[Vol. 8] Chapter 76: The Situation
"Following your orders, that little one stepped in at a key moment and blocked hundreds of thousands of Imperial troops right at the edge of Valandia province. She didn’t cause a large-scale slaughter, but used a simple show of force to delay them for a few days. That gave the tribes some time to retreat back to the buffer zone. This also completely ruined the Austre Empire's sneak attack, so they couldn't take advantage of the situation.”
At this point, even the dragon girl, usually indifferent to mortals, couldn't help but smirk with pleasure at their misfortune as she said this.
“That so-called ‘Emperor’ probably slammed the table in anger when he heard the news! It’s funny, how dare a bunch of lowly humans try to outsmart Master? According to Light, many of the spies the Emperor had placed near the Dragonkin territories, trying to watch them and even steal information about the Dragon God, quickly pulled out after that. Stupid humans only learn fear after they’ve suffered for it!”
“But even so, a full-scale war has already broken out in the buffer zone. The Austre Empire is accusing the Holy Empire of secretly supporting the tribes’ invasion. They’re demanding the surrender of a few tribes who fled into Holy Empire territory and asking for a ridiculous amount of compensation. The Holy Empire, of course, called it complete nonsense. Now both sides have moved their main armies into position, but because their sneak attack failed, things are currently at a standstill. I guess the final result of this ‘Trial of the God-Chosen Hero’ will decide what happens next.”
“…So that means things probably won’t go smoothly.”
Violet quietly nodded. While she already knew some of the story, she hadn’t heard all the details the dragon girl just shared.
Now that more information had come to light, the true situation behind the war in Valandia’s Iron Ridge region was becoming very clear. What looked like an invasion by barbarian tribes was, in fact, a trap carefully planned by the Austre Empire, with help from the Twilight Council.
It was a deadly setup, created with multiple goals in mind, though even most of the people involved didn’t know the full truth. But at its core, the whole scheme was targeting one person, a certain priestess.
First, a wild god from the barbarian lands temporarily descended into the real world using a special method. With help from the Twilight Council, this god could move freely in the Origin Realm. He gathered a few divine messengers and ordered them to collect sacrifices by slaughtering civilians, using a method given by another member of the Council.
The reason this evil god, [Wild], appeared in the buffer zone was not random. It was the result of careful planning and manipulation, likely directed by the mysterious, all-knowing leader of the Twilight Council, who seemed able to foresee and predict everything.
Meanwhile, the undead god who taught [Wild] how to descend also worked with the Austre Empire, again under the guidance of the Twilight Council’s chairman. The Council sent its members to both sides of the conflict to ensure that war would definitely break out.
They tied together unrelated threads of fate and caused the diplomatic group to run into war on their way back. Violet getting dragged into the mess wasn’t bad luck. It was all part of someone’s grand plan.
The Council wanted to observe and make contact with the priestess, and when they confirmed she couldn’t be won over, they planned to eliminate her. This would clear the way for some future agenda. Meanwhile, after their earlier failure involving Sainz, the Austre Empire needed a new excuse to start a war, so their goals matched perfectly. That’s how this massive scheme came together.
As for the barbarian tribes, they were simply chosen to be the spark that lit the fire.
Of course, because Violet sensed that something was wrong and took action against it, the Austre Empire wasn’t able to completely get rid of her as they’d hoped. Their sneak attack was also ruined by Light’s unexpected interference, which gave the Holy Empire’s side enough time to respond. Still, the Twilight Council achieved its main goal, making contact with the priestess and confirming her stance.
Violet had no intention of hiding or acting in secret, so the Council would definitely notice her return very soon. They might not understand how she escaped from the Time-Space Rift, but after this direct clash, both sides had now truly become enemies. It’s likely that the next move will come very soon.
And then there's the black dragon who appeared in the Human United Kingdom, trying to assassinate Lilya. She claimed to be part of the [World Sustainers]. Since even someone like Hen went out of her way, through such a roundabout method, to immediately tell her about the connection between the Twilight Council and the [World Sustainers], it clearly means there’s something very important going on between them.
As for why Sethlin insisted on gathering the God-Chosen Heroes in the Holy Empire, a place of strong faith, it wasn’t just to strengthen their forces. As a god on the side of “Order”, this was also her way of testing and luring her enemies. Whether it's the Twilight Council or the World Sustainers, if they really are preparing to make a move, they wouldn’t just sit back and let the Origin Realm gather a strong resistance force so smoothly.
So, it looks like things are going to get pretty interesting soon~
Finishing the cup of tea, now perfectly warm, the priestess gently rubbed her dragon’s head. She already had a plan in mind.
“Let’s go. It’s about time we headed out.”
……………………………………………
Just as mentioned earlier, due to the effects of the goddess’s recent appearance, the Holy Empire’s capital, Angel City, is now more crowded than ever before.
Walking shoulder to shoulder with Xiao Guang along the busy streets, Violet saw people of all shapes and sizes. From giant warriors over several meters tall to tiny goblins no bigger than human children, countless foreign races had gathered in the Holy Capital, some to worship, some for other personal reasons. Now, this place truly felt like the center of the world.
Voices in many languages echoed everywhere, shouting, chatting, bargaining. Shops and street vendors hung up banners celebrating the occasion, using every possible kind of product or event to attract visitors from around the globe. Everyone wanted to make the most of this once-in-a-millennium business opportunity. The sounds of people selling things filled the air, and the entire city was alive with activity.
According to the intelligence provided by Shadow, only about one-third of the current population in Angel City were actual locals. The rest were outsiders, drawn by the fame of the goddess and the God-Chosen Heroes, or simply curious onlookers. Many of them weren’t even believers in the goddess, and the crowd definitely included spies from other nations, including the Austre Empire, all with their own hidden goals.
This huge flow of people made managing the city very difficult. As a result, all four of the Holy Knight Orders that protect the Holy Capital had been fully mobilized. They now took turns patrolling the streets day and night.
The Holy Empire had always believed in training elite troops. Each of these devout warriors under the goddess’s command was powerful enough to fight ten men alone in battle. Thanks to their efforts, the Angel City, though crowded, still maintained decent order. However, just like the hotels, the prisons were also filling up fast. So many "guests" had shown up recently that there was barely any room left.
“…Kind of nostalgic,” Violet said. “The last time we walked these streets, we were still trying to uncover the truth behind that so-called Faith-based Magic. But now… everything feels different. A lot has changed, even at the root.”