The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 382: Volume 7: Spring Thunder Awakens the Hibernating Creatures, - 9: Heaven Rewards the Diligent_4

Chapter 382: Volume 7: Spring Thunder Awakens the Hibernating Creatures, Chapter 9: Heaven Rewards the Diligent_4

Captain Kent’s stern expression told Frenster that this was yet another less-than-pleasant conversation. Such a look would usually only appear on the resolute face of the Corps Commander of the Thunderhorse Knights when he encountered thorny issues, which made Frenster feel quite displeased. It seemed his rare good mood might be coming to an end, but if he was not the one to shoulder this responsibility, then who else could carry this burden?

"Captain Kent has seen the Archbishop!" Adhering strictly to knightly etiquette, Kent, with a brisk step, approached and respectfully placed his hand over his heart in greeting.

"Mr. Kent, please, take a seat here." The faint smile, clear and distinct as if branded into Kent’s tranquil heart, washed him with a sense of ethereal cleansing. His already substantial admiration for the Archbishop, who was very likely to become the next Pope, increased by leaps and bounds. All Kent could feel was respect.

A gentleman can be deceived by propriety, Frenster expanded the tranquility of his freshly cleansed soul outward, enveloping Kent, and immediately saw results. Pleased, Frenster asked, "Mr. Kent, do you have any new findings to report?"

"Archbishop, indeed there are some new matters I need to report to you. While continuing their surveillance mission in the Caucasus Region of The Kingdom of Nicosia, Knights Green and Jep encountered several suspicious individuals. They suspect the presence of Dark Mages among them, and the latest message they sent back reported that Knight Jep had had a clash with a Great Mysterium Devotee, but unfortunately, the opponent managed to escape."

"Did those two knights gain anything from observing our surveillance targets?" Frenster pondered for a moment, his gaunt face shone with a serene light that was crystal clear.

"I am sorry, but up to now, we have found nothing. Given the particular nature of the opponents’ identities, Green and his colleagues cannot resort to other measures and are thus persisting tirelessly with their surveillance and investigation. However, the target is exceedingly cunning and cautious, rarely affording Green and Jep an opportunity to make better or more contact with them," said Kent, shaking his head, making no attempt to hide the situation from the Archbishop.

"What exactly is making these dark cultivators, including the ones who practice dark magic, gather in the Caucasus? Could it be those lurking among the populace of places like the Myron Duchy or the Meine City-State?" Frenster wanted to understand the heart of the matter.

"No, they should be from outside. It is said they came at the invitation of the Lord to adventure in Damarlinsk Castle. Most of them appeared in the Caucasus as adventurers. According to the analysis of the two knights after their investigation, they believe that a considerable portion of this group leans towards darkness, which is why they suspect that our surveillance target may also be practicing dark magic and consider it entirely warranted to employ extraordinary measures against this individual." Captain Kent finally expressed his view. He had never desired to have his two capable subordinates endlessly carry out this task; in his opinion, if they could indeed confirm the target’s identity, it would simply be a matter of ordering the two knights to capture him and bring him to Marco. Although this individual may be considered a Lord in the Caucasus, Kent believed his two subordinates were capable of completing this task without alerting anyone else.

Gently shaking his head, Frenster’s lean cheeks showed a cautious expression. "Kent, you’re underestimating this man. If we suspect that Magician Malone might also have died at his hand, do you still believe he is that easy to deal with? Besides, he now has a number of mages with unclear identities on his side."

"What?!" Even Kent, seasoned by many hardships, was startled to his feet by the Archbishop’s words, somewhat losing composure as he asked, "Archbishop, are you suggesting that Magician Malone was killed by this man? Then, what is the message the Church publicized about Magician Malone’s death due to a failed magic practice and being killed by magic backlash?"

"That was merely a smokescreen for political necessity." Frenster noticed the other’s clear discomfort at his words and smiled inwardly. It seemed that Captain Kent had yet to fully accept the Church’s involvement in political matters. But the reality was such; without leverage to trade with secular authorities, the Church would struggle to propagate its glory.

"In fact, both Onia and I have suspicions that this issue is related to the Caucasus Lord; however, we have not found any evidence to date, just as when you were on your mission. This man is quite adept at cleaning up after himself. Another point is that we have always been unable to ascertain his motive for killing Malone, which is also why we have hesitated in making a decision," Frenster said, his rosy cheeks betraying a complex expression. "Sometimes I too am unsure whether my decisions are correct, but right now this man’s status is out of the ordinary. Although he might be a minor Lord in a remote corner, his position within the Kingdom of Nicosia is somewhat special, and we must be careful."

Kent did not quite understand what the Archbishop meant by "special," but he vaguely sensed it had something to do with the internal political power struggles of the Kingdom of Nicosia, which he did not wish to delve into as matters that did not concern him. "So, Your Grace, you mean..." Kent paused and then remembered, "Ah yes, my two subordinates also discovered that this Lord seems to have little interest in proselytism and has adopted a more relaxed policy toward it than the Homer region. Many smaller sects have taken this opportunity to enter the region and expand, although there is still no public foothold found for the Great Mysterium Sect there."