"Your Majesty, why has there been no word from my brother?" Tifeco was momentarily taken aback by Ed's question. After all, it had been two months since he had dispatched Reman Hoss to raid the Western Frontier. Given the round-trip journey, he should have returned to the capital by now to report the situation.
Though one of the missions assigned to Lehman was to 'seize control of the Western Frontier as much as possible,' Tefiko knew full well that the 1,500 men, having taken the pills, were nearly crippled. Relying on them to occupy the frontier was highly unlikely. Thus, the primary objective remained to obtain the pills from the Fortress Church, uncover the full details of the Duke's Battle, and ultimately attack Border Town to exhaust Roland's remaining forces.
This tactic has proven foolproof against the Jiaxia. Even if they fail to capture Bishui Harbor, the opposing militia will be completely wiped out, and most of the leading Knights can return safely. With just a few more useless troops, they can launch another attack.
But why did Lehman Brothers and the Knight team completely disappear without a trace?
"Perhaps he delayed his return by attacking the town, or he might be on his way back," Tefiko mused. These explanations lacked conviction, yet he hesitated to reveal the most plausible answer to Lehman's younger brother. "Perhaps I'll receive his message when I return to the capital." "Then, Your Majesty," he continued, "may I..." "Tell you his message?" Tefiko nodded. "Certainly. I'll send a messenger." "Thank you, Your Majesty!" The new king leaned against the railing, gazing at the occasional glimmer of light piercing through the dark clouds. The thunder rumbled from afar—soft yet deep, as if striking his heart directly.
Ed's doubts dampened his joy. While Jasia Wimbledon's defiance came as no surprise and Tilly Wimbledon's departure left him utterly disappointed, Roland Wimbledon's actions defied all logic. He had assumed this incompetent younger brother wouldn't require attention, assuming he'd grow weary of the small-town life after some time and might even leave for the capital. Yet reality proved utterly beyond his expectations.
How did he manage to stay in the border town, survive the Demon's Month unscathed, defeat Duke Lain, seize the Long Song Fortress, and even cut off all contact with the 1,500 militia of Lehman?
Tifeco had never truly known this younger brother. In his childhood, neither Jiashia nor Goron ever played with him, and as an adult, he was only seen at court banquets. Yet tales of his mischievous antics never ceased, and even his father disliked him. Could it be that he had been hiding his true nature from the very beginning?
Tiefike swiftly dismissed his own thoughts. Even with her intelligence, Fifth Sister only excelled in academic ability and quick thinking—her childhood personality was no different from that of an ordinary girl. How could anyone be born knowing how to conceal and deceive? It must have been something she encountered in Border Town that led to her current transformation.
Tiefike shook his head and put these thoughts out of his mind.
"What's wrong, Your Majesty?" "Nothing," the new king said, taking a deep breath. "The storm is coming." No matter what he faced, Border Town's location and population meant there was no retreat—no harbor, no fleet, and a wilderness beyond his reach. He could only hold his ground until his relentless attacks wore him down.
"Are you insisting on leaving tomorrow?" Knight asked, worried.
"Should we halt at the first sign of rain, how can we face the real storm?" Tifeco turned. Roland Wimbledon would sooner or later kneel at his feet begging for forgiveness, and the crown of Graycastle's King would surely rest firmly upon his head—yet these were merely the curtain just raised. The Church's moves and intentions grew increasingly clear. One day, Graycastle would rise against the Church, and that would be the true challenge. "Go about your business. Complete the task I've entrusted to you, and you'll return to the capital sooner." "As you wish, Your Majesty," Ed stepped back two paces and turned to ask, "I nearly forgot. How should we deal with those who swallowed the pill and survived the battlefield? They've already taken it three times." "Let them be burned with Port of Greenwater," he replied without a change in expression.
Knight took the order and set off. Tifeke suddenly felt a chill on his nose. He looked up as rain began to fall from the clouds—first a few scattered drops, then heavier and heavier, soon creating ripples on the sea.
...
The new holy city of Hermes, the top of the tower.
"Damn it, damn it!" Tavren slammed the table, "This damn bitch! A blasphemous wretch! How dare she target the Church!?" It was the first time Mael had seen the old Bishop lose his temper so completely. His forehead was swollen with veins, his beard quivering with rage, and his face twisted into a grotesque expression as if he were about to devour the man alive.
It's hard to imagine how he usually grumbles about Heather, and how a few words between them could spark an afternoon-long argument. But when he saw the jewelry box sent by the Queen, the old man erupted in a furious rage.
The jewelry box held no pearls, only an iron ring—the Bishop's insignia personally bestowed by the Pope—clinging to a severed finger stained with blood.
Mein sighed and closed the jewelry box. "She dared, of course, for we lack God's divine protection—God... favors only the victors." These words instantly calmed Tavren. He sat back in his chair, gasping heavily, and finally forced out, "What's your next move?" This was a crisis the Church hadn't faced in nearly a century. No one had anticipated Giasia's long march from Graycastle to Eternal Winter, their assault on the capital, and the subsequent Black Sail Fleet's advance toward Hermes. Though Wolfheart City was on the verge of fall, Mein decisively recalled God's punitive troops to the Old Holy City.
This city without walls is the barrier of the Hermes mechanism, which must not be breached under any circumstances.
After the offensive ceased, the Black Sail Fleet halted its advance and retreated along the river to the capital. Their strategy was clear: if the Church launched a full-scale assault on Wolfheart, Giasia would counterattack the Holy City by water. This sudden intervention by the royal faction rekindled the ambitions of Yongdong's Nobles. Men believed that as long as these greedy individuals retained their territories and wealth, they would unhesitatingly crown Giasia as the new Yongdong the Queen.
The current predicament is no longer something he can easily resolve.
Yet the Church would not yield to such trials. Even before assuming the Bishopric, he had foreseen the thorny path ahead.
"First, the Holy City needs to appoint a new Bishop. You'll compile a list of candidates, and the final decision rests with the Pope," Meen said calmly.
"Then what about the enemy?" Tavren snorted through his nose.
"I will explain everything to the Pope, so there is no need to worry," he said, closing his eyes. "The Holy See has its own judgment."