Chapter 127: The Bigger Picture

Large beads of sweat rolled down his pale cheeks. Schiller stumbled forward, gasping for breath; his burly frame swayed as if he might collapse at any moment, never to rise again. The foul odor emanating from his leather breeches and the agonizing cramps in his gut had tortured this elite soldier for an entire day and night, leaving him so weak he could barely grip his saber.

Discarding the hundred-folded steel blade he had once treasured like his own life, he managed to scramble over a ridge. Red Leaf Town finally came into view, and a faint smile of relief crept across his exhausted face.

Schiller was a personal guard to Baron Hanas, a Silver Grand Knight. After the Baron pledged allegiance to the York family, Schiller had followed his master to the Centaur Hills. However, his true loyalty belonged to the August family; he was a member of the "Night Owl," an intelligence organization under the jurisdiction of the Gombis Royal Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The Night Owl had evolved from the August family’s secret agent network. As the family's power grew, so too did the organization's reach. By the time the Kingdom of Gombis was founded, the Night Owl had become a tightly structured intelligence agency with a comprehensive network, refined training methods, and deep-cover agents.

They adopted orphans, trained and brainwashed them, then embedded them into other territories. These agents started as commoners, eventually rising to become vassals, and groomed their own descendants to become "dark seeds" for the Night Owl. Schiller’s grandfather, father, and he himself were all part of this lineage.

Agents like Schiller were precious to the Night Owl and were rarely activated. But when the ant plague suddenly struck the Centaur Hills and the York family, with their intentions unclear, locked down Black Fortress Town, normal intelligence channels were severed. Schiller was finally activated.

Schiller was not only an elite warrior but also a seasoned operative. As a personal guard to a Grand Knight, he found it far easier to obtain classified information than a standard spy. For instance, he knew the York family had once prepared for an all-out battle against the ant-men to rescue the besieged Earl of Terlanden, only for the plan to be aborted. Just as Schiller assumed the Earl had been abandoned, he noticed Hanas and several other Grand Knights leaving Black Fortress Town every other day without any attendants. Although Hanas never mentioned it, his demeanor grew more relaxed by the day. Then, one day, Schiller and other elite soldiers were sent to the Earl’s territory to bombard the castle with trebuchets. During the process, Schiller was shocked to discover that Longstone Keep, which should have been conquered long ago, was still in the hands of the Earl.

Observing the sparse ant swarms and recalling the strange behavior of the Grand Knights, Schiller quickly deduced that the York family possessed a means to suppress the ant-men, though he did not know what it was.

Having obtained such vital intelligence, Schiller began to consider how to pass it on. The York family had sealed the fortress, allowing entry but no exit, yet Schiller seized an opportunity.

Baron Hanas would lead his honor guard on irregular patrols to search for lost commoners and escort them back to Black Fortress. While on patrol, Schiller ingested a pre-prepared laxative and, under the guise of answering a call of nature, slipped away from the team, mounting a horse and fleeing toward the nearest town, Red Leaf.

Schiller knew Hanas would hunt him down personally. He dared not slacken his pace, enduring the abdominal pain for a day and night without sleep, riding his horse to death. Now, with Red Leaf Town close at hand, Schiller could not help but shed tears of agony. He foresaw his wife and children being executed by the furious Baron, but this was a mission he had to complete; he had known since childhood that this day would come.

"Schiller!"

The thunderous voice brought his stumbling steps to a sudden halt. He looked back to see a familiar silhouette standing on the ridge: Grand Knight Hanas.

Schiller decisively pulled a flask from his chest, threw his head back to drink, and bit his own tongue, swallowing the medicine mixed with blood. His deathly pale face instantly flushed crimson, and veins bulged across his swelling muscles. He then surged forward toward Red Leaf Town with astonishing speed.

Hanas was encased entirely in blue-black armor; except for the slit in his visor, not an inch of skin was exposed. More than a dozen steel spikes protruded from his pauldrons, making him look like a monster from hell.

Watching Schiller sprint toward the town, Hanas cracked a smile, though he made no sound. Earth-yellow currents of energy swirled around him. He lunged forward three steps, his armored boots cracking the ground like a spiderweb, and a mythril greatsword worth ten thousand gold pieces flew from his hand.

Wrapped in the yellow energy, the two-hundred-pound blade whistled through the air toward the fleeing Schiller, tearing a visible ripple in the atmosphere, followed by a piercing shriek.

In an instant, the greatsword crossed three hundred meters. An invisible force field pressed his leather armor tightly against his back; he was on the verge of being smashed to pieces.

Feeling death approach, Schiller roared one garbled word in despair:

"Night Owl!"

A powerful, weathered arm reached out and caught the high-speed blade firmly. With a gentle flick, the yellow energy dissipated like dust, the invisible force field vanished, and the buzzing, trembling greatsword fell silent. Suddenly, a massive figure appeared beside Schiller.

Hanas stared fixedly at this man, who stood like a lion. Upon seeing the jagged scar on his face, the Grand Knight’s brown pupils contracted to pinpoints.

The pillar of the Gombis royal family, Minister of Military Affairs, Commander of the Swift Dragon Knights, and Golden Earth Knight: Marquis Goron August.

Glancing faintly at the paralyzed York Grand Knight, Marquis Goron turned his gaze toward Schiller, who now lay unconscious on the ground. Seeing the blood at the corner of the family operative’s mouth and the bulging veins on his body, a look of profound grief crossed his eyes.

Goron understood Schiller’s condition well. He had not been wounded by the Grand Knight; he had taken a specialized Night Owl elixir. It could stimulate human potential, but the user would live no longer than three days. Only the family’s death-sworn could use such a draught. Since the York family had sent a Grand Knight to hunt him down, he must have been carrying crucial intelligence. Yet, given the stench and his sallow complexion, he would not last long—it was uncertain if he would even wake up.

Marquis Goron turned to an elderly man in a coarse linen priest's robe. "Bishop Pelo, I beg you, save him."

Bishop Pelo looked deeply at Hanas, who had stopped three hundred meters away, then back at the unconscious Schiller. A look of compassion appeared on his humble face. He nodded to the Marquis. "Leave it to me."

Pelo knelt before Schiller, disregarding the filth and blood on him, and cradled his head on his lap. A white-gold radiance swept over Schiller’s body like water, smoothing out his pained expression. Sacred runes manifested in the void, coalescing into a white-gold flame that descended directly upon him. Suddenly, a roaring holy fire engulfed the peacefully sleeping Schiller, turning his body into a stream of white-gold light that merged with the flames, ultimately returning to nothingness.

In that moment, Bishop Pelo, looking like a simple farmer, appeared holy and solemn under the white-gold light.

"You!"

Caught off guard, Marquis Goron’s hair and beard stood on end. Yellow energy swirled within a two-meter radius around him, creating vortices that made the dirt and stones on the ground float as if weightless. A single punch from the Marquis could have shattered the Bishop, even if he had deployed a sacred barrier.

"The holy fire has no heat; it purifies the body and soul of the wicked and allows the innocent to return to the embrace of the Lord without suffering. This poor man’s soul will find eternal life in the Lord's kingdom, far from hardship and persecution," Bishop Pelo said calmly and frankly, ignoring the enraged Golden Knight beside him.

Goron turned his head abruptly to stare at Hanas, like a lion fixated on its prey. The family operative was beyond saving, but the York Grand Knight was right there; capturing him would yield the same information. Goron’s eyes narrowed, his cold, piercing gaze making Hanas feel as if he were being sliced by blades. As Hanas snapped out of his shock, his heart sank—as an Earth-element master, Goron had an overwhelming advantage over him. If any other Grand Knight had intercepted that sword, it would have been impossible to catch it so dismissively.

Hanas’s eyes were resolute. He faced the Marquis, determined to fight—he had no other choice. A burning fighting spirit ignited in his eyes; yellow energy reappeared on his armor. Though he lacked his sword, he had his gauntlets. They were as sharp as claws, the same gauntlets he had used to tear open the tough body of an Ogre chieftain. He believed they would leave a lasting impression on the Marquis.

Seeing Hanas adopt a stance for a life-or-death trial, a trace of disdain flashed in Goron’s eyes. A Silver Earth Knight was only fit to be captured alive before him; for Hanas to think he could advance by challenging him was a pure fantasy.

However, Bishop Pelo stepped between the two men. Marquis Goron’s face turned as dark as leaden clouds. Hanas hesitated, bowed respectfully to the Bishop, and turned to sprint toward Black Fortress. His three-hundred-pound armor felt weightless on him; in a few leaps, he was faster than a galloping horse, disappearing behind the ridge.

"I need an explanation," Marquis Goron’s voice grated like metal against metal.

Facing the stifling aura of a peak Knight, Bishop Pelo’s calm face remained unruffled. As a man of the cloth, his faith was as hard and brilliant as a diamond. Even if he were facing a demon, his convictions would not waver.

"There is no explanation," Pelo said simply.

Goron’s expression darkened further. "Is this the Church's stance?"

"Stance?" Pelo shook his head. "One hundred thousand ant-men attacking the Centaur Hills, while the main legions of the Gombis Kingdom move north and east—is that your stance?"

Goron was silent for a moment before saying hoarsely, "This is a necessary measure! Even if I brought the main legions, the York family would hide in their castles and watch us fight the ant-men to the death."

Pelo sighed. Because of the August family’s maneuvers against the Yorks, the two houses had lost the most basic level of trust. Sylvia feared Goron would stab her in the back, while Goron feared the same of her. Though both leaders intended to mend relations, it would take a long time, and the ant-men would not wait.

"If you are determined to face the ant-men, bring your main legions, and the Church will support you. If you choose to let the York family bear the burden of defense, do not engage in any petty tricks. Do not forget, the York family has been holding the Centaur Hills, and there are over a hundred thousand civilians in Black Fortress!"

Watching Bishop Pelo walk away, Goron shook his head in despondency. The Church favored neither side; they cared only for the safety of those hundred thousand people. They did not want to see instability. In this plague, the August family, as the royals of Gombis, had done nothing, causing their reputation to plummet.

Yet, Goron was helpless. The ant-men were numerous and fearless; bringing the main legions for open field combat would only cause massive losses, shaking the foundations of the kingdom.

Goron agreed that relying on castles was the most rational tactic, but the castles were in the hands of the Western lords, leaving his Swift Dragon Knights with nothing to do. They were currently stationed in Red Leaf Town, idle and frustrated.

The melancholic Marquis carried the captured mythril greatsword toward the encampment. A massive convoy approached the town, kicking up a cloud of dust. Goron’s eyes caught a luxurious carriage in the center of the train, and he felt a surge of confusion.

"Sophia? Why is she here?"

***

Victor lay on the lush grass, his head resting on Nicole’s long, voluptuous thighs. Whenever he opened his mouth, Lilia would feed him a freshly washed red berry.

"A life like this is truly decadent!" Victor remarked, enjoying the shifting clouds in the sky.

Since his exchange with Sylvia, Victor had lived a cozy and decadent life at the Rose Manor, always accompanied by two lovely young women. In his spare time, he pondered Sylvia’s intentions. He did not believe she had made that decision out of affection; even as a Golden Knight, she would not jeopardize family interests to satisfy a lover. If anything, he had been so dazed that day that he had agreed to her terms without thinking it through.

Later, Victor realized with a start that Sylvia had obtained what she wanted without paying anything, as that territory was already his.

However, he soon adjusted his mindset. If the York family didn't get the special bricks, they would withdraw from the Centaur Hills, and he would lose his territory. Therefore, the York family obtaining the bricks was key to his own survival.

Shifting his perspective, he finally understood why the Western lords of Gombis were currying favor with the Yorks and providing supplies. With the Yorks as a barrier in the Centaur Hills, everyone could live well—just like him and the other lords.

Of course, Victor couldn't leave the Rose Manor. Sylvia had made it clear: if the secret of the ant-men were to leak, she would control who she could, and kill everyone else. She hadn't said it with murderous intent, just as a calm statement of fact, but Victor didn't doubt her resolve for a second.

He knew she was warning him not to contact his subordinates until she had finished her preparations.

Though he felt uncomfortable, Victor understood that this involved the York family’s strategy, the fate of over a hundred thousand people, and the political landscape of Gombis. Most importantly, it involved his own land. Thus, he was fully in favor of keeping the secret.

Sylvia walked slowly into the small garden. Seeing Victor resting comfortably in Nicole’s lap, she said sharply, "Victor, Sophia is coming."

Victor’s expression froze.