Chapter 292

Arkaim.

Palace of Spring.

As soon as Sophia entered her bedroom, she kicked off her high heels and threw herself onto the bed.

Tired, too tired.

It was the first time she discovered that being a queen involved so much tedious work.

Today she went to inspect the palace guard, stood on the stage for more than two hours, watched them perform all kinds of strange formations and programs, then went to attend the opening ceremony of a Quidditch match, and finally awarded medals to twenty shamans who had just graduated from the ancestral mausoleum...

She actually started to miss her uncle, Grand Duke Ivan. Her uncle had always been very willing to do these jobs that could win people's hearts.

If this was the price of power, she suddenly felt that this throne was not so sweet.

Bear it a little longer, just one more month. Once these jobs and spheres of influence that once belonged to Ivan were pacified, she could relax a little...

While comforting herself, she didn't know when she had fallen asleep on the bed in a daze...

"Your Majesty, Lady Yaga wants to see you." Suddenly, the maid's voice outside the door woke her up.

Sophia suddenly raised her head from the pillow. After a moment of confusion, she finally controlled the urge to fall asleep again, climbed up with difficulty, and tidied up her appearance. "Let her in."

"Lady Yaga, why are you here?"

The hunched old lady walked in slowly. "An official told me that you almost fell asleep at the opening ceremony of the ball game?"

"Who was it?" Sophia was a little angry. "Was it Igor?"

"Let that poor child go; he was just doing his duty," Lady Yaga shook her head. "You should be glad that no one filmed that scene, and you should also be glad that no one dared to report the image of the Queen losing her composure."

"I didn't become queen to perform dignified manners for them." Sophia was unhappy.

"It's a good thing you didn't, otherwise your performance wouldn't be very good." The old lady was blunt.

Sophia glared at Lady Yaga angrily for a long time, and finally sighed. "Okay, next time I will be careful not to be hypnotized by boring ball games."

Lady Yaga shook her head. "The people of this country love you and your family. This expectation is a bit heavy, but responding to it is the duty of the emperor. You can live in this magnificent palace, enjoy delicious food and meticulous care, but it can't be because you love to sleep, right?"

Sophia blushed. "I'm sorry, Lady Yaga. It's just that sometimes I feel these affairs are too tedious, as if every day of mine is repeating some meaningless things."

"Your appearance can soothe the anxiety of the people. After experiencing turmoil, what people need is a signal that it is safe to return to normal life. This work is not as meaningless as you say, and only you can complete it," Lady Yaga said.

"Now, all the major families have basically accepted the status quo and haven't caused any trouble. This is all thanks to your previous work."

"Although in your eyes they are just boring banquets and speeches, they are actually a way of communication and exchange."

"I thought being an emperor would be more interesting, needing to solve many troubles and difficulties, instead of just socializing..." Sophia complained.

"Arkaim has existed for hundreds or thousands of years. In the foreseeable future, it will continue to exist like this, and there will not be much change. In such a stable environment, you don't need to expand territory, nor do you need to defend against foreign enemies. You just need to maintain an established order."

"Although it may not be that exciting, it is not a bad thing for the people."

"But... Murphy said Muggles would bring change..." the Queen said.

"Oh, I thought we wouldn't talk about him again," Lady Yaga smiled. "Since you rejected my proposal last time, we haven't talked about Mr. Darkholm for a long time. I thought you weren't interested in his rhetoric."

"I really don't quite believe it," Sophia thought for a while. "Have there been any changes in the Muggle government recently?"

"Darkholm's people have basically controlled the Muggle government. It's a bit unexpected. I originally thought they would fail. That country has accumulated too many drawbacks... I didn't expect that he would actually make it regain its vitality."

"Besides that, he seems to be preparing to build a magic research laboratory... This is a military secret on the Muggle side. It was Murphy's people who leaked it to us, because it involves magic, and according to the agreement, we need to be notified."

"Magic research laboratory?" Sophia didn't quite understand. "What is it used for?"

"To study magic, I suppose. Murphy seems to attach great importance to this matter. This may be the direct reason why he wants to control the Soviet Muggle government. He wants to mobilize the power of the entire Muggle country to help him build this laboratory."

"What do you think we should do?" Sophia asked.

"According to the agreement, we cannot interfere," Lady Yaga said. "But not interfering doesn't mean we can't understand and help. You can go and find out about this matter. I have a hunch that it will bring huge changes to our world... If possible, I suggest you provide some help."

"Help?" Sophia was a little puzzled. "Aren't you afraid we'll be tied to him? You said before that what he is doing might arouse the vigilance of all wizards, didn't you want us not to get too involved with him?"

"Well, we can be a bit more tactful," Lady Yaga said. "Of course, we cannot help in the name of Arkaim. But providing some help privately is possible."

Sophia was silent for a while. "You still intend to arrange a marriage..."

Lady Yaga did not deny it, but said: "Mr. Darkholm is a very suitable candidate. I heard that he has made some big moves in the British Ministry of Magic recently. He has enough strength, and now, his status will not disgrace you."

Sophia didn't know whether to agree or not. After Lady Yaga left, she lay back on the bed, but this time she couldn't fall asleep at all.

After a while, she called a wizard in charge of external liaison, met him in the reception room, and listened to him describe what had happened in the Soviet Muggle society recently.

Finally, she asked about the magic research laboratory, but the latter didn't know much. "The British wizard just told us that they would build a laboratory, but didn't say more about the specific content."

Sophia let him go. She paced back and forth in the reception room, her mind full of that magic laboratory.

She was curious about what it was, and also wanted to know what Murphy was trying to do.

She felt that compared to her boring and tedious socializing every day, Murphy seemed to be doing something very powerful.

It's just that this seems to be a confidential matter, and not many people in Arkaim know what is going on.

"Wait, I can write him a letter!"

Suddenly, she had an idea.

At that time, Murphy and the two sides agreed that within the Soviet Union, Arkaim would not interfere with Murphy's actions toward Muggles, but as long as it involved magic, Murphy should notify Arkaim in advance to prevent misunderstandings.

Since that was the case, as the Queen of Arkaim, she should have the right to know about Murphy's desire to build a magic laboratory in the Soviet Union, and sending a letter to ask was perfectly normal.

Sophia was thrilled with her good idea and was about to write a letter when a maid came in and handed her a letter.

"Your Majesty, a letter from Mr. Murphy Darkholm, the Guardian Shaman."

(End of chapter)