Chapter 803

Chapter 48 Changes at the Silent Castle

[You know, they kept transporting things out of the forest. I don’t know what those things were, but I happened to see the church’s transport caravan before leaving. ]

[The escort for the caravan was from the Second Knight Order, but there were also many monks and nuns accompanying them, along with a bishop’s carriage. The cargo on the wagons was tightly wrapped in cloth and packed inside crates, making it impossible to tell what they were. But these were all things brought out from deep within the forest. I’m sure that whatever it was, it had something to do with the so-called ‘Sìmó’ that had already died.]

[So we followed them on the way, not daring to get too close, staying outside their observation range, occasionally sneaking up to keep an eye on them. Following them like this, we increasingly felt how strange it was.]

[The route of the caravan was very secretive, taking paths almost no one would use, as if intentionally hiding their movements. After exiting the forest, it took less than three days to take a detour and arrive at a nearby granary. This seemed to be a temporary transfer point where the Coin Guild transported grain south. After arriving, the goods were mixed with the supplies bound for the southern region, divided into several batches. The times, which goods, and who delivered them were all jumbled up.]

[I have limited manpower and can’t follow each one individually. I also dare not approach the granary lightly, knowing that there are formidable people among the caravan. I couldn’t risk getting closer. So, I found a high place to wait, planning to see where the bishop’s carriage would ultimately go, but we were still discovered.]

[Those monks were no ordinary folks; they were nothing like the clergy we often encountered in the church. I don’t know how they detected us; we were being very cautious. But our tracks were eventually exposed. They set an ambush for us, but I detected it ahead of time. To avoid conflict and exposure, we had to leave before those people could act.]

[We rescued a nearby village and stayed there for a night. The next day, we turned back and tried to catch up, but we lost track of the carriage. They had long left the granary. We wandered through several villages seeking information, but we couldn’t find out where the bishop went. However, we unexpectedly learned that a group from the Second Knight Order had come from the direction of the granary to a small town the previous day, rested briefly, and then headed south towards East Tower City.]

[Those guys from the Second Knight Order are nothing like the clergy accompanying the bishop. They are rather careless. It was easy to leave East Tower City. On the way to Pevensy Gorge, we caught up with them.]

[But when we finally caught up with them, we realized that the goods they were escorting weren’t from the granary. They were traveling with merchants heading south, delivering emergency goods to Aletheon City. The trail leading to Woodworth Forest was completely lost. Just as we thought this, someone overheard a conversation among the knights unintentionally. They learned that the knights were actually heading to the camp of the Second Knight Order stationed in Aletheon City to deliver an order to the deputy commander there.]

[Most of those knights were quite dull and lacked vigilance. It was easy for us to approach them, even mingling briefly with the merchant party. At night, when they got drunk, they said anything. It was incredibly simple to learn their purpose. With minimal effort, we gathered the general content of the order. There wasn’t much to hide; it was mostly about measures for resettling refugees. However, one thing stood out.]

[Many times, they mentioned the Silent Castle.]

[It wouldn’t have been a problem if they just mentioned it, but while talking, it always felt odd. I can’t describe the feeling—it was almost like a taboo or something else. Those people didn’t know where the goods taken from the forest were being sent.]

But I remember they said at the time: Silentshold might not be liberated from hell for another hundred years.

We finally followed them to the city of Aretien.

After that, Cannith began to act separately. I stayed here with two others, while the remaining two went ahead to Silentshold to investigate the situation. I had a feeling that everything was connected. While investigating your matter, I also sneaked into the camp of the Second Knight Order one night and found the order sent out from Woodward Forest in the deputy commander’s quarters.

They were sorting out the refugees and sending those selected, including children without support and people with no one to care for them—those who would die unnoticed—to Silentshold. There was even a bounty placed within the church for this.

By now, I have a general understanding of what’s happening. You wouldn’t have missed it, right?

It’s undeniable; this is just throwing caution to the wind, completely giving up on any pretense.

However, without evidence, we couldn’t act rashly. We continued investigating your matter in the city and waited for the two who went to Silentshold to return and see what they could find out.

A few days ago, those two returned.

According to their report, Silentshold and its surrounding area are now under the church’s management. As the largest refugee settlement in the south, they even built orphanages and shelters there. It wasn’t difficult to enter these places, but to get inside Silentshold itself was almost impossible. The guards seemed lax, but in reality, they were very strict. White birds were constantly watching from the sky, monitoring every blind spot. Even if you could fly, you couldn’t sneak in undetected.

My people ultimately failed to enter the castle, but they discovered something more important: the things transported out of the forest would all eventually be transferred to Silentshold, usually taking at least a day, and the convoy would only resume its journey the next morning.

If I hadn’t met you here, I intended to go there myself. The queen’s orders cannot be satisfied by mere speculation and inference. One must understand the entire context. However, now I believe those details aren’t as important anymore.

What matters most is reporting your meeting to her as quickly as possible. You must agree, right? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have chosen such a way to write to me. It’s quite different from your straightforward style before.

I’ve told you everything I know, which I think is necessary, but I don’t actually want you to take any risky actions.

After all, if anything else happens to you, the queen might truly be unable to bear it. She has already taken bold actions for you, and if there is a backlash someday, the consequences would be unimaginable. The queen is now in a high position, and if she falls, she will meet the same end as her father—crushed. She is already deeply involved. I hope the news I bring back can make her pause for a moment.

As for the documents I mentioned, you can personally confirm them in the Second Knight Order’s camp. I know you have some history with Silentshold during wartime, but please remember, if anything happens, stay calm. Think about those who care about you; don’t take risks. Some things can’t be rushed.

Now we are preparing to leave. You won’t be coming with us, right?

Rest assured, I will take good care of the person you entrusted to me.