Chapter 361
Vitalis had never perceived so clearly as she did now that the red-haired girl before her seemed to truly have a way to stop Qiangyin.
“Did you come to find me because you need my help with something?”
Vitalis finally lowered her guard, her expression gradually calming as she looked at Charles.
Charles replied, “I need you to tell me everything you know about Qiangyin—every irrational thing, even the smallest details.”
“Details…”
At this, images seemed to flash in Vitalis's mind.
There were indeed many peculiarities about Qiangyin—most chilling was his chaotic mental state.
He often mentioned things that had never happened, and only when others reminded him did he realize these events were mere figments of his imagination… It seemed he had a jumbled memory of everything he had experienced.
Vitalis had witnessed this firsthand; after she reminded Qiangyin that a certain riot had never occurred, he calmly said, “I must have remembered it wrong,” and then pulled out his spiritual notebook to record the incident.
Hearing Vitalis mention this, Charles almost instantly understood what was happening with Qiangyin.
Certain fragments of memory might be slipping into his consciousness in the form of murmurs or disjointed recollections…
If this continued, his perception of time and memory would become increasingly distorted, which was why he relied on recording to eliminate erroneous memories…
This was likely not just a side effect of the “uniqueness.”
Charles was certain that if he activated this ability in his pocket watch, he would not lose the memories prior to the rewind—because she retained her memories now.
Qiangyin’s use of “uniqueness” was disordered… or rather, he was forcing it, which led to this severe backlash—like his chaotic memories and the weathered fingers.
Before leaving, Charles had seen the numerous stitched wounds on Qiangyin, likely the result of repeated use of “uniqueness,” manifesting as side effects.
Charles shifted his gaze back to Vitalis and slowly spoke, “I have two more questions.”
“Go ahead.”
Vitalis met Charles's gaze, her eyes showing no hint of fear.
“Why do you want to help me?”
Charles asked, “Qiangyin is also of royal blood, and you will be a royal heir in the future… Why help an ‘outsider’ like me to oppose the royal family?”
Charles needed a reasonable explanation from Vitalis; otherwise, he couldn’t fully trust her.
In his mind, a plan to eliminate Qiangyin had already begun to form, but it required Vitalis's assistance.
How to get close to Qiangyin, how to draw him out… these were all questions.
If he continued to hide until the simulation ended or kept the Sword of the Queen by his side, playing the piano from a safe distance to boost morale, Charles would have no way to deal with him.
Princess Vitalis was a key point that could effectively lure him out.
Thus, she had to be trustworthy for Charles to proceed with his plan.
Upon hearing Charles's question, Vitalis fell silent.
Her experiences traveling through various nations had taught her that Ansu's oppressive rule was a precarious balancing act, akin to walking a tightrope, sustained by war and exploitation.
Any misstep could lead to the empire's inevitable decline.
Every time she recalled the ghost ship encountered at sea, filled with decaying, suffering bodies, it made Vitalis question whether all of this was right.
In this moment of inquiry from Charles, she finally recognized what she truly wanted.
“I am the eldest princess of the United Kingdom of Ansu and North Ansu, the future royal heir.”
Vitalis looked at Charles, pausing for a moment before continuing:
“Today’s Ansu, which claims to be the royal Ansu of Vitalis, is more accurately Qiangyin’s Ansu. I… do not wish to become a new puppet.”
“I want to be the new queen of Ansu—one who controls the royal family and directs the empire according to my will.”
As Vitalis spoke these words, her aura surged, and for a moment, Charles saw not a princess before him, but a true empress wielding power over the empire.
“Even if Qiangyin is your father?”
Charles countered.
“The ability to bring prosperity and peace to the people is the measure of a ruler, not their lineage.”
A faint smile appeared on Vitalis's face. “Legally, my father is a prince.”
Charles could see the political ambition hidden beneath Vitalis's seemingly calm exterior; at least in mindset, she was a born ruler.
No wonder she had previously planned to assist the Orlando Republican Army in their rebellion—Princess Vitalis also sought the hearts of the people of North Ansu, even if it meant the death of others.
She possessed compassion for the common folk but was also well-versed in the bloody nature of power struggles, with an iron will. It was uncertain whether such a ruler would be good or bad for Ansu.
However, it was clear that she had the motive to resist Qiangyin.
“One last question.”
Charles looked at Vitalis and spoke.
“Give me a signal, something that, even if we return to the past, will make you believe what I say—something only you and I know.”
Yes, Charles needed such a signal, like the one he had with Yulis, which would allow Yulis to trust him unconditionally at the first moment.
This would save Charles a lot of time.
After a brief silence, Vitalis looked at Charles and said, “You can just call me ‘Your Highness the Fox.’ I should believe anything you say after that.”
In the noble circles of Ansu, no one would dare refer to a princess as “the Fox.”
Charles speculated that this title stemmed from an ancient fable; Aivina had once mentioned in casual conversation that “the Fox” was a metaphor for a politically “untouchable” target.
Thus, Vitalis offered such a self-deprecating title, indicating her seemingly unattainable ambition. Anyone who dared to use this term must be aware of her schemes.
After all, no ordinary person would think a princess needed to plot anything, as the throne would eventually be hers.
“Understood.”
Charles snapped his fingers lightly, and the illusion ended.
Vitalis, who had been resting on the piano, slowly opened her eyes, sitting up straight as the blanket slipped off her shoulders.
She turned to look at the maid, only to find a red-haired girl standing behind her, while the maid seemed completely unaware.
“Your Highness, you’re awake?”
The maid stepped forward to collect the blanket, asking, “Do you need to rest in your room for a bit?”
“It’s fine, you can go out for now. I need some time alone.”
Vitalis waved her hand.
But just as the maid stepped out of the room, Vitalis's ears perked up; she seemed to hear something.
“Qiangyin is looking for you.”
Vitalis quickly opened the piano lid and began to play rapidly. She turned to Charles and said, “I’ll influence his perception here, but he will definitely come to ask me what happened… You need to leave quickly!”
Charles hurried to Vitalis's side and leaned down to say, “Before four this afternoon, I’ll create some commotion in the Cathedral District… At that time, you need to find a way to draw Qiangyin over.”
“If all else fails, bring Windsor along… He’ll definitely come if he knows Windsor has been taken.”
Kidnapping Windsor… that would indeed provoke Qiangyin’s wrath.
But… would she go?
Wasn’t this like showing her cards in a game against Qiangyin?
If they lost, she would be completely confined, a puppet for life, never to think of rising again.
Seeing Vitalis's serious hesitation, Charles whispered in her ear, “As long as we kill Qiangyin and return to the past, he will forget everything. He won’t remember what you did…”
“Even if he recalls something, you just need to say it never happened…”
“I need to draw him away, get his spiritual notebook, and discover his weaknesses.”
“Let’s take a gamble, Princess Vitalis…”
The pink glow in Charles's pupils flickered. This time, she directly used the ability of the “Subverter”… combined with the Art of Conversation, Vitalis's previously hesitant heart was slowly solidifying.
“Alright, I’ll cooperate with you.”
Vitalis nodded.
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