Extreme Cold Era: Shelter Don't Keep Waste-Chapter 758 - 711: Questioning at the Funeral

Inside Beloburg's grand cathedral, the empress's funeral is underway.

The atmosphere on site is somber and oppressive, with all the attendees bearing heavy expressions, and the air within the cathedral seems to congeal with their unresolved worries.

Twelve Steam Knights draped in black veils guard around the altar, where the empress's body lies.

She looks as if she is merely asleep, her demeanor still kind and gentle.

However, she will never wake again, can no longer lead the Empire forward, nor prevent everything that is about to happen.

In front of the altar, Perfikot, dressed in a black gown with a black hat, her face hidden by the draped veil, stands where no one can see the indissoluble sadness on her face.

It is not only grief for the empress's passing but also a lament for the Empire and humanity's future.

In a world seemingly at the edge of apocalypse, where everyone struggles on the brink of death, why are there still those who seek to vie for power at such a time?

Are humans truly beyond saving, incapable of uniting to strive for a better future?

Or have I made the wrong choice, doing too much for humanity, instead of letting them endure and grow through the storm and crisis?

Perfikot's mind is filled with an endless stream of thoughts; the death of the empress has greatly impacted her, prompting her to ponder why all this is happening as well as where humanity's future is headed.

For Perfikot, the threat of the storm is not the greatest danger humans face.

Thanks to her efforts, humanity no longer needs to worry about the cold disaster, though it is only temporary.

The true crisis humans struggle to overcome still lies with humanity itself.

This is also a primary reason for Perfikot's introspection—had she been too good to these people, to the extent that they felt no sense of crisis?

"How did my mother die?" However, just as Perfikot was pondering all this, another woman, also draped in black veil, sat beside her and asked mournfully.

"Her Majesty the Empress died of illness." Hearing the Eldest Princess Annie's question, Perfikot did not turn her head to look at her but responded in a detached tone with an answer that was neither incorrect nor entirely correct. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

The empress indeed died of illness, but her death was closely linked to events in recent days.

This fact is well-known to both Perfikot and Eldest Princess Annie.

It was equally obvious that Perfikot's response was not the answer Eldest Princess Annie sought.

"Tell me the truth, little Perfikot!" Eldest Princess Annie forced herself to suppress her grief, gritting her teeth as she pressed Perfikot for answers.

Yet Perfikot's expression remained indifferent: "What truth? Do you want to know if I murdered Her Majesty the Empress in a quest for power? Or that someone tried to seize power to install you, thereby forcing Her Majesty to her death?"

Perfikot finally turned her gaze to Eldest Princess Annie, and even though both had their faces covered by black veils, Perfikot's eyes pierced through the fabric to meet Annie's: "Or do you wish to hear how Her Majesty was already on borrowed time but kept going to pave the way for you, and though I had the opportunity to let her live a few more years, it was all ruined by a bunch of fools?"

Perfikot's questions left Eldest Princess Annie somewhat emotionally overwhelmed, but she still restrained her sorrow and anger, gritting her teeth as she asked Perfikot: "I want to know the truth! I want to know how my mother truly died! For your mother's sake, tell me!"

Hearing Eldest Princess Annie mention her mother, Perfikot felt a twinge of reluctance, but she maintained her stance and said: "Don't ask anymore; Her Majesty wouldn't want to see you like this.

If you truly wish to do something for her, then quickly mature and become a qualified Emperor of the Empire; only then can you comfort her spirit in the sky."

Perfikot's words were virtually a direct answer to Eldest Princess Annie, and unsurprisingly, this revelation caused Annie's emotions to spiral completely out of control.

She burst into tears of sorrow.

Watching the weeping Eldest Princess Annie, Perfikot sighed deeply, lifting her arm to place it on Annie's shoulder for some comfort, but then she withdrew.

Perfikot understood that Annie needed comfort, yet she had no choice but to harden her heart, stand up, and say: "Cry while you still can; after today, shoulder your responsibilities and be a competent empress!

If you cannot, then do nothing and be a puppet and marionette, as I promised Her Majesty the Empress that I wouldn't harm you."

Having said this, Perfikot didn't wait for any reaction from Eldest Princess Annie and turned to leave the cathedral.

By now, the guards around the cathedral had all been replaced by White Bear Knights and Iron Fire Knights, as over one-third of the original Imperial Guard Knights were executed due to their involvement in the previous coup, and the remaining knights were disarmed and detained.

Until their innocence is proven, they cannot return to their original positions.

Even if the stain of betrayal is removed, the same applies; with the blemish of betrayal, even as Imperial Guard Knights, they are no longer trustworthy.

Or rather, precisely because they are Imperial Guard Knights, they can't afford any disloyalty.

Perfikot had no intention to dig deeper into why the previously steadfastly loyal Imperial Guard Knights suddenly saw a third of their members participating in a coup, nor did she care to know if they were innocent.

All she knew was that this knight order was no longer trustworthy.

The work that used to be conducted by the Imperial Guard Knights has now been entirely taken over by White Bear Knights, and the vigil work at the cathedral is now handled by the Iron Fire Knights.

As Perfikot departed the cathedral, the surrounding White Bear Knights immediately formed a protective escort and left with her.

Although the coup had already caused too many deaths and shed much blood, Perfikot was keenly aware that the matter was not over, and more blood would need to be spilled.

This was not due to her bloodthirst nor an intent for political persecution to eliminate dissent but because some people simply had to be purged.

Her Majesty the Empress used her own life to set this stage, providing Perfikot with the opportunity to cleanse the Victoria political arena, and she would not, and could not, let such a valuable chance go.

After all, no empress would again sacrifice herself in a short time to create a legitimate opportunity for her to cleanse those vermin.

Before boarding the departing carriage, the cathedral bells tolled perfectly timed, prompting Perfikot to turn back to look at the cathedral, a flicker of hesitation in her eyes, ultimately transforming into resolve.