The time left for him was getting shorter.

The thirty-year-old Count reluctantly opened his eyes. He lay on a soft four-poster bed, and for a moment, the warm environment of the room made him think he was back at his own castle.

But he quickly realized he was still in the Imperial Capital.

"Awake, my husband?" Surya, who was wearing a light feathered silky princess gown, was already awake. The female knight had a deep blush and happiness on her face. Smiling, she said to Laine, "Happy Winter Festival."

"Happy Winter Festival, my lady." Laine felt a surge of emotions as he reminisced about the soft warmth of last night.

He, too, now had a family.

The Count reached out his large hand, pulled his wife into his arms, and kissed her directly. "My lady, do you have any plans for today?"

"Today, His Majesty Emperor Carl has invited you to go hunting outside the city. Did you forget?" Surya's golden hair had a scent of iris, her slender waist held in Laine's embrace. After a moment of kissing, the female knight, feeling weak all over, finally gasped for air and gently tapped Laine's forehead with her ivory finger.

"Ah, right, it's mainly because the dates kept changing." Laine was stunned for a moment, then remembered that Emperor Carl had indeed invited him to go hunting.

Opening the window, the streets of Brunswick were very lively, with families hanging colorful banners and hosting various activities. The Imperial people were celebrating the arrival of the Winter Festival, especially near the Royal Hotel, where the rich lived, with luxurious carriages coming and going and the nobility celebrating their festival.

However, under the cover of thick snow, many combat priests and Demon Hunters patrolled the streets, their cold, fierce gazes monitoring every move in the neighborhood, slightly dampening the festive atmosphere.

There was no choice; the trouble Laine and Tygris caused was too great.

Archbishop Vicma, half-asleep, woke up again in the carriage returning to the Holy Relic Hall. It took him a minute to realize what had happened to him.

After that, Vicma's roar could be heard at least throughout the southern affluent district of the capital, if not the entire Imperial Capital.

A massive "cult cleansing" campaign immediately began, starting with the Archbishop. Countless combat priests, Demon Hunters, and Paladins mobilized for a brutal and bloody search and inspection of Brunswick. The Demon Hunters' method of rather wrongly killing a hundred than letting one go falsely accused many normal people but also severely struck at the Chaos Sect in the capital's slums. Many Chaos Sects were discovered and eradicated, with over a thousand people tied to the stake and burned on the first day of the cleansing.

Emperor Carl was also extremely surprised that someone dared to try and assassinate him inside the Justice Church Cathedral. The Rick Guard was ordered into action, and under the leadership of Heilberg and Ludwig, launched a bloody purge of the Roken family. This family, which secretly worshipped the Chaos Evil God, was not only completely wiped out, but Ludwig also followed the trail and implicated hundreds more.

Their fate was still to be collectively tried and sentenced to be burned at the stake.

Compared to the playful punishments of the capitalists of Marinburg, the Empire's punishment for Chaos Corruption was extremely severe.

The Great Nobles of the Empire had no objections; Chaos Corruption had to be purged. With conclusive evidence, they were happy to watch the slaughter and set their sights on the Roken family's assets, which the Emperor declared completely confiscated, including several thousand hectares of fertile land and several shops in Brunswick, three warehouses in the dock area, and two riverside workshops on the Rick River.

The cake was only so big, and with fewer people eating it, each got more.

The Emperor withstood the pressure, awarding most of the fertile land to soldiers who had distinguished themselves in the war against the Barbarians, publicly auctioning the shops, and taking the workshops into royal possession. Of course, the shrewd Emperor also provided considerable benefits to the Lichtenstein Clan, who were the first to respond to his call and send private family guards to participate in action. The Lichtenstein Clan took over the Roken family's trade network and many of its businesses, leaving many Great Nobles to pound their chests in regret, complaining that they lost the chance to get a share because they hesitated.

Sticking firmly to the path of Emperor Carl Franz was beneficial indeed.

The chaos in the capital had caused the planned hunting event to be delayed repeatedly. Laine had almost forgotten about it, but thankfully Surya always remembered.

"My lady~" Laine buried his face in Surya's ample bosom, the generous fullness in front of her chest making him very comfortable. "Let's go hunting together!"

"Aren't you taking Veronica and Miss Teresa?" Surya gently embraced Laine in return. "I think they want to go too."

"Of course, I'd take them if I could, but such occasions aren't suitable for them." Laine shook his head. "It's a place for the children of the Great Nobles to mingle, and even though the Imperial Royal Wizard Academy has been established for over a hundred years, many nobles still don't fully trust Wizards in their hearts."

"But you should at least talk to Veronica and Miss Teresa about it. Do you realize that each time you make a decision on their behalf without consulting them, it's a kind of hurt to them?" Surya said gently. "I know you always respect me and let me make my own decisions, but those two ladies are different. They gave up a lot to follow you, and even if they're not suited to such activities, it's best to inform them."