The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 670: Volume Eighteen: Stormy Secrets, - Twenty-One: Absolute Strength

Chapter 670: Volume Eighteen: Stormy Secrets, Chapter Twenty-One: Absolute Strength

"Prevent problems before they arise? Noyola, our Court cannot afford to waste our precious energy on things that are elusive or even nonexistent. Dark Forces are proliferating around us, and we need to be deeply concerned, but certainly not in Caucasus, a land filled with Half-Beastmen and Barbarians. Even the Dark Forces would not waste their efforts on these inferior breeds. Among the Dark Forces, there are clever individuals as well. What they want is to vie with us for the minds of Mortals, for Mortals are our foundation. If you overlook this point, you are neglecting the essentials for the sake of trivialities!"

Lorenzo was just as unwilling to yield. The most admirable and satisfying aspect of this group was its complete independence of will and absolute freedom of thought. As long as you were working toward the greater glory of the cause of Light and defending the honor of the Court, all viewpoints and opinions could be brought up for discussion and debate at any time.

"Sir Lorenzo, the number of Mortals in the Caucasus is not small, and that piece of land is developing quite rapidly at the moment. It is separated from those southern regions rampant with Dark Forces only by the Cordillera Wilderness under Barbarian control. If those Dark Forces indeed intend to find a bridgehead for infiltrating Central Continent and the North, then Caucasus would be the best location. They know that we have already constructed a tight surveillance line in other parts of Central Continent and are constantly spreading the doctrines of our Holy Teaching southward. The special enclosed environment of Caucasus might make us overlook this land, but once the Dark Forces take root there, we might have to pay a much higher price to eradicate them."

Caru spoke calmly, but the firmness and persistence in his tone were felt by everyone, and the solemn look on Lorenzo’s face showed that he was clearly more inclined to listen to the other’s opinions rather than be swayed by Noyola’s attitude.

A hint of sarcasm appeared on Noyola’s face; he knew his colleague’s personality all too well. If he showed support, his colleague would surely express doubts. If he did not make his stance clear, his colleague would rather adopt the right mindset and take things seriously; thus, he simply shut his mouth and waited for Lorenzo to make his own judgment.

"Caru, are you suggesting that the Dark Forces have already spread through the Cordillera Wilderness and infiltrated the Caucasus? But I did not hear this from the information you have provided. Your predictions and estimates are mostly based on subjective assumptions and do not have any meaningful substance. Have the Mortals in Caucasus and Leon already been infiltrated by the Dark Forces? How many among them have embraced those dark faiths? What proportion do they account for among the Mortals in this region? Exactly how many missionary posts are there in this area? Which Sect of the Dark Forces do they belong to? Who is the leader? If you wish for the precious efforts of our Court not to be wasted, I hope you can produce precise answers to the questions I have just raised."

Although Lorenzo’s tone was still aggressive and questioning, those familiar with him understood that, if he was asking detailed questions with such attention, it meant that he had already accepted the other’s viewpoint to some extent. Even Boritz couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief, for at least they had initially achieved their purpose. Now the task was to further strengthen the Deputy Chief of the Religious Court’s suspicions toward Caucasus and Leon and to make him unknowingly follow their opinion.

"Sir Lorenzo, if I could have so quickly and thoroughly understood the details of those Dark Forces, they certainly wouldn’t be as arrogant and rampant in the South as they are now. We all understand that the Dark Forces are not as simple as we first imagined. We have been in contention with them for so many generations, and through these hundreds of years, we have never managed to completely eradicate them—and neither have they ever before expanded their influence so openly as now. The confrontation at Basarabia has just come to an end. The Dark Forces will not be content with idleness; we must consider the worst-case scenarios. Therefore, I believe we have every reason to be suspicious of the traces of Dark Forces in the Caucasus and to thoroughly purge the land of any remnants of darkness."

Caru’s attitude grew more resolute, his tone firmer, "The strategic importance of the Caucasus’s geographical location will become increasingly prominent. With the opening of the Catania River route and the continuous increase of colonial settlements on the vast Continent, the shipping industry across the Mediterranean is more and more developed. The exchange between the South and the North will increase, and Caucasus might become a transit station for communication between the two. The Dark Forces will not let such an opportunity slip by. Even if they have not yet fully realized the importance of the Caucasus, they will soon catch on. Mattdam, Bahomon, and Bruce on the Nissai River all might become bases for the Dark Forces’ invasion from the North. Hence, I earnestly request that Lord Noyola and Sir Lorenzo pay sufficient attention. Once we allow the Dark Forces to firmly entrench themselves in this region, it will be quite difficult to completely eliminate them."

Noyola watched with a twinge of jealousy as this eloquent individual spoke. Although he found Caru’s overly independent thinking not to his liking, when he looked at Boritz, whom he had painstakingly nurtured, the gap in quality was evident. Whether it was in meticulousness of thought, breadth of vision, the structure of rhetoric, or the determination of will, Boritz was simply not on the same level.

In the Court, there were no mediocrities, but the most talented were not necessarily all concentrated within the Court. Over the years, Frenster and Vazinsky had been fervently nurturing talents loyal to themselves, and it was said that they had achieved notable results. Noyola was not bothered by the actions of Frenster and Vazinsky; in his view, as long as the ultimate goal was to spread the grace of the Bright Holy Teaching to every corner of the Continent, surpassing minor details was inconsequential.

The Holy Teaching, while demanding that believers who are devout adhere to the standards of the saints, does not expect every individual to reach such heights. Rather, it serves as a lighthouse in the hearts of the followers, inspiring them to strive toward that goal. And until then, situational flexibility for the spread of the Holy Teaching is indispensable. Frenster and Vazinsky are rare exceptional talents within the Holy Teaching. It is through their support that the Pope has been able to maintain the Church’s vitality during his prolonged seclusion; this is an undeniable fact.

"Do you mean to say that the Dark Forces in the South have their sights on the Caucasus for its unique geographical importance?" Lorenzo’s attitude had started to shift. Without Noyola there to interject, Caru had successfully gained Lorenzo’s preliminary agreement on his view of the situation. Now was the time to turn that suspicion into concrete action.

"Not only have they taken notice, but I also believe they have already begun implementing their first phase of the plan. It’s clear that the lord in the Caucasus has become their spokesperson. The missionaries sent there by the Church of Light face various types of intangible oppression, and their mission work has come to a standstill— a state of affairs not seen elsewhere. I formally request of both of you, sirs, we must dispatch sufficient forces as soon as possible to help the mortal residents of this land thoroughly eradicate the Dark Forces’ erosion."

Silence once again descended on the chamber. Noyola remained in his usual solemn silence, Caru, after having spoken, lowered his eyelids and said no more, while Boritz simply closed his eyes as if awaiting the verdict from the other two.

Uncertain, Lorenzo looked around, unsure of himself. Noyola’s expressionless face made him feel as though he was stuck, unable to dismount a tiger. In fact, he had already believed Caru’s opinion but had previously firmly opposed sending someone to the Caucasus to eliminate the crisis. Now, to make himself take back those words, he felt it was somewhat a blow to his pride.

Noyola saw the embarrassment of his colleague. He knew that his skeptical yet face-conscious colleague was hesitating, and now was the time for him to help make a decision.

"Lorenzo, I found your earlier doubts to be sensible. Our Court’s power is quite limited, and it seems that aside from you and me, no one else is in a state of rest. Please do not consider me; my body is rather unwell, and I need the sunshine at sea to cleanse the worldly shadows from my body. Alright, this matter is for you to decide. I shall take my leave now."

Irritated, Lorenzo watched Noyola drift away and scoffed heavily through his nostrils, "Caru, Boritz, you’ve done well. This time, the inspection in the Caucasus and Leon has yielded considerable results. We cannot ignore the Dark Forces spreading under our watch. I’ve made up my mind. We must immediately resolve this great danger and must not allow the Dark Forces to take root within the borders of the Kingdom of Nicosia. I will go with you, and Noyola must go as well. I will make him understand the importance of this operation."

With a tactful exchange of a glance filled with joy, Caru and Boritz both knew that the Deputy Chief had ultimately fallen into Noyola’s trap. Considering the inscrutable power of Rebry and that mysterious chief, having either Lorenzo or Noyola make an appearance would indeed increase their chances of success. If both were to go together, then all problems would cease to exist. Regardless of how formidable the power of that low-ranking noble or how many ghosts from the Dark Forces lurked behind him, in the face of absolute strength, everything would vanish like smoke!

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