actions are undoubtedly driven by a part of her own soul! And this sends a very important signal.

During this time, he encouraged Chen Qi to spend more time with his sister, which indeed helped Theresia's soul recovery. Moreover, there was no doubt that his sister's actions indicated, subconsciously, that she did indeed have feelings for Chen Qi!