[FMMIKA] Chapter 279: The New House of Bathory

"From this day forth, I humbly offer myself as your loyal subject, Your Majesty. Feel free to use my strength as you see fit."

Elizabeth said without hesitation, kneeling before Artorius and bowing.

"Umu." Artorius nodded.

He then rose and walked over to Elizabeth. His presence and masculine charm made her blush uncontrollably, causing her to lower her head.

"My lovely girl."

"Elizabeth Bathory."

"A Dragoness who belongs to me."

As Artorius spoke, he gently ran his fingers through Elizabeth's hair, intensifying her shyness.

"The House of Bathory."

"They are one of the rising nobilities in the empire, formed during the eastward expansion and territorial governance in the 9th century."

"The House of Bathory, possessing the blood of the dragon, led swift cavalry and lancer units, enough to rival the nomadic horsemen, in a series of battles against the Khans, Slavs, and Kumans."

"Their military achievements and valor transformed this once obscure minor noble family into a major noble family."

"Over the following ten generations, the House of Bathory eventually climbed to the pinnacle of society and was no longer regarded as upstarts or parvenus."

"Stephen Bathory, or Stephen IX, is the family head and became the Governor-General of Poland at the time. His father, Stephen VIII, was the Count of Transylvania."

"Meanwhile, Elizabeth Bathory was sent to the Imperial court, where she became the Imperial lady-in-waiting."

As Artorius spoke those words, his fingers traced Elizabeth's tender cheeks, lifting her face, leaving her both shy and inexplicably locking eyes with him.

'What is he saying?'

For a moment, Elizabeth couldn't comprehend what Artorius was talking about. Their House of Bathory history was clearly not—

"!"

But in the next second, the energy representing the empire flowed into the girl through Artorius's hand.

A feeling difficult to describe welled up within Elizabeth. It was a mixture of fear, anticipation, confusion, and fulfillment.

It was as if one part of her life was fading away while another was being infused.

This strange sensation wasn't something many in the multiverse could understand. However, before Elizabeth could fully grasp it, Artorius withdrew his hand.

Afterward, Elizabeth stood there stunned momentarily before finally regaining her composure.

Immediately, she bowed to Artorius once again.

"Lady-in-waiting, Elizabeth Bathory, is deeply honored to have the privilege of meeting Your Majesty, the Dragon Emperor."

Elizabeth spoke to Artorius with utmost reverence, as if he were her god.

Now, the person kneeling before Artorius was no longer Elizabeth Bathory from proper human history, but rather the Elizabeth Bathory from the history of the Empire of the Dragon Emperor.

What had changed wasn't just her existence alone. It was the entire House of Bathory.

The family that had once held immense influence in Eastern Europe, commanded endless glory, wealth, and power, as well as status.

At that moment, using the 'infamous' legend of Elizabeth, the Blood Countess of the Bathory, as a medium, Artorius rewrote the fate of her entire family, bringing her under the empire's order.

And with her, the whole of Eastern Europe followed.

Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Lithuania, Hungary—all these regions influenced by the House of Bathory, whether allies or foes under their influence, underwent dramatic changes in the 'human order' and 'human history'.

In this singularity where human order was a mess and incinerated, Artorius, relying on his massive power, dug out a piece of flesh, filled with what he envisioned for the 'new human history' in the proper human history.

'Excellent.'

This was just the beginning.

Though it was something bound to happen, Artorius still couldn't help but exclaim 'Excellent'.

His empire was growing and thriving.

As the Emperor of the Empire and its connected existence, Artorius could genuinely feel this sensation.

Artorius wondered.

Most events in the world were typically 'cause and effect'.

But in the case of the House of Bathory, the Dragon Emperor reversed the order and turned the 'effect' into 'cause' with his extraordinary power.

In the timeline he was in, the House of Bathory hadn't even come into existence. Yet they had already become subjects and nobles of the empire.

This small-scale experiment brought rich rewards for the Dragon Emperor.

It wasn't just about the House of Bathory, Elizabeth, or even the human order. It was part of his plan to weave a new human history, and this experiment had yielded a significant stage of progress.

'This is just the beginning.'

After embracing Elizabeth with joy, patting her head affectionately until her face turned rosy, Artorius took a deep breath, gathered himself, and reminded himself.

'There's still a lot of work to do after this.'

===

Meanwhile, in another place.

'Some of the gathered power... has disappeared.'

In a far-off realm, a temple not of this world, a horrifying entity known as the King of the Demon Gods and the Logos of Pity named Goetia, sensed something amiss.

He incinerated the very essence of humanity, harnessing the unparalleled power obtained from incinerating the human order as the cornerstone and strength for correcting humanity.

However, this power had diminished in an instant.

'Who is it...?'

'Which one...?'

'Who's this audacious?'

'Chaldea?'

Goetia swiftly made his judgment, a hint of disdain flickering in his eyes.

'Just the dying struggles of old humanity.'

Goetia thought to himself and then paid it no more mind.

Even if all the singularities were to fail, it wouldn't matter. After all, he was invincible. No one could defeat him in the 'Temple of Time'. He believed this wholeheartedly and contentedly closed his eyes.

The struggle with Chaldea was just a small decoration in his grand scheme of things.

In the future he envisioned, there was no place for remnants of the old era.

'This singularity should no longer be a problem.'

'So, the next singularity is...'

'Rome...'

'I hope Lev doesn't disappoint me.'

As for the disputes among the other Demon Gods, the factional infighting, mutual mockery, taunts, and even battles, the King of Demon Gods paid them no mind.

He was single-mindedly focused on the grand purpose he had planned for the future.