The Lich of Glory Knight Spirit: Moving towards Krimasha!
Chapter 172 - 06: A Turbulent Night_2

Chapter 172: Chapter 06: A Turbulent Night_2

"No," Darren IV waved his hand and said, "I can only guarantee that you won’t be exposed. That’s the most important thing, isn’t it? In other aspects, you should make some concessions. For instance, the church tax issue I just mentioned. You changed the church tax in the south to voluntary, change it back. This is a consensus among almost all clergy. The church is already running out of funds. No one will support you, not even me. If I forcibly support you after becoming the pope, I myself may be in danger. Do you understand what I mean?"

Gray remained silent, continuing to quietly watch Darren IV.

Darren IV walked cautiously to the window, pulled open the curtain to look at the street, and casually said, "I hope your response can be quicker. You seem to like this silent negotiation style, but actually, there isn’t much to think about in this matter, right? I don’t think my words are that difficult to understand. I can’t stay here for too long either. After all, I don’t want others to know I came to see you. Especially those who support me."

"Understood," Gray answered softly.

"Can you give me a reply now?" Darren IV asked.

"I can’t give you a reply now, I need to seriously consider it."

"What more do you need to consider? The conditions are already quite favorable, you can’t get a better deal from anyone else. Sending letters to the southern bishops will take time. This can’t wait until the vote to decide." Seeing Gray still standing motionless, Darren IV paused and then changed his tone, "Alright, I can give you time to consider, but you must give me a reply by tomorrow. Otherwise, even if we reach an agreement, it won’t matter."

Gray quietly watched the panicked Darren IV and softly said, "Okay, I will give you a reply by tomorrow."

"I am seventy-three years old. Missing this chance, I almost certainly won’t wait for the next one. In that case, my ambitions would be in vain. The sooner, the better for both of us," Darren IV bowed and, with his followers, turned to leave.

Gray was left alone in the room, sitting quietly, contemplating by the candlelight.

"Ambition... why does it sound so ridiculous?" The Black Cat hidden in the armor said helplessly, "Promising you won’t reveal your identity, promising to restore the original church tax to other clergy. He has probably promised everything he can... is there anything left of his ambition? Oh yes, there’s the chair, the papal chair. Besides that chair, what else is his? The unfortunate thing is from what he just said, other candidates seem to be the same. For such a church to have someone like Augustus III as pope, can I say it’s already a stroke of luck?"

"The church tax is non-negotiable? I thought they were resisting my identity as a Lich, but it turns out the most crucial issue is money? Almost all clergy oppose me because I’ve taken their wealth. Only a minority like Anthony III support me," murmured Gray.

"That’s normal," said Vivian helplessly, "Although Hell advocates the nine sins, we’ve never intentionally promoted them. We merely mock Heaven’s abstinence. But humanity, they’ve always taken the nine sins to the extreme, especially greed. Humans are like that, and even the Holy Spirit is powerless."

"Should I let them be?" Gray asked.

The Black Cat and Vivian remained silent.

The wind blew gently, everything around remained quiet.

In the distance, the coachman’s shouted orders could already be heard. It was Darren IV’s coachman. Soon followed the sounds of horse hooves and rolling carriage wheels.

Gray pulled back the curtain and quietly watched the carriage depart.

Soon, Jones and Dora climbed down from the rooftop. Carl also came to Gray’s room.

Maintaining the posture of pulling back the curtain, Gray quietly watched the empty street outside, standing silently, his back to Jones, Dora, and Carl.

When the Lich did nothing and said nothing, without a doubt, he was thinking.

The Black Cat and Vivian continued to remain silent. Time passed bit by bit.

The night watchman whistling while going to the bathroom passed by Gray’s door, saw the door ajar, and all the people standing motionless, he couldn’t help but pause.

"What’s going on? Did something happen?"

Gray stepped back slowly, turned around, and softly said, "How many are still resting? Wake them all up."

"Er... what’s happening?" asked the night watchman.

"Yes!" Carl had already bowed and turned to leave.

Without answering the night watchman’s question, Gray turned to Vivian and said, "Bring me the defense maps. Azlan Mountain and Saint Lorenza’s defense maps. I need to know exactly how many troops are here and where they are. Also, maps, of Azlan Mountain and Saint Lorenza."

"Understood," Vivian responded and quietly left.

The night watchman was still in bewilderment.

"What are you planning? Are you going to make a move?" asked the Black Cat.

Watching the flickering candle flame, Gray softly replied, "I’m going to... have a proper talk with them. In the name of justice."

...

The Silver Moon Knight Order began to assemble quietly.

...

Quiet night.

On Azlan Mountain, Levi was still idly sipping his wine.

"Shouldn’t we continue to stay alert?" Little Mustache Knight asked with a glass of wine.

"No need. The best time to make a move has passed. If he wanted to act, he would have done so already," Levi shook his wine glass and replied.

"But I can’t understand why he hasn’t made a move. Because the Holy Spirit won’t allow him to?"

"Maybe. Maybe he plans to leave here quickly after the vote. After all, he still has enough power in the south, he won’t fall easily."

"Could someone have already negotiated with him privately? His votes, it’s impossible for him to be elected, but if one side... offers some conditions to win his support?"

"Someone will definitely try to win his support, but he surely won’t agree. Because he’s a zealot," Levi insisted on his judgment of Gray.

Several Guardian Angels were helpless.

They didn’t know Gray’s actual situation because Heaven wouldn’t reveal it to them. But they knew clearly that Gray had a bigger secret beyond being a Lich.

This secret wasn’t something Levi and the others could provoke.

...

Horse hooves were wrapped in cloth. With his Silver Moon Knight Order, Gray quietly left his residence under the cover of night. Invisible Vivian followed the horse, drifting beside him.

The landlord Sipei lying on the balcony watched in fear.

"What are they going to do?"

Floating far away in the air, Belinda helplessly held her forehead.

On the other side, Zeda smiled.

...

In the secret room, a large group of cardinals gathered, passionately discussing various power exchanges and compromises.

...

"Move! Get out of the way—! Do you hear me!" The night watchman led the dwarves, struggling to clear a path in the crowded city. Gray led the Silver Moon Knight Order through slowly.

Surrounding people craned their necks to watch, puzzled and curious.

Soon, they had passed through the busy city center and arrived at the road to Azlan Mountain from Saint Lorenza. This was the outermost defense line of the church.

The soldiers of the Holy Temple Knights standing on the watchtower felt a jolt and hurriedly shouted, "Who are you! What are you doing here so late at night?"

The Silver Moon Banner was unfurled, fluttering in the firelight.

The dozen Temple Knights guarding the tower were dumbfounded: "Is this, Holy Knight Gray?"

Riding his horse step by step, until reaching below the watchtower, Gray shouted loudly, "I, Holy Knight Gray, through church affairs, now demand to fulfill my duties as a saint, and take over Azlan Mountain! Please do not make futile resistance! Also, you have only thirty seconds to consider!"