Evil Dragon: The young dragon I picked up keeps planning on becoming an empress

But this also caused dissatisfaction among the major Temples toward Princess Asina.

In recent months, bishops from the various Temples would come to the palace from time to time, and each time they would mention Princess Lucia.

Initially, she thought that the Temples had discovered Princess Lucia had turned into a young dragon, but as the visits from the bishops became more frequent, she began to understand.

The Temple bishops had not discovered that Princess Lucia had turned into a young dragon.

The reason these bishops mentioned Princess Lucia was that they wanted to support her, to back her.

They wanted Princess Lucia to compete with Princess Asina.

Too late.

If they had approached Princess Lucia seven or eight months earlier and secretly supported her, there might have been a chance to use her to restrain Princess Asina.

Now it was too late.

Asina controlled over half of the Empire's army; it was impossible for the Temples to provoke a direct conflict with Princess Asina.

"Your Highness, even so... I still want to visit the Dragon Domain, where I have a greater chance of encountering a Prehistoric Evil Dragon."

"It's futile, do not think of the Prehistoric Evil Dragon as too honest. Even if you carry gold and jewels to the Dragon Domain and come to terms with a Prehistoric Evil Dragon, even giving the gold and jewels to it beforehand,

the Evil Dragon, having accepted the gold and jewels, might not necessarily go out of its way to help you find Black Dragon. If you refuse to deal with the Prehistoric Evil Dragon, it might rob you completely.

It would be different if an Evil Dragon were found within our Empire; if a contracted Evil Dragon dares to break the contract, we could either send troops to subdue it or use the contract to restrain it.

Forget about crossing territories; blame it on the Farolan Empire still being too weak, military power unable to reach the other three domains.

Let alone the other three domains, the military power of our Farolan Empire barely extends to a few neighboring kingdoms.

If the Farolan Empire could dominate Morning Star, then perhaps there would be a chance to extend our military power to the other three domains."

Eva's mouth twitched slightly; Princess Asina really dared to dream.

"Your Highness, can we possibly offer bounty missions to guilds in the other three domains through the Temples?"

"That's a good idea, but the strength of the Temples within the Empire has not reached that extent yet. To release bounty missions to the other three domains through them, they would still need to send the bounty missions to the Sacred Mountain, through the Divine Position staff there, to issue the bounty missions to the other three domains.

But if I really did that, it would be tantamount to owing a favor to the major Temples within the Empire, making it difficult to continue executing my planned agenda later on.

Good idea, but I do not plan to have it carried out. Within the Farolan Empire, I absolutely will not allow the Divine power to suppress the Imperial power!"

Eva fell silent. When it came to the conflict between Divine and Imperial power, even if she had many ideas, now was not the time to voice them.

Once Asina became Empress of the Farolan Empire, this outwardly mild and even somewhat weak Empire was likely to become very assertive.

"Understood, Your Highness. In this upcoming period, I will make more contact with the Archbishop of the Temple of Wisdom."

"There's no need to waste too much time on that. Leave the matter of Black Dragon to me... I'll give you a new mission. I plan for you to train an army loyal only to my defeated little sister.

I know you do not have much talent in military affairs, don't worry, I will have Melissa assist you. The army will number about ten thousand.

Issue military pay in the name of my defeated little sister; I've even thought of a name for this army for my defeated little sister. It's called [Dragon Guard]."

"???"

Eva was stunned. What did Princess Asina mean?

She was about to become the Empress, so why was she still letting her train an army for Princess Lucia?

Wasn't she afraid that after Lucia returned, she might use the army she trained to drive her from the throne?

"Not… Your Highness… I'm a little confused as to why you would do this. Is this a new 'script' crafted for Princess Lucia?"

Asina gave Eva a slight smile, returned to her previous position, picked up the book from the desk, and nonchalantly said: "With an army, when she returns, those ministers and nobles in the Imperial City won't dare look at her with contempt.

I can bully my defeated little sister all I want, but others... cannot. Also... if I become the Empress and [die young], when my defeated little sister takes over the throne… she won't lack a loyal guard."

Eva's eyes flashed with astonishment.

Die young?!

Asina was in good health. How could she possibly die young?

Wait...

Is it... the Temple?

Could it be that Asina worried she might one day die inexplicably at the hands of the Temple?

This... this can't be possible, right?

Would the Temple dare to plot against an emperor of an empire?

Dare!

The Temples within the Farolan Empire Capital... perhaps they really would dare!

After all, Her Highness had been too harsh in suppressing the Temples in the Imperial City, even across the empire.

In Her Highness's plans, each major Temple within the Imperial City could have knights stationed, but the number of knights per Temple could not exceed one hundred.

The Temples in other areas within the empire... no more than thirty knights could be stationed!

The safety of the Temples was entrusted to the imperial military.

Besides this, the major Temples were also not allowed to interfere in the regional politics of the empire.

If a Temple moved more than a hundred knights, they needed to notify imperial officials in advance...

If Asina's intentions were visible, then the Temples within the Farolan Empire would be left with only one function.

A place for believers to find solace for their souls.

Furthermore, to exorcise demons... and to combat heretics.

Pushing the major Temples to this extent, if some Divine Position personnel within the empire's Temples become desperate, they might indeed harbor ill intentions towards Asina.

"Is it... is it necessary to go this far?"

"If I don't step forward to reduce the Temples' influence on the empire, the Temples within the empire will subconsciously suppress imperial power, even dominate it.

In certain regions within the empire, the Temple's Divine Position personnel can command imperial officials. This has happened more than once or twice; they can even mobilize local armies...

In such circumstances, do you think I can continue to turn a blind eye?"

"Then... then, Your Highness could slowly make changes."

"My pace is not fast, and my actions have not infringed upon the rights of the major Temples; I am only ensuring they adhere to their bottom line, exercising their own rights within the empire, and not recklessly devouring imperial interests."

"If Your Highness's measures were a bit gentler, the major Temples might gradually accept them."

"If the Temple Archbishops had not been frequently trying to meet with my defeated sister, maybe I would have done so, but they... in order to continue maintaining the rights of the Temples, they actually wanted to support my defeated sister to compete with me.

They want to use my defeated sister as a puppet. Not all Divine Position personnel deserve their robes.

I'm not afraid of the Temple Archbishops within the empire; I'm wary of the Sacred Mountain behind the major Temples, doing this just in case.

If I were to die young and my defeated sister became the emperor, you could let her return all the rights I took back from the Temples to them.

She doesn't have the strategical cunning and boldness to deal with the major Temples, nor is her Combat Power strong enough. If she could suppress the major Temples of the empire on her own, then the Farolan Empire under her would be stronger.

Anyway, prepare for three contingencies.

If I'm gone, she becomes the emperor and has troops.

If I'm still alive, she has troops and a fief, no noble or minister would dare to underestimate or ignore her.

Hmm, if she returns while I'm still alive, you lead troops to give her a "sudden change"."

If I'm still alive, she has troops and a fief, no noble or minister would dare to underestimate or ignore her.

Hmm, if she returns while I'm still alive, you lead troops to give her a "sudden change"."