Chapter 899: Act 75 – The Thousand-Year Convergence V
“What is going on here, Lord Earl Toniger?” Just as Rogers was bowing, Duke Vieiro’s daughter rushed over, and upon seeing Rogers and the others, she abruptly stopped, clearly recognizing them as Cruzian. She showed a look of confusion in her eyes, noticing these individuals, though injured, did not appear to be the captives of this Earl. Brendel had not allowed the embassy to join the fight, so they had been waiting for news from behind, and unexpectedly, Flore appeared, the wild elf miss had not informed them whether they had won or lost, only that the Lord had sent for them.
However, along the way, Oni had noticed that there were no signs of battle nearby—she had not seen the Cruzian army, and the White Lion Guard stationed nearby did not appear to have been through any combat either.
Brendel observed the other people behind the duke’s daughter—a merchant miss, who winked at him to indicate she was unhurt, a reluctant Afram, Aike standing with the guards of Earl Yanilasu, the little girl from Golan-Elsen’s family, and QiYala, who was focusing her gaze on the Cruzian’s hands resting on their swords, along with her companion Miss Eynid, finally followed by Dierphir, Margadale, and Haruz.
The baron, who had just joined the embassy, trailed behind, maintaining a cautious distance and watching Brendel with a wary gaze.
Brendel paid him no mind, knowing full well who he was. Seeing the embassy finally assembled, and the convoy halted on the avenue not far below the hill, he nodded to Flore, while regarding Oni’s question, Brendel only looked to Rogers beside him and said, “Sir, you must have heard this lady’s question; you can probably guess who we are—we are the embassy of the Erluin people; as guests of the Empire, we would like to know what exactly happened, and I believe you might enlighten us.”
Rogers gazed over the group, showing a slight look of surprise, “This… Lord, we were also suddenly attacked by those monsters and haven’t figured out what happened yet.”
Brendel smiled, “So you’re locals?”
“Indeed,” Rogers answered promptly, “I am Rogers of House Wallen, this is Sir Furgus’s son,” he gestured to his tall, curly-haired companion, then introduced the lady knight, “This is Sir Turner’s daughter, and he is Mr. Locke’s student.” Finally, he introduced the youth in the long robe.
Brendel could tell those were fictitious identities, but he did not rush to expose them; instead, he asked a few more local questions, to which Rogers answered without suspicion. The duke’s daughter watched the two with curiosity as they exchanged words, not quite understanding why Brendel would find these people interesting; she originally thought they were part of Earl Ji’en’s faction, but realized they were just local gentry offspring.
After Brendel listened to Rogers’s answers, he smiled slightly, “You answered well, that makes sense.”
Rogers, wanting to say more, paused, confused by what Brendel meant, his next words caught in his throat.
Brendel responded, “Since you are so familiar with this place, Mr. Rogers, you must be knights stationed here. Or should I refer to you all as gentlemen or ladies of espionage?”
Rogers’s eyelid twitched, instinctively placing his hand on the hilt of his sword; both a man and a woman behind him did the same, except for the young man in the robe, who remained impassive. Rogers’s hand had just reached the sword hilt when he suddenly realized something and slowly relaxed, raising his head to Brendel with a wry smile, “Lord Earl, you have a keen eye. You recognized us long ago, didn’t you?”
“No need to be polite,” Brendel replied—these spies were undoubtedly the best gift Martha could have given him at that moment. They were the Cruzian royal family’s most important informants in the area, often even more aware of every move in the region than the local lords; moreover, most who became interior knights were quite astute. If he wanted to understand what had happened at Floating Cloud Hill overnight, he could say no one would be more suitable than them—his sentry cavalry had clearly accomplished their mission exceptionally well. He continued, “Mr. Rogers, since you are the interior knights stationed here, I won’t beat around the bush. You are more familiar with this land than I; regarding your encounters, I think you must have guessed something, more or less.”
Rogers exchanged glances with his companions. Then, looking at Brendel, he tentatively asked, “I only acknowledge part of it, but we still aren’t sure.”
The duke’s daughter heard that these people were Cruzian interior knights and couldn’t help but be curious, casting another look at Rogers and the others. However, Brendel’s cryptic exchange with them was unbearable for her. She spoke up, “Or can I ask what exactly you are talking about, what happened?”
“Miss Oni, if the Lord is not mistaken, the creatures beneath Jotungrund may have invaded the Empire.” Medisa, having caught Brendel’s signal, softly replied, then recounted Earl Ji’en’s experience and some leads they had discovered, information that was not confidential and could be understood with a visit to Valgris.
“Jotungrund!” Oni gasped; it took her a moment to grasp what that meant, indicating this term had never crossed her mind—even in her wildest imagination. The underground dwellers and the surface dwellers had been separated for millennia, why would they suddenly invade the surface? Her first reaction was that this Earl was merely threatening them with tall tales, but when her gaze fell on Rogers and his companions, who remained silent, she realized that this might all be true, unable to help but exclaim, “What are they doing here?!”
Just as she finished, she realized, covering her mouth to stifle herself, “The Lionmen! My God, they aren’t reuniting with the Hallowed Temple after a thousand years, are they?”
Rogers’s complexion darkened, “Lord Earl, how certain are you about what you said?”
“As for how certain you are, you know well enough without asking me,” Brendel replied.
At this moment, Eynid cautiously asked the little girl beside her, “QiYala, what are they talking about? What trouble has the Empire encountered?”
“Big trouble,” the little girl, still wearing her enormous scholar’s hat, grinned mischievously, “If that guy isn’t lying, then the days when the fortress of Lokos—Broken Sword Mountain Citadel remains in Empire’s hands may be numbered.”
Rogers clearly realized this point as well; Kew had told him that communication magic was disrupted, causing an unease that he faintly sensed within. He was acutely aware of what it was—disruption-type magic in warfare. If it were merely a monster attack, the underground dwellers would never use such spells, meaning they were up against an organized army, and what lay behind these underground beings was self-evident.
His expression shifted for a moment, finally making a decision. He glanced at his companions and then spoke to Brendel, “If Jotungrund did indeed attack the Empire, then this area should already be under their control, which would be a problem for you, Lord Earl.”
“Of course, I doubt the underground dwellers can distinguish between Cruzian and Erluin,” Brendel replied.
“What does Lord Earl plan to do?”
“I have a simple plan: after grasping the movements of these underground creatures, I’ll find a place to break out,” Brendel said. “Their primary target will be Anzeruta’s defense line, and their secondary target will also be the Empire’s army. As for my small embassy, breaking out should be quite easy. But I also have a more perfect idea; if we can hinder these intruders’ progress, perhaps the situation in the south of the Empire won’t become as dire as imagined.”
Rogers and the three behind him looked at Brendel in astonishment, stammering, “What did you say, Lord Earl?”
“What? Is my statement difficult to understand?”
“No, but…”
Brendel looked at the speechless interior knights, suddenly feeling a sense of mischievous glee, realizing that even the arrogant people of the Empire could be in such confusion. It showed they had been completely played. Meanwhile, the little girl beside Eynid looked on with a wicked smile, occasionally snorting, clearly amused—unsure who’s foolishness was on display; after QiYala, the duke’s daughter suddenly realized something, unable to help but glance deeply at Brendel.
“Now I understand,” Brendel spoke, “You think from my position, I should currently be on the Empire’s opposing side, or at least remain neutral?”
Rogers did not answer; his expression clearly suggested agreement. The tall man behind him shrugged in resigned acknowledgment, while the lady knight seemed a bit anxious, her hand having yet to leave the hilt of her sword. Only the last young man had remained silent throughout, his face showing no signs of emotion.
Brendel looked more closely at the young man, then replied, “You’ve misunderstood; despite standing in opposition to some of you, in this holy war, the Erluin remain allies of the Cruzian, and that will not change.”
Rogers stared at Brendel in surprise, thinking the rumors about him being eccentric were true. In his words, the Empire was the Empire, and the nobility was nobility, as if they were two separate concepts. He vaguely sensed Brendel’s intent but had no time to ponder. Feeling somewhat grateful, he replied, “Lord Earl, your sense of integrity is admirable. Now I believe your actions at the Black Sword Bastion, as rumored, were without blemish; on behalf of the Empire, I apologize to you.”
Upon hearing this, QiYala hurriedly pulled Eynid aside, startling the latter, who couldn’t help but quietly ask, “What’s wrong, QiYala? Are you not feeling well?”
The girl from the Siphai family, who was suffering from serious stomach pain, tried to suppress her laughter as she replied, “It’s nothing. Eynid, I’m afraid I’ll burst out laughing; help me cover, I can’t hold it anymore, heheh…”
The daughter of House Gray Mountain looked at her companion in confusion.
But at that moment, Rogers truly felt grateful. In a world where very few could separate their loves and hates from their principles in dealing with others, it was exceptionally rare. Everyone knew the enmity between Brendel and the Empire’s nobility, not to mention they were preparing for war before today, but at a critical moment, he could decisively set aside hatred and bias; this capability alone was enough for Rogers to admire him. This admiration was rooted in his identity as an Imperial soldier, witnessing the Empire falling into danger, feeling helpless, and clutching at the lifeline in despair. Of course, his belief in Brendel’s words remained half-hearted, but he didn’t show it on his face.
Brendel took in everyone’s expressions and shook his head, “What I need now is not an apology; if there is to be one, it should come from some arrogant individuals. What we need now is to clarify what exactly happened. What was previously said was merely speculation based on existing information, but we need a more detailed plan, Mr. Rogers. You understand why I wanted to see you; if I want to know what happened before night fell yesterday, no one here knows better than you.”
This was precisely the concern that Brendel and Nemeses currently prioritized: Iron Yew Town was deserted, showing no signs of battle, while Leafwood Avenue and Valgris only had a few residents attacked, indicating the armies of Earl Orkans and the other nobles had not retreated due to the Jotungrund attack—or at least, they might have received early warning and fled beforehand. What perplexed Brendel was why Earl Ji’en had been left alone in this place—indeed that Earl was still there cursing his callous and ungrateful colleagues. Coincidentally, the farm where the sentry cavalry had rescued Rogers and the others, according to the cavalry captain’s assessment, these Cruzian interior knights were not the owners, meaning they had likely encountered the underground dwellers halfway and had to retreat into the nearby farm to take shelter.
As for why they had left their secret station at that time, it might have been coincidence, but Brendel leaned toward another assumption.
Rogers showed a hint of surprise; clearly, this Earl was well aware of the jurisdiction of the interior knights. Still, he was confused as to why Brendel knew them so well. Interior knights were only semi-public even among the Empire’s upper echelons; some secrets had always been held within the royal family. On this note, even the young man in the long robe lifted his head for the first time to gaze at Brendel then lowered it again.
This thought only flashed in Rogers’s mind before disappearing, but soon a more shocking thought arose, causing him to raise his head and look at Brendel in confusion, “Lord Earl, you didn’t see?”
“See what?” Brendel asked, puzzled. He immediately furrowed his brows, instinctively realizing he and Earl Ji’en might have missed something.
Of course, it was also possible that they were being played, but when he saw Rogers shockingly turn to exchange glances with his colleagues, he understood Rogers wasn’t lying. It seemed to take Rogers quite some time to digest that information; after swallowing hard, he stammered, “Lord Earl, pardon my rudeness, may I confirm once more? Did anyone from you or your embassy see that pillar of light last night?”
His tone was so cautious that he unconsciously used honorifics when addressing Brendel.
“A pillar of light?” Brendel was truly taken aback. He and Nemeses had not slept the whole night but hadn’t seen any pillar of light at all. “What are you talking about? Did something happen that caused a magical resonance, perhaps a trick from those Jotungrund creatures?”
“Not magical resonance,” the lady knight blurted out, “but a relic resonance! How could you possibly have missed it? The half-sky near Valgris and Leafwood Avenue was illuminated, and almost everyone saw shooting stars falling; the northern skyline seemed to be ablaze.”
Both spoke simultaneously and then fell silent.
Everyone exchanged glances.
“What are you talking about? That didn’t happen at all,” the duke’s daughter frowned and retorted.
“Falling stars? Is that really so exciting?” Romaine’s eyes brightened, hastily looking at Medisa, but she frowned as if deep in thought.
“You mentioned falling stars and that the northern sky seemed to burn?” Brendel seemed to hear utter nonsense, instinctively pressing for more details.
The lady knight couldn’t understand what she might have said wrong; she looked at her companions, but the faces of Rogers and Trevor were grave. “What is going on?” Rogers asked in a low voice, “Lord Earl, didn’t you see what happened?”
Brendel didn’t answer. He merely exchanged a glance with Nemeses, who silently nodded at him, forming a word with her lips.
Brendel turned back and suddenly realized something. He instructed a guard from the White Lion to go ask Earl Ji’en if he had seen everything that Mr. Rogers described.
……
Recently, I’ve been a bit stuck on the writing, so to avoid going down a rough path again, no matter how hard it gets, I’ll keep updating and finishing the book, seeking monthly votes.
