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Translator: CinderTL
"Another Soul-Devouring Midge has lost contact."
Duke Arno took a slow sip of his steaming red tea, his gaze drifting to Prince Lucius, who sat across from him, his robes loose and disheveled as he playfully teased a maid. A faint, almost imperceptible smile curved the duke's lips.
"I must say, Prince Lucius, your siblings... they are certainly no ordinary talents."
"Hahahaha! So what?" Lucius roared with laughter, casually pulling a maid into his arms. He stroked her pale jaw with a finger, as if petting a pet, and drawled lazily, "Even if they have some skill, how could they possibly stand against the might of Duke Arno? More importantly... when does our next phase begin?"
"Have the armies been fully assembled?" Arno asked coolly.
"Of course!" Lucius shifted his gaze from the maid's flushed cheeks to Erwin, the middle-aged noble standing quietly nearby. "Thanks to Uncle Erwin's unwavering support, all regional armies are ready to deploy, except for the northern frontier legions, which I lack the authority to command. Though full integration is still underway, we've already gathered nearly a hundred transcendent professionals..."
His tone was that of a spoiled young noble flaunting a new toy, brimming with undisguised pride.
"The River Domain Nations—those patchwork kingdoms cobbled together from fishermen and merchants—are utterly defenseless!"
"If that's the case..."
Arno glanced at Prince Lucius, who was still jesting with the maids, a flicker of disgust flashing through his eyes.
He slowly rose, straightening his back.
"Then, Prince Lucius, allow me to take my leave."
Seeing Arno's utterly disrespectful posture, Lucius narrowed his eyes but maintained his cheerful tone.
"Oh, Duke Arno, why the rush to leave? Why not...?"
He patted the maid's waist, signaling her to approach Arno with an invitation, and winked.
"Join us for dinner tonight? I've recently selected a new batch of exquisite beauties..."
"No need, Prince Lucius."
Faced with the prince's absurd behavior, the pretense of warmth on Arno's face vanished completely.
He abruptly waved his hand, cutting Lucius off without a shred of courtesy.
"I have already completed the task of eliminating your siblings. Now, I only ask that you strictly adhere to the plan in the upcoming operation..."
Realizing his tone was too harsh, Arno paused, then adopted a gentle, coaxing tone, as if speaking to a child.
"If everything goes smoothly, you will seize supreme power in the Golden Valley Kingdom and become... the sole king."
"The sole king..."
Upon hearing these words, Lucius abruptly shook off the maid's hand, his face flushed with excitement.
"Rest assured, Duke Arno! I will strictly adhere to the plan!"
"Once everything is over, I will... I will..."
His words caught in his throat. After scratching his head in thought for a long moment, he finally clapped his hands together.
"I will appoint you regent king! How does that sound?"
"Then... I thank Your Highness for your graciousness."
Arno chuckled softly, gave a casual bow, and took his leave.
As the door closed behind him, the smile vanished from Arno's face.
He pulled out a handkerchief and vigorously brushed it against his clothes, as if trying to shake off some nauseating filth.
"Hmph!"
Recalling Lucius's repulsive expression, Arno let out a cold snort and strode toward the exit.
Just then, his brow furrowed sharply.
"Three Soul-Devouring Midges... all have lost contact?"
As he muttered to himself, a golden-haired figure flashed through his mind.
"Without the God's favor, can the stigmata still wield such power?"
Arno unconsciously rolled up his sleeve, revealing a hideous mark on the back of his hand.
It wasn't the sacred, fiery golden pattern of a true stigmata, but rather a grotesque design that seemed to be composed of congealed dark blood and shattered shadows.
Unlike a stigmata, which appeared to grow naturally beneath the skin, this looked more like an ugly scar that had been forcibly branded and still pulsed faintly.
Dark purple veins writhed slowly within it, occasionally emitting a murky glow like fissures into the abyss, radiating an aura of icy stillness and death, yet faintly echoing with countless minute wails.
"It seems my research direction... is correct."
Arno withdrew his gaze from the back of his hand, as if inspecting a precious treasure, and concealed it once more beneath his wide sleeve.
"Monen... Hmph."
Recalling the seemingly carefree Old King, Arno's lips curled into a cold, disdainful smile.
"I believe you'll 'appreciate' this gift... just like we did when we were children, won't you?"
As his thoughts drifted, his broad back silently vanished into the shadows at the end of the long corridor.
After Arno's departure, the secret chamber was once again filled with laughter and merriment.
Lucius, a cryptic smile playing on his lips, slowly swirled the crimson wine in his glass.
The next moment...
Crash!
He casually hurled the glass to the floor, shattering it and sending droplets of scarlet wine splattering across the floor.
All laughter ceased abruptly.
"Uncle Erwin," Lucius said, his voice utterly calm, as if giving an ordinary command. "Clean this up, as usual."
"As you command, Your Highness," Erwin replied with a slight bow, then summoned the guards waiting outside.
Soon, the once-noisy secret chamber fell into an eerie silence.
Lucius savored the brief, sharp groan of pain as it faded completely, as if listening to a beautiful melody. Only then did he exhale contentedly.
His face now devoid of any frivolity, he radiated absolute composure.
"Inform the bookworms in the tower," he said calmly, his voice carrying an undeniable command. "The plan... begins immediately."
Guided by Gloria, Roland and his companions avoided main roads, navigating through secluded trails and ancient forests, meticulously concealing their tracks.
After days of arduous travel, they finally reached their destination: the Corona Lands.
During their journey, Gloria had explained that the Corona Lands were no ordinary place, but rather a vital gathering point and sacred site for the Blazing Sun Church.
Yet, contrary to Roland's expectations of a grand cathedral of light standing proudly on a plain, with towering bell towers and an imposing presence, their destination was hidden deep within a desolate mountain range, nestled in a profound canyon.
After traversing a dark, narrow mountain path almost completely obscured by vines and giant stones, the landscape suddenly opened up before them.
The true face of the Corona Lands, like a magnificent, dust-covered scroll, suddenly unfurled before Roland's eyes.
The canyon's interior was far more expansive than its exterior suggested, as if some colossal force had hollowed out the entire mountain.
The towering rock walls weren't rough stone but had been carved into countless tiers of arched galleries, shrines, and walkways.
At the canyon's heart lay a vast plaza, surrounded by simple yet dignified buildings of white stone, their design not ostentatious but seamlessly integrated with the canyon's natural grandeur.
Yet the most striking feature was undoubtedly the colossal statue at the plaza's center.
It depicted a majestic yet benevolent giant, his face deeply etched with wisdom, wielding an enormous warhammer.
Roland's gaze, however, remained fixed on the statue's other hand, raised high in the air.
It wasn't empty.
Instead, it cradled an object that radiated a steady, warm, golden light.
Like a miniature, condensed sun, it burned with unwavering intensity.
Liquid gold-like light flowed from it, bathing the entire canyon sanctuary in endless illumination and warmth, becoming the sole source of light in this subterranean world.
(End of the Chapter)
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