The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 712: Volume 20 Wolf Lurks in the Mediterranean - 18 Double-Barreled Expense_2

Chapter 712: Volume 20 Wolf Lurks in the Mediterranean Chapter 18 Double-Barreled Expense_2

As part of the exchange terms, the Great Mysterium Sect was granted a plot of land in the center of Piraeus City State to construct a grand-scale Dark Temple. The Great Mysterium Sect planned to erect an unprecedented sacrificial hall and altar in the central square of Piraeus City so that all the followers of Hades in the Southern Mediterranean could fulfill their lifelong wishes without needing to make a pilgrimage to the Giganthia Temple on Zago Island.

This was likewise considered a win-win situation for the city officials. Some believers of the Dark Lineage within the city council had long proposed the idea of constructing a temple for worship in the city center. Now, someone had stepped forward with this very idea, and it wouldn’t even require municipal funding—only a piece of land designated for religious use. Why would they not be pleased?

The people of Piraeus also felt a sense of honor from the visits of delegates from neighboring countries. This recognition was even more influential than the short-term impact of the city-state’s economic development. People across the Southern Mediterranean knew that the Piraeus people had defeated the Spartains and claimed the crown in the Chariot Race. They all wanted to know how their city-state had achieved this, which filled the city officials with both excitement and anxiety.

The Great Mysterium Sect had a large number of followers in other countries and cities, but in Piraeus City State, Hades, the god of darkness, was the most devoutly worshipped deity. Although some city council members had proposed making Hades the guardian god of Piraeus, this suggestion hadn’t been universally supported. After all, in the Southern Mediterranean Region, no city-states or countries had designated Hades as their guardian god. Instead, they chose original traditional deities as their protectors and patrons. However, it seemed like the time had come for some changes. Otherwise, it would be hard to say if Piraeus would remain attractive to the Dark preachers if other city-states offered more favorable conditions for the Great Mysterium Sect’s missionary work, or even if they designated Hades as their country or city’s guardian god before Piraeus did.

For the past few days, Xerob had been in an extremely excited state. The attitude of the officials of Piraeus City State had drastically changed from when they first participated in the competition. The entries of Solonberg, Vladimir Koff, and another Guardian Mage King of the Great Mysterium Sect had secured three spots for Piraeus out of the sixteen contenders in the gladiator competition’s rematch. This was an unprecedented breakthrough; in previous years, the best result Piraeus had achieved was just one person reaching the rematch, and more often, none at all.

And now, Piraeus had earned nearly as many entries as the Spartains and even one more than the Corinthians and Iberians. In terms of the competition, the number of entry spots essentially symbolized a country’s military strength to some extent. Although there were many secrets unknown to the public, this vanity alone was enough to intoxicate the officials of Piraeus City State.

The brilliant performance in the Chariot Race led the city officials of Piraeus to immediately agree upon returning to submit the proposal to declare Hades as the guardian god of Piraeus City State and assured Xerob it would certainly pass in the city council. After Xerob introduced the status and situation of the City (Court) Mage Group in the Northern Continent to the officials, they showed intense interest in his proposal to help establish the first City (Court) Mage Group in the south for the people of Piraeus. The concern that other countries and city-states were continuously visiting to learn more and that the Great Mysterium Sect might be swayed by others filled Xerob with immense satisfaction.

Xerob had to admit that the Dark Lord understood the psychology of these upper-class individuals much better than he did. How to exploit these psychological traits to achieve his own goals was a piece of cake for the Dark Lord. By playing such tricks, the enthusiasm of the Piraeus people had been completely mobilized, even spreading interest in the Dark Lineage among the upper echelons of neighboring regions, cities, and countries.

"Dark Lord, good news!" Faced with the serene Komer, Xerob simply could not comprehend how such a young noble not only possessed extraordinary wisdom but also a composure beyond his years. Tranquility is something born from age and experience, not just talent or gifted abilities. Yet, the Dark Lord’s demeanor left Xerob feeling decidedly inferior.

"Oh? It seems there has been a surfeit of good news these past few days. Xerob, maintaining a calm and ordinary mindset is especially crucial for you at present. In an era where desires run rampant, as a preacher, you should even more so fortify the cultivation of your spirit," Komer, lifting his gaze wearily, had spent the entire night discussing the creation of the Illusionary Puppet Magic Armor with Mihailovich, and they had finally entered the substantive processing stage. Now, he could take some much-needed rest.

"Dark Lord, I believe this piece of news will excite you too." When it was just the two of them, Xerob didn’t want to mask his emotions too much. The long-term suppression and restraint sometimes left him inexplicably agitated. Komer had told him that indulging oneself appropriately could alleviate such random impulses; of course, this was merely to treat the symptoms. The optimal solution was still to enhance one’s spiritual cultivation. "The Iberians wish for Our Great Mysterium Sect to construct a grand Dark Temple in their capital to satisfy the faith requirements of their domestic and neighboring region’s Dark followers. In addition, they have requested our assistance in forming a Mage Corps to help defend against the increasingly fierce invasions of the Barbarians."

"Humph, I fear the latter request is their actual motive, isn’t it? The pressure they’re facing now is far from trivial." Komer smiled faintly; even the fertile lands of Flanders Valley had to be forsaken, which suggested how dire the Iberians’ plight was.

"Your insight is profound, Dark Lord. However, for us, this is also a rare opportunity. Our Great Mysterium Sect already has a solid foundation in the Iberian Kingdom. If we manipulate this situation well, we could significantly expand our influence there and then extend it to the surrounding areas," Xerob responded with an understanding smile.

"Indeed, the Piraeus people can assist in expanding the influence of the Dark Lineage across the seas, while the military strength of the Iberian Kingdom on land is second only to the Kingdom of Sparta. If we can firmly control both ends, we could pressure the Corinthians and Spartains, making them realize that without the support of the Dark Lineage, their positions could potentially be overtaken by the Piraeus and Iberians. Trojans and Phoenicians would also covet their wealth. Only by instilling a sense of crisis can the Dark Faith truly establish itself in these city-states and countries," Komer commented calmly and evenly.

"But, Dark Lord, have you considered the possibility that the Corinthians and Spartains might rely on other Sects, such as the Church of Light? What should we do then?" Xerob nodded before raising yet another question.

"Hmph, can’t the Dark Lineage handle even this minor affair? Why not mobilize those devout believers? Let them destroy the altars of the Church of Light, put pressure on their lords and magistrates. Additionally, you must not just passively wait; proactive and strategized contact is also necessary. I trust that the Corinthians and Spartains’ intellects are not so rigid as to be incapable of understanding this. In any case, we must absolutely prevent such a scenario from transpiring." Turning his face slightly, Komer gazed into the distance, his voice cold and resolute.