The atmosphere in the carriage became very weird. Douglas seemed to have forgotten the two sorcerers next to him and asked weird questions in a low voice. Fernando and Lauren, on the other hand, did not know what to say. Wasn't it as natural as the sun rising and the fruit falling to the ground when it was ripe?
However, Douglas soon got rid of the state and said apologetically, "Excuse me. I'm always absent-minded like this."
"It's fine. I'm always like this when I'm faced with magic problems," Lauren replied with a smile. He did not seem interested in Douglas' weird questions at all. Fernando opened his mouth, but he did not say anything in the end.
After the brief silence, Fernando and Lauren introduced the situation on this side of the Storm Strait to Douglas.
"Both the Sylvanas Empire and the Asso Empire have collapsed in this place. They have become scattered organizations that do not belong to each other. Some of them have even fled to the Boundless Ocean. It's safe to say that the situation here is even worse than on the other side of the strait. At least, the territories in the west such as Aalto are still in the hands of sorcerers …" Lauren said with a sigh.
Fernando added, "The territory that used to belong to the Asso Empire has been divided into two parts. One of them is the Kingdom of Brianne, and the other is the Duchy of Calais. In the territory of the Sylvanas Empire, the Kingdom of Holm and the Kingdom of Colette have been born. Our organization is mainly active in the Kingdom of Holm, which is where we are right now …"
Douglas had inquired about the situation on this side before he crossed the Storm Strait. He was not unfamiliar with what they said, except that it was not so detailed. His face was gloomy at first, but then he put on a peaceful smile again. "As a matter of fact, I chose to cross the Storm Strait instead of fleeing to Aalto because I was more optimistic about the situation here."
"Huh?" Fernando did not say anything on the surface, but he slightly narrowed his eyes, not allowing his red pupils to betray his feelings at all.
The analysis of the situation had been done inside the Union all the time. The conclusion they reached was similar to Douglas's. That was why they took the risk and changed their direction.
Douglas replied calmly, "Because the nobles here are more powerful than the Saint Truth."
Roland felt that his body was numb and enlightened. He finally understood why the organization changed their previous strategy of hiding, avoiding the hunts, and expanding slowly. They boldly asked Fernando to come to the capital of the Paphos County to meet the greatest noble in the place. It was not hard to imagine Count Paphos' influence since his title was named after the county.
Roland knew that this was an attempt to win over the nobles and sow discord between them and the Church in exchange for their protection so that they could escape the Church's increasingly strict pursuit. However, he had never clearly understood why they were doing this and what kind of ideal results might develop in the future.
Fernando didn't say anything. He just looked at Douglas quietly, waiting for him to continue.
"We don't know the specific situation here, but according to my observation, after the fall of Antiffler, the clerics are more and more arrogant toward the nobles. Most of the Grand Cardinals and the Holy Knight are gathered in Antiffler and Lance, preparing to march westward." Douglas shared what he saw.
"Although many legends have gathered in the western cities such as Aalto, with the help of the vampires and dragons, the internal conflicts are huge, and the gap between us and the Church and the nobles is even greater. Unless the Silver Moon arrives, we will only be nibbled one step after another. On the other hand, we are very weak here. Few legends can be attracted to us, but we are not much weaker than the Church."
The first time, he compared the overall strength of the Church and the nobles, and the second time, he singled out the Church. Not only did Fernando understand the specific meaning, but so did Roland.
Fernando opened his mouth with a weird and high-pitched accent. It was obvious that he was not a native of the Kingdom of Holm. "After dispersing and destroying most of the senior-rank sorcerers here, the Truth Cult has mobilized more than half of the legendary clerics. Right now, only Renstadt and Cocus are guarded by a saint cardinal each."
"Some of the epic Knights have been mobilized too, but there are still five of them left. After all, this is their hometown and their territory. Attacking Aalto across mountains and oceans is not in their favor, even though they are all devout believers. Also, they don't think that the Church is short of such power. Obviously, the Church thinks so too."
"But what's the point of that?" Roland frowned and asked in confusion. "As long as the Church crushes the legends in the west and sends most of their experts here, all our efforts will be in vain."
Fernando glared at him. "Time. Time to develop. Time to find allies. Time to sow discord. Time to achieve balance."
Douglas also smiled. "We are not the only enemy of the Church."
"Yes. If Aalto is lost, the Church will reach the Dark Mountain Range. Maybe the 'Silver Moon' will really arrive." Roland nodded his head.
Douglas suddenly seemed to be in a trance. "Even if the 'Silver Moon' arrives, I'm afraid that it will be barely possible to resist the pope."
"Are you suggesting that 'God's Arrival' is really so powerful?" Fernando asked in shock and curiosity. They were on this side of the strait, and the intelligence they received was greatly distorted. Right now, they were faced with a sorcerer who had experienced the Battle of Antiffler.
"The 'Light of Stars' perished without any resistance. Even half of the defense of Antiffler was destroyed. I don't know how strong a real demigod is, but I do know that the 'Light of Stars' was beyond the peak of legendary when he fought with the defense of Antiffler …" Douglas recalled. His reassuring smile was gone, replaced by mixed feelings and fear.
Fernando and Roland both fell silent. Although neither of them had a chance to go to Antiffler, and although Fernando was a citizen of the Asso Empire, Antiffler had been deeply engraved in their hearts from the repetitive descriptions of their teachers and seniors. It was the holy land of the "Crown of Mysteries" that all sorcerers yearned for. It was the city that was known as the strongest fortress on earth, and it was the place with the most powerful legendary sorcerers. However, after only one strike of 'God's Arrival', the consul and the defense of the Sylvanas Empire were destroyed together.
Was' God's Arrival 'so powerful?
At this moment, intense desperation rose in their hearts. What was the point of their efforts? By then, it would only be a matter of 'God's Arrival'.
Douglas put on a warm smile again. "Don't worry too much. I don't think it's so easy for the pope to perform 'God's Arrival'."
"How do you know?" The intelligence was too important. Roland had never heard of it before. He even suspected that Douglas was comforting him.
Douglas did not grow a beard, and his regular facial organs made him look rather young. He smiled. "It's been almost ten years since the fall of Antiffler, but the Church has never marched westward on a large scale. Only some of the Grand Cardinals are trying. The pope has never taken action again. He has watched the people who were desperate and scattered reunite and the western territory grow stronger and stronger. I think it might be related."
"Besides, the pope was besieged by legends before, but he did not use 'God's Arrival'. If it were so easy to perform, he could've finished the battle easily with it."
He proposed his speculation frankly, not caring that the two sorcerers had a lot of reservations about him at all.
"Well …" Fernando fell into deep thought. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that it made sense. At the same time, he became even more wary of Douglas. The intelligence had been in front of him for a long time, but no one had been able to link them together and point out the problem so sharply. Douglas had seen the problem very clearly! Did it have something to do with the weird questions he often asked?
Neither of them went deeper than that. After all, they hadn't established real trust yet.
The wagon stopped at the suburb. Fernando and Roland led Douglas through the forest and approached a place of hiding.
In the forest, the 'Union of Sorcerers' had three secret bureaus. One of them had not been activated yet, one of them was where the three sorcerers were hiding, and the last one was where they were going. As for whether or not other organizations had bases here, they did not know.
"Let's take a look at that place first," Roland said to Fernando in the telepathic bond.
Fernando nodded, understanding what he meant. He wanted to observe the stronghold where the three sorcerers were hiding, because after their analysis, one of the few suspected traitors was there.
Douglas did not say anything but followed them in silence. Fernando and Roland, on the other hand, did not intend to let him see the base. Who knew if he was a spy of the night watchers?
As the Church took the upper hand and demonstrated unparalleled strength, more and more sorcerers who struggled in the darkness and fear became desperate and joined the Church, becoming night watchers who hunted their companions. Nobody knew if their companions yesterday would become the enemy who ended their lives today.
Several major magic organizations were infiltrated by the night watchers and suffered destructive strikes. The remaining organizations, having learned their lesson, imposed rigorous tests on every newcomer, even if they were an archmage. It must be noted that there were plenty of archmages among the top thirty elites of the night watchers!
Fernando and Roland had planned to observe from afar to see if there were any anomalies so that the secret bureau would not be exposed. However, Fernando's face immediately turned gloomy, as if a storm were coming.
The cave was half open, and the intense smell of blood attracted three wolves.
"We're too late!" Roland slapped his head in regret. He had realized what had happened. Their suspicions were correct, but the enemy did not intend to lurk any longer, nor did they expect to deceive them. They must've been under the protection of the night watchers since they killed the two sorcerers and left directly.
Douglas watched them check the surroundings quietly and followed them to the underground cave. He saw two mutilated corpses that had been gnawed on, as well as two blank and terrified faces.
"Gary is dead. Prince is dead too …" Roland murmured to himself uncontrollably, "Gary's little girl asked me to protect her father. Prince didn't have time to confess his love … Damn Benson, they were your good friends! Gary even saved your life! I was too late … "
"They've been dead for at least a day and a half. There are traces of soaking in the rain." Douglas said in a low voice, implying that it was possible that Benson attacked them the moment they hid here. Nobody could've saved them in time.
Fernando's face was blue and red. He vaguely remembered that Gary's little girl was a lovely child. It was not until a long time later that he roared, "I'll ask Benson to repent for you!"
A fifth-circle sorcerer, an elite who was very likely to become a senior-rank sorcerer, had joined the night watchers just like that!
Roland took a deep breath and said, "Let's get out of here first."
They hurried to turn the bodies into powder and put them into their magic pouches.
The journey to the secret bureau was even more depressing. Douglas suddenly said, "As a matter of fact, I'm a sorcerer who doesn't like killing or fighting. I prefer exploring and figuring out the secrets behind things."
Fernando was about to roar, but what Douglas said next left a deep impression on him.
Douglas looked at the sky and sighed softly. "But exploration and research can only continue in a safe and stable environment with the cooperation and support of many people. Right now, we don't even have a safe place to place an alchemy platform. Our companions who can help each other and explore the world together are almost all dead.
"When a person is forced to a dead end, it's time to change."
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