Damn, I Have to Marry the Strongest Antagonist at the Start? - Chapter 573

Chapter 573: Chapter23-Interrogating the Empress!
“Alright, alright, I get it. I’ve been guarding this empty house alone for so many years. Can’t I just enjoy a rare moment of happiness and relaxation?”

Owen waved his hand carelessly as he spoke, then sat down on the chair. His smile slowly faded, replaced by a trace of worry.

Sigh… I wonder how my little Elena is doing now. Has she encountered any danger out there?

She’s traveling alone… how can a father ever truly be at ease?

Letting out a long sigh, Owen walked over to the window and stared out at the dense forest beyond.

They say daughters grow up and drift away, but his little princess had barely started understanding the world, and she was already wandering far from home.

Raising a daughter truly wrecks a father’s heart!

Ever since Elena left, his days had been filled with loneliness.

The damned system wouldn’t even let him leave, restricting him to roam only the nearby mountains surrounding the small house.

When his daughter had been with him, life was filled with laughter and joy. Now, the empty cabin felt like a hollow shell, echoing only with silence.

What a miserable, lonely life!

“Wait… I haven’t done today’s sign-in, have I?”

“Perfect! I just leveled up my strength. I can feel my luck skyrocketing—this is the perfect time to draw a prize!”

Owen suddenly remembered the system’s sign-in function. A glint of anticipation flashed in his eyes. He rubbed his hands together eagerly, as if he could already see the glorious rewards waving at him from afar.

In his isolated, joyless days, the daily sign-in ritual had become his greatest source of excitement.

[Kind Reminder: Host can accumulate sign-in rewards. Merging multiple claims increases the chance of acquiring rare items.]

The system’s timely notification appeared.

Owen paused for a second, then his eyes lit up.

“Oh? That’s how it works?”

“You’re telling me I can sign in but not claim the rewards immediately? If I wait and stack them before redeeming, the rewards will be even better?”

[Ding! Correct!]

The system replied succinctly.

Owen began to calculate quickly in his heart.

“Alright then, I’ll wait until tomorrow to collect. No rush right now. Who knows? I might just draw something amazing!”

Having made up his mind, Owen lay down on the bed, closed his eyes, and tried to fall asleep.

The Next Morning.

The first thing Owen did upon waking was to combine his accumulated sign-in rewards from the past two days.

[Ding! Congratulations, host has obtained the Mythic-grade ability: Insightful Heart.]

[Detected similar abilities already possessed. System will now fuse and upgrade existing skills.]

[Congratulations, host has obtained Origin-rank skill: Heart of Omniscience.]

Heart of Omniscience?

Owen blinked in confusion and immediately asked the system what this new ability did.

[Heart of Omniscience: An Origin-rank skill that allows the user to see through all illusions and magical barriers in the current world. It reveals every flaw in magic and grants omniscient insight.]

As soon as he heard the system’s explanation, Owen’s joy exploded.

Any enemy’s magical barrier or illusionary array would be completely exposed before him?

Wasn’t this basically a god-tier perspective?

This was the ultimate adventurer’s ability! Encountering an enemy? Activate Heart of Omniscience first—determine if they can be fought or not. If not? Flee immediately. No more getting caught in deadly traps!

And now that Elena was out there training on her own, giving her an ability like this would let her judge who could be messed with and who absolutely had to be avoided.

With better judgment, she would naturally stay safer.

And that meant her father could worry a little less.

Without hesitation, Owen sent the Heart of Omniscience directly to Elena.

At the Same Time—In the Imperial Capital.

Inside the Platinum Hall, Empress Yevna was presiding over the morning court session.

The atmosphere in the hall was tense and strange.

The nobles aligned with Thunder Knight Commander Yelude were unusually active, stepping forward one after another to present their petitions.

“Your Majesty! I have urgent matters to report!”

High Inquisitor Caes, holding a black scepter symbolizing his authority, stepped out from the ranks and bowed toward the Empress seated high upon the throne.

Yevna furrowed her brows tightly, an alarm bell ringing in her mind.

Caes was usually very close with Yelude. For him to suddenly speak up today—this couldn’t be good.

“Speak. What is it?”

Yevna’s voice was crisp and icy, like the biting wind of winter.

Caes lifted his head slightly, a glimmer of satisfaction flickering in his eyes.

Clearing his throat, he began with a voice choked in sorrow:

“Your Majesty, I have received urgent reports from across the empire. Cities like Radiance City, Silvermoon City, and Emerald City have all suffered unprecedented disasters!”

“Ever since Your Majesty ascended the throne, these places have been struck by calamity—massive floods have inundated farmlands and villages. Before the citizens could recover, droughts followed… then disease… countless imperial subjects have died of hunger and illness!”

“And now, these same regions are under rampant attacks from spellbeasts. The people are suffering unimaginably!”

“There is unrest across the land. The lords of these cities are begging the imperial court for disaster relief. If Your Majesty doesn’t make a swift decision, I fear rebellion may erupt!”

Caes donned an expression of tragic righteousness, his voice full of emotion.

“As the Empire’s High Inquisitor, seeing the people in such pain pierces my very soul!”

“Today, I risk death to speak out. I beg Your Majesty to take urgent action—to save the empire’s people from fire and flood!”

His words were like a boulder cast into a still lake, instantly stirring waves across the hall.

The nobles murmured in alarm and uncertainty. Some faces showed concern, while others exchanged subtle glances.

At the side, Thunder Knight Commander Yelude stood silently, the corners of his lips curled in a faint, unreadable smile.

Empress Yevna listened in silence, her expression darkening with every word. Suddenly, she slammed her palm onto the armrest of her throne.

BANG!

The deafening crash made many eardrums ring painfully.

“What exactly are you implying?”

“That my ascension to the throne brought disaster upon the Glacier Empire? What nonsense!”

Her voice was cold enough to freeze blood, her presence suffocating.

Caes trembled violently, quickly falling to his knees. His forehead nearly touched the floor.

“Your Majesty, I would never dare say such a thing!”

“In my heart, you are the glory of this empire—the first and most radiant Empress!”

“Hmph!”

Yevna let out a cold snort. “But the reports from the city lords don’t seem to match your loyal words.”

“The people are saying it—’The Empress brings misfortune upon the Empire.'”

Her eyes, sharp as blades, locked onto Caes with deadly precision. The air around her grew frigid and heavy.

Caes, sweating, dared to sneak a glance at Yelude, who remained silent beside him. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to continue:

“Your Majesty, such absurd rumors are indeed dangerous to the realm and gravely disrespectful to the throne!”

He paused. Seeing that Yevna hadn’t exploded in rage, he pressed on.

“In order to calm the people and silence these rumors, we must first control the disasters ravaging the land.”

“Your Majesty, I beg you—please open the Empire’s Kingdom Vault, and use its resources to rescue the citizens!”

“If you refuse…”

“I will die right here in this very hall!”

As soon as he finished, under the subtle signal of Yelude, more than thirty nobles—including the Ministers of Internal Affairs and Justice—stepped out in unison.

All of them dropped to their knees and shouted in perfect harmony:

“Your Majesty, please approve!”

Their voices echoed powerfully, causing even the candles in the hall to flicker violently.

This sudden shift left the rest of the court stunned—no one dared to breathe too loudly.