Chapter 561: Gradual Frost Formation
After finishing the porridge, Lolan Hill regained much of her strength.
She did not immediately seek out Byness but instead brought over a chair and sat under the eaves of the courtyard, closing her eyes for a brief rest.
Even though she had awakened, she still felt somewhat drowsy, just as she had after awakening back then, as if no matter how much she slept, she would still feel tired.
Recalling the distant past seen in her dreams, she now had a rough guess about her origins, but there were still many missing pieces. It seemed she would need to find more information about the ruins of the Twilight Era to slowly piece together the puzzle.
The factions at the end of the Twilight Era, “Primordial Heart’s” plan should not have been entirely successful, otherwise they wouldn’t have been defeated by the “Mechanical Parliament.” However, their efforts were not completely fruitless.
According to the records left by the “Tree of Life” sect, the “Mechanical Parliament” seemed to have realized its own shortcomings and absorbed the research of “Primordial Heart,” beginning to explore its own path to creating deities.
She and the other three original souls might have been taken away by the “Mechanical Parliament” later and incorporated into their plans.
According to the system’s final recorded data, the “Mechanical Parliament” was apparently successful in creating deities many years later, but many incidents occurred afterward, leading to the fall of the deities and the current situation.
Considering that when she first used the power of miracles, the system referred to her as the Third Authority, it meant there were two before her. Therefore, the divine thrones constructed back then were not just one, but multiple.
The current available information ended here. She decided to rest for a few days, waiting until Byness stabilized the church’s situation before seeking her out for the storage devices from the excavations.
As she thought this, Lolan Hill leaned against the back of the chair and gradually fell asleep.
The wind in the courtyard rustled through the leaves, making a soft sound. The strands of hair of this young lady fluttered slightly and then fell back, scattering across her fair neck. As her chest rose and fell slightly, her eyebrows slowly relaxed, as if she had entered a peaceful dream.
The nun guarding the door watched the sleeping girl in the courtyard, feeling a sense of endearing cuteness. She smiled and shook her head slightly before looking up at the clear blue sky.
The church seems to have become quite peaceful recently.
—
The City of Bell Towers: Mozwah
Atop the tall bell tower, in the spacious and bright hall, twelve mages sat around a central round table, each representing a clock face’s hour.
“Surely everyone has received the news that our plan on Mount Cullenriel failed.”
“The next Pope of the Church is almost certainly Byness, unless Chalonde suddenly jumps into the race, which he hasn’t done for many years.”
“This is a significant failure for us. Not only did we lose a precious artifact, but the Holy Land also tilted towards Clancia.”
A mage dressed in black robes stood at the 12 o’clock position and narrated to the crowd, creating a somber atmosphere.
“Is there any way to salvage this?” asked a mage with a silver chain around his neck.
“No, the Sacred Lance Knights and the Judgment Division have imposed martial law on the mountain. Any further actions would easily be caught.”
“Well, it seems the Holy Land is out of reach.”
“How’s the situation in Blackrock?”
“They are currently purging the remnants of the ‘Hunter Arch’ faction within. Ever since they defeated the coalition forces of ‘Hunter Arch’ early this year, they’ve been doing this.”
“Why has it taken so long?”
“It is said that the ‘Hunter Arch’ faction changed leadership and has become more cunning. They do not engage in direct combat with the Halberd faction but harass and ambush them, putting the ‘Halberd’ faction in a passive position.”
“What a disappointment. Have their musket troops not completed their training?”
“They have, but they seem reluctant to deploy their elite musket troops into the complex mountainous terrain, as it would be wasteful.”
“Sigh, they won’t amount to anything. These mercenaries are still thinking in old ways, prioritizing the preservation of their own strength and wealth, lacking ambition and vision.”
“Set them a deadline. Within two months, they must end the domestic conflict and cooperate with us in the operation against Clancia by the end of the year.”
“The only good news is that we can finally confirm that Cui Cui will not make any major moves in the next two years. This allows us to mobilize a large number of elite troops northward to participate in the battle.”
“Can this be confirmed? What if Duke Pascal of the Cui Cui Empire acts on his own despite the emperor’s orders?”
“No. The health of both emperors is poor, and it is a sensitive period of power transition. Such behavior would leave a significant rift in the Crown Prince’s heart, even if the emperor does not react immediately.”
“This rift will continue to ferment in the future, targeting the Pascal family.”
“And conquering our Snow Seven Kingdoms requires more than just the Pascal family; the current family head would not be so reckless as to walk down such a perilous path.”
“Besides, although he is not old, he is no longer young and would not take such risks or go off the beaten path.”
Several mages who had planted spies in the Cui Cui Empire explained their recent views, gradually easing the concerns of the others in the room.
“Since that’s the case, we cannot waste this opportunity. We should start mobilizing step by step from this month.”
“All equipment, food, armor, weapons, transport ships, combat airships, mass-produced golems, everything must be prepared.”
“I agree.”
“Agreed.”
“It is indeed the right time.”
One by one, the mages sitting in high-backed chairs raised their hands to vote, unanimously passing the decision.
Three days later, a flock of carrier pigeons and messengers carrying various orders and instructions spread out like blood flowing from a beating heart, extending in all directions from the city.
Factories and workshops began working overtime, machinery roaring, smoke billowing. Uniformed soldiers started training in the wilderness.
“Ready, fire!”
Bang—
Holding the new steel weapon, a short burst of flame erupted from the dark depths of the Far East, striking the giant stone in front, shattering it into fragments.
Meanwhile, troops without firearms followed the commander’s orders, drawing their saber-like swords and holding metal shields, hacking fiercely at the wooden stakes in front, cutting smooth edges.
In other test fields, new steel golems pulled back the curtains and began debugging and testing one by one.
The frost-covered rose, with seven petals, united into one. Now, they were ready to fulfill the promises and ideals they had set forth.
(End of Chapter)
