Chapter 194 – Secret Meeting

Two days had passed since the attack on five churches. During this time, aside from the Church of Dawn in the Dillon Kingdom, those Nobles who had aligned with the “Church Faction” were likely the most anxious.

When this utterly shocking news reached everyone, the Nobles immediately convened an emergency assembly.

The gathering was secretly held at the residence of a powerful Marquis in the Dillon Kingdom. Without exception, all those invited were core figures among the “Church Faction” Nobles, with the lowest-ranking among them being influential Counts.

Now, these influential figures who could “shake the political arena of the Dillon Kingdom with a single stomp” were seated in a small, confined chamber. Their faces no longer bore the usual calm indifference or even cynicism, replaced only by endless anxiety and fear.

The oppressive atmosphere did not last long. One Count could not help but speak to the elderly man seated at the head of the long table:

“Marquis Balunwo, the current situation is urgent. His Majesty the King has actually dispatched General Vick to lead troops personally to suppress the ‘rebels.’ Archbishop Kasparqi has even declared his intention to destroy this insane ‘Nightwalker Alliance’ before the internal strife is quelled. They… they are forcing us to take sides!”

After this Count spoke in a trembling voice, another Count added:

“Indeed, Lord Balunwo, His Majesty the King has already thrown his support behind the Church of Dawn. He has even sent the ‘Royal First Sword Saint’ as a statement. I believe… I believe that if we are to ‘strongly support’ the Church of Dawn as well, we should make ‘some gesture’ as soon as possible.”

This Count was clearly a supporter of “fully committing to the Church of Dawn.” In such a critical moment requiring immediate “alignment,” his priority was the value of a “pledge of loyalty.” After all, a “gesture” at this time could, in a way, demonstrate the resolve of one’s “alignment,” naturally leading to greater benefits when “dividing the spoils” after victory.

However, “fully committing to the Church of Dawn” and supporting the Church of Dawn in annihilating the “Glory Army” were entirely different concepts.

The latter was about securing a share of the benefits after the Church of Dawn “quelled the internal strife,” while the former meant handing over the state power one controlled to the Church of Dawn—essentially, outright treason.

Thus, as soon as this Count finished speaking, a Count with a stern face roared loudly:

“You shameless, despicable scoundrel! Have you forgotten the glory our ancestors earned for this Kingdom? Are you willing to abandon your noble bloodline and become a dog for the Church of Dawn just for your own survival?”

“Count Billy, how dare you! The outcome of this war is already self-evident. I am merely making the wisest choice!”

“The wisest choice? More like the choice of a coward…”

“You… you are slandering an ancient and noble Count family! I… I challenge you to a duel!”

“Enough!”

As the two high-ranking Nobles were about to argue at the meeting, the elderly man at the head of the table shouted angrily. The noisy chamber immediately fell silent. Clearly, no Noble dared to disregard this powerful and highly respected Marquis.The old man swept his sharp gaze over the assembled nobles and spoke in a hoarse voice:

“All hesitant, aren’t you? All wanting to wait and see, right? All craving more benefits, correct? Let’s lay it bare—this is what you truly desire. Now, this old man will help analyze the situation for you. It’s not too late to argue after hearing what I have to say!

Currently, Princess Trelinka’s Glory Army has been consistently at a disadvantage. While they’ve had some recent turns of fortune, in reality, it’s merely the last gasp of the defeated. The Nightwalker Alliance isn’t her pet—do you think those madmen from the evil faction would freely assist Princess Trelinka, a follower of Tyr, the God of Justice?

Having lost a key general and fifty thousand troops, how can a mere girl like her confront our Kingdom’s four hundred thousand strong army? How can she oppose the theoretically limitless reinforcements of the Church of Dawn?

Now, let’s talk about that so-called ‘Nightwalker Alliance.’ Hmph, though it’s unclear which fool is using these people to aid the ‘Glory Army,’ I’ll say this today: it won’t be long before that idiot exploiting the Nightwalkers gets bitten in return. He will undoubtedly be crushed by this double-edged sword without a handle.

Attempting to control a group of madmen—those who do so are either another group of lunatics or utter fools!”

Marquis Balunwo’s voice, though low and raspy, was resolute and convincing.

After listening to the Marquis’s “analysis,” the entire secret chamber fell into a stifling silence once more. Several conflicted earls began whispering among themselves:

“But… in the end, we can’t betray the country like this, can we?”

“I still think it’s better to wait a bit longer. This is a matter that will decide our family’s future—we can’t make such a rash decision…”

“Though I don’t have high hopes for that little girl Princess Trelinka, the Glory Army still has some fighting capability. It’s far from being at the end of its rope, right…”

“While I quite agree with the Marquis’s views… shouldn’t we consider Archmage Sanggesi’s stance? He hasn’t declared his position, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he supports the King!”

“That’s right, we should indeed consult Lord Sangus. Ultimately, only the National Guardian Archmage can decide this Kingdom’s future.”

The nobles’ discussions grew increasingly louder—this alone was enough to reveal their stance!

Although Marquis Balunwo’s analysis was logical and well-founded, the most crucial and decisive figure—Archmage Sanggesi—had yet to declare his position. Even with the vast influence of the Church of Dawn, as the saying goes, “a powerful dragon cannot suppress a local serpent.” In this small territory of the Dillon Kingdom, no one dared to casually disregard Archmage Sanggesi’s stance.

After all, he was a genuine Master-Level powerhouse—if he went mad, the entire nobility of the Dillon Kingdom wouldn’t be enough to stop him. How could anyone dare ignore his will?

Hearing the nobles’ discussions gradually converge toward “waiting for the Archmage to declare his stance before deciding,” Marquis Balunwo, seated at the head of the table, grew increasingly grim. Yet he remained silent, allowing the nobles to debate fiercely until they reached a consensus without uttering another word.

Behind him, a figure clad in pristine mage robes silently materialized.

Clap! Clap!Two soft yet soul-piercing slaps abruptly echoed through the secret meeting chamber. Only then did the attendees notice the young man in white priestly robes, bearing the Emblem of Dawn’s Lord, who had been standing beside Balunwo for quite some time.

Due to some mental interference, the dozen or so Nobles present had subconsciously overlooked this conspicuous young man until the two slaps jolted them back to awareness.

When they saw the young cleric whose expression remained calm as still water, some Nobles with class levels instantly turned pale with shock. They nearly screamed:

“Bishop Kasparqi! You… you’ve advanced to the master tier!!”

(End of Chapter)