After that, the Sith Imperial Army really never came to bother Blake again. In the eyes of the townsfolk, this young man seemed to settle down to a proper life without any fuss. In the days that followed, he mostly stayed quietly in his rented house taking care of the two girls, occasionally taking out money to buy grain from the townspeople. The villagers had no reason to refuse this trade—after all, they always had surplus grain from their fields to sell, and the price the young man offered was more than fair, leaving no room for complaint.
That said, the townsfolk still found Blake's behavior rather odd. Every single morning, he would head out to wander the nearby mountains, not returning until noon. This boldness surprised them greatly. Everyone knew the mountains were teeming with dangerous beasts, and the terrain was steep and treacherous—no ordinary person would dare climb them. Yet this young man roamed the mountains as casually as if he were strolling in his own backyard. What's more, every time he came back, he would bring along a few wild game as gifts for the townsfolk. Those ferocious beasts seemed utterly insignificant in his hands. This gave the villagers a whole new impression of Blake: it appeared this young wanderer possessed quite impressive martial skills, and he had no fear of the mountains' dangers whatsoever.
Even so, the townsfolk still couldn't figure out why he insisted on going up the mountain every morning. Even if he intended to work as a hunter, he certainly didn't need to be this diligent.
Dawn broke, and a thin layer of mist drifted through the forest, wrapping everything in a hazy, ethereal veil. Blake knelt down, peering intently at the dark cave before him, then shook his head, sighed, and stood back up.
"They're taking far too long," he muttered.
As he spoke, he reached out to rearrange the leafy plants, carefully concealing a certain mechanism hidden on the side of the cave—judging by its sturdy lines and precise shape, it was definitely no natural formation.
Blake knew exactly what it was: a secret passage of the Kingdom of Orlt. It was the very reason he had come here.
The Orlt capital was surrounded by mountains on three sides, with only one accessible entrance. Luoxia Town was located just beyond those mountains. Of course, this didn't mean the Sith Imperial Army could occupy the mountains and launch a downhill attack on the capital. In fact, the reason the Kingdom of Orlt dared to build its capital in such a location was precisely because of this natural barrier. The three mountain ranges encircling the capital were so precipitous that they were virtually impassable—sheer cliffs with nearly ninety-degree slopes that would daunt any army, even the Sith Empire's. Even the side facing Luoxia Town was equally rugged, making it impossible to haul siege weapons up to launch a high-ground assault. This was why, despite occupying the surrounding areas, the Sith Empire still couldn't impose a complete military blockade on the capital.
And it was exactly why Blake was here.
The Sith Empire had no idea that the Orlt royal family had a secret escape route hidden here. That was why Blake had chosen to settle in this town instead of sneaking into the capital directly. He was well aware that if the Orlt royal family wanted to smuggle anyone out, this secret passage was their only option. Trapped by this natural barrier, the Orlt capital was already a cage with no way out. Especially now, with the Sith Empire having sealed off all external exits, the royal family had no other choice. If they didn't use this passage, their chances of being killed by the Sith were extremely high. Blake refused to believe they were foolish enough to think they could escape the capital right under the noses of two Natural Knights.
Up until now, the idea that the Sith Empire would demand the King of Wester cooperate with them to intercept the surviving members of the Orlt royal family was still nothing more than a hypothesis, with no concrete evidence to support it. But to Blake, this didn't matter in the slightest. He had already learned about the personality traits of the current King Wester V from Ophelia and was convinced that the king was highly likely to agree to such a demand. Even if, by some chance, the Sith didn't make this request, or if the king turned out to be genuinely loyal, it wouldn't affect Blake's plans at all. His goal remained the same: to safely bring the surviving members of the Orlt royal family back to Twilight Forest and keep them firmly under his control.
This was the real reason Blake had gone to all the trouble of coming to this godforsaken place.
For the Kingdom of Wester, war was unnecessary. But for Blake, this war was absolutely essential. Any action that might hinder it must be nipped in the bud. Or better yet—if he could provoke the war himself, that would be even more ideal.
Having restored the camouflage, Blake clapped his hands to brush off the dirt, took two steps back, and examined the cave. Anxiety gnawed at his heart. Only half a month remained until the ceasefire agreement expired. According to Blake's calculations, this would also be the final deadline for the royal family to resist. They couldn't evacuate early—otherwise, the people, discovering their rulers were gone, would first direct their anger and resentment toward the royal family itself. But half a month was already the limit. The Orlt royal family should be well aware that the latter half of this ceasefire period was nothing more than a window for the enemy to mobilize their troops. If they didn't seize this chance to preserve at least a shred of the royal bloodline now, they would be trapped with no hope of escape when the time came.
Could it be that the Orlt royal family truly intended to perish along with their country?
This was a possibility Blake hadn't considered. In his opinion, if the royal family really planned to do this, then their decision to request a three-month ceasefire would be completely inexplicable. No nation in the world possessed such "selfless virtue." The only reason Orlt would drag out the negotiations was to leave themselves a way out. And the Sith Empire clearly knew this as well, which was why they had made the unusual decision to deploy two Natural Knights to besiege the Orlt capital—under normal circumstances, a single Natural Knight would have been more than sufficient.
"I'll wait five more days," Blake said, pulling the silver pocket watch from his pocket and frowning at the hands.
Five more days. If there was still no sign of anyone emerging from the passage by then, he would have no choice but to implement Plan B. After all, time was also running out for the Kingdom of Wester.
Just as Blake put away his pocket watch and turned to leave his hiding spot, a different scene was unfolding far away at the gates of Spirit City in Twilight Forest. Ophelia stood there calmly, facing an elderly man dressed in elaborate robes—he was none other than the regional bishop of the Holy Grace Church, the man responsible for overseeing missionary work in this area.
Looking at the calm-faced young girl before him, the old bishop couldn't help but feel annoyed. He was a man of high status, after all. In any other part of the Kingdom of Wester, no one would dare turn him away at the city gates. On the contrary, nobles would trip over themselves to invite him into their homes and curry favor with him. The old bishop had never imagined that one day, he would be denied entry like this, forced to stand by the roadside like a beggar!
The thought made a look of anger cross the old bishop's face.
But when Ophelia saw this flicker of anger, she couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips into a triumphant smile.
In fact, shortly after Blake's departure, Ophelia had immediately set to work carrying out his orders. First, she issued a proclamation in the city, informing the residents that due to previous attempts by members of the Holy Grace Church to incite unrest, the lord had decided to ban the church from entering the city. Far from opposing this decree, the residents quickly accepted it without any complaints.
This was hardly surprising. Although the Holy Grace Church enjoyed high prestige among the common people, their numbers were limited. Even within the borders of the Byrd family's domain, most of the church's members only preached in the relatively prosperous cities. Small towns like Twilight Town were generally beneath the notice of ordinary priests. Therefore, for the original residents of Twilight Town, they were naturally unwilling to let the church label their home an "evil place." Moreover, they had barely any contact with the Holy Grace Church to begin with, so they couldn't have cared less about their arrival.
As for the refugees, while some of them were indeed believers, after enduring so much hardship fleeing their homes, they had received no help whatsoever from the church and had gradually grown disillusioned. No matter how eloquent the church's doctrines sounded, people ultimately cared about tangible benefits. The church's priests had given them nothing, but this young lord had provided them with work, housing, and everything they needed to survive. When forced to choose between a lord who treated them kindly and a church that only spouted empty words, the refugees naturally sided with the former. What's more, deep down, these refugees felt a lingering resentment toward the Holy Grace Church for their earlier actions—they had risked life and limb to leave their hometowns, finally finding a place to settle where they could be accepted, only for the church to show up and declare it a "cursed land," ordering them to leave immediately. Leave? Where else could they go? Were they supposed to become refugees again, wandering the land in destitution?
Dream on!
It was precisely this sentiment that made the refugees view the Holy Grace Church with disdain. Coupled with the subtle information manipulation by Ophelia, the residents of Spirit City had almost unanimously come to accept the ban on the church.
This was why, upon learning that the regional bishop was coming to negotiate with her, Ophelia had simply blocked him at the city gates, refusing even to let him enter. To be honest, while she was acting on Blake's instructions, a small part of her couldn't help but feel a secret sense of satisfaction. Although Ophelia didn't harbor any personal animosity toward the Holy Grace Church, she was, by birth, a princess—which meant she belonged to the royal faction. In the eyes of the royal government, a powerful organization like the Holy Grace Church not only competed with the crown for the people's hearts but also posed a potential threat to royal rule. Therefore, as a member of the royal faction, Ophelia was more than happy to seize any opportunity to humiliate the church.
"Young lady, this is most discourteous of you," the old bishop said, stroking his staff and speaking with a calm expression. Behind him, the church guards dressed in long clerical robes shot Ophelia looks of anger.
"My apologies, Your Eminence," Ophelia replied, her tone polite but unyielding, completely unfazed by the bishop's attempt to pressure her with his age and status. She was all too familiar with this tactic from her days in the royal palace. Before she had revealed her abilities and talents, nearly every minister in the palace had used their age and seniority to criticize her, dismissing her ideas as immature, naive, impulsive, and ill-considered… she had endured such remarks countless times before.
"Twilight Forest has its own laws and regulations. Since we have enacted a decree strictly prohibiting the Holy Grace Church from entering the city, we cannot make an exception for you. To do so would be to negate the very foundation of our rule over this domain. I would assume that as a respected elder, you understand the importance of upholding the law for any lordship, do you not?"
"But this decree is barbaric and dangerous," the old bishop retorted, momentarily caught off guard by Ophelia's sharp, veiled response. He quickly masked his true feelings, however, and continued speaking.
"Young lady, I believe you are aware that according to the laws of the kingdom, the Holy Grace Church has the right to preach anywhere…"
"…provided that it does not pose a threat or cause any adverse effects to the region in question," Ophelia cut him off coolly, immediately adding the crucial proviso.
"According to the *Agreement* signed between the royal family and the church, the Holy Grace Church has the right to conduct missionary activities in any region—on the condition that it does not cause any harm or disturbance there. Might I ask, Your Eminence, if your advanced age has caused you to forget this fundamental clause of the *Agreement*?"
"…"
The old bishop opened his mouth, but no words came out. He had never expected this young girl to be so well-versed in such matters. While the *Agreement* between the church and the royal family was not exactly a closely guarded secret, only the highest-ranking officials on both sides were privy to its specific terms and conditions. Yet here was this young girl, casually quoting its contents as if it were common knowledge!
The old bishop narrowed his eyes. He had certainly noticed Ophelia's distinctive violet hair, but he had automatically assumed that even if she possessed pure royal blood, she could not possibly hold any significant position in the current political landscape of the kingdom. Otherwise, in the face of the crisis currently facing the Kingdom of Wester, she would never be allowed to remain here idly instead of returning to the capital. But now, the old bishop realized that his judgment might have been gravely mistaken.
"Members of your church entered our city without first notifying the lord of this domain and proceeded to spread dangerous and seditious rumors—actions that have already violated the fundamental terms of the *Agreement*. As the ruler of Twilight Forest, we have every right to refuse entry to the Holy Grace Church."
Ophelia paused, narrowing her eyes to ensure the bishop understood her meaning clearly, then took a step back and lifted the hem of her dress slightly in a graceful gesture of dismissal.
"If you'll excuse me, I must take my leave now. After all, there is still much work to be done in governing this domain."
The old bishop remained silent as he listened to Ophelia's words. He simply watched quietly as the young girl raised her head and turned to leave. Then, his voice dropped to a low, menacing rumble:
"But the lives that have been lost will never forgive your folly."
Ophelia froze in her tracks.
"What exactly do you mean by that?" she asked, turning back to face the old man, her expression one of genuine confusion. She truly had no idea what he was talking about. But the old bishop merely smiled faintly.
"Do you not understand?" he said.
"Surely you cannot claim to be ignorant of my meaning, young lady."
"I sincerely apologize, Your Eminence," Ophelia replied, furrowing her brows in confusion. She really couldn't fathom what the old man was hinting at with these cryptic words.
"I'm afraid I don't understand what you're trying to say. If you have something to communicate, I would ask that you speak plainly."
"…"
The old man fell silent, his eyes narrowing as he studied the young girl's face intently, as if trying to read her true thoughts. But he was disappointed—her expression gave away nothing he was looking for.
"I do not know what your stance is on this matter, young lady," he said finally. "But as a regional bishop, I have a duty to my subordinates. They sacrificed their lives for the glory of the Holy Mana. I cannot simply stand by and do nothing."
"I still fail to comprehend your meaning, Your Eminence," Ophelia sighed. She had certainly picked up on the fact that the old man was deliberately speaking in vague terms to hint at something, but she truly had no idea what that something was.
"However, regardless of what you intend to do, I have only one response for you: according to the laws of Twilight Forest, members of the Holy Grace Church are forbidden from entering Spirit City—even someone of your lofty status as regional bishop is no exception."
"And what if I insist on entering anyway?"
Upon hearing this question from the old bishop, Ophelia's expression darkened slightly. The scenario Blake had predicted had finally come to pass.
"The members of the Holy Grace Church have a peculiar habit: the more you forbid them from doing something, the more determined they are to do it. I can say with near certainty that the church will never give up on their attempts to enter Spirit City, no matter how many negotiations you conduct with them. But they won't resort to brute force—instead, they will simply march straight toward their destination. You can block them, you can stop them, you can even attack them—and they will not lift a finger to defend themselves. But this is precisely why they have no fear at all—they believe you would never dare to truly harm them. And even if you do, they will still claim the moral high ground in the end."
Blake's words echoed in Ophelia's mind once more. And sure enough, the elderly bishop now grasped his staff firmly and strode purposefully toward the gates of Spirit City, not sparing Ophelia so much as a single glance or another word. He simply marched forward, straight toward his goal.
"What should I do now?" Ophelia murmured to herself, furrowing her brows. Then, she recalled Blake's instructions.
"Once they decide to take this course of action… leave it to Charlotte and Judy to handle."
Ophelia knew exactly what those words meant.
"Your Eminence, I strongly advise you not to proceed with this," Ophelia said, stepping forward as if to block the old man's path. But just then, Charlotte, who had been standing silently behind her this entire time, suddenly reached out and grabbed her hand.
"Lady Ophelia, the rest is our responsibility now," Charlotte said.
"But… they're—" Ophelia began, her voice trailing off. Even though Charlotte was smiling as she always did, Ophelia could clearly see the blazing fire of anger and killing intent in her eyes—a terrifying intensity that made her involuntarily hold her breath.
"But they're just…"
"It is the lord's order. We need only carry it out," Charlotte replied.
With that, she raised her other hand to her lips and let out a sharp, clear whistle.
As the melodious sound of the whistle echoed through the air, four figures clad in silver armor suddenly appeared in the road ahead, blocking the old bishop's path. Yet even so, the bishop didn't so much as lift his eyes. He simply hunched slightly over his staff and continued walking forward slowly. Soon, he reached the four silver-armored girls. Faced with this obstacle, the old bishop said nothing—he didn't even pause his footsteps, instead marching straight toward the four of them.
"Please step aside, young ones, and let an old man like me—"
The old bishop never got to finish his sentence. In the next instant, Judy reached out, grabbed him by the neck, and slammed the frail old man hard onto the ground.
At the exact same moment, the other three girls beside her drew their swords in unison. A chorus of screams erupted as the bishop's guards collapsed to the ground in the blink of an eye, clutching their wounds and writhing in agony.
"We don't care if our enemies are old men, women, men, or children," Charlotte said, her smile still in place—but this time, her tone was laced with unmistakable pleasure.
"Anyone who belongs to the Holy Grace Church must die. Lady Judy, convey the lord's order: hang all these intruders who dared to violate the borders of Twilight Forest on the outskirts of the forest. I believe this will serve as a fitting warning to those foolish enough to defy us. And one more thing…"
Charlotte turned around, bowed elegantly to Ophelia, then pulled a sealed letter from her bosom.
"This is a letter from the lord, Lady Ophelia. He instructed me that when events unfold exactly as he predicted, you are to confirm its contents and announce them to the public."
"What does it say?" Ophelia asked, lowering her gaze, unable to bear looking at the old bishop's writhing form in the dirt.
"It is the lord's second official decree," Charlotte replied, her smile as bright and radiant as the June sunshine.
"It strictly prohibits any member of the Holy Grace Church from entering Twilight Forest under any circumstances. Any violator—regardless of gender, age, or rank—shall be put to death immediately."
Charlotte paused for a moment, then added softly, her voice brimming with happiness:
"Personally, I couldn't be more delighted with the lord's decree."