While Catherine and Elashia were secretly whispering on the main platform, Ileina continued her speech.
"Today, we saw the power of people united!"
"Even though the weapons in our hands are inferior to enemies with numerous munitions factories and Blood Clan equipment, we can still defeat them with firm faith and inextinguishable will!"
"..."
"This day will be an epoch-making day. Just as this long night will eventually pass, the dawn belonging to the Holy Kingdom will arrive as promised in the near future!"
Amid the cheers from the crowd below, Ileina soon ended her brief but powerful speech.
"Eh... is it over already?"
After Adelin stepped to the front of the main platform and began announcing Northern Fire's "Holy Capital Temporary Management Plan," Elashia looked somewhat unsatisfied at Ileina who had sat back down.
Why was it so short?
Ileina just smiled slightly.
"Well... saying too much leads to mistakes."
She knew that as a leader, she couldn't say too much about specific issues—she was only responsible for boosting people's spirits and confidence.
"Alright..."
Elashia thought about it and felt Ileina's words were indeed very reasonable.
As a leader, one couldn't express opinions on too many things in front of the public.
Because among countless specific policies, there would inevitably be inadequate aspects.
Just as Ileina said, saying too much leads to mistakes.
Those things should be done by people like Adelin who were specifically responsible for government affairs.
"Sigh..."
Elashia sighed softly.
Although Elashia herself had given morale-boosting speeches when facing war in Elasia, relying entirely on system skills, she ultimately didn't understand these things.
She wondered if she could help Ileina in the Holy Kingdom's stabilization efforts later...
Completely ignorant of politics and military affairs, she might even have some difficulties communicating with Ileina...
Sigh...
...
"To ensure the Holy Capital's public order and protect people's interests... as Northern Fire's administrative officer, I now announce the following new policies..."
"First, to protect the Holy Capital's normal commercial activities, we will not interfere excessively with any legal industries in the Holy Capital..."
"Second..."
"Third, to ensure the normal life of Holy Capital residents, we will regulate minimum food prices. In any grain store, bug rice can only be sold for a maximum of thirty copper coins per pound..."
"To ensure implementation of this new policy, we will promote the following new governance..."
...
"Um... Princess Ileina."
Watching Ileina seriously listening to Adelin's speech, Catherine, noticing that Elashia's condition seemed somewhat off, used voice transmission to inconspicuously remind Ileina.
"Hmm? What is it, Minister Catherine?"
Not knowing why Catherine suddenly called her name, Ileina looked at Catherine somewhat strangely.
"Your Highness... please look at Empress Elashia..."
Ileina glanced at Elashia.
Elashia... was looking down at the table?
Ileina didn't see any problem.
"Oh... maybe Shia is too tired from fighting with us all night without sleep."
"Cough cough cough..."
Ileina's words almost made Catherine, who was using drinking water to disguise her small movements, spray out!
"Your Highness... you... oh my! How can your emotional intelligence be so low..."
"Your words just now definitely made Empress Elashia feel bad..."
"Ah?"
Now Ileina panicked a bit.
"My words just now..."
Ileina calmed herself down and thought, not feeling there was anything wrong with her words.
She looked at Catherine somewhat dissatisfied.
"Minister Catherine, don't scare me... what was wrong with my words just now..."
"Oh my... this..."
Catherine was somewhat at a loss for words.
What was wrong? Of course she didn't know either.
But... Empress Elashia now obviously looked somewhat dejected...
She had been fine just now, but suddenly seemed dejected—it must be because of Princess Ileina's words just now...
Exactly what was wrong, Catherine didn't know, but she knew—those problems could only be known by asking Empress Elashia herself!
Looking at the truly obtuse Ileina, Catherine thought for a moment and suddenly came up with a quite good method.
They say wisdom is forced into being...
To make Princess Ileina, with her extremely low emotional intelligence, have an "epiphany," she needed to push her a bit...
Catherine had always been an action-oriented person who did what she thought—once she thought of a reasonable method, she would naturally put it into practice.
So...
She turned to Elashia with what she considered an elegant smile.
"Empress Elashia... your beautiful face seems tinged with melancholy... if possible, please allow this humble person to share breakfast with you after the assembly ends..."
?!
Catherine's character-breaking words immediately brought Elashia out of her previous dejection!
Were these words Catherine could say?
No! Don't scare me!
"Uh..."
Elashia raised her head, preparing to say something, but the system's voice rang out at an inopportune time.
[System Task Issued]
[Task One: Agree to Catherine, tell Catherine you accept her invitation—"Alright, then I'll thank Miss Catherine for her kindness."]
[Task Reward: Lightning Bolt]
[Task Two: Deny that your current emotions are dejected—"Uh... Miss Catherine, you seem to have misunderstood me..."]
[Task Reward: Mage level increases by one]
[Task Three: Secretly show Catherine a knowing smile, and deliberately put on a very worried expression while looking at Ileina—"..."]
[Task Reward: Warrior level increases by one]
Uh...
Actually honestly, she wasn't very dejected...
Elashia had just felt that as an ordinary person who relied entirely on system help, she couldn't help Ileina with specific problems...
But looking at these three tasks, Elashia still seriously analyzed them.
Task One... from the reward, it actually really couldn't be considered too dangerous.
Lightning Bolt belonged to second-tier attack magic—mages with two years of training could use it. It wasn't a very valuable spell, but it was still slightly better than upgrade rewards.
And compared to warrior levels, mage levels were indeed more valuable...
Looking at these three tasks, then thinking about Catherine's character-breaking statement just now... Elashia seemed to understand something...
Sigh... this Catherine...
Catherine probably noticed she was somewhat dejected just now, then used this method to make Ileina notice her...
...
Elashia thought about it—for safety's sake, and to prevent Ileina from feeling bad because of her, she should choose Task Three first...
So Elashia inconspicuously showed Catherine a knowing smile, then looked at Ileina with somewhat worried, pleading eyes...