Web of Deceit

The captain of the palace guards immediately stepped forward and said,"Your Holiness, if you wish to meet with His Majesty, I will announce your arrival right away."Ian's voice thundered in response, full of authority and fury."Get lost!"

The guards, seeing the fury and intensity in the faces of the Pope and the High Inquisitor, quickly retreated, not daring to provoke them.The captain, a trusted confidant of the emperor, felt it was necessary to uphold the emperor's dignity.He looked Ian directly in the eye, his resolve unwavering."If you wish to see His Majesty, it must be announced. No one is exempt."

A cold glint flashed in Ian's eyes. Without hesitation, he drew his sword and cleaved the captain's head from his shoulders.The head flew through the air in an arc, landing heavily on the ground with a sickening thud.

The other guards, now petrified by the gruesome sight, dared not make a move.Rowan and Ian entered the palace unchallenged.

When Emperor Montrey saw them, his heart skipped a beat.A thousand thoughts raced through his mind—had his dealings with the agents of the Radiant Church been exposed?He quickly forced a smile and said,"Your Holiness, High Inquisitor, what brings you to see me today?"

He lowered his posture, unsure of their purpose, waiting to see how things would unfold.Rowan fixed Montrey with a stern gaze and said,"Loran Duchy has begun mobilizing its forces, gathering troops near our borders. Have you received any reports?"

Montrey, hearing this, secretly breathed a sigh of relief, his mind calming. He replied,"I've also received a report, but I believe it to be unreliable and need further observation. After all, Loran Duchy is an ally, part of our camp. They wouldn't act rashly. Besides, with your powerful Radiant Church standing strong, they wouldn't dare provoke us."

Montrey spoke confidently, certain of his reasoning.Rowan had no patience for further discussion. He cut straight to the point:"Within three days, mobilize the national forces and gather troops for the border.In one month, I want to see them assembled.Combine your elite guards and city defenses as the vanguard. If war breaks out, let them be the first to engage, showing the people your resolve to fight."

Montrey's blood boiled with resentment. This would cripple the royal family's power base. How could he intimidate the nobles with no troops?But all he could do was nod, saying,"I'll arrange it immediately. If Loran Duchy dares attack, they won't come back alive."

Rowan nodded, a satisfied smile playing on his lips."That's the kind of emperor the people need."

He turned to leave, but Ian raised his sword and sliced through most of the furniture in the room.His eyes burned with anger, a clear warning to Montrey.If Montrey did not comply, the consequences would be dire.

Montrey dared not speak out, watching helplessly as Ian strode out of the room.Though unwilling, he had no choice but to issue the mobilization order, beginning the assembly of troops for the border and waiting for the Radiant Church's response.

Meanwhile, Raymond arrived at the headquarters of the Holy Light Alliance, his heart filled with urgency.He knew the importance of this visit—he had to secure more support for the Radiant Church.At the same time, Caro from the Radiant Church arrived at the same headquarters, his mission to report the death of the great swordmaster, Lyca.

Both men sought out the Alliance's emissaries, each presenting their case.In this alliance, the Holy Light Church held the most power, and its stance would be crucial. After all, the Light God was the supreme deity.

The emissary of the Light Church convened a meeting, with representatives from the Glorious Church, Dawn Church, and Radiant Dawn Church present.Raymond seized the floor immediately,"Fellow emissaries, during the Pope's wedding, the great swordmaster Lyca from the Radiant Church came to provoke us. He boldly claimed that he would take over the Radiant Church. Though the Pope killed him, the nature of his actions was abhorrent and damaging. It set a dangerous precedent. Additionally, Loran Duchy has been mobilizing troops and may very well attack the Blueen Duchy."

Caro quickly interjected,"You are slandering us. Lyca came to offer his congratulations, but for reasons unknown, the Pope killed him. Now, you are trying to frame us. We demand Blueen Duchy cede half of their territory as compensation."

A smug smile crept across his face, confident in his twisted version of the story.The other emissaries exchanged strange glances. This matter was already widely known, yet Caro was spinning such blatant lies.None of them exposed the falsehood, though, as each had their own interests in mind.

Raymond, upon seeing their reactions, felt a pang of unease.Were these traitors also scheming for their own benefit?He scoffed,"Old fool, stop talking nonsense. We all know the truth. There were so many witnesses at the scene. You think you can just take half of Blueen Duchy? Dream on."

The emissary of the Glorious Church spoke up,"The details are contested, but the fact remains that the Radiant Church lost a great swordmaster. Therefore, the demand for half of Blueen Duchy's land is not unreasonable."

Caro's heart swelled with delight.It seemed like everyone had their sights set on the Radiant Church's territory. He grinned,"Glorious Emissary, you're just and fair. There will be great rewards for you in the future."

Seeing the Dawn and Radiant Dawn emissaries also backing the Radiant Church, they quickly chimed in,"We too agree with the Radiant Church's demands. The Light God has been grievously wounded, and his followers can no longer be protected."

Everyone turned to the emissary of the Light Church, waiting for his response.The Light Church emissary weighed the situation in his mind. Seeing the others align with the Radiant Church, it was clear they had all received their orders.He had also received instructions, but more to prepare for war with other gods—one mere Radiant Church wasn't significant enough to warrant his immediate action, so he remained silent.

Raymond cursed inwardly. These scoundrels were no better than wolves in sheep's clothing.They weren't allies; they were just waiting to feast on the spoils.Seeing the Light Emissary hesitate, he knew he had to secure his support.He spoke sharply,"Light Emissary, we all know the truth of this situation. If this is how you treat allies, who will want to join the Holy Light Alliance in the future?If we do not receive justice today, we will leave the alliance. We'll fight until the last man stands, and we won't let you have your way."

The room fell silent. No one had expected Raymond to make such a threat.The Light Emissary pondered for a moment before speaking,"I have received orders to prepare for war with other divine factions. In this critical moment, we must all unite and prepare our forces.Regardless of who is right or wrong, no large-scale wars are permitted within a year. We must focus on external threats."

Caro opened his mouth to protest but was silenced by a single look from the Light Emissary.Caro thought quickly. A year would be enough time to prepare for war, and when the time came, Blueen Duchy would be his.