271: Chapter 268 The King's Grand Strategy

Servant's reminder made the two remember the purpose of their trip.

The incident on Avril's side indeed couldn't be ignored, but the King's plan was more important, as it concerned the survival of Lake.

Taking a few steps forward to the bedside, Blova looked down at the slumbering King: "You placed high hopes on Andre; unfortunately, he failed you."

Pestoya also slowly approached: "The wish was beautiful, but in the end, he's just a child, too naive."

Servant had not intervened in their conversation at all, but now he suddenly spoke: "His Majesty had already anticipated what Andre did."

"Even the collusion with the Church?" Blova's voice rose.

Whether he couldn't refute it or didn't want to, he fell silent.

"Kingdom turmoil, rebelling City Lords—none of these matter.

As long as the King succeeds, Lake will have at least three Gods Blessings. If our speculation is true, we might even gain an Epic!"

With this power, never mind restoration, returning to the center of the continent would be easily done."

Saying this, Blova's anger rose again: "The premise for everything is not to get involved with the Church!

But now?!

What are they all doing!"

The questioning tone was obvious, but Servant acted as if he hadn't heard, keeping his head lowered.

Such a cold response clearly enraged Blova; magic power surged through his body.

Pestoya stepped between the two, blocking their sight while saying, "After all these years, that explosive temper of yours is still the same."

"I..."

"Enough." She cut off Blova's next words, trying to ease the tightening atmosphere. "The family has investigated for thousands of years and basically confirmed that under normal circumstances, the Church will not interfere in external affairs."

"You said it yourself, 'under normal circumstances'!"

With her persuasion, Blova calmed down slightly, though his face remained indignant.

It was understandable.

He and Pestoya's families had put in generations of effort to finally uncover why the Church incited neighboring countries to besiege the Ice and Snow Empire.

The source of the disaster was that very Knight Magic.

Because of it, the Church withdrew all churches and personnel from within the Ice and Snow Empire, and simultaneously announced the lifting of their prohibition.

This ultimately caused the prosperous Ice and Snow Empire to collapse overnight. The surviving members of the royal family were displaced to a remote corner of the continent, a wasteland that could be called barren compared to the center.

When they learned of this back then, the King and the two Grand Dukes were ecstatic.

By destroying the Knight Magic, they would no longer have to worry about the gaze of the gods and could freely restore the former glory of the First Empire.

Pestoya sighed: "Avril has endless potential, but she is currently weak. Even if she causes a bit of a stir, it won't trigger any action from the Church.

As for Mr. Potter... can you stop him from doing whatever he wants?"

Blova remained silent for a long time before saying: "I don't understand.

Our ancestors were all personal guardian knights of the Ice and Snow King, offering him their eternal loyalty.

As descendants, we strictly adhere to the ancestral teachings and family honor, dedicating everything generation after generation to the revival of the Ice and Snow Empire.

Mr. Potter's father also fulfilled the oath. Why is it that when it comes to him... what exactly does he want to do?

Destroy the Church?

If he really wants to seek death, I can help him."

Remembering he was no match, Blova added: "As long as he doesn't hit back."

"I thought you were going to have a manly duel with Mr. Potter." Pestoya gave a charming roll of her eyes.

"Do you think I'm an idiot? Dueling a peak Gods Blessing?"

"Alright." She waved her hand, signaling him to stop being so angry. "Jarvis getting involved was likely a personal decision and has nothing to do with the Church."

"Is there proof?"

"Yes."

She didn't show any evidence, but having known her for many years, Blova knew she never spoke without certainty, so he said no more.

Afterward, the two intended to continue discussing affairs.

Servant, who was off to the side, suddenly raised his head: "Do you two really not know why Potter suddenly left the Royal Capital and hasn't contacted you?"

Exchanging a look, Pestoya asked in confusion: "Uncle, do you know the reason?"

After staring at the two for a moment, the corners of his mouth twitched stiffly, and he fell silent.

If Servant wouldn't speak, then no one could force him to. She frowned: "Is it because of us?

What did we do—"

Seemingly thinking of the key point, Blova blurted out: "The sacrifice?"

Pestoya was stunned: "Wasn't that decided by the King and Mr. Potter together?

The plan has been in execution for a long time. How could Mr. Potter have a sudden change of heart because of it?

Could there be some misunderstanding in between?"

She turned to look at Blova: "I remember this was your—"

Seeing him turn his face away to avoid her, Pestoya suddenly flew into a rage: "You lied to me?!"

"Pestoya, listen to my expla—"

"Speak!" She directly pulled out her staff, the crystal at the tip glowing with a brilliant blue light. "You told me both Mr. Potter and the King agreed to the sacrifice. Were you lying to me!"

"The Church's prohibition hasn't been lifted yet, don't release magic!"

Blova became visibly nervous. He wanted to go over and push down the staff she held up, but he was pushed away by a rising magic shield.

He didn't dare break it by force, as that would be judged as "using force" by the Church's monitoring crystals. He could only raise both hands in front of him in a calming gesture, hoping she would cool down.

"Pestoya," Servant called out softly.

The effect was significant; she took a deep breath, extinguished the magic shield, and withdrew her staff.

"No wonder...

I was wondering why I've been stationed near the sealing array all these years. It was to worry that I would contact Mr. Potter and then expose your conspiracy, wasn't it?!"

For some reason, the panic on Blova's face suddenly vanished, replaced by calmness: "For the Ice and Snow Empire, everything can be sacrificed.

This includes you and me, the King, and Mr. Potter. The subjects of the Empire are no exception."

"Did you ask for their consent!"

Blova gave a mocking smile: "Did our ancestors ask for our opinion?"

The violent aura around Pestoya slowly dissipated, and her clenched fists loosened.

"We have no choice, and neither do they."

Passing judgment on the argument, he turned with his hands behind his back, looking at the King: "By sacrificing the citizens of the Royal Capital and the rebellious City Lords, the accumulated life energy will be enough for the King to awaken and for you and me to ascend to Gods Blessing."

After a moment of silence, she asked: "How will city governance be resolved?

You secretly induced Andre to transfer all the kingdom's legions to the Royal Capital. Who will defend the long border?

The prohibition is about to be lifted. If the City Lords all die in the Royal Capital, cities everywhere will fall into chaos. As soon as neighboring countries attack, they will surely fall into enemy hands."

"A hundred years ago, the King had us secretly train Professionals for exactly this day."

Blova turned back: "Although there is still a gap in numbers, it's enough for an emergency.

As for enemy invasion... Heh, it won't be them expanding their territory, but the Ice and Snow Empire."

Seeing his confident look, Pestoya remembered a brief conversation the two had before setting off for the Royal Capital: "You went to see the City Lord of Gur City?"

"Yes." He nodded. "His Professional talent is average, but he is extremely proficient in warfare."

"Was transferring all the legions to the Royal Capital also for him?"

"The future Saul Continent will surely be filled with the smoke of war and conflict. The Empire must have an invincible legion to control its vast territory, and he is the best candidate for Legion Commander."

Through the open bedroom door, Blova gazed at the night sky: "When things are over, I will have him form a legion. Lake's Soldiers are all in the Royal Capital; he can take his pick."

Pestoya was silent for a while before turning to walk out: "I will cooperate fully."

As her somewhat heavy figure crossed the threshold, Blova called out loudly: "I'll leave Avril's side to you."

"I know."

The voice drifted back as she stepped into the darkness.

He turned and bowed slightly to Servant: "I'm leaving now."

Servant made no sound. After his burly figure disappeared, he slowly raised his head, his gaze falling on the King's face.

"Choosing to submit... perhaps it is the right decision."

A sense of confusion rose in his eyes, which were as calm as stagnant water, like a traveler lost in a forest, circling in place in vain, unsure which way to go.

...

Zhang Mu left the hotel and went all the way to the palace.

To prevent a Saint-level from seeing through the Shadow Technique and exposing his identity as a City Lord, which would implicate Mihe and the others, he deactivated his Transformation Technique.

This way, even if he was discovered, he would only need to die once to escape.

And the Saint-level guarding the palace would think it was just a bold, ignorant little thief trying to sneak in.

Arriving at the main gate, Zhang Mu observed for a moment before stepping through the tall wooden doors.

It went very smoothly.

He continued forward to the main gate of the inner palace, walking toward that fine iron gate without hesitation.

This time, he didn't pass through as smoothly as usual. Instead, like an ordinary person hitting a wall, he was bounced back a few steps.

The entire door is made of magical materials?

Zhang Mu looked up in surprise.

The palace gate wasn't very tall. Its surface had a metallic texture and was exceptionally smooth, even clearly reflecting the moon.

Shadow Technique cannot pass through solids containing magic power. Even after using it for a long time and upgrading it many times, this restriction had still not disappeared.

Zhang Mu pondered for a moment and tried to walk into the adjacent wall, but he was still bounced back.

Staring in shock at the stone wall in front of him, he almost cursed out loud. Even the walls were made of magical materials?

Anger aside, the problem still had to be solved.

He crouched by the door, arms resting on his knees, waiting for someone to come out so he could slip in when the door opened.

By his estimation, he might be unlucky enough to wait until tomorrow morning before someone came or went.

After all, this was the inner palace, the King's resting place; it was normal for management to be strict.

However, to his surprise, after about half an hour, the iron gate opened from the middle.

A man and a woman walked out of the darkness side by side.

Blova?

The woman next to him should be Grand Duke Pestoya.

After seeing the man's face clearly, Zhang Mu wondered why he would be at the palace at this hour.

Could the King really be faking his illness?

Before he could figure it out, the two passed in front of him without a word, heading toward the palace exit.

Glancing back at the slowly closing iron gate, Zhang Mu decided to deal with the Grand Duke later. In the instant the iron gate was closing, he darted through the gap.

Once inside, he looked around.

The overall structure and house layout of the inner and outer palaces weren't much different.

The only difference was that the former's defensive force looked very weak.

The wide main road was silent. No Guards were seen standing watch, whereas in the outer palace, a whole row of Guards would have been standing there.

Zhang Mu was curious and wandered around.

Because he was unfamiliar with the inner palace, after reaching the end of the main road and twisting and turning along the corridor for a while, he got lost.

Sitting on a bench by the corridor, Zhang Mu grumbled, "Where am I supposed to find him? Didn't Mihe say I could find him just by wandering around?"

"Find who?"

"An old geezer."

Zhang Mu, who was feeling frustrated, responded subconsciously before realizing—who was talking to him?

He turned his head to the right. On the bench, just a body's length away, sat an old man dressed as a Servant.

After watching him for a moment, Zhang Mu reached out and swept his arm toward a wooden pillar next to him, passing through it without hindrance.

Zhang Mu pressed his hands on his knees: "Saint-level?"

Shaking his head, the old man asked: "What does 'old geezer' mean?"

"In my hometown, it's a term used to address respected elders."

The old man clearly didn't believe him. He stared at him with a calm gaze: "Your tone is very harsh. In your hometown, do people use this kind of tone to greet their elders?"

"Uh... hahaha..." Zhang Mu laughed awkwardly while rubbing the back of his head, trying to change the subject. "If you're not Saint-level, how can you see me?"

He didn't press the matter and followed the conversation: "Saint-level cannot break the Shadow Technique."

"It has nothing to do with Professional level..." Zhang Mu's eyes narrowed. "I've only ever met one person like that."

"You've been to the Church Holy Mountain?" The old man's level tone fluctuated.

Standing up, magic power surged through Zhang Mu's body, and his right hand reached into the Storage Pouch at his waist.

Since this couldn't end peacefully anyway, he'd have a fight to test the waters. But this was inside the city; the old man might not necessarily dare to fight him.

The old man looked up slightly. Facing Zhang Mu's aggressive posture, he raised his right fist, extended his index finger, and pointed at a landscape stone on the lawn outside the corridor.

"God said, you are gold."

Following the direction of the finger, a head-sized lump of gold shone with a dazzling golden light under the moonlight.

Quietly stuffing the half-drawn staff back into his Storage Pouch, Zhang Mu acted as if nothing had happened and calmly sat back on the bench: "How should I address you, elder?"

"Servant."

After giving his name, he asked again: "You've been to the Holy Mountain?"

"Never."

"Then why have you seen the current Pope?"

"I ran into him by chance in the Silent Forest."

"I see..." He showed a confused expression. "The current Pope leaving the Holy Mountain... was it to listen to a divine oracle?"

Listening to his self-muttering, Zhang Mu was inwardly shocked, his eyes widening slightly: "You're the former Pope?!"

"No." Servant snapped out of it and shook his head in denial again, then said, "I am the Pope from five thousand years ago."

Zhang Mu didn't speak, and the old man kept his mouth shut.

The air was a bit still.

After a long time, Zhang Mu was the first to break the stagnant atmosphere: "You're saying you've lived for five thousand years?"

"Roughly five thousand six hundred and twenty-eight years."

Heh, quite precise.

Zhang Mu's mouth twitched: "Why would you, a former Pope, be wearing a Servant's outfit in the Lake Palace?"

"I am a Servant now."

Perhaps sensing his explanation wasn't clear enough, he added: "The last Ice and Snow King died because of his association with me, and the Ice and Snow Empire collapsed as well.

To make it up to that fool, I decided to spend all the time I have before death protecting his descendants."

"I can't understand." Zhang Mu was utterly stunned. "With you here, does Lake really need to hide in this remote corner under an assumed name?"

"They don't know my identity."

"Why hide it from them, and why tell me?"

Servant looked out at the darkness beyond the corridor: "They never asked. You did."

These words felt familiar. After trying hard to recall, Zhang Mu remembered that the young Pope had also said something similar.

He was momentarily speechless. Are all the Popes of the Church the same?!