"Venomspider Gorge, I need you to go to Venomspider Gorge," Balnazzar emphasized the name. "After the Consecration Ceremony, you will join the Argent Dawn. I need you to apply to Tyrosus for permission to go to Venomspider Gorge. The Warden there has just died, and you can take his place. It's the highest position you can barely climb to right now."
"Previous Warden were unable to unite the foreign tribes there, so they all died. But you are different. There are now a large number of prisoners of war there who were originally your troops. Controlling them again will be a piece of cake for you. With the help of our tribe's methods, unifying the forces there will be a piece of cake."
This is a two-birds-with-one-stone plan. It will allow Bessarius to control a certain amount of military power and further gain Tyrosus's trust, but the prerequisite is that Tyrosus will agree to Unas's request.
Bessarius asked the question that had been on Unas's mind, "Would Tyrosus agree to appoint me, the newcomer?"
"Don't worry, everyone avoids this position like the plague, no one will compete with you for it, and with me here, I can guarantee he'll agree."
It seemed this was a task that couldn't be refused. The two demons discussed some more details, but Unas was no longer listening.
It wouldn't be bad to become an official by taking advantage of the devil's plan. Although the mortality rate of the Warden of the Venomspider Gorge is currently 100%, he didn't feel any danger during his two visits, as long as he doesn't go out in the middle of the night like Holiya did and risk his life.
"This is the first task I'm giving you. Complete it well, and then wait for the 'opportunity' to arrive. That will be the biggest surprise, hehehe..." The image on the Water Mirror gradually blurred. Balnazzar left behind this profound statement and disappeared with a maniacal laugh.
Unas let out a long sigh of relief. The plague god was finally gone. This ordeal was surprisingly easy. He only had to listen in for a short while before it was over, and the result was much better than he had expected.
Balnazzar seemed unaware of his presence, or perhaps he noticed but didn't care because he felt Banazar was being controlled. This was a place that could be exploited, a chance to launch a surprise attack on Balnazzar from behind at a crucial moment.
However, if he goes to Venomspider Gorge, he won't be able to join the Argent Dawn's expedition to the Eastern Plaguelands, where Alexander was killed by his eldest son in the game's storyline. Unas originally planned to secretly sabotage this assassination, but now his plans are completely disrupted.
Faced with the overwhelming tide of history, Unas felt the insignificance of his own power. If he were to entrust something to someone else, the only person he could completely trust was Gordon, but that guy had vanished without even leaving a way to contact him.
Just as he was fretting, Bessarius arrived, eager to take credit. "Well, I believe you're slowly realizing that I'm not your enemy, but your friend."
"Indeed, it seems you weren't lying. Our souls are indeed very closely linked, sharing both glory and ruin," Unas said, going along with his words.
"Hehe, when we get to Venomspider Gorge, I'll teach you a few more spells to help you gradually control the various alien races there and completely master their power."
"Tch, who cares about your dangerous demonic magic? I'll win people over with virtue," Unas thought to himself, but said aloud, "That's wonderful! How can I ever repay you for thinking so much about me?"
"Heh heh," Bessarius seemed to sense the sarcasm in Unas's words, and without replying, he let out two sinister laughs and disappeared.
Unas sneered inwardly. This demon had been tempting him to use Fel, trying to lure him into the path of the demons. He had to be careful.
The peaceful few days passed in a flash, and tomorrow was the day of the Consecration Ceremony. Unas had been notified two days earlier that he had to go to the Cathedral for rehearsal today, so he got up early and waited in his hut.
He hasn't gone out much these past few days, partly out of fear of retaliation from the Northern Maple soldiers, and partly to carefully consider his future and the Ashbringer's matter.
There's no use thinking too much about your own way out; it's just a matter of dealing with whatever comes your way.
He racked his brains trying to figure out a good solution for Ashbringer, but ultimately couldn't find one. The root of the problem was that Ashbringer was too weak to influence the overall situation. However, he still wrote a few anonymous letters, intending to deliver them to the parties involved when the opportunity arose. He didn't know if giving them a heads-up would have any effect, but he decided to do his best and leave the rest to fate.
Before long, Darian and Erigor came to pick him up. Now Unas had to travel in pairs, and Erigor often acted as his bodyguard.
Perhaps because the festival was approaching, the North Maple Legion did not dare to cause trouble openly. The three of them arrived at the Cathedral without incident. Erigor dropped them off and left in a hurry. A polite female Priest led the two of them to a small chapel.
Below the stage in the auditorium were several young people, some sitting and some standing. They were the Paladins who were being promoted together this time. Darian and Unas were both quite well-known, and their arrival immediately attracted everyone's attention.
Two young men dressed in golden armor immediately came forward. Darian seemed to know them well and introduced them to Unas. It turned out that they were both subordinates of Alexander and had made outstanding military achievements, which was why they had received this rare opportunity for promotion.
The four exchanged warm greetings, clearly distinguishing themselves from the group on the other side. Unas glanced around and counted nine people in total, one of whom was late. He overheard someone nearby discussing this.
"Who's late for something so important?"
Forgive her; women always take a little longer to do anything.
"A woman? Where did she come from? I don't know of any female apprentice Paladins."
"You're so out of touch; you don't even know about the only daughter of the Lord of Tyr's Hand."
"Really? She's here? What heroic deeds has she performed?"
"She doesn't need heroic deeds, nor does she need to risk her life on the battlefield; her mere status is enough to qualify her for promotion, just like that one over there."
Unas turned to look at the person who had spoken, only to see that the person was looking at Darian beside him, and Darian was glaring back at him.
Unas stepped aside, forcefully inserting himself between the two, blocking their confrontational glares. It was best to ignore this deliberate provocation; the man was clearly from the Red Maple Legion, ostensibly mocking Darian, but his real target was probably him.
Patting Darian on the shoulder to calm him down, he knew the kid was indeed nominated by Tyrosus because of his father's glory, but realistically, background and status are also part of one's strength. Darian didn't need to be so angry.
Unas did take a liking to the noblewoman. Tyr's Hand had just allied with the Monastery, and having the heir of Tyr's Hand join the Silver Hand was indeed a good way to strengthen relations between the two sides.
I wonder what this noble lady, who is about to be "forced" to become Paladin, is like?
Just then, a golden figure flashed into the small auditorium. Before Unas could see clearly, the figure was already in front of everyone. She bowed slightly and said in a gentle, warm voice, "I apologize, everyone, I'm late."
The image of the "connected" young lady was completely different from what Unas had imagined. She didn't resemble a delicate young lady at all. She had a tall and straight figure, and a set of gorgeous and familiar golden armor covered her entire body. This was the Judgement Armor, the equipment Unas had always dreamed of. She wore it even more well Erigor.
Her unadorned, shoulder-length black hair exuded elegance and composure, while her equally black eyebrows and eyes made Unas feel instantly at ease. A perfectly timed smile graced her delicate face, making everyone feel as if they were basking in a spring breeze, and the unpleasantness caused by her lateness instantly vanished.
Upon seeing her in person, everyone couldn't help but think that perhaps her nomination wasn't just due to her family background; she herself was also qualified.
This is the manifestation of personal charm. When you see her, the first thing you think of is not a woman, but a comrade-in-arms you can rely on.
Darian quickly went up to greet him. It seemed they had known each other for a long time. This rascal had a beautiful girl but didn't introduce her earlier. He had kept her hidden until now. How stingy!