If it were you, and you opened your eyes to find yourself in a strange place, with a significant reduction in the weight of your body (specifically in the chest area), and surrounded by people dressed in strange outfits...

What would you think has happened? Have you traveled through time or is this just a dream?

If it were Liu Caihua, she would firmly believe that she is simply dreaming;

For a girl who has received ten years of education in the Heavenly Kingdom, even if she saw a flying griffin outside the window, she would consider it completely unscientific to think about time travel!

It must be like this:

The pressure from studying has worn her out, and combined with having read a few Western-themed palace novels in the past, it has created such a vivid illusion in her dream;

Need evidence?

Liu Caihua would prove it to herself.

Now she raised her arm and clenched her fist, aiming at the nearby wall and assuming the correct posture, ensuring that her fist would hit the hardest part of the wall head-on;

She threw a punch, and it landed with a loud thud on the wall;

Although there were no visible cracks on the surface of the wall afterwards, after all, where in the world would you find a woman strong enough to punch through a wall?

Liu Caihua used all her strength in that punch, which could have seriously "injured" the wall internally, and at the same time, hurt herself more than she hurt the enemy. She bent over in pain.

"Ouch... it hurts!"

Using her personal experience to warn all those who have traveled through time, Liu Caihua, who was currently rubbing her reddened right hand, tilted her head back and let out a cry of pain.

"Your Majesty, please don't injure yourself. It's true that your medical expenses are covered by public funds, but saving money in this aspect is really not worth celebrating."

The people around her noticed the abnormality of the "Empress";

But they didn't think too deeply into it, assuming that Isabella had just woken up and was still groggy and not completely clear-headed.

(Whispering) "What's going on? Wasn't it just a dream? The sensation feels too real..."

If Wang Xiaole encountered this situation, he would have realized by now that he has truly traveled through time;

But Liu Caihua is more stubborn and still refuses to accept the most likely reality at the moment.

This can't be real. I have never even considered time travel, nor have I ever had thoughts of this nature. How could I have come to a completely unfamiliar world that I have no interest in?

The pain from earlier must have been like that. My brain simulated the pain just like a supercomputer would, creating a sensation so real;

This pain made me mistakenly believe that I was in reality, but in fact, I am just having an incredibly lifelike dream.

Since it is my dream, it means that I can control everything;

These people in front of me are virtual characters created by my consciousness, just like NPCs. To prove it:

"I want all of you to bow before me."

"Yes!"

Led by Sister Glasses, who stands at the front, the group of people kneel in unison, bowing their heads to show obedience.

"Indeed, they are NPCs. They won't move until I give an order. They have no self-awareness at all."

Would they dare to move? Of course not!

It's like during a school sports meet when the homeroom teacher leads the students to sit on the chairs on the field, enduring the long and boring speeches from the principals and vice principals on the stage;

Even though everyone has the urge to turn off the microphones in front of them, the students can only patiently watch the time and wait for them to finish talking;

The relationship between the queen and her subjects is similar, or perhaps even more so, because the emperor also takes care of the meals...

After confirming that she is freely moving within the dream, Liu Caihua thinks to herself:

Since such realistic buildings have been constructed, why not take advantage of the opportunity before waking up and experience things that she would never have had a chance to experience before.

"Take me to the throne."

After hearing her request, the guards' expressions slightly changed to embarrassment, and they exchanged glances for a few seconds before reluctantly speaking:

"We are just ordinary guards, and we don't usually have the chance to guard the 'inner sanctum', so we are not familiar with the route."

Makes sense, NPCs have their own limitations; they clearly only handle the security around the palace, and I can't make unreasonable demands.

"If Your Majesty doesn't mind, I can accompany you."

This is within Sister Glasses' duty, as she is one of Isabella's closest attendants.

"I promise to follow you!"

Sister Glasses respectfully held the hand of the Queen as the two of them left the area together. Along the way, they could see maids cleaning the corridors.

"It's no wonder this place I created. Any maid placed there would effortlessly become the prettiest girl in the class," Sister Glasses remarked.

In her own world, she had the right to do as she pleased!

Liu Caihua had been a diligent student for too long. Finally, she had the opportunity to indulge herself, so how could she do nothing?

"Watch this!"

She grabbed the hem of a maid's ultra-short skirt and forcefully lifted it up, causing the startled maid to fall to the ground in a panic.

"Oh! The reaction is so realistic."

"Your Majesty!"

When the maid turned around and saw who it was, she didn't seem to mind what the Queen had just done. After all, Isabella had always been regarded positively by them, so this behavior was just a prank at worst.

But Sister Glasses couldn't pretend not to have seen it. In her eyes, even if the offended party had already forgiven, some things couldn't be simply ignored!

"Your Majesty, your recent behavior is not dignified! You are the pinnacle of our nation, and your behavior and manners must set an example for your subjects."

"It's not that exaggerated, is it? I just wanted to see how realistic the NPCs in this world are."

"I don't remember educating you to become an emperor like this."

Liu Caihua had wanted to ask from the beginning. Where did the woman wearing glasses in front of her pull out the handkerchief from?

"Wuu... I have worked hard to raise Your Majesty. I have taught you by example day and night, and I never expected you to be like this..."

When did you ever raise me?

But this was not appropriate to say. In fact, ever since Sister Glasses appeared, many images flashed in Liu Caihua's mind, showing that she indeed took care of her.

Sister Glasses could be regarded as Isabella's teacher and nanny. In terms of speech, knowledge, demeanor, and combat, she was indispensable in the Queen's growth. The information that inexplicably appeared in Liu Caihua's mind couldn't be a lie, especially the memories of the many experiences they had together, such as the first attendance at court meetings, the first participation in battles, and the only time they were urged to indulge in extravagance using public money.

Huh?

Was there an abnormal line mixed in?

And whenever Liu Caihua thought of the scene of indulging in extravagance, a sentence expressing a similar sentiment would echo in her consciousness: "When I grow up, I definitely don't want to become this kind of person!"

It's clear that she was being regarded as a negative example!

The eyeglass-wearing woman who was responsible for teaching the Emperor, and who still emphasized "leading by example," had already collapsed in the eyes of her students.

"Today, I must correct your words and actions and retract what you've said in the past..."

"Royal feast, embezzlement of national treasury, lavish indulgence!"

Without needing to think too much, as long as Liu Caihua mentioned a few key words, Sister Glasses would immediately fall silent, her forehead instantly covered in sweat.

"You need to clean your glasses... Your Majesty, let's continue on."

Sister Glasses wiped the lenses a few times, even though they didn't need to be cleaned, and then pushed up her glasses with her middle finger. After completing these two actions, her gaze became resolute once again, and her posture as she marched forward remained dignified.

Liu Caihua followed silently on the long corridor she was left behind on.

Not a chance!

"Following such a person would only lead to taking the wrong path. I'd rather go to the palace alone and explore before dinner, if I can still dream by then."

The palace was spacious, with crystal walls that shimmered on all sides. It was magnificent without being tacky, with every detail exquisitely crafted.

Soon, Liu Caihua noticed a problem keenly.

"Even though the walls are made of crystal, the temperature inside is perfectly comfortable, not cold at all. How is this possible?"

"Because the temperature inside the palace has already been regulated to the most suitable level."

At this moment, a chef holding a plate happened to pass by.

"Before casting these crystals, the former emperor set up a barrier underground, enveloping the entire palace. It allows the temperature inside to be adjusted at will, achieving the effect of warmth in winter and coolness in summer."

"Ah, I see... Thank you for letting me know!"

Liu Caihua waved and thanked the chef who had already walked away.

If the chef, who had not paid attention to her identity, knew that her casual answer had resolved the doubts of a sovereign, it would not only be a lifelong bragging capital, but also at least half a lifetime's worth of it.

After looking around at the decorations in the hall, Liu Caihua found a grand hall with a partially open door.

She stood at the entrance, without much thought or a peek inside, and walked in directly.

By now, the people inside were getting impatient.

"Has Her Majesty the Queen not arrived yet? We have been waiting here for hours. It seems that your country lacks attention to etiquette!"

A middle-aged man with a beard and blue attire sat on a specially arranged chair, his hands neatly placed on his knees.

The protocol officer in front of the man did not know about Isabella's physical condition and assumed that the Queen just did not want to appear recently.

And on this day, a diplomatic delegation from a foreign country arrived, from Inran, one of the three major nations, which was a more powerful empire than Dibiles in terms of comprehensive national strength.

Of the three countries, Sueo promoted expansionism and often clashed with orcs, elves, and vampires, frequently causing trouble in other territories.

Moreover, this giant-like powerful nation was a shadow-like threat to the rest of the human countries.

The imbalance of international power was the most undesirable.

Excluding the pontifical state, which was like a tumor outside the three major nations, the remaining two great nations signed an alliance a hundred years ago for self-protection, with the main intention of preventing the obvious.

Based on the necessary communication between good allies, the two countries would send envoys to each other every year.

Earlier this year, Isabella had already visited the allied country once, and on this day, the Inran envoy came for a return visit.

Leading the delegation was Marquis Sapele, a prominent figure in his homeland, and the grandeur of the Inran envoy's visit was also the greatest in years.

The best proof was that Sapele brought the scepter with him.

That golden scepter symbolizing the dignity of their royal family, usually in diplomatic occasions, "seeing the scepter is like seeing the person."

In other words, the Inran Emperor was equivalent to that scepter.

Unfortunately, just as the protocol officer realized that this matter was extraordinary and was preparing to invite the Queen, the "person in question" appeared on her own.

"Wow, such a realistic feeling, like a real diplomatic mission. This dream is getting more and more fun!"

Liu Caihua muttered to herself, but no one heard her yet.

For Dibiles, the best situation would be if someone could come out later to stop her...