Hearing Viktor's words, Erika nodded in agreement.
"I think so too."
The Lesser family had always supported the First Prince's faction. That much was obvious from the economic support and military achievements they had accumulated on the southern border.
To give the First Prince an advantage in the fight for the throne, the Lesser family had put in tremendous effort in the south.
And yet, all those years of work had been destroyed in one stroke.
Because Aubrey no longer looked at military achievements and had instead started personally naming candidates.
This change threw the Lesser family into anxiety.
But why was the Second Prince so anxious?
Even if Emperor Aubrey really was persuaded by the other nobles and the Lesser family not to settle on an heir for now...
Then the future successor would still only be chosen between the First Prince and the Princess.
After all, the Lesser family was trying to persuade Aubrey for the sake of the First Prince.
Not for the Second Prince.
In the end, the Second Prince would lose any chance to compete.
"So, do you think the Second Prince is willing to hand the throne over to the First Prince?", Viktor asked.
Erika shook her head. She wasn't stupid.
Brotherly harmony might happen in any ordinary family, but it would never happen in the royal family.
Within the royal family, fights between brothers never involved humility. Every step was taken over reputation and life itself.
"Then, does the Second Prince have other plans?"
She could not help but fall into thought.
Slowly raising her head, she saw Professor Viktor leaning calmly against his chair, looking completely unconcerned.
So Erika could not help asking, "Professor, after hearing this news, aren't you worried at all?"
Ever since hearing about the Lesser family from her father, she had been tense.
Although the Du Croy family had never openly supported any prince, she knew Professor Viktor and the Clavenna family leaned more toward supporting Princess Aurelian.
And it could only be the Princess.
That could be seen from the Emperor's attitude toward the Clavenna family.
Ever since Viktor became the Princess's teacher, the Emperor's attitude toward him, and even toward the entire Clavenna family, had become exceptionally friendly.
Erika's father had even told her, "If Viktor weren't the Princess's teacher, the Emperor might not have announced the succession decision during the Princess's birthday celebration."
All of it came from the Emperor's trust in Viktor.
Erika had also been curious about this.
Why did the Emperor trust Professor Viktor so much?
But her father only told her, "Because Viktor's surname is 'Clavenna.'"
Not because Viktor was powerful enough, nor because his reputation was high enough, nor because of the Clavenna family's current influence.
Simply because his surname was Clavenna.
And what the Emperor trusted was Clavenna itself.
Erika half understood.
At that moment, Viktor's answer sounded beside her ears, "The ending is already decided. No matter who tries to stop it, it will be useless."
Viktor's words gradually calmed Erika down.
Did this mean Emperor Aubrey had already decided to pass the throne of the Calencia Empire to Aurelian?
But didn't the Second Prince still have another move prepared?
Erika desperately wanted to learn more from Viktor.
But Viktor did not explain further. He only looked at her calmly and said flatly, "Of course, some friction and small incidents along the way are unavoidable."
"Let's do this."
Viktor leaned slightly forward.
At the same time, the crow on the table flew onto his shoulder, shaking its feathers and pecking at its wings.
His gaze was sharp and deep as he asked Erika, "When will the head of the Lesser family return?"
Erika tightened her grip on the water cup in her hand and replied, "Tomorrow."
Viktor nodded.
The influence of the Lesser family head was enormous. In Duke Levi's eyes, he might even be capable of affecting Aubrey's choice.
Thinking of this, Viktor narrowed his eyes.
In the game's story, the Lesser family head did not have much background.
The plot only briefly mentioned the Lesser family's final fate.
Aurelian destroyed the Lesser family.
So the story involving the Lesser family head and the Emperor, something close to a "royal secret," had never been experienced by players.
After all, players couldn't casually enter the royal palace.
And now...
Viktor glanced at Sapphire, who stood silently behind him.
In the game, Sapphire's background story was only that she was the ultimate human weapon created through the Lesser family's research.
But the story never mentioned who specifically carried out that research.
Now that the Lesser family head was returning to the capital, this was the perfect chance to investigate it clearly.
At that moment, Erika noticed Viktor's gaze shift behind him.
Her own eyes followed toward Sapphire's mysterious robe. Pressing her lips together lightly, she finally could not help asking, "Um... Professor, who exactly is she...?"
Viktor turned his head and looked calmly at Erika before replying flatly, "She's Henny's teaching assistant."
"Ah, so that's how it is."
Hearing this, Erika seemed to relax, and the tension in her heart gradually faded.
So she was only Henny's teaching assistant.
That did make sense. Henny really was too busy lately.
Not only did she have classes every day, she often used her free time to arrange more lessons.
Sometimes, Erika wanted to chat with Henny but could barely find the opportunity.
She really did need a teaching assistant to help share some of the workload.
But... this person as a teaching assistant?
Erika secretly observed Sapphire beneath the robe.
No matter how she looked at her, she could feel a faint sense of danger from her.
And besides, she did not have the temperament of a mage at all.
"Originally, I planned to call Henny here directly."
At this moment, Viktor's voice sounded calmly again.
He looked at a transparent crystal lying on the table and narrowed his eyes as he examined it carefully.
Though transparent, the crystal looked very dim.
Viktor picked it up and examined it in his palm.
"But now it seems she's already gone back."
———
"Thank you for your hard work."
After casually greeting the servant at the entrance, Henny walked toward the garden.
Going deeper into the garden, she saw Cocotte sitting on a cloud.
At that moment, she sat on the cloud with one leg crossed over the other and her arms folded.
Like a queen, she looked down arrogantly at the two dogs below the cloud.
When Henny entered her line of sight, Cocotte did not seem surprised at all.
She only chuckled and greeted Henny.
"Yo, Henny."
"You came back pretty early."
Henny did not respond to Cocotte immediately.
Her gaze locked onto the white puppy among the two dogs.
At this moment, the chubby white puppy was pinned beneath the claws of a majestic crimson hound.
And when her gaze moved upward and she saw the heads on the hound's body...
Her eyes widened in shock.
'Th-three heads!?'
But immediately afterward, an extremely suppressed emotion came from inside her body.
It felt as though something had suddenly been suppressed.
She knew very clearly this emotion did not come from herself.
Seeing Henny's reaction, Cocotte nodded with satisfaction.
She waved her hand and casually said, "Hurry and take this annoying little dog away."
"This guy kept obsessing over my cloud. Even after I woke up, it still didn't want to give it back to me. So annoying."
As Cocotte's words fell, the crimson three-headed hound also withdrew its sharp claws.
Revealing the dying white puppy beneath its feet.
Seeing this, Henny gave no extra response.
She simply walked over, picked up the unconscious white puppy, and held it in her hands.
Then she nodded to Cocotte again.
"Mm, I understand."
"I'll deal with it properly."
After doing all this, she carried the puppy away from the garden.
Meanwhile, Cocotte looked at Henny's back and fell into thought.
Henny's sudden return had also confirmed some things for Cocotte.
The appearance of this puppy demon really was probably connected to Henny.
It was just...
"Why would she make that demon trade with me?"
Clearly, when making a deal with a demon, the only one who would get tricked was the person making the deal.
Even if she was an elf, she was absolutely no exception in this regard.
But that was exactly what made Cocotte feel strange.
She could not help thinking deeply.
Would Henny harm her?
No.
Natural elves could sense whether emotions from others carried malice.
From Henny, she had not felt even the slightest malice.
Besides, Henny had neither reason nor motive to harm her.
If Henny truly intended to harm her, then nature itself would not ignore it.
It would directly punish Henny.
"How strange..."
———
Only after Henny had completely left the garden did a hoarse voice finally sound in her heart, "That three-headed dog... truly terrifying."
Henny nodded.
Even Mr. Crocodile had not dared to say a word under its pressure. That three-headed hound was obviously abnormal.
It could completely suppress even a demon's nature. Judging from this, Puki had no ability to resist at all.
And this puppy had already fainted.
If Henny had not sensed Puki losing consciousness, she would not have rushed back this early.
At this moment, Henny's calm voice sounded, "Looks like Puki didn't do as I told it."
Although she did not know where the three-headed hound came from, if Puki had not angered Cocotte, Cocotte absolutely would not have attacked it for no reason.
She held Puki up in front of her face and used her other hand to poke its chubby little butt.
"Originally, I wanted you to build a good relationship with Senior Cocotte. After all, you were drawn here because of her."
People with traits similar to demons were highly compatible with demons.
If used properly, demons could also become powerful support.
Just like Leighton.
"But it seems you don't want to become our companion."
At the same time, Leighton appeared on Henny's shoulder.
It opened its mouth wide and let out a huge yawn.
"I knew it."
The treatment at the Clavenna family was obviously so good, yet this lazy dog still didn't appreciate it.
What exactly was this lazy dog thinking?
"So what now?"
Henny stared at the unconscious Puki and said calmly, "We can't cause trouble for the Professor."
As her words fell, Henny's bright yellow eyes gradually narrowed vertically.
Like a fox's eyes, they gave off a sharp and dangerous aura.
"So let me use up the last of your value."
"Puki."